How to stop weak signal dropping ?

I have a new Vista laptop, and a weak (24%) wireless signal. However, it
never drops the link.

I have an old XP SP3 box that does. It connects but drops within a minute or
so, then reconnects again. This happens almost every 60 to 90 seconds. The
system is fine, on a stronger signal it does not drop out.
I use a Hawking high gain dish.
I know the signal is low, but the connection is held OK on the Vista laptop.
Is there a way to get XP to hold onto weak signals better?
Thanks

"Juan Kerr" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:ghiv3h$35j$(E-Mail Removed)...
>I have a new Vista laptop, and a weak (24%) wireless signal. However, it
>never drops the link.
>
> I have an old XP SP3 box that does. It connects but drops within a minute
> or so, then reconnects again. This happens almost every 60 to 90 seconds.
> The system is fine, on a stronger signal it does not drop out.
> I use a Hawking high gain dish.
> I know the signal is low, but the connection is held OK on the Vista
> laptop.
> Is there a way to get XP to hold onto weak signals better?
> Thanks

Another is to fix the link at a lower speed, if only for internet, set it to
2 x the connection speed. Use 802.11G only as this is OFDM is more resistant
to interference than CCK on 802.11b

"John Navas" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Mon, 8 Dec 2008 11:06:28 -0000, "Juan Kerr" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote
> in <ghiv3h$35j$(E-Mail Removed)>:
>
>>I have a new Vista laptop, and a weak (24%) wireless signal. However, it
>>never drops the link.
>
> Is this with an internal wireless card and antenna?
>
>>I have an old XP SP3 box that does. It connects but drops within a minute
>>or
>>so, then reconnects again. This happens almost every 60 to 90 seconds. The
>>system is fine, on a stronger signal it does not drop out.
>>I use a Hawking high gain dish.
>
> Just on the XP box? Is it in the same place as the Vista box, or
> someplace else?
>
>>I know the signal is low, but the connection is held OK on the Vista
>>laptop.
>>Is there a way to get XP to hold onto weak signals better?
>
> Improve the signal.
>
> A common cause of repeatedly dropping a connection is interference. See
> the Fixes wiki below for things you might be able to do.
>
> A possible solution is to use a better antenna at the wireless access
> point.
> --
> Best regards, FAQ for Wireless Internet: <http://wireless.navas.us>
> John Navas FAQ for Wi-Fi: <http://wireless.navas.us/wiki/Wi-Fi>
> Wi-Fi How To: <http://wireless.navas.us/wiki/Wi-Fi_HowTo>
> Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.navas.us/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>

Sorry for late reply, I lost connectivity.
The PC and laptop are next to each other ( irrelevant ).
The Antenna is a complete stand alone WIFI unit, USB powered.
The laptop onboard WIFI is disabled.
It has the correct XP and Vista drivers.
I use the antenna on both machines, alternating use as demands need.
It is sited in direct line to the broadcast in the centre of an 8x5 window.
The signal is now up to 40% on Vista, 24% on XP.
The antenna is around 900 metres from the broadcaster.

The problem appears to be with the XP box as the Vista laptop has no problem
in any form (a miracle, I know). XP sees the broadcast, connects and drops
it if I don't use it for 30 seconds. If I do get to download anything, it
does not drop it until 30 seconds or so of inactivity.
There are no power options for the USB or WIFI unit to alter, and the
antenna led does not go off.
When XP drops the connection it instantly attempts to reconnect but takes a
few seconds.
There are a LOT of connection points found, but the one I need is the only
one set to connect automatically in XP.

"John Navas" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Wed, 10 Dec 2008 12:32:15 -0000, "Juan Kerr" <(E-Mail Removed)>
> wrote in <ghocsd$60i$(E-Mail Removed)>:
>
>>The PC and laptop are next to each other ( irrelevant ).
>>The Antenna is a complete stand alone WIFI unit, USB powered.
>>The laptop onboard WIFI is disabled.
>>It has the correct XP and Vista drivers.
>>I use the antenna on both machines, alternating use as demands need.
>>It is sited in direct line to the broadcast in the centre of an 8x5
>>window.
>>The signal is now up to 40% on Vista, 24% on XP.
>>The antenna is around 900 metres from the broadcaster.
>>
>>The problem appears to be with the XP box as the Vista laptop has no
>>problem
>>in any form (a miracle, I know). XP sees the broadcast, connects and drops
>>it if I don't use it for 30 seconds. If I do get to download anything, it
>>does not drop it until 30 seconds or so of inactivity.
>>There are no power options for the USB or WIFI unit to alter, and the
>>antenna led does not go off.
>>When XP drops the connection it instantly attempts to reconnect but takes
>>a
>>few seconds.
>>There are a LOT of connection points found, but the one I need is the only
>>one set to connect automatically in XP.
>
> What's suspicious is that XP and Vista apparently report _different_
> signal strength for the _same_ external USB Wi-Fi adapter.
> That suggests that something is running on the XP box that's interfering
> with the external USB Wi-Fi adapter.
> Is the external USB Wi-Fi adapter in _exactly_ the same position for
> both XP and Vista?
> Can you try a different XP box to see what it finds?
> Are you sure you've disabled _all_ radios (including Bluetooth) on the
> XP box? Do you have _any_ other wireless running (mice, keyboard, etc)?
> --
> Best regards, FAQ for Wireless Internet: <http://wireless.navas.us>
> John Navas FAQ for Wi-Fi: <http://wireless.navas.us/wiki/Wi-Fi>
> Wi-Fi How To: <http://wireless.navas.us/wiki/Wi-Fi_HowTo>
> Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.navas.us/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>

It's just occurred to me, the XP box is a home made fossil - PIII 800 with
384mb Ram.
Vista is on an Toshiba Satellite Laptop running an intel dual 2ghz with 3Gb
of ram...
Although I only have 22 services running in XP and it is not particularly
slow, would this cause the differential or the drop outs? I have even turned
off Zero config...

On my XP there is no other Wireless, and no other USB working. Nothing other
than Spybot S&D and malwarebytes is actively running, with just the minimal
background services for IE. In fact bugger all is installed on it other than
service packs and MS updates (Which is what I need to connect to now)...

It helped a couple of my clients connect, to a fair signal. But they kep
having disconnects. Found to be as the laptop changed speed up and down, it
would stop transfering data for about 30 seconds (Certainly not seamless).
Not caused by a weak signal, but changing one as people moved around.

Fixing it at 6MBs sorted the issue immedialy. Its on a 2MBs ADSL line so 6MB
OFDM was fine.

Agreed though, if the fault is too weak a signal, then fixing it will make
matters worse.