Wireless Network Disappears - Normal?

I recently set up a simple wireless network in our home. It is two
Dell/Vista laptops (both with Intel 4965AGN Wireless controllers), a Netgear
WNR834B wireless router (802.11n-draft level), and a cable modem for
internet access. After a false start with a defective wireless card in one
of the laptops, things have been working pretty well.

But I have seen some unusual behavior on two separate occasions, both
lasting 5-7 minutes where the wireless network simply disappears - it just
isn't there. The second time this happened was "perfect" in that I had time
to try to debug the situation. The story ...

1) Neither laptop could see the router's wireless network, but could see
another wireless network in the neighborhood. SSID broadcasting is NOT
turned off. Neither laptop was more than 30' from the router (one was in the
same room).

2) The wired connections to the router were working fine (including internet
access)

3) Things were working properly per the indicator lights on the router

4) You could log into the router (using wired connections) and the router
seemed to be very happy

5) In both cases the mysterious disappearing network happened simultaneously
with re-establishing connectivity after bringing back one (or both) of the
laptops from "sleep mode" (could have been dead before - no way to know)

After about 6 minutes into the last time this happened, I was ready to do a
power on/off cycle on the router when suddenly the wireless network came
alive.

This is rare enough to be close to a non-problem in my mind, but is this
just the nature of wireless networks?

Thanks.

dave

This shouldn't be happening.

I suspect your wireless router is temporarily going into never never
land, perhaps due to load (e.g., peer-to-peer filesharing), and then
spontaneously restarts. If the wireless router is still new, I'd try to
get it replaced, ideally with a different brand and model.


On Mon, 4 Feb 2008 18:30:39 -0500, "Dave Lee"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
<(E-Mail Removed)>:

>I recently set up a simple wireless network in our home. It is two
>Dell/Vista laptops (both with Intel 4965AGN Wireless controllers), a Netgear
>WNR834B wireless router (802.11n-draft level), and a cable modem for
>internet access. After a false start with a defective wireless card in one
>of the laptops, things have been working pretty well.
>
>But I have seen some unusual behavior on two separate occasions, both
>lasting 5-7 minutes where the wireless network simply disappears - it just
>isn't there. The second time this happened was "perfect" in that I had time
>to try to debug the situation. The story ...
>
>1) Neither laptop could see the router's wireless network, but could see
>another wireless network in the neighborhood. SSID broadcasting is NOT
>turned off. Neither laptop was more than 30' from the router (one was in the
>same room).
>
>2) The wired connections to the router were working fine (including internet
>access)
>
>3) Things were working properly per the indicator lights on the router
>
>4) You could log into the router (using wired connections) and the router
>seemed to be very happy
>
>5) In both cases the mysterious disappearing network happened simultaneously
>with re-establishing connectivity after bringing back one (or both) of the
>laptops from "sleep mode" (could have been dead before - no way to know)
>
>After about 6 minutes into the last time this happened, I was ready to do a
>power on/off cycle on the router when suddenly the wireless network came
>alive.
>
>This is rare enough to be close to a non-problem in my mind, but is this
>just the nature of wireless networks?
>
>Thanks.
>
>dave

--
Best regards, FAQ for Wireless Internet: <http://Wireless.wikia.com>
John Navas FAQ for Wi-Fi: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi>
Wi-Fi How To: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_HowTo>
Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>

"John Navas" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> This shouldn't be happening.
>
> I suspect your wireless router is temporarily going into never never
> land, perhaps due to load (e.g., peer-to-peer filesharing), and then
> spontaneously restarts. If the wireless router is still new, I'd try to
> get it replaced, ideally with a different brand and model.
>

You might well be right here about a defective router. But at the time of
the apparent "failure" there was nothing going on other than a single laptop
trying
to connect. But failures can come in many forms.

Thanks.

dave

>
> On Mon, 4 Feb 2008 18:30:39 -0500, "Dave Lee"
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
> <(E-Mail Removed)>:
>
>>I recently set up a simple wireless network in our home. It is two
>>Dell/Vista laptops (both with Intel 4965AGN Wireless controllers), a
>>Netgear
>>WNR834B wireless router (802.11n-draft level), and a cable modem for
>>internet access. After a false start with a defective wireless card in one
>>of the laptops, things have been working pretty well.
>>
>>But I have seen some unusual behavior on two separate occasions, both
>>lasting 5-7 minutes where the wireless network simply disappears - it just
>>isn't there. The second time this happened was "perfect" in that I had
>>time
>>to try to debug the situation. The story ...
>>
>>1) Neither laptop could see the router's wireless network, but could see
>>another wireless network in the neighborhood. SSID broadcasting is NOT
>>turned off. Neither laptop was more than 30' from the router (one was in
>>the
>>same room).
>>
>>2) The wired connections to the router were working fine (including
>>internet
>>access)
>>
>>3) Things were working properly per the indicator lights on the router
>>
>>4) You could log into the router (using wired connections) and the router
>>seemed to be very happy
>>
>>5) In both cases the mysterious disappearing network happened
>>simultaneously
>>with re-establishing connectivity after bringing back one (or both) of the
>>laptops from "sleep mode" (could have been dead before - no way to know)
>>
>>After about 6 minutes into the last time this happened, I was ready to do
>>a
>>power on/off cycle on the router when suddenly the wireless network came
>>alive.
>>
>>This is rare enough to be close to a non-problem in my mind, but is this
>>just the nature of wireless networks?
>>
>>Thanks.
>>
>>dave
>
> --
> Best regards, FAQ for Wireless Internet: <http://Wireless.wikia.com>
> John Navas FAQ for Wi-Fi: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi>
> Wi-Fi How To: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_HowTo>
> Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>

On Mon, 4 Feb 2008 18:30:39 -0500, "Dave Lee"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>After about 6 minutes into the last time this happened, I was ready to do a
>power on/off cycle on the router when suddenly the wireless network came
>alive.

Well, think about it.
What lasts about 6 minutes and belches huge amounts of 2.4GHz RF?
Hint: It's in your kitchen (or your neighbors kitchen).

>This is rare enough to be close to a non-problem in my mind, but is this
>just the nature of wireless networks?

Yep. Biggest signal rules. Here's a list of other sources of
interference to worry about:
<http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi#Interference>

Most well built microwave ovens will not leak much RF. It's only the
ones with damaged door seals, bent hinges, and ossified food stuck
between the door and frame, that leak. I had a leakage problem that
was easily fixed by beating the hell out of the hinge until it roughly
resembled the correct position.

--
# Jeff Liebermann 150 Felker St #D Santa Cruz CA 95060
# 831-336-2558 (E-Mail Removed)
# http://802.11junk.com (E-Mail Removed)
# http://www.LearnByDestroying.com AE6KS