I need help with wireless network difficulties

[RALFFERS 0]

I'm fortunate enough to finally rid myself of the PIECE OF CRAP AT&T DSL (HORRIBLE service & constant problems), & instead go cable. I hooked up the router upstairs to the computer that the cable is wired to - that computer runs fine. Likewise, the laptop downstairs runs great, however, my desktop seems to be a problem... Both the laptop that connects & my desktop that doesn't show the signal strength as either "excellent" or "very good"; nevertheless, my desktop isn't actually connected & even opening the browser is much slower than normal. The error that comes up is: "connection interrupted (?) while negotiating with server", or something like that.

Things I've done in an attempt to fix the problem:

1) Make sure the wireless card, its drivers & software are properly installed on said desktop.

2) Ran Ad-ware to remove any spyware that may be causing the problem.

3) decompressed critical windows files on the hard drive. A friend of mine who is a programmer told me that running the "disk cleanup" option compresses windows files that the computer needs in order to run efficiently.

Any ideas?

Dialogue/commentary between Divot, Twardo & myself -

"from your first Oshkosh when the three of us were riding to or from one of

[normiss 622]

Add another phone number to those lost when I changed phones.
Sorry buddy, didn't realize it was you.

Delete the wireless network profile and re-create?
You most likely have a wireless network management tool that allows you to configure multiple profiles or wireless network connections.

Things to verify:
in a wireless scan, does it see the router?
get an ip address??

was the dsl modem connected directly to this pc?

[Glitch 0]

Am I missing something? The cable coming out of the wall should be connected to a cable modem, which is different than a router. An ethernet cable links the router and the modem. Each laptop or desktop pc establishes a wireless link to the router to access the interweb thingy...

I have a linksys modem and router, and this is how mine works... yours maybe different... From the description you gave, it sounds like there's no modem involved. It also sounds a bit like your talking to your router fine, but the router isn't negotiating with the modem. If security settings were played with, you may have to reset it to factory settings and start over (with whatever computer the cable modem/router software was installed on being the main computer and wired via ethernet cable to the router so you can maintain a connection with it...). Once you can connect wirelessly, you can detach the cable to the router. Clear as mud?

Also, you may need to occassionally reboot the cable modem and/or router if it just randomly stops working; I have to reboot mine `1/mth or so...

...or not.

Randomly f'n thingies up since before I was born...

[bwilling 0]

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nevertheless, my desktop isn't actually connected & even opening the browser is much slower than normal.

Are you sure it's not connected? Open a command prompt and type 'ipconfig /all' and post the results.

hint - pipe the results to a text file using 'ipconfig /all >network.txt', then open the text file and cut and paste the results here...

"If all you ever do is all you ever did, then all you'll ever get is all you ever got."

[kj126 0]

Every time i have issues with the PC or laptop it can always be traced to a PEBCAC error.












Problem Exist Between Computer And Chair.

I Am Sofa King We Todd Did!!

[phoenixfire53 0]

You left out a critical piece of information: The physical distance between your remote computer and your router. I can't speak to the range of 802.11n (wireless-n), but most people overestimate the useful range of 802.11g (wireless-g). Assuming you have a G router, it will service the room it's in and most likely the adjacent rooms above, below, and around. Beyond that it's a crapshoot.

Here's an additional list of things to consider:

1) Match your standards. If you have an G wireless card talking to an N router, you've got a G network. Try upgrading to an N card. (disclaimer, I have no experience with 802.11n, I don't know what the distances are).

2) Match manufacturers. Since it's built off a standard it shouldn't matter, but I've consistently gotten better performance pairing netgear cards to my netgear router compared to other brands.

3) Be mindful of interference. Minimize any metal surfaces between the two devices as well as any electronics/appliances. That cordless landline phone transmits on the same frequencies as your router.

4) Use channels 1, 6, & 11, favoring 1 & 11 before 6. Everything else is just asking for interference.

5) I was once told by a networking instructor that it's best to keep the antennae at 90 degree angles, as in straight up or parallel to the floor. 45 degree angles limit transmission distance. I don't know if it's true, but it couldn't hurt.

That's about it. Good luck, wireless networking is almost more trouble then it's worth. My router was in the back bedroom of my 2B apt and my gf's computer at the front of the living room could never connect to it. Eventually I just got fed up, placed the router in the middle of the apt, and ran cat5 in both directions under the carpet. $30 and 2 hours of work was far worth the aggravation saved when she stopped naggin me to fix her internet.

[georgerussia 0]

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1) Match your standards. If you have an G wireless card talking to an N router, you've got a G network. Try upgrading to an N card. (disclaimer, I have no experience with 802.11n, I don't know what the distances are).

The distances are the same. Throughput might be better though.

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That's about it.

Turn off all the authentication stuff. You'll turn it on back later when you rule out the possibility of broken WPA2 in your router or card software.

* Don't pray for me if you wanna help - just send me a check. *

[RALFFERS 0]

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Am I missing something? The cable coming out of the wall should be connected to a cable modem, which is different than a router. An ethernet cable links the router and the modem. Each laptop or desktop pc establishes a wireless link to the router to access the interweb thingy...

I have a linksys modem and router, and this is how mine works... yours maybe different... From the description you gave, it sounds like there's no modem involved. It also sounds a bit like your talking to your router fine, but the router isn't negotiating with the modem. If security settings were played with, you may have to reset it to factory settings and start over (with whatever computer the cable modem/router software was installed on being the main computer and wired via ethernet cable to the router so you can maintain a connection with it...). Once you can connect wirelessly, you can detach the cable to the router. Clear as mud?

Also, you may need to occassionally reboot the cable modem and/or router if it just randomly stops working; I have to reboot mine `1/mth or so...

...or not.

Quote

Am I missing something? The cable coming out of the wall should be connected to a cable modem, which is different than a router. An ethernet cable links the router and the modem. Each laptop or desktop pc establishes a wireless link to the router to access the interweb thingy...

I'm sorry, you're right - the cable is connected to a modem, & than a ethernet cable runs from that modem to the router. I often make the mistake of assuming that people know what I'm talking about (which you obviously did, but nevertheless I should have articulated myself much more clearly).

I'll give what you said a try...no matter what the problem is, I'm sure there is a way to fix it. Anything can be worked out when it comes to computers.

I'm a little hesitant to reset it to factory settings - only because when I first got the network up & running by myself, I just ran the automatic setup, & at that point, the problem with my computer was the same, the laptop browsing speeds we're very slow & the host computer wasn't able to run certain software & games. I had to friend come over to tweak it; whatever he did got the host computer & laptop to run fine. I don't want to mess that up.

Oddly enough, my desktop was able to connect today, but only 2 times, & for 30 seconds at a time.... And it would only connect for those few seconds when the signal was very low - as soon as it would read as "excellent" it would disconnect. Now I can't even get it to indicate that it's connected to the network. I would say it's a distance issue - except how come I can take the laptop in that bedroom, put it in the same position as the desktop & it runs fine...? Said desktop by the way is on the downstairs floor, directly bellow the router.

Dialogue/commentary between Divot, Twardo & myself -

"from your first Oshkosh when the three of us were riding to or from one of

[RALFFERS 0]

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nevertheless, my desktop isn't actually connected & even opening the browser is much slower than normal.

Are you sure it's not connected? Open a command prompt and type 'ipconfig /all' and post the results.

hint - pipe the results to a text file using 'ipconfig /all >network.txt', then open the text file and cut and paste the results here...

I would, except I don't know how I would post it without being able to connect to the net. My CD burner is broken & I don't have any flash drives to get it onto the laptop. I should really buy a flash drive tomorrow..

When I ran ipconfig though, it did show an ip address, subnet mask & default gateway. However, I could swear the subnet mask or default gateway # were the ones from my old DSL modem... How is that possible?

Dialogue/commentary between Divot, Twardo & myself -

"from your first Oshkosh when the three of us were riding to or from one of

[RALFFERS 0]

Quote

You left out a critical piece of information: The physical distance between your remote computer and your router. I can't speak to the range of 802.11n (wireless-n), but most people overestimate the useful range of 802.11g (wireless-g). Assuming you have a G router, it will service the room it's in and most likely the adjacent rooms above, below, and around. Beyond that it's a crapshoot.

Here's an additional list of things to consider:

1) Match your standards. If you have an G wireless card talking to an N router, you've got a G network. Try upgrading to an N card. (disclaimer, I have no experience with 802.11n, I don't know what the distances are).

2) Match manufacturers. Since it's built off a standard it shouldn't matter, but I've consistently gotten better performance pairing netgear cards to my netgear router compared to other brands.

3) Be mindful of interference. Minimize any metal surfaces between the two devices as well as any electronics/appliances. That cordless landline phone transmits on the same frequencies as your router.

4) Use channels 1, 6, & 11, favoring 1 & 11 before 6. Everything else is just asking for interference.

5) I was once told by a networking instructor that it's best to keep the antennae at 90 degree angles, as in straight up or parallel to the floor. 45 degree angles limit transmission distance. I don't know if it's true, but it couldn't hurt.

That's about it. Good luck, wireless networking is almost more trouble then it's worth. My router was in the back bedroom of my 2B apt and my gf's computer at the front of the living room could never connect to it. Eventually I just got fed up, placed the router in the middle of the apt, and ran cat5 in both directions under the carpet. $30 and 2 hours of work was far worth the aggravation saved when she stopped naggin me to fix her internet.

I'm not sure of the distance, but as I said, the laptop works fine everywhere, including in the same position the desktop is in. So distance 'shouldn't' be what's causing the problem.

the router is a linksys wireless G, & the desktop network card is a D-Link wireless G card.

Dialogue/commentary between Divot, Twardo & myself -

"from your first Oshkosh when the three of us were riding to or from one of

[RALFFERS 0]

Quote

Quote

1) Match your standards. If you have an G wireless card talking to an N router, you've got a G network. Try upgrading to an N card. (disclaimer, I have no experience with 802.11n, I don't know what the distances are).

The distances are the same. Throughput might be better though.

Quote

That's about it.

Turn off all the authentication stuff. You'll turn it on back later when you rule out the possibility of broken WPA2 in your router or card software.

I'll give that a try in the morning.

Dialogue/commentary between Divot, Twardo & myself -

"from your first Oshkosh when the three of us were riding to or from one of

[RALFFERS 0]

And thank you guys very all your time & input that you're putting into this, it's very appreciated!

Dialogue/commentary between Divot, Twardo & myself -

"from your first Oshkosh when the three of us were riding to or from one of

[theonlyski 3]

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5) I was once told by a networking instructor that it's best to keep the antennae at 90 degree angles, as in straight up or parallel to the floor. 45 degree angles limit transmission distance. I don't know if it's true, but it couldn't hurt.

Depends if the router is on the same floor... there are ALOT of variables, but in theory, your router has dead spots right above and below the antenna, in a cone shape, starting from the antenna and getting bigger, because the antennas are omni-directional, but not usually an up or down.


Or thats what the army tells me anyways

"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

[mnealtx 0]

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5) I was once told by a networking instructor that it's best to keep the antennae at 90 degree angles, as in straight up or parallel to the floor. 45 degree angles limit transmission distance. I don't know if it's true, but it couldn't hurt.

Depends if the router is on the same floor... there are ALOT of variables, but in theory, your router has dead spots right above and below the antenna, in a cone shape, starting from the antenna and getting bigger, because the antennas are omni-directional, but not usually an up or down.


Or thats what the army tells me anyways

Yup!

(For everyone else) If you imagine the antenna as a flashlight, the beam of light from the tip would be the 'dead zone', and the wireless signal would radiate out from the 'body' of the flashlight.

The linksys g has two antennas - with stuff on both floors, I'd put one antenna horizontal and one vertical to try and get coverage both ways.

Break-break.... Ralffers - try "ipconfig /renew all" in a command prompt, for the computer that has the old DSL modem info.

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706