Wireless Connectivity Issues

[gws]

I would be less concerned with number of bars and more concered about throughput. With only 5 bars any change will show up as the loss of a couple of bars. You should be able to use your wireless devices throught most homes. You can add higher gain antena's to routers or just move the router to a more visable location.


Manufacture will also influance range, Dlink or linksys have are better than some of the off brands. Age of router, B,vs G, pren vs 108R.

Easiest thing to do is move router higher up in the room. Many people bury it on the desk.

 

[hudr]

I wouldn't stress too much about the number of bars as long as the throughput was OK. Are you actually losing connectivity? Remember, the ranges touted on the box are clear line of sight, no interference numbers. "Indivdual results may vary" and all that marketing stuff. My Dlink works great inside. But I live in a metal bldg so once I step out the door my signal drops off quickly. Also, these wireless routers work in the 2.4GHz range, same as a lot of cordless phones. Check what channel the router is set to, most of them default to channel 6 in that range. And a cordless phone in use will "step on" your router signal.

Also, you said you did not have Cable or DSL, is there a wireless ISP in your area? How is their equipment set up?

Never mind, I just looked at your Pixius Internet thread.

 

[rozett]

Our youngest daughter is Helpdesk Supervisor for a municipal Internet service down in Mass. She has said that more than 50% of the calls which root out to a router issue are with Linksys routers. She would not take one of that brand if it were free. Just one more piece of data....

 

[hudr]

I have used Linksys and Dlink in a small networking business I run on the side. It seems that if you get a good Linksys, its a good one. If you ever have to call support.... /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
DLink I think I have actually had more "trouble" with but their support is still US based and pretty good. Of course, my East Texas drawl doesn't mix well when speaking w/ someone whose 1st language is not English. I lament the moving of most tech support overseas. I don't question the support techs' knowledge, just their ability to communicate it to a slow talking country boy like me. Heck, my wife grew up in NJ (we met in college) and we 'bout near needed a translator for our first few dates /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[KiotiJohn]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Of course, my East Texas drawl doesn't mix well when speaking w/ someone whose 1st language is not English. I lament the moving of most tech support overseas. )</font>
I had the same problem recently when dealing with Dell computer "support" staff. Trying to explain to them that they sent me an offer of 20% off, but the website was only giving me 5%. They just didn't seem to understand at all why I was upset. Sales gave me to customer support, and they kept trying to give me to sales.
I finally just gave up and filed a complaint with the FTC for bait-and-switch.
John

 

[rozett]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Heck, my wife grew up in NJ (we met in college) and we 'bout near needed a translator for our first few dates /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )</font>

I don't mean to sidetrack this thread on wireless routers, but I couldn't let this go by without relating that we used to live in the Dallas area (actually, near where Bird lives now)... anyway... when our four year old daughter came home and said "Day'd, it's fixin to rain"... we immediately put the house on the market and moved back to New England. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif That said, we really did love where we lived. It was 3000 people in 1978. Now it's about 30,000. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif