My Wireless network keeps losing its connection. Does anyone have any idea why?

Question

The router is a Linksys WRT54GS (connected to my Cable modem). I have one wired connection to my desktop (which is not on at present) and a wireless connection to my laptop (with an internal Atheros card), which is sitting less than a foot from the Linksys box!

The signal strength is 'Excellent' (as you would expect) but the connection sometimes works for long periods and at other times keeps dropping, sometimes reconnecting immediately and other times needing 'Repair' to reconnect.

It obtains its IP address dynamically. Would I be better off assigning a fixed IP?

Is there anything I can do to understand WHY it is losing connection?

Unless there was an automatic update, firmware and software for both the Linksys and the Atheros are 'out of the box'.

I did try to update the Linksys firmware but the download I had failed to install (either the wrong version or the download was corrupted), so I desisted.

Standard recommendations are always to use the most recent versions of drivers and firmware, of course.

Answer 1

those pesky wireless connections can be a pain sometimes!

1. look for anything in the immediate vicinity that might be emitting a magnetic field and/or electromagnetic fields. move these devices away from the router.

2. check your firmware. did it work okay prior to doing an upgrade? go back to linksys's site and download the previous version and reflash the bios.

3. get an aftermarket shareware firmware package for the router, i.e. HyperWRT, etc. i've used them and they have worked great for me.

4. check the functioning of the internal wireless card. it might be acting squirrelly on you.

good luck.

Answer 2

Setting up Linksys Router on DSL with PPPOE

Take a different Ethernet cable and plug it into port closest to the WAN port, or into the LAN port.
Look on the front of the router. The following lights should be illuminated:
- Power
- WAN Link
- Link/Act (On the port that you connected your computer to)
- Note If other lights other than Link/Act are illuminated on this port, that is normal
- You may have a few other lights illuminated depending on the model number router you have, but the 3 above must be illuminated for proper connection.
Hold the Reset button on the router for 30 seconds or more
Restart your computer

Configuring the Router.
1. Go to your desktop and double click on Internet Explorer (Located on the Start Menu in Windows XP)
2. When "Internet Explorer" opens type »192.168.1.1 into the "Address" bar and click on Go
3. The "Enter Network Password" window will appear.
4. Skip user name and type admin (admin is the default password) as the password, and click OK
5. Scroll down on this page and look for (on older firmware) PPPoE or select the option for PPPoE under "WAN Connection type"
6. Username:
7. Select the option for "Keep Alive" with a redial period of 180
8. Click on the Apply button.
9. Then click on the Continue button
10. Exit Internet Explorer

Power Cycling
1. Shut down your computer
2. Unplug the power from the router
3. Unplug the power from the DSL modem
4. Wait for 30 seconds and re apply power to the DSL modem
5. Once the lights on the DSL modem stop blinking power up the router
6. Start up your PC

Checking your Connection
1. Go to your desktop and double click on Internet Explorer (Located on the Start Menu in Windows XP)
2. When "Internet Explorer" opens type »192.168.1.1/Status.htm[?] into the "Address" bar and click on Go
3. The "Enter Network Password" window will appear.
4. Skip user name and type admin (admin is the default password) as the password, and click OK
5. On the left of the "Status" page you will see "PPPoE Enabled", and to the right you will see the Status of the connection. It can be one of the following:
- Disconnected
- Connecting
- Connected
6. If the status is "Connected" you should be able to browse the web, if not reboot your computer
7. If you get an error message please repeat the "Configuring the router" and "Power Cycling" steps with a different username.

Answer 3

I got this problem before and it was due to the program updates I've done to the router or the wireless adapter... cannot remember...

Why not revert your firmware or software and try again ... may be able to solve the problem...

regards

Answer 4

sometimes it is interference from something electrical...a heater, fan, air conditioner, subwoofer...anything that generates an electronic field...even many newer cell phones operate on a similar frequebcy and cheap models will 'bleed' over and disrupt your wireless signal.