N4D
@virginmedia.com
|  Poor Wireless Connection In One Room
Right outside my bedroom door, my signal strength is 4 or 5 bars - very good or excellent. Speed tests run smoothly and quickly and I get almost the full speed I'd get with an ethernet.
But just two feet inside my bedroom, even with the door open, the signal goes down to 2 or 3 bars. Speed tests 'stutter' - they keep pausing for a second as if data has stopped coming through. It brings down the speed test results which then read 10% to 60% of what it should be.
I don't think it's a speed issue. I think if there weren't these 'stutters' the tests would give good results.
So how could the signal be dramatically weaker just two feet from where it is excellent? Why would 2 or 3 bar signal strength result in stutters rather than a constant-but-lower speed?
(I've tried restarting the router. I've tried turning off all plugs and electrical devices in my room without success. The same thing happens when I try a different laptop in my room also.)
I'm worried that if I get a range extender I will still have the same problem. |
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N4D
@virginmedia.com | Is the "stuttering" I mentioned above - the random pausing during downloads and gaps in throughput - just a normal symptom of weak signal strength?
Is stuttering to be expected if I am at the outer edges of a router's range? |
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stevech0
join:2006-09-17
San Diego, CA | work on improving the position of the w-router - elevated, centralized, not obstructed by furniture.
And it might be upgradable in better antennas |
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ComTech 4
Premium
join:2002-11-28
USA
1 edit | reply to N4D
sounds like this is what you need. I would install in outside your bedroom where the signal is good. »www.linksysbycisco.com/US/en/products/WRE54G |
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N4D
@virginmedia.com
| Thanks for that recommendation ComTech 4. I wonder: if the problem turns out to be something about my room that creates weak-spots, would having a range extender outside my room help?
In other words, if the problem turned out to be some obstructive material in my walls or something, would the signal quality still be equally weak even after installing that range extender... or would it be at least better than it was? |
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billaustin
Bill
Premium,MVM
join:2001-10-13
North Las Vegas, NV | reply to N4D
Try changing the channel on the router and see if it helps. You could be picking up interference from a neighbors wireless network.
What type of construction is the house? How old? What are the walls made of? |
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N4D
@virginmedia.com
| billaustin, unfortunately I've changed the channel and used a program to see that the channel I'm now using (11) is used by the fewest networks on my road. No improvement.
I wouldn't have a clue about the walls of my house. If the walls are made out of something obstructive, would a range extender at least improve my connection somewhat, or do you think I would probably find equally stuttery throughput? |
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billaustin
Bill
Premium,MVM
join:2001-10-13
North Las Vegas, NV
| A range extender probably won't help. You either have something in the walls blocking the signal, or a very strong signal outside your bedroom causing interference. Any metal objects will cause the signal to bounce (fridge, microwave, air ducts in the wall).
Try adjusting the antennas on the router. Set one horizontal and one vertical and see if anything changes. Also, try changing the height at which the router is placed. Moving it up or down a few feet can sometimes make a huge difference.
Depending on the house construction, you can try one of several things. The best would be to run an ethernet cable to your room and then setup an access point in your room.
Another option would be a wireless bridge in the hallway with an ethernet cable to an access point in your room. |
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N4D
@virginmedia.com
| reply to N4D
I can't really move the router much, where it is right now. I will soon try homeplugs and maybe if they don't help, running an ethernet into my room.
Is there a more common term for my problem? Obviously I'm calling it "stuttering" but surely there's a more common term for this problem? My connection doesn't drop completely, but the throughput pauses every few seconds as if no data is coming through. I'd imagine many people will have experienced this so I wonder what they call it... what do I google to find others with my problem?  |
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slomotion
Premium
join:2002-11-10
Chiloquin, OR
1 edit | reply to N4D
I had the same issues with my wireless router. I found the solution and posted the links just today. Read the post titled Such an awesome program, That I just had to share it. (By slomotion)
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Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again? |
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