Wireless connection keeps dying/restarting

[gutted]

Anyone got any ideas?

I've got a small wireless network at home: 2 PCs and up to 2 laptops. Both laptops on Win2k sp3, 1 PC on Win2k sp3, and the other PC still on Win98. We're connecting to a US-Robotics Wireless Router/Access Point (model is 8054). Both PCs are using US-Robotics wireless PCI cards (model 5416), and one of the laptops is using a US-Robotics PCMCIA card (5410). The other laptop is using a built-in wi-fi card.

Everything except the built-in wi-fi is apparently "100" mbps (although really only 54 - I think this is normal though).

So the problem... Every once in a while, the network just stops and then comes back again. It's like either someone has rebooted teh router, or someone has restarted the network card. It happens also on the laptop with non-US-Robotics built-in card too.

Is this a router prob, or a NIC prob, or even a PC prob? It's really annoying when trying to use MSN messanger!!

It happens at least once a day - sometimes a couple of times in quick succession, sometimes only the once. I've not been able to find a pattern as such yet...

My router has the latest firmware as far as I can tell (I updated it as soon as I got it, a few weeks back). I'll check again for updates.

Meantime - anyone got any ideas?

We're on Cable DSL (1MB).

Cheers!
Dan.

[NooNoo]

Are you using static ips or dhcp? If it's dhcp, take a look at the lease time. You can set the lease time manually if you wish. Each time it releases the ip, you get disconnected.

[Archer]

Sounds like interferance any new wireless devices around the house/at the neibours?

[gutted]

Thanks NooNoo and Archer.

Regards DHCP lease, that's a good point which I'll look into - it definitely may be adding to the problem, although I don't think it's the only thing going on. For instance, I was chatting to a friend via messanger earlier today and the connection bombed out 3 or 4 times within the space of 10 minutes. But evn so, I'll look into it as it's something I didn't think of...

As for wireless interference, there are no other wireless devices in the house that I know of. (Not sure if mobile phones would cause interference or not). We don't have a cordless house phone, nor any special TV/radio gadgetry. No idea about the neighbours, but worth asking I guess. If it turns out that neighbours have wireless devices, I can imagine they would be getting as much grief from us as we are from them... Any way to minimise the interference?

Cheers,
Dan.

[NooNoo]

Microwave ovens can as well!

Change channels, I think you have 11 to choose from, try each one.

Also what security are you using? If it's wep, are you using XP or the client supplied with the nic to configure it?

[jwhart]

May not apply but, is is your wireless 802.11"b" or "g"? I had some problems using my laptop at the kitchen table whenever the microwave was turned on. My cards are all 802.11b (2.4ghz) maybe something to look into.

[Gollo]

May not apply but, is is your wireless 802.11"b" or "g"? I had some problems using my laptop at the kitchen table whenever the microwave was turned on. My cards are all 802.11b (2.4ghz) maybe something to look into.

b or g really dont' matter as they are both in the 2.4ghz range (a is in the 5ghz range).

Best bet here is to try changing channels. You might also try disabling the x2 stuff that us robotics has (hence the 100mbs) and just running g. Also keep in mind that g is not a standard (yet) so the g of us robotics might not agree with the g of the internal card. Another thing to keep in mind is that if your just browsing the net and not doing any large file transfers inside your network to enable it the the b standard (which IS a standard) and see if that helps. I mean your internet connection is at most 3mbps and b can handle that nicely. Cheers.

[gutted]

Guys,

Thanks again. I didn't even know that you could change channels That shows you how much I know about this stuff!!

Regards security, at moment all I have done is restricted access to an allow-list for MAC addresses. I've seen some settings for WEP, but I didn't know what they were so didn't touch them. Pretty much all settings (save for things like allow-list and basic ISP details) are still defaults at the moment. I'll try changing channels and let you know how it goes...

As for microwave ove, we *do* have one, but it's rarely used so I don't reckon that's the main cause of the prob. Due to default settings, I think it's probably "g", too (hence the "100 mbps" thing).

I'm liking the interference possibility - that sounds very promising. Changing channels is definietly next step.

I'm not back home till the weekend, now - but I'll let you know if it helped.

Cheers!
Dan.