Linksys Wireless-G Broadband Router WRT54G-UK

DeaconBlue

My mate's just bought a wireless router so that he can share his ntl broadband connection with a PC and a laptop in his house. The router and cable modem are in his office in the garden. In his conservatory the laptop (running XP) picks up a low signal on his router 15 yards away and a low signal on another router from a guest house a few hundred yards away. When he takes it another 10 yards into the house he loses the signal. However, his PC (running Win 98) picks up a good signal from there.

Does anyone have any ideas why he can't get a signal on his laptop? He's tried using the USB adapter from the PC and he's tried using another laptop and it's still the same.

Thanks in advance.

Mike

gavinp

The WRT54G has a number of third-party firmware available which will allow you to boost the transmit power available.

For a modest increase (and what I use), HyperWRT is a good choice:
http://www.hyperwrt.org/Home-Page.shtml

There is a forum about the various firmware available here:
http://www.linksysinfo.org/modules.php?name=Forums

The other alternative is to upgrade the antennas attached:
http://www.nickknows.com/description.php?id=1111&category=690&name=Linksys-HGA7T-High-Gain-Antenna-with-TNC-Connector

Thanks

Gavin

star1_2

As well as Gavins (v.good) suggestions of utilities to boost the power. Also try moving the router away from other sources of interference - particularly DECT phones, wireless Video senders etc, (these all opperate on the same range of frequencies). Also try moving the frequency the Linksys opperates on. The default is channel/frequency 11 - move it to others and see if this helps.

Lastly - as with all Wireless networks (regardless of brand) - make sure you change the defualt settings for the router. Change passwords (keep a note of them), implement WEP security and Limit MAC address access.

Good Luck.

:cool:

DeaconBlue

Thanks to both Gavin and star1 for your responses. I will look into these and report back with the results!

Mike