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Thread: Vista and WifI? Problems??

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    Registered User Beowulf's Avatar
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    Vista and WifI? Problems??

    Hi all..

    I've done a bit of searching on this and seen numerous people with the same problem but no solutions as such yet.

    I keep getting intermittent drop outs in WiFi connectivity at home on my new Vista PC. I have fair to good signal strength (with rare occasional bouts of excellent) it never drops below about 50 to 60% and is usually in the 60% to 80% bracket.

    Despite signal strength.. I seem to keep losing connection. I'll get numerous random messages. Sometimes it'll tell me no wireless network is available, sometimes it'll tell me to connect via cable (not an option) sometimes I try and connect and it works again.. for about 5 mins then bombs me out again. Sometimes I'll attempt a connection and it'll fail. Sometimes I'll connect ok to the network.. but have zero internet availability. There's no rhyme nor reason to it.

    I have seen numerous posts about Vista / WiFi but I'm not 100% sure if that is the problem.. I think people are quick to blame the OS (it's no angel mind you..) I have noticed a new BT home hub appearing on my WiFi scans. I've heard they are notorious for knocking out Wifi signals.. even on different channels. Apparently they're even responsible for drop outs in GSM signal in some areas. I can only assume that my neighbour (somewhere) has got one. Oddly enough it's ALWAYS excellent signal strength despite interior and exterior walls separating us!

    I've tweaked all I can tweak, even made a windsurfer (looks silly.. works a treat. Boosts my signal strength by about 10%.. doesn't stop me getting kicked off though!)

    The only way I can get Internet access back is to reboot my machine. When I do that I tend to get a couple of hours uninterrupted access before it happens again.

    Anyone got ANY ideas? I've changed channels on the router.. still happening. It's really annoying.. especially when trying to play on-line media or an MMORPG. Imagine how frustrating it is to try and download a 1.6 gb patch file in 5 minute chunks interspersed with PC reboots

  2. #2
    Commercial Operator
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    Re: Vista and WifI? Problems??

    Upgrade to XP? I've finally done this at work, and I have to say, it's a much nicer OS to use than Vista - the speed boost alone makes it worth taking the step.

    I don't know whether that would help with WiFi mind. On a more pertinent note - while you don't want to blame the OS, the fact that a reboot fixes it would tend to at least point the finger in that direction. I would have suggested changing channels, which worked for me to fix my own WiFi issues when I was setting up, but since you've tried that, I'm really not sure.

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    Lovely Moderator ducasi's Avatar
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    Re: Vista and WifI? Problems??

    Do you have an option for "Interference Robustness" on your PC and/or router?
    Let your mind go and your body will follow. – Steve Martin, LA Story

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    Papa Smurf
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    Re: Vista and WifI? Problems??

    I've had this before on XP and whilst in your case it may be interferance, in my case it was a dodgy aerial or aerial connection. Ive only heard of this with USB wireless, so the other possiblity is power to the device and bandwidth (restricted by using a hub for example).

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    The Oracle
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    Re: Vista and WifI? Problems??

    I used to have problems losing connection to my router, but that was caused by a mobile phone that had a wifi option. It could only be sorted out by rebooting the router. I ended up updating the BIOS on the router, and that improved things substantially.

    Apart from that I've had no problems with my last 2 routers (both Linksys, one ADSL and the other cable). 3 different vista laptops, and 4 different XP machines have been connected to it. There are usually 5 other networks that can be detected.

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    Registered User Beowulf's Avatar
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    Re: Vista and WifI? Problems??

    After chatting to my colleagues here in the Office I have something to try tonight. I've got a Knoppix boot DVD at home so I'll boot that it and run Kismet.. a WiFi Analyser program. if it runs ok without DC's then I know it's a Vista problem.. and XP gets a reprise.

    However, if it still disconnects then I blame the BT home hub next door and I take steps to get over that issue (like LAN over mains systems I've used before)

    is very annoying whatever is causing this !!

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    Registered User Beowulf's Avatar
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    Re: Vista and WifI? Problems??

    Actually.. i should mention the reason I think it's possibly NOT Vista is that it worked perfectly 1st time out of the box and has only JUST fallen over since this BT home hub appeared on my scanners.

    Perhaps it's a combination of the two , who knows. I just know Up until middle of this week I had good reliable WiFi internet access and now I have diddly squat.

    Only thing I see that's changed is the new box next door. ( I assume it's next door.. it could be above us.. or below us.. or 10 doors away! (although I'd be damned impressed if it WAS 10 doors away ))

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    Papa Smurf
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    Re: Vista and WifI? Problems??

    tinfoil walls ? hack his router and apply a corrupt firmware ? get a better aerial yourself ?

    or

    find out where he lives...and tell him the problem, maybe he could get an official firmware upgrade

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    Registered User Gojive's Avatar
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    Re: Vista and WifI? Problems??

    Although almost certainly not your problem Beo, given the info above, but I thought this might be a good place to throw in a similar(ish) problem I get - every time either I, or my neghbours, use a microwave oven I get signal drops/network freezes etc. Just for further info

    Good luck getting it sorted though, I know just how frustrating these things can be!

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    Re: Vista and WifI? Problems??

    Wireless connections often have an option to use a different band. Some bands are used by other devices, moble phones being one common contender, and interference may be the cause.

  11. #11
    Registered User Beowulf's Avatar
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    Re: Vista and WifI? Problems??

    Quote Originally Posted by bigdjiver View Post
    Wireless connections often have an option to use a different band. Some bands are used by other devices, moble phones being one common contender, and interference may be the cause.
    Changing channels was one of the first things I tried but to little avail. I'm still getting drop outs and there's no discernible pattern to them. Sometimes I can be online all night.. other times I get online in 5 minute (or less) chunks.

    I guess it depends on what the other person with their BT Homehub is up to.

    short of lining the entire room in "expensive shielding" (That's a couple of rolls of cheap tinfoil to you and I!) there's not much I can do.. other than go wired I guess.

    On a lighter note I did manage (eventually) to download the Couple of Gigabytes of WoW install data I needed to get my game up and running again.. if only I could stay online long enough / reliably enough to play then I'd be happy.

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