Wireless Network Flakey

Hello
I am having problems with a wireless network.
I have 2 wireless PCs, one running XP Pro SP2 and the other running Vista.
Frequently (after the PCs are dormant for some time) they cannot access the
server (or any other PC) by name.
However, I can often ping the other PCs.
Sometimes I can reconnect by pinging the server by IP address but not always
and I as a result, I need to restart the PC.
The signal strength is very good and I have changed channels to avoid the
busy ones.
I upgraded the wireless router.
I have tried using fixed IP addresses and disabling DHCP.
None of this has improved things.
I do not have this problem with 2 other PCs which are hardwired.
I have spent much time on this so any help would be greatly appreciated.


Many thanks

Hi
Look at the power saving setting of the Network cards. Usually you would
find entries in the cards drivers.
Either get them out of the sleeping mode (I.e. the computer would go the
sleep but the card will stay awake), or if there is a setting that
specifically can be checked to wake the card on LAN traffic, check it.
Example, http://www.ezlan.net/example/powersave.jpg
In Vista, Control Panel/Power Options/Edit Plan Setting/Change Advanced
power settings you would find an entry for the Network card to.
http://www.ezlan.net/vista/vista-power-saving3.jpg
Please note that it is possible that No matter what you do the Wireless
might be a problem. It is a design issue of how current Wireless cards work.
Jack (MS, MVP-Networking)

"graemeg" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:FCD8A358-D505-437B-B9FB-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hello
> I am having problems with a wireless network.
> I have 2 wireless PCs, one running XP Pro SP2 and the other running Vista.
> Frequently (after the PCs are dormant for some time) they cannot access
> the
> server (or any other PC) by name.
> However, I can often ping the other PCs.
> Sometimes I can reconnect by pinging the server by IP address but not
> always
> and I as a result, I need to restart the PC.
> The signal strength is very good and I have changed channels to avoid the
> busy ones.
> I upgraded the wireless router.
> I have tried using fixed IP addresses and disabling DHCP.
> None of this has improved things.
> I do not have this problem with 2 other PCs which are hardwired.
> I have spent much time on this so any help would be greatly appreciated.
>
>
> Many thanks

Many thanks Jack.
I checked all that and it seems that the settings are apropriate.
One thing I did find out is that I am able to connect remotely (using
LogMeIn) to the PC, even though I cannot ping the server using its name.
( a DNS issue?), but not sure where to go from here.
Regards
Graeme

"Jack (MVP-Networking)." wrote:

> Hi
> Look at the power saving setting of the Network cards. Usually you would
> find entries in the cards drivers.
> Either get them out of the sleeping mode (I.e. the computer would go the
> sleep but the card will stay awake), or if there is a setting that
> specifically can be checked to wake the card on LAN traffic, check it.
> Example, http://www.ezlan.net/example/powersave.jpg
> In Vista, Control Panel/Power Options/Edit Plan Setting/Change Advanced
> power settings you would find an entry for the Network card to.
> http://www.ezlan.net/vista/vista-power-saving3.jpg
> Please note that it is possible that No matter what you do the Wireless
> might be a problem. It is a design issue of how current Wireless cards work.
> Jack (MS, MVP-Networking)
>
> "graemeg" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:FCD8A358-D505-437B-B9FB-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Hello
> > I am having problems with a wireless network.
> > I have 2 wireless PCs, one running XP Pro SP2 and the other running Vista.
> > Frequently (after the PCs are dormant for some time) they cannot access
> > the
> > server (or any other PC) by name.
> > However, I can often ping the other PCs.
> > Sometimes I can reconnect by pinging the server by IP address but not
> > always
> > and I as a result, I need to restart the PC.
> > The signal strength is very good and I have changed channels to avoid the
> > busy ones.
> > I upgraded the wireless router.
> > I have tried using fixed IP addresses and disabling DHCP.
> > None of this has improved things.
> > I do not have this problem with 2 other PCs which are hardwired.
> > I have spent much time on this so any help would be greatly appreciated.
> >
> >
> > Many thanks
>
>