Intermittent wireless connection failure

[Deleted User]

I have a Dell desktop hardwired into my Belkin N router F5D 8236-4v2. My laptop is wirelessly connected using a Belkin wireless network card N MIMO F5D 8013v3.

Out and about, my laptop will connect OK anywhere - no problem.

At home, my laptop (sitting 2 metres or 20 metres from the router) will find 2 networks - my own at excellent strength and one called linksys at much lower strength.

It will always connect OK to the linksys network (whoevers that is ?)

Connection to my own network only works on some days. It recognises the network OK but the connection just doesn't work. Next day it could be fine but it might be several days before it works.

I have removed and reinstalled eveything many times. I have reset the router settings many times - to no avail.

Two hours of phone calls to the Belkin support team have proved useless - they want me to disconnect firewalls, antivirus etc

Does it sound like there is an intermittent hardware fault within the router?

Thanks indeed for any help
Dennis

adamh05

Hi,
I used to have a Belkin Router and I was always having to ring up to India when it wouldn't connect, but a few weeks ago I bought a Netgear Router- Which I've hardly had any problems with, alot of people I know say Belkin Routers are rubbish, Netgear it better.

Paul_Higgins

Is your router password protected? If it is not, somebody else could be using your wireless signal with consequent poor connection when they are active. Remember, even if encryption is on but you have not set a secure password yourself, then it will be using factory settings which are available to everybody. Password advice here-

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-create-strong-password-that-you-can-remember-easily/
http://www.seas.ucla.edu/security/passwords.html
http://wolfram.org/writing/howto/password.html


Firmware upgrade, FAQ’s, Tutorials and troubleshooting guide here-

http://en-uk-support.belkin.com/app/product/detail/p/4706/session/L3NpZC9JSmpxYUUyaw%3D%3D


Routers are fairly easy to set up for basic security, but while the steps are similar each is different.

I had a similar problem with a Netgear router, and I discovered (myself) that the problem was heat. The router could lie flat or stand up. I realised it was getting hot, so I used the feet that came with it to stand it up and made sure there was plenty of room around and above it. It worked OK after that.

You should ask your ISP to check the line. Tell them that turning off anti-virus etc. is unsecure and should be a last resort if all else fails. They should do this for you. If I change ISP I ask, as a matter of course to check the line because I am having difficulties and almost always I find I get an improvement in my connection speed.

Also be aware that wireless connection can be notoriously unstable, affected by other electrical equipment and physical barriers.

If you are confident, you might try the following hack to increase your range. Remember the ISP will probably not help if they know you have done a DIY hack such as this!

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/837885/wifi_antenna_hack/

you could also try a wired connection to see if you have the same problems. If you don’t, the issue is wireless. If you do have the same problems, it may be the router, your connection (to the exchange if wired through the ‘phone line) or your network card in your computer. Have a look for newer drivers for your card.

Finally, without going into detail about port forwarding and static IP’s, you could you borrow a router from somebody else to try? This would narrow down where the issue is.

Hope this helps.

Hammyman

Download and install this:

http://www.metageek.net/products/inssider

Run it and it'll scan for all wireless networks and tell you what channel they're on. Many are Ch1, 10 or 11 as default with Ch11 being the most common. If yours is the same as any of those detected, log into the router and change the channel.

One client of mine couldn't connect to his even when he was in the same room. Every wifi network in the village seemed to use Ch11. I changed the channel on his and all problems disappeared.