erratic signal

Hi

I am trying to set up a network between my laptop and desktop but have been
having problems (i have posted other questions recently).

I think it may be the signal that is the problem, my desktop has a pci
dlink card and shows an excellent signal strength when connected but my
laptop (dlink pc card) shows erratic signal strengths.

If i place my mouse over the icon on the taskbar to show strength i can keep
the laptop in the same place (very close to the card antenna) roll over the
icon and show no signal and roll over again and show excellent, rolling back
over will show no or very low signal (which it seems to be most of the time.

The sent and received for both computers is similar, over a 20 minute period
sent is 1500 to 2000 but received is only 15 (ish).

Would this suggest a problem with one or both cards and what can i do about
it.

thanks

Gary

--
visit our website at www.justjents.co.uk




geepeetee

"geepeetee" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:d3hdtk$7on$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi
>
> I am trying to set up a network between my laptop and desktop but have
been
> having problems (i have posted other questions recently).
>
> I think it may be the signal that is the problem, my desktop has a pci
> dlink card and shows an excellent signal strength when connected but my
> laptop (dlink pc card) shows erratic signal strengths.
>
> If i place my mouse over the icon on the taskbar to show strength i can
keep
> the laptop in the same place (very close to the card antenna) roll over
the
> icon and show no signal and roll over again and show excellent, rolling
back
> over will show no or very low signal (which it seems to be most of the
time.
>
> The sent and received for both computers is similar, over a 20 minute
period
> sent is 1500 to 2000 but received is only 15 (ish).
>
> Would this suggest a problem with one or both cards and what can i do
about
> it.
>
> thanks
>
> Gary
>
> --
> visit our website at www.justjents.co.uk
>
>
You're not clear how you are doing this. Are you using "ad-hoc" (direct
from PC to notebook) here or going via a Wireless Access Point? Are both
cards configured for ad-hoc or not as appropriate? What happens if the
cards are close together, or about 20 feet apart? Is there an aerial on
either card that you can rotate through 90degrees? Are you sure that you're
not clashing with another network using the same channel?

It may be that you're tried all this and that you do, indeed, have a faulty
card. But from reading your e-mail above I don't get enough detail.

Regards,
Paul DS.

Hi

Thanks for reply

Yeh both cards are in ad hoc mode, signal seems same over various distances,
the checks mentioned in the email were a couple of feet apart.

There is an aerial on the pci card but rotating it doesn't seem to improve
things.

I don't think there is another network to clash with, certainly my
neighbours either side don't have one but cant be sure about farther afield.

thanks

Gary

"Paul D.Smith" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:425cd449$0$292$(E-Mail Removed) t...
> "geepeetee" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:d3hdtk$7on$(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Hi
>>
>> I am trying to set up a network between my laptop and desktop but have
> been
>> having problems (i have posted other questions recently).
>>
>> I think it may be the signal that is the problem, my desktop has a pci
>> dlink card and shows an excellent signal strength when connected but my
>> laptop (dlink pc card) shows erratic signal strengths.
>>
>> If i place my mouse over the icon on the taskbar to show strength i can
> keep
>> the laptop in the same place (very close to the card antenna) roll over
> the
>> icon and show no signal and roll over again and show excellent, rolling
> back
>> over will show no or very low signal (which it seems to be most of the
> time.
>>
>> The sent and received for both computers is similar, over a 20 minute
> period
>> sent is 1500 to 2000 but received is only 15 (ish).
>>
>> Would this suggest a problem with one or both cards and what can i do
> about
>> it.
>>
>> thanks
>>
>> Gary
>>
>> --
>> visit our website at www.justjents.co.uk
>>
>>
> You're not clear how you are doing this. Are you using "ad-hoc" (direct
> from PC to notebook) here or going via a Wireless Access Point? Are both
> cards configured for ad-hoc or not as appropriate? What happens if the
> cards are close together, or about 20 feet apart? Is there an aerial on
> either card that you can rotate through 90degrees? Are you sure that
> you're
> not clashing with another network using the same channel?
>
> It may be that you're tried all this and that you do, indeed, have a
> faulty
> card. But from reading your e-mail above I don't get enough detail.
>
> Regards,
> Paul DS.
>
>
>

Gary,

If you put the card into "no ad-hoc" mode, you should be able to scan for
other networks (may be able to do this in ad-hoc too but I've never used
that mode). You probably won't be able to connect to them but you might
just find that there is one in which case change channels.

Failing that, it does sound like a problem with one of the cards though I
don't know enough to know whether you can say which. I presume that bad
reception on the notebook, could indicate poor transmission on the desktop -
or perhaps it really is the notebook!

Do you have any friends with wireless that you could pop around and visit
and try out the notebook? If it works then the PCI card has a problem.

Silly question just popped into my head as I was typing: is your PCI card
aerial "behind" the PC compared to where you place the notebook? I wonder
if the metal of the PC itself is blocking the signal? Receiving a signal on
the PCI card requires much less power to reach the PCI card than the amount
of power that must leave the PCI card to get a good signal on the notebook.
Perhaps turning the PC around might help. Sounds silly but you never know
;-).

Failing all this, take both cards back and get replacements. I'd replace
both since I don't think you can be sure which one is faulty.

Good luck,
Paul DS.

"geepeetee" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:d3jjts$pcr$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi
>
> Thanks for reply
>
> Yeh both cards are in ad hoc mode, signal seems same over various
distances,
> the checks mentioned in the email were a couple of feet apart.
>
> There is an aerial on the pci card but rotating it doesn't seem to improve
> things.
>
> I don't think there is another network to clash with, certainly my
> neighbours either side don't have one but cant be sure about farther
afield.
>
> thanks
>
> Gary
>
> "Paul D.Smith" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:425cd449$0$292$(E-Mail Removed) t...
> > "geepeetee" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:d3hdtk$7on$(E-Mail Removed)...
> >> Hi
> >>
> >> I am trying to set up a network between my laptop and desktop but have
> > been
> >> having problems (i have posted other questions recently).
> >>
> >> I think it may be the signal that is the problem, my desktop has a pci
> >> dlink card and shows an excellent signal strength when connected but my
> >> laptop (dlink pc card) shows erratic signal strengths.
> >>
> >> If i place my mouse over the icon on the taskbar to show strength i can
> > keep
> >> the laptop in the same place (very close to the card antenna) roll over
> > the
> >> icon and show no signal and roll over again and show excellent, rolling
> > back
> >> over will show no or very low signal (which it seems to be most of the
> > time.
> >>
> >> The sent and received for both computers is similar, over a 20 minute
> > period
> >> sent is 1500 to 2000 but received is only 15 (ish).
> >>
> >> Would this suggest a problem with one or both cards and what can i do
> > about
> >> it.
> >>
> >> thanks
> >>
> >> Gary
> >>
> >> --
> >> visit our website at www.justjents.co.uk
> >>
> >>
> > You're not clear how you are doing this. Are you using "ad-hoc" (direct
> > from PC to notebook) here or going via a Wireless Access Point? Are
both
> > cards configured for ad-hoc or not as appropriate? What happens if the
> > cards are close together, or about 20 feet apart? Is there an aerial on
> > either card that you can rotate through 90degrees? Are you sure that
> > you're
> > not clashing with another network using the same channel?
> >
> > It may be that you're tried all this and that you do, indeed, have a
> > faulty
> > card. But from reading your e-mail above I don't get enough detail.
> >
> > Regards,
> > Paul DS.
> >
> >
> >
>
>

On Tue, 12 Apr 2005 22:17:37 +0100, "geepeetee" <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>Hi
>
>I am trying to set up a network between my laptop and desktop but have been
>having problems (i have posted other questions recently).
>
>I think it may be the signal that is the problem,

Gary,

WiFi is certainly not as reliable as the manufacturers suggest on the
box.

My microwave oven virtually stops my WiFi network, video senders can
have en effect. Modern wall insulation can affect the signal as can
large metal objects (Who hasn't got them) as well as large areas of
water, eg radiators or water tanks.

I run a network with various WiFi cards, some have a better range than
others.

Geoff Lane