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Wireless constantly dropping

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  • 10-10-2010 10:56pm
    #1
    Faith
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,657 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    Hi all,

    I've had a quick look through the first page here and it seems a few people have similar problems. My issue is that in the last 6 months of so, my Eircom wireless is constantly dropping. It won't come back itself; in order to get it to work, I have to turn the router on and off, often more than once. It's been happening way more often of late and I'm at my wits end. I don't know if it's a problem with the router, the internet, or my laptop. If it goes for me, it goes for everyone. This has only really started happening since I moved from a PC to a MacBook.

    I've seen suggestions of changing the wireless channel. I've got a choice of channel 1 - 13, do I just pick any different one? Is there anything else I can do to try and diagnose or fix this? It's Eircom broadband and it's a Netopia router, a good five years old at this stage. Thanks for any help!


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    #2
    PogMoThoin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,874 ✭✭✭✭PogMoThoin


    Yeah, first thing is to change channel. Its best to only use channels 1-11 as thats the USA settings, if We use 11-13 some devices made in the USA or set to USA settings won't work. Change it to either channels 1, 6 or 11, depending on what channel its already on. See if there's any change after.

    Post Your dsl stats, login to Your Netopia, click expert mode, they should be under Dsl statistics. This will tell the state of Your line. Then do this and see if the stats change:
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=54381143&postcount=6


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    #3
    kippy
    Registered Users Posts: 18,556 ✭✭✭✭kippy


    How many devices on the network? Is it dropping on all of them?
    If it is only dropping on one device, check to see what software is managing the wireless connection.....
    There may be some third party software managing it. I would usually recommend that windows manage the connection.
    Sometimes the third party stuff is fine, other times its rubbish and usually leaves the windows wireless software enabled as well.


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    #4
    bonzodog2
    Registered Users Posts: 6,214 ✭✭✭bonzodog2


    Not really anything to do with your dropping issues, but if you've a 5 year old Netopia, I hope you are not using the default security ....


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    #5
    Faith
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,657 Mod ✭✭✭✭Faith


    There's usually two devices connected, and when it drops, it drops all of them.

    The DSL stats are:


    Downstream Upstream
    Max Allowed Speed (kbps) 3072 384
    SN Margin (dB) 12.00 6.50
    Line Attenuation (dB) 32.00 17.00
    CRC Errors 0 0

    I'll try the suggestions in the post PogMoThoin linked to in a little while, but for now I've just changed the channel and I'll see if that does anything :).

    /edit: Sorry, can't seem to get the stats to post in a clear format!


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    #6
    PogMoThoin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,874 ✭✭✭✭PogMoThoin


    Faith wrote: »
    /edit: Sorry, can't seem to get the stats to post in a clear format!

    Thats perfect, should no real problems with 3mbit with those stats, see:
    http://212.23.23.177/adsl/default.aspx

    I'd contact Eircom for a new modem and filters, can do no harm replacing them as they're 5 years old


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    #7
    dub45
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,448 Mod ✭✭✭✭dub45


    Theres a couple of things you should do - next time it drops connect by ethernet cable to see if the internet connection is still there.

    Have you added any wireless gizmos in the last six months? Wireless senders are particularly bad for interfering with wifi.

    Download netstumbler or mac equivalent and see what networks are around you?

    Are you downloading torrents when this happens?


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    #8
    Faith
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,657 Mod ✭✭✭✭Faith


    Changing the channel seems to have helped a bit - it's gone from dropping several times a day to only dropping once every day or two. I'm going to ring Eircom for replacement modem and filters tomorrow. I assume they won't put up a fight about sending them out?

    dub45, I will try your suggestions too. I'm not downloading any torrents, or anything at all usually when this happens. I haven't added any wireless gizmos that I can think of. One thing that did just occur to me is that a new housing development went in near my house a few months ago. I had assumed they were too far away to use our network, but I must look into that actually. Thanks for all the responses!


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    #9
    fr_ted
    Registered Users Posts: 27 ✭fr_ted


    I agree with dub45
    download netstumbler(xp) or vistastumbler(vista) to see what is going on in the air

    http://www.stumbler.net/

    http://www.vistumbler.net/

    is the light on the router red?

    cheers
    T


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