WLAN bumps and torn hear.

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Hi everyone.
Can someone point me in the right direction from here? appreciated.

We have a Wireless LAN made up of one modem-router, one desktop and one laptop, but with erratic internet connection issue.

Specs:

DESKTOP: Dell Dimension 4550 Pentium4 2GHz Processor - 256MB - 40GB Hard Drive - CD & CDRW Drive - 10/100 Ethernet - 56K Modem - Integrated Sound - Microsoft Windows XP Pro (with BELKIN Wireless G High Speed Mode USB Adapter)

LAPTOP: Sony Vaio PCG-9H4L Laptop AMD Athlon 2200+ 256MB DVD/CDR Drive 40GB Hard Drive - Microsoft Windows XP Pro (Network PC card: Belkin High-Speed Mode Wireless G Notebook Network Card).

ROUTER: Belkin ADSL Modem with Wireless-G Router with 4-port 10/100Base-Tx Ethernet

I have configured the router with a renamed SSID, Broadcast SSID disabled, WPA PSK shared with the two PCs.
The network adapters have TCP/IP "obtain IP address automatically" , "obtain DNS Server address automatically" and "automatic Private IP address" options checked.

PROBLEM 1: After PC startup, it takes about TWO MINUTES for the network cards to recognise the network and afterwards the signals is between Excellent, Very good and good. How can I make the network connections quicker? (if PC wired, no such problem!)

PROBLEM 2: On both the Laptop and the desktop, we are able to browse internet with IE or FireFox. But more often, depite that the connection is "excellent", there seem to be no internet connection. At first, I suspected that IE was checking to use previous BT broadband connection so I removed them the i started getting IE asking to "connect" or to "Work offline" at every first attempt to connect to internet. Then I set IE to "never dial a connection". But I still get the same internet connection problem.

Any idea of what's wrong here?

p.s.:windows firewall is turned off on both computers. Does this have anything to do with NAT?
Both computers' MAC addresses appeared on the router's config with corresponding IP addresses.

 

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On problem 1 - this is unfortunately quite normal. IMHO wires will always beat wireless at this sort of thing.

On problem 2 - the first things to try when the connection stops are:

a) check the IP in networking - stiil correct and connected?
b) try pinging the router by IP
c) If b) is good try pinging a server at your ISP by IP

And not having firewalls on is a *bad* idea!

Harry.

 

thanks,

You are right. I did turn off firewalls only when troubleshooting this network. but the router still have its firewall on.

As you suggest. a) the IP allocated by the router is correct and on, as long as we have connection is "excellent".
b) I tried to ping the router's IP and it's successful.
c) I don't know BT's server's IP so that i could ping it. can i try any website's IP that i could find? How should I interpret the ping result? and what to do in case both cases?

 

An easy way to find an IP address belonging to your ISP is to use the first DNS server shown by "ipconfig /all".

The reason I suggest using a server from your ISP rather than further afield is that eliminates the possibility of problems in your ISP's connection to the 'net at large.

If, when the connectivity stops, you can ping the router OK then it isn't the WiFi that is the problem.

If pinging by IP works then try pinging to the site name. This will show if the DNS system is actualy working.

Hrary.

 

WPA may be causing an issue with drop outs, try disabling encryption whilst troubleshooting and go for WEP if the issue is with WPA.