Unreliable network (not internet) connection

[davidc]

I am using a Netgear DG834Gv5 with WG111v3 dongles (plus latest firmware in both).  My OS is W7 64bit.  I have set up a home network using the Netgear smart wizard and am finding that the reliability of the Network connection is intermittent with Internet connection availability being pretty constant - when the network is up.  Connection speeds are about 13.2Mbps and 1.02Mbps.  The router for the network is on the middle of three floors with one connected laptop 25ft away on an upper floor and a desktop opc two floors down - about 50ft.  There are no brickwalls between the sending and receiving devices just open stairways and clearish rooms.

Can anyone please suggest some way to get a more relaible network connection?  I tried a Netgear DGN2000 with related dongle. but the network connection was even more unreliable using that.  When the network's up the system's great - but how do I make the network more solid?

Thanks.

David

[Steve]

If your having wireless dropouts can I suggest home plug mains networking if Ethernet cabling is not an option

[davidc]

Thanks.  I'll look into this.  So you think I should accept defeat on the wireless approach?   

[Steve]

Wireless N 2.5GHz has a reasonable range even connecting to g devices and you've tried that I believe. Other causes of wireless dropout apart from distance are interference from neighbouring networks using a similar channel, so experimenting with differing channels can be productive.

You can get homeplugs with  wifi (although not used them myself) which keeps your laptops mobile . I use the wired homeplugs and have about five in use and it is very stable but does throw the odd wobbly about once a month and requires a power down

You can extend a wireless network by a series of repeaters (extenders),this I've not tried although I believe you loose speed,latency will increase and maybe wrong but I think WEP is then the only available encryption.

[Lance]

I'm pretty sure that WPA can be used with a WAP.

[Steve]

I was thinking about whether WDS is WEP only?

[MisterW]

I think some of Apple's AirPort Extreme and Express base stations can do WDS while using WPA, but that's about all.

[Bud]

Any other links on here to mains networking?

[Gary]

Any other links on here to mains networking?

search homeplugs on google, loads of info, be aware that if they are not on the same circuit in your house they wont work. I used to use them but over my WiFi network i lost 200Mbps using them. You might want to try a mimo router, they can have up to have 8 aerials inside and the distance goes much further, I can log onto mine quite a long way up the road, when in our car, I was quite surprised. As has been suggested try changing channels to see if that helps, your wireless router should be as near to the middle of your home as you can get it. Homeplugs should help though, I just don't like them that much, and some are more prone to interference than others from appliances in your home, but they are a great way to cheaply extend a network.

[Bud]

search homeplugs on google, loads of info, be aware that if they are not on the same circuit in your house they wont work. I used to use them but over my WiFi network i lost 200Mbps using them. You might want to try a mimo router, they can have up to have 8 aerials inside and the distance goes much further, I can log onto mine quite a long way up the road, when in our car, I was quite surprised. As has been suggested try changing channels to see if that helps, your wireless router should be as near to the middle of your home as you can get it. Homeplugs should help though, I just don't like them that much, and some are more prone to interference than others from appliances in your home, but they are a great way to cheaply extend a network.

Yes, I've been looking at those, but I was wondering if anyone on here had practical experience of them. Yes, obviously has to be on the same ring and fridge compressors turning on and off or vacuum cleaners etc wouldn't help....unless of course a suppressor was used on each socket.

[davidc]

Thanks.  In my situation, the router is on one ring main, and the downstairs computer on another - so powerline seems to be out.  I suppose I'll have a look at MIMO.

The frustration with the present network service is that it is completely unredictable and the router is a long way off when it needs to be rebooted.  The upto 24mbps internet service from IDNET is reliable and fast - it is the network that is the problem.  I would look at a Draytek for a wireless router but I found the last Draytek I had complicated and unintuitive to use.   There are 10 or so wireless networks in our street but I have no way of knowing if they create interference with my network.

If anyone else has good experience with wireless modem/routers that are particularly good with distance between equipment on the network please let me know.

Thanks.

[Lance]

What version of windows are you using? There are various ways of finding out what channel the other networks are on, allowing you to choose a less congested one.

[Steve]

I think the wireless  is the first option to sort, you can bridge power line or home plugs between ring mains but need a home plug in each ring main with a connecting ethernet cable between the two

[davidc]

What version of windows are you using? There are various ways of finding out what channel the other networks are on, allowing you to choose a less congested one.

W7 Ultimate 64bit.  Finding that the DGN2000 does not seem to give an improved network service to the DG834v5 (in my set up) has been a confusing development.  Am I right that despite the advertising one cannot assume that G, N and Dual Band set ups give progressively better network coverage? 

Thanks.

[Steve]

Dual band separates the N band into 2.5 and the newer 5 GHz,the advantage is that you can separate your N devices from any legacy devices. The legacy devices connect to  the 2.5GHz network only but they will drop the connection rate and throughput of any other 2.5GHz connected N devices. Therefore if you restrict your N devices to the 5GHz side they are effectively isolated from g/b devices, unfortunately  the 5GHz band has a shorter range than that of the 2.5GHz band.


The software inssider http://www.metageek.net/products/inssider is capable of scanning your neighbour environment for wifi signals. It should show you which channels your neighbours are using and allow you to 'pick' your own channel. If you get stuck I'm sure someone will have further advice

[davidc]

Thanks.