Both our laptops and the netbook keep dropping the internet (if you hover over the wireless icon it says local only), it usually comes back on in a couple of minutes, but is definately happening more often and for longer. Is it likely that the router is to blame, it is a BT 2091 which i received when I signed up for BT Broadband in 2004 so is pretty old now. I might try and get a new router out of BT by signing up for another 12 months, but if not i can buy a new BT Homehub on ebay for £30.00. If I replace mine with another BT one will it simply be plug and play after entering the WEP key or whatever on the laptops ?
|
If the machines are saying "local only" then yes you are right the wireless is holding up but the WAN (ie adsl) is falling over. If you hunt around in the error logs on the router you will find the disconnect and connect messages. A 2004 hub is really old technology and not at all line error tolerant.
If you buy any new router they are all almost plug and play, but you will need your network logon details (username and password) - write down the details from your old hub, and re set up your wep
I wouldnt touch a home hub, but would buy a netgear router.
|
Thanks Zero.
Any particular Netgear router that you recommend, 3 machines maximum running off of it at any one time (if that makes a difference) ?
|
Whilst looking to see what was written about the DG834N (Now discontinued!)
I came across this which some may find of interest. Not doing much with wifi myself,
I did. Probably old hat to zero.
toblogornottoblog.co.uk/blog/hardware---gizmos/1/fixing-netgear-dg834n-problems.php?blog=99&page=1&order=d&mode=h
"Router problems: Often it is the Wifi link which is clashing with your neighbour's. Turn Wifi off to see if problem goes away. Then try manually configuring the WiFi channel. It's really quite easy and well worth the work as you get greater WiFi range and less interference."
This is more general than the specific ADSL fault mentioned by Zero. He got the DG834N to work well, but some time later it packed up. Looks like some of the shine may be going from Netgear.
|
|
I use the wifi analyser app on my phone to find a reasonably clear channel to set as my router's default.
|
|
spamcan I have done the same... and overtime the best channel changes - presumably other routers are better at channel hopping.
|
For those without fancy phones, "InSSIDer" is a good option for finding out what's using which channel in your area. It'll also spot interference from other sources, which something just looking at which SSID is broadcasting where will not.
www.metageek.net/products/inssider/
Linux version requires Mono.....
|
Zoom Modem-Router
Still sitting on the fence for a new modem-router. Requirements very simple. One wired desktop and one wiffi laptop, rarely both at the same time. Some time ago a Zoom one pleased me. Easy access to a good (dynamic) info screen, line quality S/N etc. Sorry I changed it.
Now want an ADSL2+ option. (What's the +?)
Today the Zoom 5790. ADSL X7N (£38 inc VAT!) looks like it could be good. It has two aerials, hopefully used in diversity mode rather than one for TX and the other for Rx. No user feedback yet -- too new?
Any comment/experience? Here is some published info:
4x 10/100 ports, Built-in VPN, IPv6 compatible
Maximum ADSL download speed is 27 Mbps and maximum upload speed is 1.2 Mbps
WiFi® compatible 300* Mbps Wireless-N router has a firewall and other network safeguards
Works with all popular ADSL 2/2+ services, including Annex A, L, and M
Broadcom ADSL and wireless-N technology enhance performance and compatibility
Built-in IPsec VPN Endpoint (Hardware VPN)
Setup is fast and easy using any Web browser. User-friendly graphical user interface makes it easy to set any feature you like, even from remote locations.
Produced and supported by Zoom Telephonics, a USA producer of quality communication products since 1977
No USB port, but do I need one? Probably not.
Out for a few hours will look when I get back.
|
I've been through a series of Routers recently in a quest for something with the right features and reliable.
Found it now, not cheap, but does everything.
Fritz!Box 7390
ADSL2+ and (possibly uniquely) does both Annex A and Annex B switchable, something of a boon if you are an expat. All usual protocols supported.
4 x Gigabit Ethernet.
Wireless A,B,G and N and it'll do both 2.4 and 5Ghz simultaneously, same or seperate SSIDs supported. Also a "guest" network feature is offered.
Logs just about everything you'll ever want to know.
VOIP support for up to 6 providers driving 2 phones. Also supports use of "hardware" VOIP from your ISP, if they do it.
Has a DECT base station built in, so will talk to DECT handsets directly.
2 x USB to drive printer and/or external disk. NAS and DLNA functions, although I have to say that this side is a bit fiddly and flakey in operation. Firmware fix on the way.
Full IPv6 support (i.e. every possible combination I can think of for handling IPv4 and IPv6 together).
Full details here:
www.avm.de/en/Produkte/FRITZBox/FRITZ_Box_Fon_WLAN_7390/index.php
In the year I have had it so far it has been bulletproof and firmware updates have all proved stable.
|
I see what you mean about not cheap, £210
www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=avm+7390&tag=googhydr-21&index=aps&hvadid=17028302994&ref=pd_sl_8xrdyju59c_b
The 5GHz option is nice. They get pricey when you go for that. I regularly have to click for the laptop to find a different 2.5GH frequency. And having a 2.5GH or so mouse is not exactly a good idea. Perhaps we should have 5GH mice.
For 100 notes you can buy a Chinese dual band transmit-receiver with lots of bells and whistles that previously cost £450 or so. Looking at that, a two frequency modem for 100 notes ought to be plenty.
|
And the Chinese military hackers can use your machine as a bot
There is a very good reason why the US department of Defence have banned them.
Dont know why you are having wireless connection problems, I have 6 wifi devices in use here, two adjacent neighbours with wifi, all three of us with cordless phones, and a plethora of wireless mice and keyboards and stuff
Never have 2.5 ghz problems.
Last edited by: Zero on Mon 30 Jan 12 at 18:29
|
"Dont know why you are having wireless connection problems"
I suspect it is this single aerial Belkin G router I have and the wiggly distance to my laptop. Router is in the study and signal has to go out of open door, then a ziz-zag path via hall and piece that sticks out, and into lounge via a glass door. About 45 feet or so in all. If I go back in the study and shift modem 6" a few times it does the trick about 2 out of 3. So reflection affects are playing a part. I see the well known dead-spots effects with radio mics that I often set up that use single aerials.
A two aerial router should improve things.
What's with the Chinese? Is it they use 5 Gigs?
I have a very long password of numbers and letters.
|
>> What's with the Chinese? Is it they use 5 Gigs?
>> I have a very long password of numbers and letters.
its is reported that the US NSA found hidden security backdoors in the microcode of Chinese made and designed telecommunications equipment
|
Which is somewhere around double what I paid for mine! I said it wasn't cheap, not that it was made out of unobtanium and rocking-horse doodoo.
There's a reason why I do not buy hardware from Amazon, they're outrageously pricey for anything that's not a commodity item......
Last edited by: TeeCee on Tue 31 Jan 12 at 09:10
|
>>Now want an ADSL2+ option. (What's the +?) >>
This is the "Up to 24Mb" broadband service.
|
>> I wouldnt touch a home hub, but would buy a netgear router.
>>
>>
Why not, and what is a home hub exactly ?
I'm contemplating changing to a BT phone/broadband package - would I have to use their home hub ?
|
The Home Hub is the BT router/ADSL modem. If you are on BT Infinity then you also get a Home Hub but the VDSL modem is separate and plugs into an Ethernet port on the Home Hub.
Lots of people report problems with the Home Hubs but mine has been fine. It is a variant of the v2 product. There is a different Home Hub v3 now.
www.shop.bt.com/learn-more/bt-branded-products-and-services/new-bt-home-hub-3-9902.html
|
If I can just borrow this thread for a moment, gents....
The wifi analyzer app on my phone (Farproc Wifi analyzer) consistently rates channel 14 as the best channel around the house
But my router only has channels 1-13. What gives ?
|
|
channel 14 can't be legally used in the UK, hence a router with UK firmware shouldn't use it.
|
channel 14 is only allowed in japan, blocked in most other countries.
|
OK, so my router wont be transmitting on ch14, but the app says its the best channel - what do you think is happening here ?
I assume (on the basis of no knowledge whatsoever) that the app is receiving across a range of frequencies that it characterises as channels, but how then can it rate a signal on channel 14 ? Is it possible it cant detect any noise, so it must be perfecT
Is my router transmitting on 13/14 channels but only 'using' one of them, or of my router is only transmitting on one channel, how can the app in any way generate a rating for all channels.
Just curious - I don't expect anybody to know, but I be pleased and wiser if they did
|
|
The app thinks channel 14 is the best because there is nothing being transmitted on that so there would be no interference etc. But that's because it's not used for WiFi. I assume the frequencies are used for something else everywhere other than Japan but that doesn't mean there are any sources near you.
|
Zoom 5790. ADSL X7N update
£38 for a twin aerial jobbie looked very good value so I took a chance (as there are no reviews), bought one and installed it.
The good news
The laptop said it received a good radio signal strength and moving the X7N about did not change that.
The bad news
The install sets up a live radio signal with no security and the CD does not have a program on it to set up the WA2 security and neither does it install one.
The manual says set-up is built in to the X7N and to access it, you insert http//192.168.1.1 into a browser and press Enter.
My browser (Firefox) then says 'looking it up' and changes that to www.http.com//192.168.1.1 and says it can't establish a connection. Also, at one time, WOT was saying that site has a bad reputation.
Why Zoom use this complicated method, rather than something I can click on, beats me.
Any ideas?
|
>> you insert http//192.168.1.1 into a browser and press Enter.
>> My browser (Firefox) then says 'looking it up' and changes that to www.http.com//192.168.1.1 and says
Is the first bit a typo, which is why it's throwing in the www bit as well? If not, then there is supposed to be a colon between the http and the //
ie http://192.168.1.1
edited link to make non clickable
Last edited by: VxFan on Sat 4 Feb 12 at 00:06
|
|
Thanks for that. You were right, missing colon. I can now access the set-up.
|
as its local, you can leave out everything before the first number
just type in 192.168.1.1
|
Yes. Just tried it. Thanks. That's much easier.
|
Router Question - Zero
