Loosing signal strength

I started loosing signal strength on my laptop yesterday. For weeks the
signal strength has been rated as Excellent to Good. Now it varies from Good
to Low to Disconnected, and this is not just a temporary thing. I have tried
it several times over the past 8 hours - same result.

I am using a D-Link DI-714P+ wireless router, and my laptop has a Netgear
MA521 wireless card. The laptop is a Gateway model 400SD4. My OS for the
laptop is Windows XP Home Edition. The laptop is the only computer I have
connected as wireless, although I also have 2 desktops wired to the router
with CAT 5 cable. Both of them can access the internet without any problems.

There has been nothing done to any of my hardware or software recently, and
I don't have anything such as a portable phone emitting spurious signals.

Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks.

I'm not 100% sure that I found the answer, but I powered the router and the
cable modem down for 1 minute, then powered them both back up. After that,
the signal strength was back to Excellent.

Can anyone explain this? Thanks.

"Papa" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I started loosing signal strength on my laptop yesterday. For weeks the
> signal strength has been rated as Excellent to Good. Now it varies from
Good
> to Low to Disconnected, and this is not just a temporary thing. I have
tried
> it several times over the past 8 hours - same result.
>
> I am using a D-Link DI-714P+ wireless router, and my laptop has a Netgear
> MA521 wireless card. The laptop is a Gateway model 400SD4. My OS for the
> laptop is Windows XP Home Edition. The laptop is the only computer I have
> connected as wireless, although I also have 2 desktops wired to the router
> with CAT 5 cable. Both of them can access the internet without any
problems.
>
> There has been nothing done to any of my hardware or software recently,
and
> I don't have anything such as a portable phone emitting spurious signals.
>
> Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks.
>
>

Follow up. I was using the laptop for about 30 minutes, and signal strength
was rated as Excellent. I was looking at some files from another computer in
my LAN. Then the signal strength began dropping until I lost the connection
entirely. The only possible cause I can think of was that I was running the
laptop on battery only. I checked the battery monitor and it reported 1.65
hours remaining.

I hope that this is not typical behavior for wireless. If it is, forget
reliability.

"Papa" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I'm not 100% sure that I found the answer, but I powered the router and
the
> cable modem down for 1 minute, then powered them both back up. After that,
> the signal strength was back to Excellent.
>
> Can anyone explain this? Thanks.
>
> "Papa" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > I started loosing signal strength on my laptop yesterday. For weeks the
> > signal strength has been rated as Excellent to Good. Now it varies from
> Good
> > to Low to Disconnected, and this is not just a temporary thing. I have
> tried
> > it several times over the past 8 hours - same result.
> >
> > I am using a D-Link DI-714P+ wireless router, and my laptop has a
Netgear
> > MA521 wireless card. The laptop is a Gateway model 400SD4. My OS for the
> > laptop is Windows XP Home Edition. The laptop is the only computer I
have
> > connected as wireless, although I also have 2 desktops wired to the
router
> > with CAT 5 cable. Both of them can access the internet without any
> problems.
> >
> > There has been nothing done to any of my hardware or software recently,
> and
> > I don't have anything such as a portable phone emitting spurious
signals.
> >
> > Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks.
> >
> >
>
>

Another follow up. Without recharging the battery, today I reset the router
and that resulted in Excellent signal strength - but for how long?

"Papa" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Follow up. I was using the laptop for about 30 minutes, and signal
strength
> was rated as Excellent. I was looking at some files from another computer
in
> my LAN. Then the signal strength began dropping until I lost the
connection
> entirely. The only possible cause I can think of was that I was running
the
> laptop on battery only. I checked the battery monitor and it reported 1.65
> hours remaining.
>
> I hope that this is not typical behavior for wireless. If it is, forget
> reliability.
>
> "Papa" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > I'm not 100% sure that I found the answer, but I powered the router and
> the
> > cable modem down for 1 minute, then powered them both back up. After
that,
> > the signal strength was back to Excellent.
> >
> > Can anyone explain this? Thanks.
> >
> > "Papa" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > I started loosing signal strength on my laptop yesterday. For weeks
the
> > > signal strength has been rated as Excellent to Good. Now it varies
from
> > Good
> > > to Low to Disconnected, and this is not just a temporary thing. I have
> > tried
> > > it several times over the past 8 hours - same result.
> > >
> > > I am using a D-Link DI-714P+ wireless router, and my laptop has a
> Netgear
> > > MA521 wireless card. The laptop is a Gateway model 400SD4. My OS for
the
> > > laptop is Windows XP Home Edition. The laptop is the only computer I
> have
> > > connected as wireless, although I also have 2 desktops wired to the
> router
> > > with CAT 5 cable. Both of them can access the internet without any
> > problems.
> > >
> > > There has been nothing done to any of my hardware or software
recently,
> > and
> > > I don't have anything such as a portable phone emitting spurious
> signals.
> > >
> > > Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks.
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

my guess would be is that the transmitter in the router is going bad. after
its on for a while it heats up and looses output. it could also be that
there is something turning the power down on the router, i don't know why it
would do that on purpose, but maybe there is a bug in the router code that
does that... check with the mfg to see if there is an update for it.

"Papa" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Another follow up. Without recharging the battery, today I reset the
router
> and that resulted in Excellent signal strength - but for how long?
>
> "Papa" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Follow up. I was using the laptop for about 30 minutes, and signal
> strength
> > was rated as Excellent. I was looking at some files from another
computer
> in
> > my LAN. Then the signal strength began dropping until I lost the
> connection
> > entirely. The only possible cause I can think of was that I was running
> the
> > laptop on battery only. I checked the battery monitor and it reported
1.65
> > hours remaining.
> >
> > I hope that this is not typical behavior for wireless. If it is, forget
> > reliability.
> >
> > "Papa" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > I'm not 100% sure that I found the answer, but I powered the router
and
> > the
> > > cable modem down for 1 minute, then powered them both back up. After
> that,
> > > the signal strength was back to Excellent.
> > >
> > > Can anyone explain this? Thanks.
> > >
> > > "Papa" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > > news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > > I started loosing signal strength on my laptop yesterday. For weeks
> the
> > > > signal strength has been rated as Excellent to Good. Now it varies
> from
> > > Good
> > > > to Low to Disconnected, and this is not just a temporary thing. I
have
> > > tried
> > > > it several times over the past 8 hours - same result.
> > > >
> > > > I am using a D-Link DI-714P+ wireless router, and my laptop has a
> > Netgear
> > > > MA521 wireless card. The laptop is a Gateway model 400SD4. My OS for
> the
> > > > laptop is Windows XP Home Edition. The laptop is the only computer I
> > have
> > > > connected as wireless, although I also have 2 desktops wired to the
> > router
> > > > with CAT 5 cable. Both of them can access the internet without any
> > > problems.
> > > >
> > > > There has been nothing done to any of my hardware or software
> recently,
> > > and
> > > > I don't have anything such as a portable phone emitting spurious
> > signals.
> > > >
> > > > Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks.
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

Hi Dave:

Judging from similar complaints in this NG from people using a variety of
routers, that seems unlikely - but who knows?? I'll check with the router
manufacturer, and take a look at my laptop's power saving settings.

Thanks for responding.

"Dave" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> my guess would be is that the transmitter in the router is going bad.
after
> its on for a while it heats up and looses output. it could also be that
> there is something turning the power down on the router, i don't know why
it
> would do that on purpose, but maybe there is a bug in the router code that
> does that... check with the mfg to see if there is an update for it.
>
> "Papa" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Another follow up. Without recharging the battery, today I reset the
> router
> > and that resulted in Excellent signal strength - but for how long?
> >
> > "Papa" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > Follow up. I was using the laptop for about 30 minutes, and signal
> > strength
> > > was rated as Excellent. I was looking at some files from another
> computer
> > in
> > > my LAN. Then the signal strength began dropping until I lost the
> > connection
> > > entirely. The only possible cause I can think of was that I was
running
> > the
> > > laptop on battery only. I checked the battery monitor and it reported
> 1.65
> > > hours remaining.
> > >
> > > I hope that this is not typical behavior for wireless. If it is,
forget
> > > reliability.
> > >
> > > "Papa" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > > news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > > I'm not 100% sure that I found the answer, but I powered the router
> and
> > > the
> > > > cable modem down for 1 minute, then powered them both back up. After
> > that,
> > > > the signal strength was back to Excellent.
> > > >
> > > > Can anyone explain this? Thanks.
> > > >
> > > > "Papa" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > > > news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > > > I started loosing signal strength on my laptop yesterday. For
weeks
> > the
> > > > > signal strength has been rated as Excellent to Good. Now it varies
> > from
> > > > Good
> > > > > to Low to Disconnected, and this is not just a temporary thing. I
> have
> > > > tried
> > > > > it several times over the past 8 hours - same result.
> > > > >
> > > > > I am using a D-Link DI-714P+ wireless router, and my laptop has a
> > > Netgear
> > > > > MA521 wireless card. The laptop is a Gateway model 400SD4. My OS
for
> > the
> > > > > laptop is Windows XP Home Edition. The laptop is the only computer
I
> > > have
> > > > > connected as wireless, although I also have 2 desktops wired to
the
> > > router
> > > > > with CAT 5 cable. Both of them can access the internet without any
> > > > problems.
> > > > >
> > > > > There has been nothing done to any of my hardware or software
> > recently,
> > > > and
> > > > > I don't have anything such as a portable phone emitting spurious
> > > signals.
> > > > >
> > > > > Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>