Wanadoo wireless: connection drop problem

I've googled but couldn't find anything.

We have a Wanadoo Livebox installation.

The Livebox is plugged into the master socket on the ground floor.

The laptop with wireless adapter works well when the laptop is in the
same room as the Livebox.

When the laptop is on the floor above, the wireless connection drops
after a few seconds.

There are no other computers or equipment connected to the Livebox.

When the laptop is downstairs and connected to the Livebox by
ethernet, the connection works fine.

This problem has only emerged in the last couple of weeks. Prior to
that, the laptop with wireless adapter had worked happily from the
floor above since initial implementation of the wireless connection
several months ago.

We have spent considerable time on the phone to Wanadoo and their
attempted solutions (to date) have not worked. The wireless adapter
was replaced recently but hasn't solved the problem.

The laptop user has noticed that the wireless adapter now picks up
many more access points than was the case a few months ago.

Has anyone had a similar problem or could anyone provide some insight
into what the problem might be ?

pyramid wrote:
> I've googled but couldn't find anything.
>
> We have a Wanadoo Livebox installation.
>
> The Livebox is plugged into the master socket on the ground floor.
>
> The laptop with wireless adapter works well when the laptop is in the
> same room as the Livebox.
>
> When the laptop is on the floor above, the wireless connection drops
> after a few seconds.
>
> There are no other computers or equipment connected to the Livebox.
>
> When the laptop is downstairs and connected to the Livebox by
> ethernet, the connection works fine.
>
> This problem has only emerged in the last couple of weeks. Prior to
> that, the laptop with wireless adapter had worked happily from the
> floor above since initial implementation of the wireless connection
> several months ago.
>
> We have spent considerable time on the phone to Wanadoo and their
> attempted solutions (to date) have not worked. The wireless adapter
> was replaced recently but hasn't solved the problem.
>
> The laptop user has noticed that the wireless adapter now picks up
> many more access points than was the case a few months ago.
>
> Has anyone had a similar problem or could anyone provide some insight
> into what the problem might be ?

You've given a good diagnosis already, try moving the channel you are
presently using & you could cure your problems. Some of the other
access points could be using bandspread to give increase speeds which
may affect your channel & other wifi users could be using the same
channel as yours.

You've got 13 channels to play with, so have fun (at least yours is
working, the ones I've met up with invariably aren't).

On Sun, 1 Jan 2006 20:47:30 -0000, "Kraftee"
<(E-Mail Removed) please we're bristish.com> wrote:

[.....]
>You've given a good diagnosis already, try moving the channel you are
>presently using & you could cure your problems. Some of the other
>access points could be using bandspread to give increase speeds which
>may affect your channel & other wifi users could be using the same
>channel as yours.
>
>You've got 13 channels to play with, so have fun (at least yours is
>working, the ones I've met up with invariably aren't).

Thanks.

Will let you know how we get on.

pyramid wrote:
> On Sun, 1 Jan 2006 20:47:30 -0000, "Kraftee"
> <(E-Mail Removed) please we're bristish.com> wrote:
>
> [.....]
>> You've given a good diagnosis already, try moving the channel you are
>> presently using & you could cure your problems. Some of the other
>> access points could be using bandspread to give increase speeds which
>> may affect your channel & other wifi users could be using the same
>> channel as yours.
>>
>> You've got 13 channels to play with, so have fun (at least yours is
>> working, the ones I've met up with invariably aren't).
>
> Thanks.
>
> Will let you know how we get on.

If all channels appear full look at the ones with the weakest signals,
oh by the way I hope that you have put some type of encryption on your
link especially seeing as your area appears to be a hive of activity.

"Kraftee" <(E-Mail Removed) please we're bristish.com>
wrote in message
news:43b8455f$0$1476$(E-Mail Removed)...
> pyramid wrote:
> > On Sun, 1 Jan 2006 20:47:30 -0000, "Kraftee"
> > <(E-Mail Removed) please we're bristish.com> wrote:
> >
> > [.....]
> >> You've given a good diagnosis already, try moving the channel you
are
> >> presently using & you could cure your problems. Some of the
other
> >> access points could be using bandspread to give increase speeds
which
> >> may affect your channel & other wifi users could be using the
same
> >> channel as yours.
> >>
> >> You've got 13 channels to play with, so have fun (at least yours
is
> >> working, the ones I've met up with invariably aren't).
> >
> > Thanks.
> >
> > Will let you know how we get on.
>
> If all channels appear full look at the ones with the weakest
signals,
> oh by the way I hope that you have put some type of encryption on
your
> link especially seeing as your area appears to be a hive of
activity.
>
>

What worries me about these "Livebox" devices is that they supply the
wep key on the base.
This implies that you don't change it.
I also suspect the documentation discourages changing it.
There is some other sort of security - a 10 minute period, during
which you can introduce the box to new clients.
I assume it will only accept new MAC addresses during that time.
Again not very good security, but probably better than a large
proportion of the wireless networks out there.

Eric

--
Remove the dross to contact me directly

On Sun, 1 Jan 2006 21:11:32 -0000, "Kraftee"
<(E-Mail Removed) please we're bristish.com> wrote:

>If all channels appear full look at the ones with the weakest signals,
>oh by the way I hope that you have put some type of encryption on your
>link especially seeing as your area appears to be a hive of activity.

Thanks and sorry.

Could you expand on that, please ? An initial exercise with the
channels hasn't improved things much.