Sudden problem with wi-fi & modem/router!

[grace_slick]

I've been with my new ISP (Mynetfone) for about a month now, and it's excellent, EXCEPT I cannot use a cable to connect my PC and modem/router, as they are 2 rooms apart.

Instead, I am forced to use wi-fi, which I'm iffy about, but have no choice.

I already had a wi-fi USB dongle which I used, but it only gave 2 bars of signal and "low" to "very low" signal strength. The signal speed also fluctuated greatly, between 11-54Mbps (54 being the max speed achievable).

I experienced frequent drop outs due to the "very low" signal strength, though when using the cable, it was perfect speed and 100% reliable.

I bought a new USB wi-fi dongle, which gave a consistent 4 bars and "very good" signal strength. YAY, I thought! It still fluctuated between 11-54Mbps, but did seem to settle around 36-54Mbps most of the time.

Anyway, NOTHING has changed, but yesterday evening the wi-fi capability suddenly went strange. Every few seconds it'd drop out and say "acquiring network address" and then re-connect to the modem/router again. A bit annoying.

Even MORE annoying and strange though was that soon after it dropped down to 1Mbps of speed. It still had "very good" signal strength, but only a single ONE mbps!! At this point the net was almost impossible to use as it was so incredibly slow. I tried, out of interest, to do a speed test, and the results were 0.12 download and 0.11 upload. OH MY GOD!

I tried disconnecting and re-connecting, "repairing" the wi-fi connection (which did work but only momentarily, like a minute or so), and then in the end switched the PC off. Today however, it's not really connecting at all. It keeps trying to acquire the network address and then it gives up and goes back to "automatic" and with the red cross over the wi-fi PC icon.

So today I tried using the old dongle again, and this is even worse, except it now also has "very low" signal as well.

So I'm now back to using my OLD ISP (which we're keeping for another month, just in case something like this happens), Virgin wireless. The reason we changed from this ISP was cause we could never get a good signal from the mobile towers. 1 bar at best. It was atrocious.

However, the wi-fi dongle works PERFECTLY with this modem (which is in the same room). Consistent and stable 54Mbps and "excellent" 5 bars of signal. It also connects almost instantly, unlike the Mynetfone that, even when it CAN connect, seems to take a long time to "acquire network address".

It also sometimes says, when I try and find a network to connect to, that NONE are available!!! What the!? (there's always 4. My Mynetfone, my Virgin, and 2 others that are obviously neighbours somewhere nearby) It's like this for about 3 minutes before finding most, or all, of those 4 networks again.

So...the wi-fi dongle works (or it wouldn't work with the Virgin either)

The Mynetfone modem (Dynalink) works fine apparently. The VOIP/phone is working fine. All the lights are on that should be on. I've tried turning it off and turning it on agan 2 minutes later (a "power cycle"), but it makes no difference. I've tried unplugging and plugging the wi-fi dongle in again, but nope. It just refuses to connect.

HELP!!?? What is going on with the connection between my wi-fi dongle and the Mynetfone modem/router!? It worked fine before! Why suddenly change now? (I've checked the settings. Nothing has changed or been lost or something)

Thank you!

 

[berry120]

I've been with my new ISP (Mynetfone) for about a month now, and it's excellent, EXCEPT I cannot use a cable to connect my PC and modem/router, as they are 2 rooms apart.

I've run ethernet cables for a lot longer than this before - it is possible! Unless you mean you can't for practical restrictions (such as you can't drill through walls for whatever reason?)

You say the the modem (do you mean the router?) works fine "apparently", are you sure about this? I'd try and connect with another PC to make sure. Just because all the lights are on that you'd expect it doesn't mean that the thing's working. If you can get hold of another router to try then I would, just to rule this out for definite.

And in terms of the other side, have you got another PC to try the dongle on? Again, I'd be tempted to try this to see if it makes a difference. The fact that your other dongle is doing a similar thing makes me think it's not a problem with the dongle itself - so the PC / router are the two things I'd try to eliminate.

 

[jmacavali]

Well here's what I think. If you are in the same room it works fine and when you go out of the room it doesn't.

This tells me that everything is working just like it's supposed to. What is probably happening is that whatever room your going into, the wall between the 2 probably has some type of interference in it. Such as electircal wiring, lots of insulation, plumbing, brick wall, etc. I've seen instances where people can get wireless all over the house except the room right next to the router. There is probably something in that wall causing interference. Try another room and see if it works any better.