Any wifi experts in here? Help needed

I have a 13 month old Advent 4211C Netbook running Windows XP Home Edition
Service pack 3, and connect using wifi to a 2wire 2700HGV hub connected to
Plusnet BB. For some 12 months I've been able to connect OK using the
'Obtain IP address automatically' option relatively successfully, but
occasionally hovering over the wifi icon in the systray has indicated that I
may have limited connectivity and it was still trying to find an IP address.
However a couple of weeks ago I started losing connectivity even though the
wifi icon indicated that I was connected and signal strength was excellent.
I checked the ip address using ipconfig and it was 169.254.160.104 which I
didn't recognise with a Subnet Mask 225.225.0.0 and no address for the
Default Gateway. So I checked all the addresses on my network and set up
the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) to use the relevant ones. This appeared to
work well showing that I was fully connected, but alas the same thing is
happening with that set up too. It's still showing connected at excellent
signal strength but not actually connecting to the Internet or even my
router. I then tried it on a neighbours cable router, and yes it did
connect but after a few minutes connectivity was lost even though it still
said I was. All the time I had Netstumbler running and that showed constant
strong wifi signals from both routers throughout the tests. I have installed
Driver Robot and running that tells me that the 802.11b/g Mini Card Wireless
Adapter has the latest drivers. I cannot see the adapter type or
manufacture anywhere on my computer but Goggling tells me that adapter on
the Advent 4221C is a Realtek RTL8187SE (MS-6894) Wireless LAN.
I've no idea what to try next so any ideas from someone more knowledgeable
than me, that's probably all of you, would be appreciated. Oh! And yes
the netbook is just out of the guarantee period.
--
Heard melodies are sweet, but those Unheard are sweeter
(E-Mail Removed) FN 2°°9 +, Mungo Brandybuck of Buckland

On Mon, 21 Dec 2009 22:55:37 -0000, "Flyiñg Ñuñ 2°°9 +"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I have a 13 month old Advent 4211C Netbook running Windows XP Home Edition
>Service pack 3, and connect using wifi to a 2wire 2700HGV hub connected to
>Plusnet BB. For some 12 months I've been able to connect OK using the
>'Obtain IP address automatically' option relatively successfully, but
>occasionally hovering over the wifi icon in the systray has indicated that I
>may have limited connectivity and it was still trying to find an IP address.
>However a couple of weeks ago I started losing connectivity even though the
>wifi icon indicated that I was connected and signal strength was excellent.
>I checked the ip address using ipconfig and it was 169.254.160.104 which I
>didn't recognise with a Subnet Mask 225.225.0.0 and no address for the
>Default Gateway. So I checked all the addresses on my network and set up
>the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) to use the relevant ones. This appeared to
>work well showing that I was fully connected, but alas the same thing is
>happening with that set up too. It's still showing connected at excellent
>signal strength but not actually connecting to the Internet or even my
>router. I then tried it on a neighbours cable router, and yes it did
>connect but after a few minutes connectivity was lost even though it still
>said I was. All the time I had Netstumbler running and that showed constant
>strong wifi signals from both routers throughout the tests. I have installed
>Driver Robot and running that tells me that the 802.11b/g Mini Card Wireless
>Adapter has the latest drivers. I cannot see the adapter type or
>manufacture anywhere on my computer but Goggling tells me that adapter on
>the Advent 4221C is a Realtek RTL8187SE (MS-6894) Wireless LAN.
>I've no idea what to try next so any ideas from someone more knowledgeable
>than me, that's probably all of you, would be appreciated. Oh! And yes
>the netbook is just out of the guarantee period.


Boot a live Linux disk (Ubuntu has good wifi support, IME) to see how
a different environment behaves.

If that is stable then suspect the Windows device drivers for your
Wifi card/module. Have they been updated by Windows update without
you knowing, possibly?

Ato_Zee wrote:
> On 21-Dec-2009, "Flyiñg Ñuñ 2°°9 +" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> I've no idea what to try next so any ideas from someone more
>> knowledgeable than me, that's probably all of you, would be
>> appreciated.
>
> www.tezino.com
> offers some advice, about 3 pages in on wireless connectivity.
> Faced with your problem, I would, as an experiment, turn
> off any wireless security. You can turn it back on later.
> This should enable you to view local networks, see
> your own router, not necessarily the strongest signal,
> and do a "connect" to it.
>
Done that and it's still dropping out. Netstumbler reckons my router
signal is the strongest (~45 dBm) round here and very steady. There are two
other steady signals nearby but bioth have strengths around 55 dBm and both
were using different channels from mine.

> ipconfig /all command, frequently advised here, will tell
> you what you need to know about your laptops connectivity.
> Its IP address, gateway address, dns servers, subnet mask,
> etc, etc.
> You can manually configure all of these, Google for
> static configuration - just a case of unticking let your
> OS manage this connection.
> You will need to know your routers control panel IP address,
> my 2700HGV has the default 192.168..1.254, your could be
> different, but unlikely unless the default has been changed.
> For mine I have set my PC to use that address for
> gateway (your way to the outside world) and for the first
> DNS server. Without that as the first DNS server I had
> connectivity problems.
>
Yep did all that last night with the aid of a friend using Netmeeting. Still
dropping out.
>
> Only by getting to your routers control panel can you
> work out what is happening.
> So try putting 192.168.1.254 in your browser,
> no www or http should be needed, just the number,
> but failing that http://192.168.1.254
>
I've done that many times and last night we made sure that all the computers
IP addresses were fixed in the router.
We also spent a fair time finding the latest(?), it's dated Feb 2009,
Realtek driver for the mini card adapter, Netbook was purchased in December
2008, and installed that, but it is still dropping out. So I still have
no idea what can be causing it. Strangely yesterday evening the wifi
connection seemed pretty stable for an hour, part of the time we were on
netmeeting, but dropped out eventually. So I had to revert to an ethernet
connection. I was thinking it could be a hardware problem, but if so would
it connect at all?
--
Heard melodies are sweet, but those Unheard are sweeter
(E-Mail Removed) FN 2°°9 +, Mungo Brandybuck of Buckland

Peter Crosland wrote:
> "Flyiñg Ñuñ 2°°9 +" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> I have a 13 month old Advent 4211C Netbook running Windows XP Home
>> Edition Service pack 3, and connect using wifi to a 2wire 2700HGV
>> hub connected to Plusnet BB. For some 12 months I've been able to
>> connect OK using the 'Obtain IP address automatically' option
>> relatively successfully, but occasionally hovering over the wifi
>> icon in the systray has indicated that I may have limited
>> connectivity and it was still trying to find an IP address. However
>> a couple of weeks ago I started losing connectivity even though the
>> wifi icon indicated that I was connected and signal strength was
>> excellent. I checked the ip address using ipconfig and it was
>> 169.254.160.104 which I didn't recognise with a Subnet Mask
>> 225.225.0.0 and no address for the Default Gateway. So I checked
>> all the addresses on my network and set up the Internet Protocol
>> (TCP/IP) to use the relevant ones. This appeared to work well
>> showing that I was fully connected, but alas the same thing is
>> happening with that set up too. It's still showing connected at
>> excellent signal strength but not actually connecting to the
>> Internet or even my router. I then tried it on a neighbours cable
>> router, and yes it did connect but after a few minutes connectivity
>> was lost even though it still said I was. All the time I had
>> Netstumbler running and that showed constant strong wifi signals
>> from both routers throughout the tests. I have installed Driver
>> Robot and running that tells me that the 802.11b/g Mini Card
>> Wireless Adapter has the latest drivers. I cannot see the adapter
>> type or manufacture anywhere on my computer but Goggling tells me
>> that adapter on the Advent 4221C is a Realtek RTL8187SE (MS-6894)
>> Wireless LAN. I've no idea what to try next so any ideas from someone
>> more
>> knowledgeable than me, that's probably all of you, would be
>> appreciated. Oh! And yes the netbook is just out of the guarantee
>> period.
>
> Further to our telephone conversation this page has a link to a
> realtek utility you can download which might help.
>
> http://realtek-rtl8187se-wireless-la....com/download/
>
> Peter Crosland

Thanks Peter. Will take a look. Also see my reply at 09-42 to Ato_Zee
--
Heard melodies are sweet, but those Unheard are sweeter
(E-Mail Removed) FN 2°°9 +, Mungo Brandybuck of Buckland

"Flyiñg Ñuñ 2°°9 +" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Peter Crosland wrote:
>> "Flyiñg Ñuñ 2°°9 +" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> I have a 13 month old Advent 4211C Netbook running Windows XP Home
>>> Edition Service pack 3, and connect using wifi to a 2wire 2700HGV
>>> hub connected to Plusnet BB. For some 12 months I've been able to
>>> connect OK using the 'Obtain IP address automatically' option
>>> relatively successfully, but occasionally hovering over the wifi
>>> icon in the systray has indicated that I may have limited
>>> connectivity and it was still trying to find an IP address. However
>>> a couple of weeks ago I started losing connectivity even though the
>>> wifi icon indicated that I was connected and signal strength was
>>> excellent. I checked the ip address using ipconfig and it was
>>> 169.254.160.104 which I didn't recognise with a Subnet Mask
>>> 225.225.0.0 and no address for the Default Gateway. So I checked
>>> all the addresses on my network and set up the Internet Protocol
>>> (TCP/IP) to use the relevant ones. This appeared to work well
>>> showing that I was fully connected, but alas the same thing is
>>> happening with that set up too. It's still showing connected at
>>> excellent signal strength but not actually connecting to the
>>> Internet or even my router. I then tried it on a neighbours cable
>>> router, and yes it did connect but after a few minutes connectivity
>>> was lost even though it still said I was. All the time I had
>>> Netstumbler running and that showed constant strong wifi signals
>>> from both routers throughout the tests. I have installed Driver
>>> Robot and running that tells me that the 802.11b/g Mini Card
>>> Wireless Adapter has the latest drivers. I cannot see the adapter
>>> type or manufacture anywhere on my computer but Goggling tells me
>>> that adapter on the Advent 4221C is a Realtek RTL8187SE (MS-6894)
>>> Wireless LAN. I've no idea what to try next so any ideas from someone
>>> more
>>> knowledgeable than me, that's probably all of you, would be
>>> appreciated. Oh! And yes the netbook is just out of the guarantee
>>> period.
>>
>> Further to our telephone conversation this page has a link to a
>> realtek utility you can download which might help.
>>
>> http://realtek-rtl8187se-wireless-la....com/download/
>>
>> Peter Crosland
>
> Thanks Peter. Will take a look. Also see my reply at 09-42 to Ato_Zee
> --
> Heard melodies are sweet, but those Unheard are sweeter
> (E-Mail Removed) FN 2°°9 +, Mungo Brandybuck of Buckland

The 169.254.160.104 address is from the autoconfiguration address range -
i.e. the addres your computer gets when it cannot get an address from
anywhere else - in your case the router.

The wireless is a red herring.

Disable the wireless completely on the PC.

Connect the PC to the router using an ethernet cable.

Use IPCONFIG /ALL to find out the IP address issued to the PC by the router.
It should also show a default gateway - that is, the address of the router.
Open a web browser at that address - you should see the router status page.
(You will need to know the username and password for the router - the manual
that came with it should tell you what they are.)

If your PC does not get an IP address from the router then:

1) try a different router
2) try a different PC connected your router

That way you can deternime whether the problem is with the router or the PC.

Then report back ...

--
Graham J

You all have shared good and helpful information about wifi. It will also helpful for me and other needy people.

Graham J wrote:
> "Flyiñg Ñuñ 2°°9 +" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Peter Crosland wrote:
>>> "Flyiñg Ñuñ 2°°9 +" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>> I have a 13 month old Advent 4211C Netbook running Windows XP Home
>>>> Edition Service pack 3, and connect using wifi to a 2wire 2700HGV
>>>> hub connected to Plusnet BB. For some 12 months I've been able to
>>>> connect OK using the 'Obtain IP address automatically' option
>>>> relatively successfully, but occasionally hovering over the wifi
>>>> icon in the systray has indicated that I may have limited
>>>> connectivity and it was still trying to find an IP address. However
>>>> a couple of weeks ago I started losing connectivity even though the
>>>> wifi icon indicated that I was connected and signal strength was
>>>> excellent. I checked the ip address using ipconfig and it was
>>>> 169.254.160.104 which I didn't recognise with a Subnet Mask
>>>> 225.225.0.0 and no address for the Default Gateway. So I checked
>>>> all the addresses on my network and set up the Internet Protocol
>>>> (TCP/IP) to use the relevant ones. This appeared to work well
>>>> showing that I was fully connected, but alas the same thing is
>>>> happening with that set up too. It's still showing connected at
>>>> excellent signal strength but not actually connecting to the
>>>> Internet or even my router. I then tried it on a neighbours cable
>>>> router, and yes it did connect but after a few minutes connectivity
>>>> was lost even though it still said I was. All the time I had
>>>> Netstumbler running and that showed constant strong wifi signals
>>>> from both routers throughout the tests. I have installed Driver
>>>> Robot and running that tells me that the 802.11b/g Mini Card
>>>> Wireless Adapter has the latest drivers. I cannot see the adapter
>>>> type or manufacture anywhere on my computer but Goggling tells me
>>>> that adapter on the Advent 4221C is a Realtek RTL8187SE (MS-6894)
>>>> Wireless LAN. I've no idea what to try next so any ideas from
>>>> someone more
>>>> knowledgeable than me, that's probably all of you, would be
>>>> appreciated. Oh! And yes the netbook is just out of the
>>>> guarantee period.
>>>
>>> Further to our telephone conversation this page has a link to a
>>> realtek utility you can download which might help.
>>>
>>> http://realtek-rtl8187se-wireless-la....com/download/
>>>
>>> Peter Crosland
>>
>> Thanks Peter. Will take a look. Also see my reply at 09-42 to
>> Ato_Zee --
>> Heard melodies are sweet, but those Unheard are sweeter
>> (E-Mail Removed) FN 2°°9 +, Mungo Brandybuck of Buckland
>
> The 169.254.160.104 address is from the autoconfiguration address
> range - i.e. the addres your computer gets when it cannot get an
> address from anywhere else - in your case the router.
>
> The wireless is a red herring.
>
> Disable the wireless completely on the PC.
>
> Connect the PC to the router using an ethernet cable.
>
> Use IPCONFIG /ALL to find out the IP address issued to the PC by the
> router. It should also show a default gateway - that is, the address
> of the router. Open a web browser at that address - you should see
> the router status page. (You will need to know the username and
> password for the router - the manual that came with it should tell
> you what they are.)
> If your PC does not get an IP address from the router then:
>
> 1) try a different router
> 2) try a different PC connected your router
>
> That way you can deternime whether the problem is with the router or
> the PC.
> Then report back ...

I think I established that it wasn't the router as I have taken the netbook
round to a neighbours and connected to their wireless router. Even with
their router less than 2 metres from the netbook the connection dropped
again although hovering over the wifi icon told me that it was connected
with excellent signal strength. Just to confirm it was their router I did a
download speed measurement and it showed a value of 8700 kbps (their's is a
cable ISP) My ISP is Plusnet and the highest speed I have ever seen from
them is around 6400 kbps, back a few months now. Anyhow shortly (about a
minute) after doing the speed check the connection dropped again, and I
just couldn't reconnect.

Anyhow all that apart I have just - within the last 10 minutes completed
setting up another router and am in the process of reconfiguring my network,
so we'll see if that makes any difference shortly.

--
Heard melodies are sweet, but those Unheard are sweeter
(E-Mail Removed) FN 2°°9 +, Mungo Brandybuck of Buckland

Ato_Zee wrote:
> On 22-Dec-2009, "Flyiñg Ñuñ 2°°9 +" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> I was thinking it could be a hardware problem, but if so would
>> it connect at all?
>
> I presume you have moved the laptop nearer to the router.
> If it is caused by strong local interference, or a nearby
> user on the same channel, moving the laptop might override
> the local interfering signal.
> A strong local carrier that is not a wireless LAN is unlikely
> to appear in view local networks.

Yes, most have the testing has been done w2ith the netbook almost exactly 1
metre away from the router. I coonected briefly yesterday when I had the
netbook in a close neighbours and it dropped out just the same in both
locations.
> At this point trying another known working laptop, or
> trying a USB wireless dongle instead of the built in
> wireless might give a clue.
> I'd True Image a backup, then you are free to muck about at
> will, though I would test the backup and restore on one
> small folder first.
> Then you would be free to try an Argos USB dongle,
> and join the round the block after Christmas refund
> queue if it doesn't help.
> If it is the 2700HGV it will still be unstable, if it is
> the laptops adapter, then the USB dongle should
> be stable.
> If you suspect the 2700HGV and they are pretty
> reliable, then off to Argos for a router, or router
> plus USB dongle bundle.
>
I have within the last few minutes commissioned another 2700HGV and that's
working fine on ethernet. After reconfiguring the network I have I'll be
getting round to trying it on wifi. Will report back later.



--
Heard melodies are sweet, but those Unheard are sweeter
(E-Mail Removed) FN 2°°9 +, Mungo Brandybuck of Buckland

Flyiñg Ñuñ 2°°9 + wrote:
> Ato_Zee wrote:
>> On 22-Dec-2009, "Flyiñg Ñuñ 2°°9 +" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>
>>> I was thinking it could be a hardware problem, but if so would
>>> it connect at all?
>>
>> I presume you have moved the laptop nearer to the router.
>> If it is caused by strong local interference, or a nearby
>> user on the same channel, moving the laptop might override
>> the local interfering signal.
>> A strong local carrier that is not a wireless LAN is unlikely
>> to appear in view local networks.
>
> Yes, most have the testing has been done w2ith the netbook almost
> exactly 1 metre away from the router. I coonected briefly yesterday when
> I had the netbook in a close neighbours and it dropped out just the same
> in both locations.
>> At this point trying another known working laptop, or
>> trying a USB wireless dongle instead of the built in
>> wireless might give a clue.
>> I'd True Image a backup, then you are free to muck about at
>> will, though I would test the backup and restore on one
>> small folder first.
>> Then you would be free to try an Argos USB dongle,
>> and join the round the block after Christmas refund
>> queue if it doesn't help.
>> If it is the 2700HGV it will still be unstable, if it is
>> the laptops adapter, then the USB dongle should
>> be stable.
>> If you suspect the 2700HGV and they are pretty
>> reliable, then off to Argos for a router, or router
>> plus USB dongle bundle.
>>
> I have within the last few minutes commissioned another 2700HGV and that's
> working fine on ethernet. After reconfiguring the network I have I'll be
> getting round to trying it on wifi. Will report back later.

After an hour doing all the things I've tried before the netbook suddenly,
and surprisingly tconnected to the new router through wifi. That was at
16-10 it's been connected ever since and not dropped out. So that's 8
hours so far. Also letting it obtain an IP address automatically it's
finding the correct one and not the 169.254.160.104 and 255.255.0.0 Subnet
Mask that it had last time. Don't ask me how I've done it. I haven't a
clue as to what I've done differently from before.
--
Heard melodies are sweet, but those Unheard are sweeter
(E-Mail Removed) FN 2°°9 +, Mungo Brandybuck of Buckland

Flyiñg Ñuñ 2°°9 + on netbook wrote:

>
> After an hour doing all the things I've tried before the netbook suddenly,
> and surprisingly tconnected to the new router through wifi. That was at
> 16-10 it's been connected ever since and not dropped out. So that's 8
> hours so far. Also letting it obtain an IP address automatically it's
> finding the correct one and not the 169.254.160.104 and 255.255.0.0 Subnet
> Mask that it had last time. Don't ask me how I've done it. I haven't a
> clue as to what I've done differently from before.
> --
> Heard melodies are sweet, but those Unheard are sweeter
> (E-Mail Removed) FN 2°°9 +, Mungo Brandybuck of Buckland
>
>

Hah!

Yestrday I was trying to bring up a router I diont use anymore for a ew
installation. Thinking it was probably on te same address as teh one
that repolaced it, I switched the laptop on and plugged it in separatly.
Bugger. The laptop connected by radio to the main one instead.

Then I remembered that particular cable is a crossover.

New cable, try again. Ethernet light came on in router, but no DHCP.

Bugger. Switched off radio on main router

Still no connection to router.

Battery was getting flat, so gave up.

Plugged router into LAN. Wife still able to surf. Implied it was on a
different IP address. Just couldn't remember what it was on.

So being as how its a cinch in linux, I added every possible network to
the desktop machines ethernet to see if it was on any of them. BINGO,
found it at 192.168.1.254. And I had switched DHCP OFF..ah.

So I managed to reconfigure it.

Then back to the laptop. I decided it was time to upgraded it, so back
on to the radio..would it connect? would it fuck. spent half an hour
fiddling before I remembered it had a button on the front that disables
the radio bit. Pushed it, little orange light came on, rebooted and
BINGO. Wifi.


Jesus, I hate all this stuff.