Wireless Router Problems (Belkin & Linksys)

For the past 5 years I've had absolutely no problem with my wireless router...well there was one time a couple years ago when there was an IP address issue that either the modem tried to change the router's address or vise versa, can't remember.

But I always used to get a VERY GOOD signal in my room with my notebook. Ever since I got home from school my dad had told me that the connection has started to "suck" basically. I didn't believe him until my notebook kept on disconnecting and giving me a VERY LOW signal. Even when I was right next to the router I would only get a VERY GOOD signal not an EXCELLENT like I used too. So I tried multiple things, I unpluged both the router and modem and let them sit for about 20 minutes, pluged in the modem, then the router. Didn't work. We called Time Warner, they swear on their lives that it's not their modem and that we should invest in a new wireless router or to call Belkin.

I didn't bother calling Belkin because I believed it might of been the router because it was a pretty old router. My Aunt gave me her fairly new Linksys router to try. I set it up but unfortunately the desktop that this router is usually connected to is a WindowsME. So I had to set up the Linksys router on my notebook. I did everything, updated the drivers (I believe), and got it up and running. Same issue, VERY LOW connection. So then I noticed there was a new 5.62GHz phone installed next to the router. I figured that might of been the problem. So I unpluged the phone for a good 5 minutes to see if that would of done anything and refreshed my connection. Nope didn't do a thing.

I had Time Warner over today, the guy kept saying it was something passed these cords that connected to the router. I didn't believe him because I just replaced all the Ethernet Cords and tried two routers. So I'm seriously out of ideas here, can somebody pleaseeeeee help me? After dealing w/ a University Internet connection for the past year, I REALLY need my decent cable back!

Please and Thank you! <3

 

You might have some interference issues. Try changing the wireless channel on your router.

 

How do I do that? I think I did that one w/ the Linksys router to 1, I can't remember. I have the Belkin currently hooked up because I reinstalled it on the WindowsME computer.

 

You have to go into the web based admin console. If you dont know the IP for your router, you can go start - run - type cmd - hit enter
command prompt will pop up.
type ipconfig/all

output will look something like this:
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.13.104.1
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 10.13.104.254
Find default gateway, and type that ip address into your browser.

Once you do that, your router page will be displayed. Look around for your wireless settings, and the channel settings should be in there.

 

I'm trying "http://192.168.2.1/" now and I just disabled the SSID but after I did that my computer seems like it doesn't want to ever go back to that site. Let me attempt to restart to see if I can fix it that way or use a new web browser

 

Well I just tried every single channel and they're all working the same distance wise. None give me an EXCELLENT connection when I'm right next to the router and they all go back to VERY LOW when I'm back in my room.

 

I'd check for updates to the firmware for the router. Make sure you check for the correct model and version of your router. Firmware should be in the Administration settings for either router.
Also check for updated drivers for the network adapter in each computer connecting to the router. (Either wired or wireless.) Device Manager will give the manufacturer and model and driver version of each adapter.
You can go to the support page for each manufacturer to get the most recent driver release.

 

I just updated the firmware on the Belkin and there were no updates for anything in my network adaptors. I still get a VERY LOW connection

 

Between your connection from the front room to the back room? Do you have any wireless devices in between, Microwaves? Brick Walls... Ect? (Just trying to think of possible things that would kill a connection.) Because I know at home if I run my Microwave my signal drops from Excellent to Middle range, and i'm sitting in the same room as my router. (Bachelor pad... lol)

 

That's the problem, I've been racking my brain like crazy to think of any electronics between the router and my computer that are new. And the only thing I can think of is the new phone we bought to fit Time Warner's phone policy which was a 5.62GHz phone (give or take a hert) but the microwave never affects my connection and my mom said it's been like this since I've been home and I haven't taken any new electronics w/ me back home. But to go from a VERY GOOD connection to a VERY LOW connection is quite a huge drop and it's driving me crazy because I've done everything possible and all I can think of is that is it Time Warner...

EDIT:
And that's another thing, even when I'm RIGHT NEXT to the router, I still don't get a full EXCILLENT connection like I used to

 

Hmm, thats odd honestly. Because the Phone wouldn't even really use the same spectrum as your Wireless, "Typically."

Um, Is it possible that since your switch from Belkin to Linksys may have something to do with it? Or has Time Warner changed your settings since then? Connection Speed/package your using? Really doesn't seem to make much sense on my end. Only thing I can think of is try to setup a repeater for the signal.

 

Nope, I've been using Belkin for 5 years and it started to act up by giving me VERY LOW signal. That is when I tried to switch over to Linksys which also gave me VERY LOW. So I reinstalled Belkin and updated it's firmware and it still gives me VERY LOW signals. It really doesn't make sense at all to me! There are no other wireless signals around here except mine. No other new electronics to the house. Time Warners package never changed, I've even done speed tests to determine whether or not it has changed and it hasn't. There is something that's interfering with our signal and I have no idea what! It's driving me absolutely crazy! I've tried EVERY single channel and none make a difference...

 

Have you tried another wireless machine?

 

Yup, my notebook, my dad's notebook, my desktop, even my Nintendo Wii! It's absurd! My family and I went through the list of any electronics between the router and my room and we got nothing besides the new phones and those aren't the problem. At this point we're baffled, my mom said it's been happening since I got home, so unless the government knocked me out and put a chip in my head which is interferring with the signal, we have no idea

 

Anyone?

 

Still need help please

 

Have you tried another wireless router yet?

 

I believe he said he tried a LinkSys router and got the same symptom....low signal level.

 

Well....different wireless computers and different wireless routers all with the same problem even when these devices are physically next to the wireless routers.

Take the router over a friends house and see if the problem remains the same. Don't know what else to say.

 

ah my bad. missed that part i think.

 

I'm used different computers to set up the Belkin/Linksys. Belkin I used our WindowsME desktop, Linksys I used my WindowsXP notebook. The problem is when I uninstalled both routers and tried it again (two days ago) it told me it couldn't connect to the internet which makes me believe that Time Warner is a bunch of lying @#$@#$@ and that it really is the modem they gave me. I talked so someone else last night and they told me that my bandwidth with all the digital cable and cable internet and phone service is basically putting too much pressure on my router resulting in such low connection. Does this even sound right?

 

The Time Warner telephone and tv service does not come through your router. Normally there are separate "feeds" for telephone and Internet/Digital TV from the modem. I have the exact same setup as you with Cablevision as my provider and there is no problem with low wireless signal level with my LinkSys router.

I still say...pack up your router and laptop and visit one of your friends that has highspeed Internet access....set it up and see if you have low signal.

 

Well I spoke to somebody at Radioshack and they told me it's got to be Time Warner's modem. I tried to connect to wireless again now and it says my signal strength is excellent until I actually finally connect to it...so should I just demand Time Warner let me test out a new modem?

 

Well Time Warner replaced our modem and it hasn't done any difference...

 

Definately weird. Seems that once it establishes a connection, it then drops off. You also tried all the Wireless Channels? Maybe your Wireless card is shot. What about going to another location, have you tested it in other places to see if it works?

Thanks,

 

Actually I just had a brilliant idea. I had a long ethernet cord that connected to my xbox in my room and I'm like...I wonder what would happen if I plugged that port into the WAN network of another router in my room. So I tried it out and it worked PERFECTLY! Come to find out the other notebook is detecting another router on the same channel and it all made perfect sense so the router in my room is providing all the wireless from now on until I go back to school. Thank you guys for all your help! <3!

 

No problem Leon.

Glad to hear everything is working great for you.