Signal: Excellent but limited or no connectivity

Hi

My laptop is able to pick up a brilliant signal from my partners Belkin
2.4Ghz. However it often shows limited or no connectivity. When it does
connect (automatically as and when it pleases) the connection can only last a
few minutes. On the other hand my partner's laptop shows low signal strength
yet can maintain connectivity.

I am not particularly great with computers so if someone can offer me any
advice (in layman's terms) on how to resolve this I would be very grateful.

Thanks
Vicky

Vicjack

"Vicjack" <> wrote in message
news:548BB963-19BB-441D-85B3-...

> My laptop is able to pick up a brilliant signal from my partners Belkin
> 2.4Ghz. However it often shows limited or no connectivity. When it does
> connect (automatically as and when it pleases) the connection can only
last a
> few minutes. On the other hand my partner's laptop shows low signal
strength
> yet can maintain connectivity.
>
> I am not particularly great with computers so if someone can offer me any
> advice (in layman's terms) on how to resolve this I would be very
grateful.

Try another channel (e.g. channel 11 instead of default 6).
Your hardware documentation ought to point out which
menus take you to channel selection.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

Don Phillipson

Which OS are you using? If the security is not issue here, make sure you
have latest driver for the wireless.

--
Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on
http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on
http://www.HowToNetworking.com


"Vicjack" <> wrote in message
news:548BB963-19BB-441D-85B3-...
> Hi
>
> My laptop is able to pick up a brilliant signal from my partners Belkin
> 2.4Ghz. However it often shows limited or no connectivity. When it does
> connect (automatically as and when it pleases) the connection can only
> last a
> few minutes. On the other hand my partner's laptop shows low signal
> strength
> yet can maintain connectivity.
>
> I am not particularly great with computers so if someone can offer me any
> advice (in layman's terms) on how to resolve this I would be very
> grateful.
>
> Thanks
> Vicky

Robert L. \(MS-MVP\)

Vicjack wrote:
> Hi
>
> My laptop is able to pick up a brilliant signal from my partners Belkin
> 2.4Ghz. However it often shows limited or no connectivity. When it does
> connect (automatically as and when it pleases) the connection can only last a
> few minutes. On the other hand my partner's laptop shows low signal strength
> yet can maintain connectivity.
>
> I am not particularly great with computers so if someone can offer me any
> advice (in layman's terms) on how to resolve this I would be very grateful.
>
> Thanks
> Vicky

When you do connect, can you actually *use* the connection to do
anything, such as get to the Internet? If not, one possibility is that
you are not properly authenticating to the router, either because you
don't have the correct password or because of some other security filter
on the router.

Where is the router (physically) in relation to the two laptops?
--
Lem -- MS-MVP

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm

Lem

Hi

Thanks for the replies. When the laptop does connect I can browse the
internet just fine so I guess there are no problems with the security
settings. If I am in the same room as the router I can get an excellent
signal and can connect without breaking the connection. If I then leave the
room it disconnects. My partners laptop is used on the 3rd floor and as
mentioned he can connect for as long as he likes despite having low signal.

I am trying to ascertain whether the router is not strong enough for my
laptop (although it shows excellent signal) or whether there is something I
can do to my laptop or the router to improve connectivity (rather than signal
strength).

Any ideas? I am at a loss.

Thanks
Vicky

"Lem" wrote:

> Vicjack wrote:
> > Hi
> >
> > My laptop is able to pick up a brilliant signal from my partners Belkin
> > 2.4Ghz. However it often shows limited or no connectivity. When it does
> > connect (automatically as and when it pleases) the connection can only last a
> > few minutes. On the other hand my partner's laptop shows low signal strength
> > yet can maintain connectivity.
> >
> > I am not particularly great with computers so if someone can offer me any
> > advice (in layman's terms) on how to resolve this I would be very grateful.
> >
> > Thanks
> > Vicky
>
> When you do connect, can you actually *use* the connection to do
> anything, such as get to the Internet? If not, one possibility is that
> you are not properly authenticating to the router, either because you
> don't have the correct password or because of some other security filter
> on the router.
>
> Where is the router (physically) in relation to the two laptops?
> --
> Lem -- MS-MVP
>
> To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
> http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm
>

Vicjack

Many thanks for the reply. Sorry for my ignorance but what is OS (operating
system?). When the laptop does connect (if I am in the same room as the
browser) I can use the internet ok so I guess there are no problems with
security settings. The problems is when I leave the room.

I am trying to work out why when I leave the room the signal can still be
excellent but I lose connectivity.

Any ideas?

Thanks

> "Vicjack" <> wrote in message
> news:548BB963-19BB-441D-85B3-...
> > Hi
> >
> > My laptop is able to pick up a brilliant signal from my partners Belkin
> > 2.4Ghz. However it often shows limited or no connectivity. When it does
> > connect (automatically as and when it pleases) the connection can only
> > last a
> > few minutes. On the other hand my partner's laptop shows low signal
> > strength
> > yet can maintain connectivity.
> >
> > I am not particularly great with computers so if someone can offer me any
> > advice (in layman's terms) on how to resolve this I would be very
> > grateful.
> >
> > Thanks
> > Vicky
>
>

Vicjack

Vicjack wrote:
> Hi
>
> Thanks for the replies. When the laptop does connect I can browse the
> internet just fine so I guess there are no problems with the security
> settings. If I am in the same room as the router I can get an excellent
> signal and can connect without breaking the connection. If I then leave the
> room it disconnects. My partners laptop is used on the 3rd floor and as
> mentioned he can connect for as long as he likes despite having low signal.
>
> I am trying to ascertain whether the router is not strong enough for my
> laptop (although it shows excellent signal) or whether there is something I
> can do to my laptop or the router to improve connectivity (rather than signal
> strength).
>
> Any ideas? I am at a loss.
>
> Thanks
> Vicky
>
> "Lem" wrote:
>
>> Vicjack wrote:
>>> Hi
>>>
>>> My laptop is able to pick up a brilliant signal from my partners Belkin
>>> 2.4Ghz. However it often shows limited or no connectivity. When it does
>>> connect (automatically as and when it pleases) the connection can only last a
>>> few minutes. On the other hand my partner's laptop shows low signal strength
>>> yet can maintain connectivity.
>>>
>>> I am not particularly great with computers so if someone can offer me any
>>> advice (in layman's terms) on how to resolve this I would be very grateful.
>>>
>>> Thanks
>>> Vicky
>> When you do connect, can you actually *use* the connection to do
>> anything, such as get to the Internet? If not, one possibility is that
>> you are not properly authenticating to the router, either because you
>> don't have the correct password or because of some other security filter
>> on the router.
>>
>> Where is the router (physically) in relation to the two laptops?
>> --
>> Lem -- MS-MVP
>>
>> To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
>> http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm
>>

It may just be that the floors are more "transparent" to radio signals
than the walls. It depends on the building construction.

Unfortunately, when Windows reports an "excellent" signal, it doesn't
necessarily mean that you are receiving an excellent signal from the
place you think you're receiving it from. The reported signal strength
may be a result of a combination of the signal from the router plus
signals from nearby sources of radio interference on frequencies close
to that used by the router. Such interference can be caused by other
WiFi devices (e.g., someone else's network); cordless telephones (2.5GHz
models); baby monitors or similar wireless communication units; or
microwave ovens. I don't know which model router you have, but take a
look at pages 2-4 of this manual for the Belkin F5D7230 Wireless G
router:
http://belkin.httpsvc.vitalstreamcdn...30-4v7_man.pdf

One thing you could do is to try changing the radio channel used by the
router. See this Belkin note:
http://www.belkin.com/support/articl...=2437&scid=221

In addition, if you are using a Belkin wireless G router and both you
and your partner have wireless G adapters, set the router's wireless
mode to "G only" rather than "G and B." This change probably won't help
much, if at all, but it shouldn't hurt.

If that doesn't help, there may be something you can do with your wifi
adapter. If you are using a laptop with built-in wifi, what make and
model? If you are using an external wifi adapter, what make and model?

Unfortunately, AFAIK, you can't easily upgrade the antenna on Belkin
wifi routers.

--
Lem -- MS-MVP

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm

Lem