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Author Topic: WiFi question  (Read 3688 times)

tobyker

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WiFi question
« on: June 04, 2011, 04:45:47 pm »

I have a HUAWEI Echolife HG521 wireless router which was free from Talktalk and may therefore not be the world's finest router. It says "bgWiFi certified" on it. My PC is wired to the router and works fine.  My lad says his magic internet phone thing works in every room of the house except the kitchen, which is two solid brick walls away from the router. I have a Roberts Stream 83i Internet radio operating wirelessly in the kitchen, which seems to lose the signal quite often. According to its book it is "compatible with 802.11n routers which offer mixed mode support for 802.11b/g".
OK so far?
Will my radio work better if I get a Belkin N300 router from Tesco for about £40?

Confused of Saltcoats.
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Roadrunner

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Re: WiFi question
« Reply #1 on: June 04, 2011, 05:07:57 pm »

Might not be the radio or the router, it could be you running bandwidth (1mbs up to i think some are getting 20mbs ((we have 8 here)) with dsl, you can get 100mbs + with cable, fibre optic) which if its low could mean your radios streaming at a low speed meaning it can't always keep.

Check your bandwidth and what's running constantly in the house chewing it up at the times your running the radio first before purchasing a now router as it may not help at all!

Could be one of the kids (or you) 'downloading things' ( This includes TV if your running on cable!) from the net chewing the band width so the radio will only be able to take what's remaining to stream which might not be enough.

That's one reason why it could be happening... but if your walls 2 foot thick of brick changing the router won't help anyway as they all put out the same 'signal strength' basically move the radio closer might be a suggestion.

just though of this... might be worth giving up the streaming radio to one of the kids and purchasing a DAB Digital radio, as no net required to run them! i had a small one i got in the jan sales, made by Sony cost £40
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malcolmfrary

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Re: WiFi question
« Reply #3 on: June 04, 2011, 06:13:19 pm »

Quote
magic internet phone thing works in every room of the house except the kitchen, which is two solid brick walls away from the router.
The two solid brick walls are probably the determining factor.  Re-siting the router might be the real answer.  More modern ones working on a higher band are even more susceptible to having their signal interrupted by bits of building.
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thegrimreaper

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Re: WiFi question
« Reply #4 on: June 04, 2011, 06:44:48 pm »

Agree with malcolmfrary you could try moving the router even 6" can help in a building with thick walls had the same problem at my house with  a virgin router now sorted

Regards Mark
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dreadnought72

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Re: WiFi question
« Reply #5 on: June 04, 2011, 09:04:52 pm »

I had a bizzare problem with my router recently. I switched from Sky (too expensive, plus I dislike Murdoch) to Tesco (cheap, though I dislike their empire-building) for broadband.

My PC, a top-of-the-range Dell with an external aerial, is sat upstairs about 4m from the wireless router kept near the phone socket downstairs, in a modern house primarily made out of cardboard and gaffer tape. I never had a problem with the Sky router - got a solid connection all the time. Problem was, the Tesco connection kept "falling over" intermittently, and neither moving the router or the external aerial made any difference. My wife's laptop connection was always good, wherever the laptop was placed.

Eventually I rang the helpdesk, and - after a long series of conversations - they suggested it was interference with nearby (other houses') wireless networks. So I logged onto the router, changed the channels, disbelieving this could make any difference at all, and now it's solid as anything.  %%

So - before coughing up any money - do try changing channels. You never know.

Andy
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TugCowboy

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Re: WiFi question
« Reply #6 on: June 05, 2011, 09:23:21 am »

Yep changing channels could be a good option to try first.

As has also been said get an extender/repeater if that doesn't work. You can pick them up for £10-£15 these days, especially off the 'bay.
If you currently have good signal and fast loading times everywhere but the kitchen its probably the signal being blocked or some sort of interference thats causing you issues.

Huawei are actually a pretty good make and are far more prominent than Belkin, Cisco etc in the Far East and Asia.
I don't think switching routers, unless its very old or you regularly find resetting it helps, will give you any benefit.

Alex
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tobyker

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Re: WiFi question
« Reply #7 on: June 05, 2011, 11:36:57 pm »

Thank you all for your advice. I have been rather daring and looked into the router control pages and tried switching from Channel 1 to channel 6. This has given me an extra bar on the signal strength graphic on the radio screen. I have not had enough time in the kitchen yet to see if it has fixed the problem but at least this is progress of some sort. I will let you know if it has worked.
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dreadnought72

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Re: WiFi question
« Reply #8 on: June 06, 2011, 12:24:23 am »

 :-)) Most routers are shipped on Channel #1, and most consumers never change this. Good luck with your testing!

Andy
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tobyker

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Re: WiFi question
« Reply #9 on: June 07, 2011, 11:06:25 pm »

Channel 6 is far better - had the radio on in the kitchen most of the day and it only dropped out for a very short while a couple of times. I suppose I should try all channels - but I maight wait for a very rainy day!
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matphoto

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Re: WiFi question
« Reply #10 on: June 07, 2011, 11:15:02 pm »

If you download inSSIDer 2.0 you can see what channels your neighbours are using, thus enabling you to set your channel away from them. Can be downloaded here http://www.metageek.net/products/inssider/ and its free.  :}  {-)
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wartsilaone

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Re: WiFi question
« Reply #11 on: June 08, 2011, 01:21:29 am »

On some routers you can increase the range of the signal by logging in and turning it up. You can even get signal repeaters that just plug in to a power socket nearer your computer.
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dreadnought72

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Re: WiFi question
« Reply #12 on: June 08, 2011, 10:13:49 am »

Great bit of software, matphoto!

(Looks like I'm off to channel 11!!  :-)) )

Andy
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matphoto

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Re: WiFi question
« Reply #13 on: June 08, 2011, 01:27:42 pm »

Andy, your welcome.  :-) :-)

Mat
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tobyker

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Re: WiFi question
« Reply #14 on: June 08, 2011, 11:01:18 pm »

Got inSSIDer thanks but dunno where to start WLAN autoconfig service!
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matphoto

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Re: WiFi question
« Reply #15 on: June 08, 2011, 11:39:05 pm »

Try this - Type http:// 192.168.1.1 into the Address bar of your browser and press Enter on your keyboard. No space between // and 192

THEN

You will be asked to enter a username and password. These details are for your router. They are NOT your TalkTalk broadband username and password. Enter "admin" without the quotes  in both the User Name and Password boxes. Then click OK.

You should be then be able to look at all the settings of the router.
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matphoto

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Re: WiFi question
« Reply #16 on: June 09, 2011, 08:44:15 am »

Got inSSIDer thanks but dunno where to start WLAN autoconfig service!

Sorry misunderstood your question  :embarrassed: so please ignore the last post.  O0
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Bee

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Re: WiFi question
« Reply #17 on: June 10, 2011, 01:47:28 am »

Some modern construction uses foil backed plasterboard or insulation that upsets the signals. That apart sometimes it is better to site the router upstairs or in the attic so that it is radiating from on high through timber ceilings instead of solid walls.
Huawei devices should have quite good power but some models have significant peaks and troughs in power with direction so rotating the router in 10 degree increments may help.
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thegrimreaper

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Re: WiFi question
« Reply #18 on: June 10, 2011, 10:23:23 am »

Got inSSIDer thanks but dunno where to start WLAN autoconfig service!

Try this link http://www.corenetworkz.com/2010/07/how-to-start-wlan-autoconfig-in-windows.html

Regards Mark
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