Solved Wifi problem

[ICIT2LOL]

Ok folk now I may have found one solution but one that I really only want to be temporary for the time being.

Last week I changed my providers phone plan it included an upgrade to a Google Pixel phone and the bundle came with a Samsung Tab 4 plus a few other goodies that beat my current plan by $3 a month. Now the Tab 4 came with a sim card and can be used as a mobile modem. it is sitting next to the machine as I type connected via wifi

The only thing that I need to find out is how much data I can use through the Tab 4 without overdoing it - the mobile broadband modem I already had does cost a lot of money and I have an idea they told me it would be cheaper to use the Tab 4 than the small (and very slow) modem I said I have already.

The young bloke did run me through the bundle and mentioned something along those lines but as always one gets bombarded with so much info I have forgotten exactly what data allowances are etc etc So I shall find out tomorrow just what is what but at least the speed of the connection now is blazingly fast


By the by the Google Pixel is in my mind much faster than the Samsung S5 I had and the battery life is phenomenal - plus it is bloat free - you only have on it what you want. But if you are thinking of the Google Pixel then best go for the XL model because mine (the straight Pixel) is limited to 32GB internal storage - no SD card access and the XL is slightly larger and has more internal storage.

 

[Layback Bear]

In my house I would drill a hole in the floor next to the wall and run the cable in the basement to what ever room I wanted it to go. Then another hole in that room. The hole only has to be big enough to get the cable connector through.



Jack

 

[Barman58]

John,

Be very careful about trying to use a mobile plan for general internet use at home - the amount of data you use at home is often immense in comparison to mobile usage. Just think that one auto-starting video on a web page can use up a month's mobile allowance in a few minutes - I would suggest that a mobile plan for day to day use is only practical with a totally unlimited Data Plan.

With the other options,

If you have each room's electrical supply fed from different distribution boxes or isolator's then the sockets will not be connected to enable the use of a MainsPlug based system, ( these are designed to work on the standard Electrical Ring Main system where the wiring is daisy-chained to each socket in turn, so all are directly connected ).

The best option would be to run an Ethernet cable between the rooms, the cable could be run inside or outside the property, and could include a Switch in the room you will be using if you intend to use Ethernet connections or an Ethernet/Wireless repeater if you need wireless access - Both will allow use of more than one device.

If adding wiring is a no-no then you will need to use a Wireless /Wireless Extender, with this you place this extender midway, ( or a suitable position to "see" both the original router and the laptop), between the existing wireless router and the Laptop - the Extender is set up to link to the existing router and re-broadcast to the laptop. This can also be achieved using a wired Wireless extender if you can manage to run the cable to a point that allows the laptop to "see" the extender.

One other thought that I have is How old is the laptop?. It may be that a modern USB wireless dongle may be able to "see" the existing Router due to the improvements in technology over the last year or two

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Now to answer you both - Jack houses out here - well at least the ones I have owned don't generally have basements it would be the cure all in my mind but not an option.

Nigel yes mate I have been trying to find out how much data I am paying for on that Tab 4 I think it was around 20GB per month which is more than I would use as I don't stream TV or films etc I just email and Google stuff and get about in here of course which is my main hobby. I do watch a few YouTubes from time to time but only for some musical stuff that interests me and any computing how to's.

To give you a rough idea the pre paid modem I have which is $140 for 16GB and two years in days whatever ends first that is. My usual 16GB on that machine - my travel /work one usually lasts me around five months as a rule but it is real slow even though it is 4G networking.

Now as I said I have to find out exactly how much data is included in this new bundle the old one my landline ADSL2 usage was capped off at 12GB per month - I think it is more now though and I never have run over that previous 12GB cap.

I do know what you are saying and if and when the new modem/router ( TP-Link Archer D7 AC1750 ADSL2+ Modem Router) gets here hopefully the signal strength will be greater than the old TP-Link. Oh the machine it is only about 18 months old an Asus G750JM ROG and it has the up to date network specs on it's card

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Update - have the new modem router but it is refusing to run. Have followed the instructions and tried running the small software disk that come with it but it is just returning an autorun error 001 so will have to wait until tomorrow and check it out with TP Link support.

Jeez I really am not a fan of networking stuff why it just cannot be plug and play is a mystery.

In case you are woindering I hooked the old modem back up to send this any ideas but - will help.

 

[Barman58]

I use TP-link these days, almost exclusively I never bother with the disk.

Currently using a C7 which is the same as yours but no modem (I have a separate Fibre Modem)

Locate the router and connect all the required cables.

Log into the router from a laptop connected by Ethernet lead (address http//:192.168.0.1), user admin Password (noted in documentation or affixed to router)

If you go to the Quick setup page and follow the prompts the router will set up all the connections for you, you will need the actual ISP log-on information and password but everything else is automatic

Once you have the router basic set-up completed make sure you save the settings before you do any further changes and also save a separate settings file at each stage

 

[Barman58]

Note the Admin Password is normally admin but may be different in Australia

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Ok Nigel I shall try that in the morning as I just hooked up this modem/router as per the quick set up guide and as there is no net connection I could not get that ip address you quoted - it is the same out here by the by.

This is the link for the one I have N600 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit ADSL2+ Modem Router - TP-Link as I cannot see if it is a D7 or what right now. I am getting some reception on the old modem using one of the new modem/router aerials in addition to the large one I bought for it - at least it is something.

Oh by the way I found out today that the data usage for that Tab A is 20GB per month shared with my phone. At least if I go over that 20GB which is highly unlikely it isn't going to be as expensive as the pre paid modem I mentioned before.

 

[chitownbob]

plug an ethernet cable into your PC/lapto and into modem. open a browser and go to default IP (usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1) . You may have to look up default username and password but is frequently admin and password.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Ok I have the modem set up via just the laptop plugged and right now it seems to be working - in the computer room or very close it is really fast.

Now I have to see how it holds up down in the room where I want the machine as I type there seems to be an intermittent service and hopefully if the system stays like that it is better than nothing my only other option is that Samsung Tab A or my prepaid mobile modem.

The problem I am sure is not the distance but the fact that the room I am in is constructed of solid brick walls with just a set of french doors opening into it from the direction of the modem.

I have had another look at routing an Ethernet cable but it would be a difficult thing to do because of a) where I could run it and b) the length of the cable.

The other little thing to mention is that this machine - Asus P2520LA is running 10 and I cannot find a network driver for the machine - I can for 7 but not 10.

 

[Layback Bear]

If you did run a hard wire how long would if have to be?

Jack

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Now if I were to run a cable then it would depend on where I ran it - I could of course drape it through the house from computer room to the living room but with that comes the problem of not looking real good and a trip hazard it would be around 12 metres long.

To run around the house - mostly out of sight the shortest route I can see would be around 25- 30 metres minimum. That method would mean getting it across the house (underneath) and then follow the wall around and drill through the living room wll and to the machine. A slight problem with that is how will the cable stand up to the UV light we get from the sun a we do get a lot of sun especially on that side of the house I suppose i could wrap the exposed cable in foil though.

I was rather hoping that the new modem would have a decent signal strength to get through without problems but it is as before intermittent which requires either reconnecting the wifi or rebooting the machine and that can get very tedious.

 

[Layback Bear]

Cat6 burial outdoor cable might be very useful.

Category 6 cable - Wikipedia

Maximum length

When used for 10/100/1000BASE-T, the maximum allowed length of a Cat 6 cable is up to 100 meters (328 ft). This consists of 90 meters (295 ft) of solid "horizontal" cabling between the patch panel and the wall jack, plus 5 meters (16 ft) of stranded patch cable between each jack and the attached device.[7] For 10GBASE-T, an unshielded Cat 6 cable should not exceed 55 metres.[8]

Jack

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Well Jack never rains but it pours - the machine (Asus G750JM) is now dying and I think I shall have to take it to a techie as it has me beat.

Problem is I switch on (the darn thing has suddenly started shutting down of it's own accord lately) and on power up I login only to get a really annoying message telling me my battery is low even though the machine is plugged into the mains. I have tested that supply and it registers 19v @ 4.7amp but there is no power light on the front edge when plugged in so I am guessing the internal power circuitry has gone up that creek, and unless it is a relatively cheap fix - I know no such thing eh? I shall have to dump the thing.

I did try something when I got a screen that said repair and some other options and also an SFC which didn't run chkdsk was hopeless, and I cannot even get safe mode.

Now if it wasn't such a nice machine I would just ditch it but at $1600 (sale price) back then - about 18 months ago it is quite an expensive replacement and all the stuff I have put into it the SSD more RAM etc etc upgraded to 10 etc etc Just about getting round the wifi problem and now this

 

[chitownbob]

ouch, that sucks.

My first thought is hardware. I had a similar issue on a Toshiba, which I will get back to shortly.

Interestingly enough there is a possible software resolution.
Try this first.
Laptop Battery not charging "plugged in, not charging" Windows 10 - Free Easy fix - YouTube

If this does not work you may need to change the DC Power jack.
This was my issue. It was not pretty.
If you have a power tester, make sure the issue is with the DC power jack before you replace it.
Especially if it is soldered, as it was in my case.
It could be an issue with your power cable and brick (is it warm to the touch?)
Testing DC Jack on a Laptop Motherboard with Multimeter - YouTube

If it is hardware, you can replace it with some work and a relatively small amount of money.
Taking apart your laptop is not for the weak at heart.
But it is helpful to remove dust that may be making it overheat.
You can also use this time to remove the CPU, clean it off (I like Arctic Silver ArcticClean, but 90% Isopropyl alcohol is good), and reattach with a better thermal compound (I am fond of Arctic Silver 5)
Asus G750 ROG AC DC Power Jack Repair (Loose Charge Port) - YouTube

 

[chitownbob]

Yes Jack well mate it would be at least 30 - 40 metres and it would entail draping the cable through doorways and across walls etc it certainly would not be pretty if not pretty unpractical. I could even run the cable through the roof space I suppose but not being young and fit anymore it would be quite an undertaking for me.

I shall keep trying different solutions and hopefully the new modem router when it gets here will have a decent signal strength it is one with three aerials ( hopefully high gain ones) as the one I currently use only has one and that I only have had installed for the last few months. The current modem is also really quite old now and I have used it with just Ethernet cabling up to now.

Now I suspect in what you did in your career you might have some experience with aerials and could offer some tips. As it is I have built yagi and phase array aerials (for TV reception) in the past and have a little knowledge of wave frequencies and working out the element measurements for those sort of aerials. I did think of maybe I could even build a reflector system to direct the wifi signal if I could work out dish dimensions and the like. It too would not be pretty but less so than draping cable through the house.
Anyway I shall research that line of attack to see what I can come up with.

As of now I think my options are the two adaptors one being wifi and installing the old modem in that room because it only entails boring through the wall from the line access point as in my pic then hopefully given no hiccups it would fill the room with wifi - plus I was thinking maybe it could be hooked to the TV as well by cable.

Outside cabling is a bad idea. The pros punch a hole in the wall next to a stud fairly low to the ground. Eventually they will use a rj-45 ethernet cover to cover it up. Make a hole in the floor BETWEEN the walls. You may need to do this from your basement. Or from the top with a 45 degree attachment on your drill. Try to use an interior wall if possible but be aware of what is behind the wall, and what is under the floor. If you must, you can also go back up a wall the same way you went down. That's how I cabled my house.

Another option, is going up into an attic and then going straight down into basement following plumbing vent.

I had an issue finding a clean wall to traverse to the basement. For several years I had a cable dragged to heating vent, then straight down two floors and out a hole I made in the basement ductwork. Not pretty but it worked.

Something I heard that worked well for short distances was removing the quarter round at the bottom of walls, then tucking the cable in there and reattaching the quarter round.

Hope I have given you a few ideas.....

Lastly, regarding wifi. Stock wifi antennas are omni-directional, You can theoretically boost your signal by using a directional or a yagi antenna, but my understanding was that the concrete walls were interfering. IMHO. running harder into the wall is not going to be your solution....you need to go around that wall.

I wonder if you have looked at those wifi net solutions, like Eero. I might contact them, if I were you. They may ask for a home layout and construction of the walls. A typical home is a three pack or 399.

Best of luck

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Thanks Bob yes mate it really is a blow. Thing is I brought my old Toshiba L550 down the the living room as a substitute and the wifi works as good a an Ethernet cable
So that prompts me to think the network card in the Asus is not that good and as I mentioned a while back their support site using the 10 OS does not have a driver for the network card it is only available for the 7 OS. Now I am guessing the driver for it like a few others would have been done by a Windows 10 update and maybe it has not gone quite??

I shall have a look at those links you gave me because just before I came to work the power line light actually came on and the battery reported as being charged but I didn't have time to check it out as I got my days at work mixed up and had to leave it hopefully charging. I do however suspect it is a loose connection on the board but I have never had one of these machines apart before so really will have to research it before i start pulling it apart. Now I have done a few now and am not really worried by taking it apart and usually find doing it a second time quicker. Like you I like and use Arctic Silver products I usually clean, prepare and then spread a thin film over both surfaces with a finger inside a vinyl glove - find it warms the compound to make it easier then add a rice grain sized piece in the middle of the CPU to "bleed out".

But I digress as you might have seen in some of my previous posts in the past I have made yagi and phased array aerials from scratch using old aerial rod etc etc The basement option mate is not an option as I do not have one - it is unusual to find houses out here with basements as such.

The power pack checks out ok as per my post but it is the machine's socket I think that may be at fault - hopefully just a dry joint it is then easy to put right - if it is the regulating circuitry then I might be in for another machine and the cheapest I can find close to the specs of the one I have is $1955 Asus ROG GL752VW 17.3" FHD Gaming Laptop GTX 960M GL752VW-T4106T | shopping express online there is one at a lower price than that from a different site but it is only on offer for four days

Anyway thanks to you and the others for the help - much appreciated.
John

 

[Barman58]

John, Hopefully you'll get your power sorted out soon, It could be something as simple as a bad battery - Some, (Most?), laptops always run on battery even when plugged into the mains, (the mains just tops up the battery as it is used up).

The way that the battery works can present issues like you are seeing as a bad battery will not charge so the indicators do not show even when the mains is attached. There are some reasonable non OEM batteries on the market, (but check reviews ).

Back to the actual connection - I did suggest a new, (USB), adaptor to replace the inadequate built in device this page gives a selection of options, all of which should be considerably better than what you have. I have a T4U that came free with a C5 unit and improves reception by at least a factor of 2 over a modern HP laptop so it's a valid option.

Adapters - TP-Link

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Yes so do I Nigel never had this problem with the old Toshiba it will boot with the battery out and run. It still has it's own original battery - about six years old now and if this is saying anything about Asus then well perhaps I should change brands.

Trouble is I cannot find anything that comes that close to the Asus in specs that is affordable - not if I want a full HD monitor on it.

Anyway I have watched some of those videos that Bob linked and I shall try some of the fixes that were on YouTube - it is the fact that the power light does not come on that is the main worry a new battery is not an issue price wise. Again it says a lot for Asus gear - well laptops anyway.

 

[Barman58]

The way that laptop charging is set up has changed some time ago - it used to be possible to remove the battery completely and plug the laptop into the mains and it would work. I believe it was changed to aid efficiency and to prevent possible glitches causing issues with modern OS's that were not there with older versions.