16 different wireless networks in my living room!

[CDSaxton77]

Hey everyone,

I Didnt actually look very much for a thread similar to this one so maybe its been posted somewhere and i just fail but here is my problem. Ive been having VERY bad wireless dropouts... and its not just the internet either i lose my connection to my router intirely. When im sitting in my living room with inSSIDer running there is 16 different wireless networks detecting using multiple different channels.

I setup a continuous ping to my router(192.168.1.1) and started messing with channels... most channels i only have a connection for about 45 seconds and it doesnt reconnect for about 30 seconds... i finally found that with channel 5, i had a connection for about 5-10 minutes(I spent HOURS today testing all the different channels so these are rough averages) but like before i lose connection for about 30 seconds.

Now if i was just checking email and surfing the web it wouldnt be so bad but i listen to streaming music and watch shows on hulu and what not and losing my connection every few minutes for 30 seconds it TOTALLY unacceptable!

So at first i thought this was my old router(Linksys WRT54G) Which was admittedly 10 years old so i went a bought a new one, a WRT120N(Linksys again) I did all my testing with my new router(as with my old one, no matter what channel i was unable to connect at all anymore this progressively got worse over the coarse of about a week) I consider myself to have a pretty high understanding of networking technology but this literally has me at my wits end.(I ran a scan with inSSIDer and found ZERO 5Ghz networks but none of my computers support a 5Ghz connection and i do not have the money to buy that many adaters)

Sorry for the wall of text but i was trying to be as detailed as possible, If anyone has any ideas aside from hacking all my neighbors(Most use WEP, it wouldnt be that hard, but i dont think its a very "Legal" idea) and changing all their channels to 1 and setting mine to 11... but seriously im open to any suggestions!

Thanks in advance,

~Chris

 

[tapuz]

don't know if this will help, but i had a similar problem, not as bad though, turned out it was my wireless telephone, so my internet server just switched my frequency, since then never had a problem.

 

[CDSaxton77]

Ah ya i thought about that but my wireless phone is a 5.0Ghz so i dont think it has anything to do with that, Thanks for your input though! Also i have my router manually set to a channel so it shouldnt be switching all the time. But it still doesnt really help.

 

[acurasd]

May i get the make and model of your router please, i'll check up on it for you

 

[CDSaxton77]

I actually put the model into my first post but it a: Linksys WRT120N, I did not update the firmware as the latest firmware of this model is causing more problems than it fixes.

Thanks!

 

[Barman58]

Just one thing to check - in network and sharing centre - manage wireless networks

check the properties for your preferred network and make sure that the Connect to a more preferred network if available is disabled. I have seen this cure disconnects in "busy" wireless environments.

Also make sure that none of the "other" networks has made it onto your network list

 

[CDSaxton77]

Hey Barman58,

I was pretty sure it was turned off already, but i double checked just because you brought it up, and it is disabled and i actually deleted all other wireless networks from my profile just to make sure, still doesnt help.

This is extremely frustrating... think if i covered my entire house in tin foil it would help?

 

[SquirrelTakos]

Ah ya i thought about that but my wireless phone is a 5.0Ghz so i dont think it has anything to do with that, Thanks for your input though! Also i have my router manually set to a channel so it shouldnt be switching all the time. But it still doesnt really help.

If you can get 16 different people's networks, isn't it possible that other phones could be interfering with your router?

 

[CDSaxton77]

Its possible but this only became a problem 3 days ago which today when i was walking my dog i talked to one of my neighbors and they mentioned they just got a new wireless network... you'll never guess! 3 days ago... but its quite possible a neighbor got a new 2.4Ghz phone i suppose... but there is nothing i can do about that is there?

 

[bassfisher6522]

I would try resetting up router. Unplug it, unhook ethernet cable, uninstall software and start all over. Then see if you are still having a issue with it.

 

[CDSaxton77]

I actually went out and got a new router entirely... ive also tried moving the router to different places in the house with no help... as of right now the only place that has wireless is the basement which when i do a scan with inSSIDer only detects 2 other wireless networks(I would assume thick concrete walls have something to do with that) and the wireless works perfectly fine down in the basement, but in the rest of the house(Where 11-16 different wireless networks are detected at any given time) the wireless is completely worthless if it even connects.

Thanks again for the input, ive been on hold with linksys for about an hour now... woot? So far the people on here have been FAAAAR more helpful than anyone else.

 

[whs]

Have you tried to switch from N to g or vice versa.

 

[Barman58]

Ok Please do not laugh

This is a serious possible solution

Antenas fitted to home routers are omnidirectional so the drop off is often quite dramatic It is possible to set up a a more directional output that if positioned correctly could boost the signal and be less prone to interference.

Have a look here for options for home made parabolic reflectors and other ways of increasing signal

Increase your wireless signal strength for free - With paper and tin foil | Everybodyloveslen.com