How to fix a wireless network?

Question

I have Zoomtown IDSL, with a Belkin wireless router, 802.1g, with WEP on. I replaced a similar router that broke. The network monitor says that my signal strength is excellent and speed is 54.0.

My problem is that I keep dropping connection to a virtual private network that requires a constant signal. (This worked great with the previous router.)

Any thoughts on what I can do to stop this? I have changed the channel, and it still says that my signal strength is excellent.

Answer 1

It sounds like you see problems with a VPN application. I presume the VPN resides on a specific pc, not on the router beause Belkin does not, to my knowledge, offer a router that can also support a VPN residing on the router.

I assume you are not moving around when the signal drops and it is not merely a case of blocking signal while walking past masonry wall, duct, silvered mirror, etc as all of these can cause signal blockage.

54 Mbps wireless signal speed should be fine. You can, for test purposes, rule out the wireless part by connecting pc to router via wired CAT5 link and see if the problem goes away. Even if it does go away, the wireless problem does not go away.

I wonder if the processor on the Belkin, processing under WEP, with the added payload of VPN packets is just undersized. I would suspect this is the cause. The Belkin is a low end household grade unit and it may well be overwhelmed. If you have other users on under moderate load this may well be the case. The solution is a better quality (and more costly) router.