Linksys equipment dropping connections

I have a Linksys WRT54G router connected to my cable modem and a Linksys
WMP54G PCI card in my desktop computer, which is situated about 15 feet
away, and is not obstructed by any walls or anything. I have no
problems connecting; I get a strong signal. However, the connection
gets dropped at a random time several times throughout the day. The
dropped connection only lasts for 30 seconds or so before it
reconnects, but it happens frequently enough that it drives me nuts. I
also have a Centrino laptop that I use to connect to the same network,
and it never drops the connection, even when placed in the same area as
the desktop PC or further away. This leads me to believe it is not a
problem with the router, but with the PCI card. I have tried unplugging
my cordless phone system in my house, moving my UPS away from my
computer, and I even bought a long anntenna extension on eBay to try
positioning the antenna in several different places, but nothing so far
seems to help. It also doesn't help if I disable WPA or turn off
ZoneAlarm Pro (my firewall on the desktop). Any further suggestions to
keep my connection from being dropped?


--
APisano17
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"APisano17" <APisano17.1it3ky@WiFi-Forum_dot_com> wrote in message
news:APisano17.1it3ky@WiFi-Forum_dot_com...
>
> I have a Linksys WRT54G router connected to my cable modem and a
Linksys
> WMP54G PCI card in my desktop computer, which is situated about 15
feet
> away, and is not obstructed by any walls or anything. I have no
> problems connecting; I get a strong signal. However, the connection
> gets dropped at a random time several times throughout the day. The
> dropped connection only lasts for 30 seconds or so before it
> reconnects, but it happens frequently enough that it drives me nuts.
I
> also have a Centrino laptop that I use to connect to the same
network,
> and it never drops the connection, even when placed in the same area
as
> the desktop PC or further away. This leads me to believe it is not a
> problem with the router, but with the PCI card. I have tried
unplugging
> my cordless phone system in my house, moving my UPS away from my
> computer, and I even bought a long anntenna extension on eBay to try
> positioning the antenna in several different places, but nothing so
far
> seems to help. It also doesn't help if I disable WPA or turn off
> ZoneAlarm Pro (my firewall on the desktop). Any further suggestions
to
> keep my connection from being dropped?

What OSs are you running and what Service Pack level

APisano17 wrote:
> I have a Linksys WRT54G router connected to my cable modem and a
> Linksys WMP54G PCI card in my desktop computer, which is situated
> about 15 feet away, and is not obstructed by any walls or anything. I
> have no problems connecting; I get a strong signal. However, the
> connection gets dropped at a random time several times throughout the
> day. The dropped connection only lasts for 30 seconds or so before it
> reconnects, but it happens frequently enough that it drives me nuts. I
> also have a Centrino laptop that I use to connect to the same network,
> and it never drops the connection, even when placed in the same area
> as the desktop PC or further away. This leads me to believe it is not
> a problem with the router, but with the PCI card. I have tried
> unplugging my cordless phone system in my house, moving my UPS away
> from my computer, and I even bought a long anntenna extension on eBay
> to try positioning the antenna in several different places, but
> nothing so far seems to help. It also doesn't help if I disable WPA
> or turn off ZoneAlarm Pro (my firewall on the desktop). Any further
> suggestions to keep my connection from being dropped?

Depending on the location of the desktop, I ran into a similar problem at
work setting up a hotspot. Turned out that the desktop was actually on the
floor under the desk rather than on the desktop, and the baseboard of the
walls had metal mesh and supports in em (newer building, office inside a
grocery store). I switched to a USB device rather than the internal PCI
card, and placed it on a shelf about 4-5 FT up on the wall.
Same sort of thing happened at a motel office, (older 3 story with cement
load bearing walls with metal rods in the concrete). Same thing, PCI card
dropped connects, switched to a USB device and placed it elsewhere, no
further problem.

Also check the linksys website, they have some firmware updates (and
installers for them) that make it much more stable, a must if you are
thinking of going to SP2.