What can cause lag bursts?

Every minute or two my net falls from 54mbps to 24mpbs, why is this? during this time my pc "lags out" and Im unable to play any game that uses an internet connection; specifically anything that's an FPS (cs:s, BF2/ BF2 SF).

 

Most commonly?

Outside interference.

Anything that operates on the 2.4ghz band, including neighboring devices. Any large (esp metal) devices between you and your WAP can also interfere. Of course, there is also the remote possibility that your WAP is flaking out too.

 

I was thinking it was also possible that there is outside interference, since there is a very weak wireless signal that sometimes leaks into my room, the thing is I have it connecting to a secure hidden signal w/manual key input and I have it to connect ONLY to the sources on the list of wless networks. Also, when I use my regular pc I get no problems what so ever and they are basically 2 ft from each other. I'll try to move it around and see if that helps thanks for the input. How can I tell if WAP is flaking out?

 

If your other machine isn't having problems, then I'd say your WAP is fine. A bit of a long shot, but have you tried different drivers for your wireless NIC? IMHO, if your other machine is fine, I'd suspect the wireless NIC might be the culprit.

 

Nope - unfortunantly there seems to be no driver updates for the tecra M4 from toshiba, which is a bummer.

 

Excellent, seems that intel itself DOES have updated drivers for it, woot.

 

Sweet. I'm curious to hear how it turns out

 

still fubar... I thought it "might" alternative from B/G -> A (it supports all 3) so i disabled it from alternating and sticking to b/g only, no worky either.

 

Are you using WEP, or WPA-PSK?

 

WEP, as per recomendations of some random techie guy i talked to in a computer store. I disabled A/B on the router so it only connects to / as "G"; we agreed that what the card is doing is fluxing back n forth from 26mbps - > 54mbps and back down again. I think the worries are over (for now) my new opteron just came in 3hrs ago and everythings smooth as butter w/my regular pc again.