Wireless network gurus - please help!

[2 rocks]

Hi all
My wireless network is driving me to distraction!

In brief: had a laptop, set up wireless, was never overawed with its performance but was ok-ish.
Laptop died, bought desktop, scrapped wireless, just plugged ADSL modem straight into desktop.
Get laptop repaired, thought it would be a good idea to re-instate the wireless, so...

What is doing my head in, is IE and Outlook.

Keep getting "Send/receive" error and "IE cannot display page" messages, but on second or third attempt the page will load, sometimes slow, sometimes fast. What the? No issues with the modem direct connected - so I assume must be the WiFi.:mad:

Hardware/software:
Desktop: Vista, 2.2GHz core duo, 2 gig RAM, 230 gig hard disk (74 gig used)
Laptop: XP SP2, 1.6GHz centrino, 1 gig RAM, ~160gig hard disk
Wireless router: D-Link DI-524UP
ADSL Modem: Alcatel SpeedStream
Connection: 1500/256

N.B. both machines running Norton Internet Security '08 packages.

Any ideas if this is a settings issue or is the D-Link better used as a wheel chock? :twisted:

Have some understanding, but clearly not enough! ;)
Cheers
Mike

[abaddonxi]

The first thing to do is check for interference. If your wireless router is right next to the microwave, or the cordless phone base station then the problem should be easy to fix.:)

If you're running 2.4Ghz cordless phones, then you need to change the channel that your wireless router is broadcasting on.

Next thing is to set up the laptop and wireless router next to each other to rule out interference problems. If you get a great signal when they are real close then something is stopping the signal, move the wireless router, play about with the aerials, raise the whole thing high on the wall, etc.

Check that all the drivers/firmware is up to date on - wireless router, wireless card in laptop, etc.

Check that you are running SP2 for XP.

Make sure you don't have two DHCP servers.

Umm, can't think of anything else fun at the moment.:p

Cheers
Simon

[duncanw]

If all you use it for is reading emails and looking at webpages, nuke windows and run Ubuntu. Its free, secure and faster than windows.

[Captain_Rightfoot]

We have a dlink 624p+.

We've had it for a few years and it's all been ok. Then sort of slowly our cable seemed to be slowing down and we were getting dropouts. We got the telstra guy out and he said it was our router (long story but unbknowns to me Telstra had turned off the password/heartbeat system). So, we've now got a new apple router and all is good again in the world :)

[2 rocks]

Thanks Simon...

The first thing to do is check for interference. If your wireless router is right next to the microwave, or the cordless phone base station then the problem should be easy to fix.:) Router is approx 5-8m from each
If you're running 2.4Ghz cordless phones, then you need to change the channel that your wireless router is broadcasting on. yep, pretty sure they are 2.4 GHz Uniden WDECT
Next thing is to set up the laptop and wireless router next to each other to rule out interference problems. If you get a great signal when they are real close then something is stopping the signal, move the wireless router, play about with the aerials, raise the whole thing high on the wall, etc. ****not sure that it's signal that's the issue as the desktop has the problem too and that is direct connected to the router****
Check that all the drivers/firmware is up to date on - wireless router, wireless card in laptop, etc. hmmm, no haven't done this
Check that you are running SP2 for XP. the laptop is SP2
Make sure you don't have two DHCP servers. ???

Cheers
Mike

[abaddonxi]

Of course it could be a security thing and some local is using your wireless connection and you just can't get through to it.:eek:

So check security setting and check out your isp website that should have a section to show you how much porn you've downloaded this month. Usually you can tell that there's an extra 500Mb a night that you don't remember asking for.

:D

Cheers
Simon

[Captain_Rightfoot]

Thanks Simon...

The first thing to do is check for interference. If your wireless router is right next to the microwave, or the cordless phone base station then the problem should be easy to fix.:) Router is approx 5-8m from each
If you're running 2.4Ghz cordless phones, then you need to change the channel that your wireless router is broadcasting on. yep, pretty sure they are 2.4 GHz Uniden WDECT
Next thing is to set up the laptop and wireless router next to each other to rule out interference problems. If you get a great signal when they are real close then something is stopping the signal, move the wireless router, play about with the aerials, raise the whole thing high on the wall, etc. ****not sure that it's signal that's the issue as the desktop has the problem too and that is direct connected to the router****
Check that all the drivers/firmware is up to date on - wireless router, wireless card in laptop, etc. hmmm, no haven't done this
Check that you are running SP2 for XP. the laptop is SP2
Make sure you don't have two DHCP servers. ???

Cheers
Mike
If you're with Telstra turn off the "Telstra Heartbeat".

[RaZz0R]

mmmm, sounds fishy to me :p

First up -
"N.B. both machines running Norton Internet Security '08 packages." Sorry - if your with Optus & got it for free.. well there is a reason is FREE! Second, if you bought it - you got ripped off. Sorry :( Norton internet security slows down computers on a whole about 45% from memory & causes more problems then it solves or stops :( Thats my professional thoughts on it lol

Second: -
Are you sure your getting connection to the wireless network?

How to tell - if you are getting a correct connection - you will get an IP address. An easy way to see if you got one is to do the following:

Click on the "Start" button
Click on "Run"
Type "cmd" and then click OK

A DOS box should appear

Type: ipconfig /all

This is what mine shows:
C:\Documents and Settings\RaZ>ipconfig /all
Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : razzor
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/1000 CT Network Connection
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-11-2F-57-BD-B8
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.3
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, 5 June 2008 4:35:00 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Friday, 6 June 2008 4:34:58 PM

I have noted the sections in bold that matter - if your not getting your IP from DHCP (Wireless router) then your not getting the correct connection or if you don't have a "Gateway" IP set your still not going to go anywhere.

mm, just read your getting it on the lappy & the desktop - so try that on the desktop first ;)

make sure your getting the IP details you need - gateway IP should be the router IP so it can send data out to the internet :)

**EDIT: Security - log on to the router & make sure its not restricted to only giving out 1 IP - also check the status page on the routers setup & make sure its connecting to the adsl modem correctly?

***EDIT: Stuff about security from the makers web site:
Access control is provided with packet filtering based on port and source/destination MAC/IP addresses. With Virtual Server Mapping, the router can be set to allow separate FTP, Web and multiple games to share the same Internet-visible IP address while still protecting your servers and workstations from hackers. You can configure any of the built-in LAN ports of the router to function as a DMZ port. Parental control allows you to filter out undesired URL web sites, block domains and control the time of day of the use of Internet through scheduling. VPN pass-through is provided to let mobile users access files and mail from
offices to work at home without having to use complex VPN client software.

So for testing sake - make sure security is turned off ;)

only other thing I can think of is to make sure you have the cable from the modem going to the WAN port on the router WAN = Wide Area Network aka port for internet :)

Good luck :p

[abaddonxi]

Ah, okay just read your reply.

So the same problem is happening on the desktop connected via ethernet? From your first post I thought the opposite was the case.

The problem could be the Speedstream modem. Is it a Thompson 520 or something?

Bejiggered if I know, but I've found a few Telstra modems that overheat and go funny.

Get your modem control panel up in a web page and get the connection status up and see if it keeps disconnecting itself.

If so, either call Telstra and get them to send you a new one. Or, take off the plastic top of the case and give it a bit of air, you can still run it like that. Or stick a heatsink to the hot bit and close it up again.

Cheers
Simon

[RaZz0R]

I am on the chat btw :P figured if we are all online :P

[2 rocks]

Cheers guys!
I'll start working through and eliminating the above :)
Let you know how I go...
Thanks
Mike

[duncanw]

check the duplex settings on your wireless card and your desktop, if its set to auto try setting it to 100mb Full. Sometime NIC's/ routers don't talk to each other correctly and they continously try to negotiate what speed to run, which slows you down.

drag a file from your desktop computer to the laptop and see if its slow, if it is and fails to copy over, your internal network is screwed and you should look at that first, then investigate the internet problem later.

and get rid of norton, that thing is nasty.

[2 rocks]

Ok...so I am slooowly working through this!

Razzor
Virtual Server is currently disabled on the router.

BTW - through sheer laziness I have not "networked" the 2 computers I was just using the wireless as a means for the laptop to access the internet, so cannot "see" the laptop on the desktop and vice versa.

I haven't identified a page where the D-Link says how many IP addresses its giving out.

Cheers
Mike

[dullbird]

i have had simliar problems one things i did want to ask though

whats the telstra heartbeat????

[Mudnut]

Microsoft Vista.. The best advertisement for buying an Apple Macintosh computer.:D I have three computers wirelessly hooked up to a network, without a problem. They just seem to work.

Good luck sorting it out.

Cheers,
Ken

[duncanw]

Microsoft Vista.. The best advertisement for buying an Apple Macintosh computer.:D I have three computers wirelessly hooked up to a network, without a problem. They just seem to work.

Good luck sorting it out.

Cheers,
Ken

yes, the best reply yet