Spotty internet question.

Try other web browsers. IE, Chrome, Chromium.
Test.
Wait a minute or two when you awake/turn on the Desktop for the adapter to establish connection. Some of these can be rather slow.
Test.
Update all the drivers for your desktop's WiFi adapter.
Test.
Move the Desktop to right next to the Router. The signal your router is throwing out can be interfered with, and there might be something in the way. Moving the desktop ensures this isn't an issue.
Test.
Hardwire the Desktop to the Router.
Test.

Checking to make sure there's no malware eating a large chunk of the connection wouldn't hurt either. And check for recent updates to Wndows, if you've got updating set to auto. Check for updated hardware drivers for your wifi card, if you didn't get them from the manufacturer's website.

In general, I'd go with a wired connection for a desktop anyway--more reliable, more secure, and often faster. Wireless is for things you're going to be moving around a lot, where not having them tied to a cable outweighs the disadvantages.

> In general, I'd go with a wired connection for a desktop anyway

This. Assuming router and desktop are at a reasonable distance from one another and a running cable is not an issue.


The desktop may be located in a spot where the WiFi radio wave form an interference pattern, or the distance is too big between router and desktop. Move the desktop or the WiFi router around and see if this solves the problem.

You may consider a few more options.

1) many WiFi routers have 2.4 and 5.0 MHz bands. Make sure the desktop is connected to the 5.0 band as it offer the better performance.

2) Buy a WiFi extender. it's a device you plug in the wall and receives the router's WiFi and becomes a WiFi hotspot, feeding the connection it gets straight to the router. What yous desktop sees is another access point with a better signal. Some models have an RJ45 eternet cable outlet as well, so that your desktop gets its net feed through a standard ethernet cable.

2) Buy an AC router extender. It's a device pair that use the 120 volts wall outlet and the house's electric wiring as the transmission medium. Works extremely well if both ends happen to be on the same breaker circuit. Simply plug the devices in an AC outlet (bypass the powerbars as those have filters that curb the signal strength).


Router makes such as Linksys and Netgear offer a wide range of extender models that can be had for under $100.

-cb

Cliff Face said:

As for the weak signal theory... Well, my laptop was about 2 feet away from the desktop when the laptop could connect and the desktop couldn't. So I don't think the weak signal theory is the right one.

Click to expand...

Signal strength is not solely a function of the emitting side.

I've put a Samsung tablet and an Asus 7 side-by-side and can sometimes observe a 40dB reading difference in signal strength depending on where I am in the house. My gf is mad she can't take her tablet outside to read but I can.

-cb

SNR Stabalisation Period {approx 10 days}

I know the link above is in reference to a UK network, but all broadband over copper works this way--fiber is also generally FTTC (fiber to the cabinet), which will reduce the noticeable impact of the SNR configuration period, but it will still occur regardless. You said a new hook-up, this is generally the case whenever a new line or broadband service is put in. Broadband is a wonderful thing, and there are many parts of it working to deliver your service. If the problem persists 10 days after the service began, call your ISP and state the SNR period failed, this may require a reset or a manually configured BRAS profile at the exchange (especially if you know the speed it was previously working at)

Let me explain bandwidth. There are 526 carrier channels inside your connection stream, these are frequencies of sound that your router/modem demodulates into binary in order to provide your internet experience. The same goes for the other direction, where it passes the central hub, the DSLAM. Based on the quality and length of your line, certain frequencies deteriorate, the total band available narrows. Error check are reported on DSLAM and if the volume exceeds a reasonable amount, the DSLAM will lower the number of carriers available in the connection stream, this is in accordance with Reed Solomon algorithm g.992, different ADSL methods use different variations of it, g.992.1, g.992.2 etc During the initial connection setup, the rates on the site linked are established and your final connectivity decided.

IP assignment: Home network IPs are assigned by your router in a sort of ticket queue service. Desktops like to retain the one they were given, but wireless devices can't and will change with every time they connect. If 2 devices have the same IP configured, one of them will be rejected service.

- Quick fix: use the following command from command prompt (requires elevation in vista or above):

ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew

- Heavy handed fix:

netsh winsock reset

and then reboot...

- Permanent fix:

assign each device a static IP in the router's configuration settings

It sounds to me you have a combination of IP addressing conflict, flaky signal plus overactive SNR process, if you are resetting your router a lot to regain the connection, the DSLAM will understand this as part of the error count and throttle your connection--too frequently, it may even restart the process.