Wifi signal fluctuates wildly on one PC

Have Googled this repeatedly with no success...


I have a Dlink 604+ ADSL wifi router modem and it works fine on two of my
PCs.

The other one shows a signal varying almost regularly and about every
second, from 80% down to 40 or 50%. The connection works most of the time.

I think the other two PCs donn't have this fluctuation.

No neighbouring houses with wifi. No Dect phones. No video senders.

Any suggestions? Could it be something to do with the way the system is set
up?

Thanks
Mike

On Sat, 2 Oct 2004 09:49:36 +0000 (UTC), "MP" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:


>I have a Dlink 604+ ADSL wifi router modem and it works fine on two of my
>PCs.
>
>The other one shows a signal varying almost regularly and about every
>second, from 80% down to 40 or 50%. The connection works most of the time.
>
>I think the other two PCs donn't have this fluctuation.
>
>No neighbouring houses with wifi. No Dect phones. No video senders.
>
>Any suggestions? Could it be something to do with the way the system is set
>up?

I learnt very quickly with WiFi that it is nowhere near as good as the
sales box indicates it is.

You mention neighbouring houses, dect phones and video senders but
mine stops completely when the microwave oven is on - also, the sales
box doesn't mention this, large areas of water affect the signal
(Radiators, loft water tanks), large metal objects affect the signal
(again radiators, cookers, boilers, decorative items) and also most
modern wall insulation.

Strangely mine works better in the early morning than in the evening.

Who knows what affects it.

It could be the location of your devices, one might go through more
walls. You can get more powerful aerials or deflectors. Also, the
higher the AP the better.

Geoff Lane

Hi

My query is about the almost regular swing from one signal strength to
another. It varies about one a second.

I wondered if this might be a conflict in the way it's set up, like a
feedback loop?

Mike



Geoff Lane wrote:
> On Sat, 2 Oct 2004 09:49:36 +0000 (UTC), "MP" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>
>> I have a Dlink 604+ ADSL wifi router modem and it works fine on two
>> of my PCs.
>>
>> The other one shows a signal varying almost regularly and about every
>> second, from 80% down to 40 or 50%. The connection works most of the
>> time.
>>
>> I think the other two PCs donn't have this fluctuation.
>>
>> No neighbouring houses with wifi. No Dect phones. No video senders.
>>
>> Any suggestions? Could it be something to do with the way the system
>> is set up?
>
> I learnt very quickly with WiFi that it is nowhere near as good as the
> sales box indicates it is.
>
> You mention neighbouring houses, dect phones and video senders but
> mine stops completely when the microwave oven is on - also, the sales
> box doesn't mention this, large areas of water affect the signal
> (Radiators, loft water tanks), large metal objects affect the signal
> (again radiators, cookers, boilers, decorative items) and also most
> modern wall insulation.
>
> Strangely mine works better in the early morning than in the evening.
>
> Who knows what affects it.
>
> It could be the location of your devices, one might go through more
> walls. You can get more powerful aerials or deflectors. Also, the
> higher the AP the better.
>
> Geoff Lane

> You mention neighbouring houses, dect phones and video senders but mine
> stops completely when the microwave oven is on - also, the sales box
> doesn't mention this, large areas of water affect the signal (Radiators,
> loft water tanks), large metal objects affect the signal (again radiators,
> cookers, boilers, decorative items) and also most modern wall insulation.
>
> Strangely mine works better in the early morning than in the evening.
>
> Who knows what affects it.
>
> It could be the location of your devices, one might go through more walls.
> You can get more powerful aerials or deflectors. Also, the higher the AP
> the better.
>
> Geoff Lane

Its RF, all these things affect RF be it medium wave, VHF, UHF or the
centimetre bands where wifi is.

DAve

--

Some people use windows, others have a life.

Hello,

Apparently you have a signal issue or defective hardware/driver
installation on that computer. What's the distance between the
computer and Access Point/Router?

Check if the signal issue remains if you put the computer closed to
Access Point. If signal improves or seems to be stable, you'll need to
add a second Access Point or a compatible Signal Extender device. If
the computer have a network card with external antenna, check the
antenna/connectors for damage. The computer should not be near any
device that can cause interference, or electric lines, etc.

Good luck,

----------------------------------------
Daniel
Interdesigner Software Development

http://www.interdesigner.com
http://www.networkclipboard.com
http://www.comparatorfast.com
http://www.shutdowntools.com
----------------------------------------

"MP" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:<cjltjg$a58$(E-Mail Removed)>...
> Have Googled this repeatedly with no success...
>
>
> I have a Dlink 604+ ADSL wifi router modem and it works fine on two of my
> PCs.
>
> The other one shows a signal varying almost regularly and about every
> second, from 80% down to 40 or 50%. The connection works most of the time.
>
> I think the other two PCs donn't have this fluctuation.
>
> No neighbouring houses with wifi. No Dect phones. No video senders.
>
> Any suggestions? Could it be something to do with the way the system is set
> up?
>
> Thanks
> Mike

On Sat, 2 Oct 2004 12:57:28 +0000 (UTC), "MP" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Hi
>
>My query is about the almost regular swing from one signal strength to
>another. It varies about one a second.
>
>I wondered if this might be a conflict in the way it's set up, like a
>feedback loop?

If I hover my mouse over my network icon my varies between 5.5 2 and 1
mbps (I've got it set to 11b).

I've also got a digital video sender, if I walk through my hallway I
get interference, when I sit down it is fine.

Both work on the 2.4 Ghz waveband.

Geoff Lane

Good advice.

I would assume that the fluctuation is due to an attenuated path more than
anything.
Don't rule out bad connectors, cables, antennas.
How many walls separate the two ends? Walls attenuate the signal a lot.
Move the antennas around for better results.
A USB wireless interface generally has enough cable to move the PC antenna
around quite a bit - so that's an advantage compared to a PCI card with
antenna on the back of the computer.
Consider a better antenna if this doesn't work and if the nearby system
tests are OK.
All this perhaps after testing nearby to eliminate other system issues.
But, moving the antenna around is a pretty easy place to start too!

I got one marginal system with a PCI card / antenna to work by rotating the
computer around about 45 degrees so the antenna was more directly "visible"
to the other end of the link.

Fred

"Daniel" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) om...
> Hello,
>
> Apparently you have a signal issue or defective hardware/driver
> installation on that computer. What's the distance between the
> computer and Access Point/Router?
>
> Check if the signal issue remains if you put the computer closed to
> Access Point. If signal improves or seems to be stable, you'll need to
> add a second Access Point or a compatible Signal Extender device. If
> the computer have a network card with external antenna, check the
> antenna/connectors for damage. The computer should not be near any
> device that can cause interference, or electric lines, etc.
>
> Good luck,
>
> ----------------------------------------
> Daniel
> Interdesigner Software Development
>
> http://www.interdesigner.com
> http://www.networkclipboard.com
> http://www.comparatorfast.com
> http://www.shutdowntools.com
> ----------------------------------------
>
> "MP" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:<cjltjg$a58$(E-Mail Removed)>...
>> Have Googled this repeatedly with no success...
>>
>>
>> I have a Dlink 604+ ADSL wifi router modem and it works fine on two of my
>> PCs.
>>
>> The other one shows a signal varying almost regularly and about every
>> second, from 80% down to 40 or 50%. The connection works most of the
>> time.
>>
>> I think the other two PCs donn't have this fluctuation.
>>
>> No neighbouring houses with wifi. No Dect phones. No video senders.
>>
>> Any suggestions? Could it be something to do with the way the system is
>> set
>> up?
>>
>> Thanks
>> Mike