Wireless tips
With wireless Internet growing more and more in our homes, we are all starting to have issues with it. Now we have to remember this is not a dedicated connection, like a telephone or cable line, but a signal that travels through the air at a certain frequency or *channel* and things as small as a cell phone, TV, remote control, or carpet EMI could cause it to not work or drop. Basically if your ISP can get a clear signal into your home to your modem, the rest is your issue. Here are some things that can help.
1. Upgrade to XP, use the included software in XP to connect, not the one that comes with your card.
2. If you must use 98SE or up, make sure you have the most up to date drivers for your card, you would be surprised how many card come with outdated technology, remember it moves fast. Most wireless cares should come with free instillation support, or call your ISP for instructions, they may be able to help, maybe not. Worst case scenario, hook it up via the Ethernet cable, and get online and download new drivers or find the information first. That reminds me, make sure your computer CAN and has been connected via another means to the Internet before trying to hook up wireless, its better to find out before you've spent 7 hours on the phone with some guy in India (NOT that they don't know there stuff, communication is at times difficult!)
3. The placement of your router is KEY
-don't put it anywhere from any electrical devices..aka that speaker its sitting on, or the carpet, get that antenna as high into the air as possible for maximum coverage
-remember if you can't use a TV remote control through the walls, wireless will have a hard time too. Whats in between your PC and the router? A bathroom with ceramic tiles? Is it in the basement surrounded by cement? get it in a central location to your computers and play with it, location is key
-if need be you can pick up those wireless extenders, they are pretty sharp and work well
-Log into the firmware, (contact your ISP for instructions or router company) and change the channel..your cordless phone could be on the same frequency as your router.
- If your wired computer works fine, chances are its either your card, drivers for your card, or your router, it is going to cut out once and awhile, that's normal, but should reconnect asap when it does. When in doubt, look for the activity light on the card, if its not flashing, power off and on the computer and router for 30 seconds each... computer first, router second, and then try it, Anymore home networking wireless questions, let me know, I'm running a SS 6520 and it works great...
