Wireless signal too low

Even tho' the router is next to the PC I still get a 'low signal' alert. Moving the PC downstairs I am unable to access the internet or send e-mails. I bought the Wireless pack 3 months ago but had no success in that time. Can anyone help?

 

hi Gwen, I'm sorry no-one has answered your question yet. I wish I could help but even though I have recently got this I can't remember anything to fix problems even if I had any:rolleyes: I know I didn't have many.

I am at this moment sat in the garden on laptop (well not sat on the laptop obviously:D) but you know what I mean. My wireless thingy (that I plug in usb) shows weak signal but I'm still managing to pick most things up ok. Mind you house & garden are small!

I take it you have a desktop upstairs & a laptop to move around yeah? Like me. I used to keep the router under desk but find even if i'm in bedroom next door it can lose signal so I've pulled it out & it sits on the chair -out in the open so to speak.

I posted lots of questions on here when i first got it so don't worry about that. I know it has alot to do with settings etc but if you're like me you won't understand (any) instructions that come with these things:D.

Sorry I can't be any help, just keep going back to the manufacturers website for help, and here, and yahoo ask and anywhere else you can get help. Took me a little while.

What sort of letter thing have you i.e i know you can get 'G', 'N' + 'N+'. 'G' is the lowest so if you have that maybe you need better. I looked at these 'letters' in the shop & got 'N' & that seems to be great for me. Just an idea.

let me know how you get on.

cheers

 

Gwen, don't know who your ISP is but I have been having trouble with mine with a low signal and it wasn't a problem within the home but from within the ISP's set up. I am with Virgin and I believe they have been overselling their XL package which is unable to meet the demands being made on it. Apparently according to a news item, they are not alone, a lot of ISP's do not provide sufficient signal to meet the needs of their customers! I think you should contact whoever is your supplier and get them to check out their signal to your home.

 

moyra, wouldn't it be though, if Gwen's normal pc is ok it isn't the ISP? I know that can effect it but I know there's been all this stuff on tv/radio recently about 'signal/dowload speed', which if you notice anything about these things (& I don't understand them believe me!), you never get what they say is the speed it's capable of.

I'm with Virgin too, have XL. I think you're right, every seller is saying things that can't be delivered. I had to have them out twice because I wasn't happy when we first got them, not PC trouble though, ended up replacing 'new' box!! I moaned so much in the end about sticking pictures, going off air etc that I now have XL for the price of less. BUT of course, they now sell for less anyway - sky is doing a big challenge to them! It's all a con, it's just getting them when they're at their weakest

I have someone on the Isle of Wight that couldn't even get channel 5 on the TV 2 years ago and had real problems with her net. She was switching to BT at the end of last month so I'll wait to hear how it go's.

cheersw

 

Borrowers, I still think it is a low signal in because she may have sufficient signal to get away with getting into the internet on her pc but only just. But that would be its strongest point into the house thereafter it is all downhill. On Amateur Radio we have what we call repeaters which take in weak signals, boosts them and then put them out again. It seems to me that this is probably what our broadband and tv suppliers need to have to support their systems as the more they stretch their systems the weaker it is getting. I may be wrong but I suspect that is the problem.

 

May be some useful hints here Gwen.

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/moredone/wirelesstips.mspx

If you can get a decent connection via a wired connection to the router your incoming/outgoing connection to your ISP is OK. The most likely cause of your problem would be a weak signal from your PC rather than a weak one from the router. (unless of course you really have got a duff router!) The next most possible cause could be that the antenna on the router isn't in a good position to pick up the signal from the PC.
If you've got a friend with a wireless enabled laptop invite them round and see if it can detect your router and what level of signal it detects.

 

I'm not so familiar with the topic but maybe if you got some other devices like a wireless phone near the router this might affect the connection.

 

Weak signals are probably a purely local thing, all these VHF and UHF signals work "line of sight". What can cause problems is the "screening" effect of things built into buildings. Steel mesh (expanded metal lathing), foil backed plaster board can a very effective screen which will reduce or block a signal. I still have a Home Office Radio Instructors Certificate from the days when we were experimenting with VHF Transceivers, we surveyed our area of operations to find where the "blind spots" were.

 

Here's a very quick test that works well with Windows Vista:

Move your cursor over the internet icon in the toolbar, this will pop up the internet connection info box. This will tell you what network you are connected to.


If you double click the box you will get the option to disconnect from the network. You will also see your signal strength.


Click disconnect and you will see this screen. Click the circled arrows on the right of the box and the computer will refesh the list and the strength should go up. (if you notice doing this has improved my signal by 1 bar).



(If it doesn't give you a better signal, you can choose to disconnect and then reconnect to the network.)

 

Hi Gwen
Weak signals are most often down to interference. Do you or your neighbours use a Sky sender unit to have Sky all around the home? If so this will be the culprit as the signal is so strong it wipes out your WiFi.

Many things can interefere (microwaves, cordless phones, tv sender units etc.) and sometimes it can even be that your signal is swamped by a neighbours network.

I would try the following:

1. Delete all existing wifi connections you have installed on the PC for this connection.
2. Disable your WiFi security on the Router whilst establishing a connection. This makes it as easy as possible for your machine to connect. you can add the security back on once everything is OK
3. Ensure all sender units or devices that could interfere are switched off.
4. Be at least 1m away from the router as this can stop you connecting too in some cases.
5. Now reboot your router first.
6. Now connect your machine
7. Assuming connection is all ok enable your security on the router and reconnect with password.

If you still cannot connect try putting the device into another computer and see if it works from there. Normally, assuming everything has been set up correctly, it's either a duff card or interference.

Hope this helps

 

If your router modem is next to your PC why not use a wired connection to it? That way your signal strength wouldn't matter.
If you still have problems using a wored connection then there maybe a problem with your router modem settings or PC settings.