Argh! Wireless network blues! Can somebody please help with this NEW issue?

[jwbryson1]

After having a lot of problems with my wireless network dropping constantly with my new computer, I bought yet another wireless adapter card and installed it yesterday. Now I'm having problems I never expected to have.

Briefly, my setup is Verizon FIOS, wireless router 2 rooms away from my computer. I never got more than 3 bars with this card TP-Link TL-WDN4800 450Mbps Wireless-N Dual Band PCI Express Adapter - 450Mbps, PCI Express x1, RP-SMA, Wireless-N, 3x 2dBi Antennas at TigerDirect.com

so I just bought this card to try instead HiRO H50216 PCI Express Adapter - 150Mbps, PCI Express, 802.11n, Low Profile, 5dBi Antenna, Compatible with Windows 8 at TigerDirect.com


Upon first install, it picked up my wireless network without a hitch. 4 bars and "good" connection. Then within about 1 minute it dropped the network and would not connect. I rebooted the new box, I rebooted the old box, checked my connection on the old box (no issues). :scratch:

Now, it does not even FIND my wireless network in my house. I tried trouble shooting, I tried searching for wireless networks, etc. NADA. ZILCH. ZERO. It's as if I don't have a wireless network in my house.

So what gives?! :angry1: :angry1: :angry1: :angry1: :angry1:

 

[ratssass]

this probably isn't the answer,but I know I was going nutz for a few days because I accidentally (and not realizing)hit the switch disconnecting my wireless ability on my laptop.good luck.

 

[amolitor]

I'm pretty sure some Pocket Wizards would help, but I'm not sure how.

 

[runnah]

Can I play devil's advocate and ask why would you want a desktop PC to be wireless?

 

[jwbryson1]

I'm pretty sure some Pocket Wizards would help, but I'm not sure how.

Well played!

:smileys:

 

[jwbryson1]

Can I play devil's advocate and ask why would you want a desktop PC to be wireless?

I have 2 desktop PC's. One of them (the old one) is hardwired to my network via ethernet cable. It's connected to FIOS in my office which doubles as an exercise room and a 4th bedroom. No room in there for a second computer.

The only place in my house where I can put a second desktop computer (which will be used primarily for me for photos) is the sitting room off our master bedroom which is on the same floor as the office, but just down the hall. So it has to be wireless because I'm not sure how else to get it hard wired unless I run an ethernet cable from the bedroom, down the hall and into the office.

Suggestions are welcome...

 

[runnah]

Run it through the wall, under the floor or overhead.

 

[jwbryson1]

Run it through the wall, under the floor or overhead.

50 feet of ethernet cable? Sounds like a bad idea / suggestion to me.

 

[412 Burgh]

My dad ran Ethernet in the floors/ceilings. We have our router/modem in the living room. We have computers in my room, my brothers and in the basement. My room is a wall away from the living room. My brothers is two sways from the living room. And the basement computer is almost directly below the router/modem. It only took us about an hour or so to run the wires.

 

[amolitor]

I'm a software guy not a networking guy these days, but here's what I would try:

1) verify that you DO have a wireless network, and that you haven't just had your router die on you (laptop, iPad, whatever, can anything ELSE see the network?)
2) if you have a network, go to the wireless card manufacturer's web site and see if you can download the latest driver(s) from there.
3) uninstall the driver for the card, and re-install whatever the newest thing you can find is (which might be the one you've already got)
4) reboot.

5) if that doesn't fix it, pull the card out of the PC, gently blow out the slot you plugged it in to and gently apply a pencil eraser to the contacts on the card itself. Clean
off any detritus and re-insert the card.

6) If still no dice, you may have either a bad card of a bad PC slot, or a bad PC. Try another slot, if another suitable slot is available.

At this point I'm probably returning the card to the manufacturer.

If you're having wireless network reliability issues but it basically works-ish, I'd be looking for sources of interference. Radios, phones, microwave ovens, electric motors. I don't know what the usual culprits are these days in the usual wireless radio bands, but electrical stuff is all pretty much suspect, especially if it has radios or motors in it.

Also, for reliability issues, you can try playing with the channel assignments. Your router's UI probably has some Advanced Settings someplace that will let you select from a handful of different channels. Try changing the channel. The card should be able to pick it up at the new channel, and maybe things will be better at a slightly different set of frequencies. Uh, I think. This paragraph is RIGHT UP AGAINST the limits of my knowledge, and might be on the wrong side of the fence there if you know what I mean.

 

[JacaRanda]

Can I play devil's advocate and ask why would you want a desktop PC to be wireless?

I have 2 desktop PC's. One of them (the old one) is hardwired to my network via ethernet cable. It's connected to FIOS in my office which doubles as an exercise room and a 4th bedroom. No room in there for a second computer.

The only place in my house where I can put a second desktop computer (which will be used primarily for me for photos) is the sitting room off our master bedroom which is on the same floor as the office, but just down the hall. So it has to be wireless because I'm not sure how else to get it hard wired unless I run an ethernet cable from the bedroom, down the hall and into the office.

Suggestions are welcome...

Hi JW, you may be interested in a set of these 500Mbps Powerline - Powerline - Products - Welcome to TP-LINK. I have set them up for myself and my mom and have had no issues; easy setup and reliable speed. They use your existing home electrical wiring. They are Powerline products and there are several makers. I do use TP-Link.

 

[runnah]

Can I play devil's advocate and ask why would you want a desktop PC to be wireless?

I have 2 desktop PC's. One of them (the old one) is hardwired to my network via ethernet cable. It's connected to FIOS in my office which doubles as an exercise room and a 4th bedroom. No room in there for a second computer.

The only place in my house where I can put a second desktop computer (which will be used primarily for me for photos) is the sitting room off our master bedroom which is on the same floor as the office, but just down the hall. So it has to be wireless because I'm not sure how else to get it hard wired unless I run an ethernet cable from the bedroom, down the hall and into the office.

Suggestions are welcome...

Hi JW, you may be interested in a set of these 500Mbps Powerline - Powerline - Products - Welcome to TP-LINK. I have set them up for myself and my mom and have had no issues; easy setup and reliable speed. They use your existing home electrical wiring. They are Powerline products and there are several makers. I do use TP-Link.

Ooo good call.

The average cat5 cable can be run for close to 300 feet before it experiences any signal loss.

 

[snowbear]

It may be a pain, but try the wireless card in the office PC (disconnect ethernet) and see if the problem follows. If it does, look at the card, drivers or even the router. If the card works fine there, then swap out the PCs (just the box, monitors can stay as well as KBs, etc.) and see what happens.

 

[jwbryson1]

Hi JW, you may be interested in a set of these 500Mbps Powerline - Powerline - Products - Welcome to TP-LINK. I have set them up for myself and my mom and have had no issues; easy setup and reliable speed. They use your existing home electrical wiring. They are Powerline products and there are several makers. I do use TP-Link.

Jaca -- these are interesting. What exactly are they and how do they work? Do they create a "wired" network through your existing home electrical wiring? That would be cool.

 

[JacaRanda]

Hi JW, you may be interested in a set of these 500Mbps Powerline - Powerline - Products - Welcome to TP-LINK. I have set them up for myself and my mom and have had no issues; easy setup and reliable speed. They use your existing home electrical wiring. They are Powerline products and there are several makers. I do use TP-Link.

Jaca -- these are interesting. What exactly are they and how do they work? Do they create a "wired" network through your existing home electrical wiring? That would be cool.

Yes that is exactly how they work. BTW, there are wired and wireless ones. You have to have at least two, but can have more than that. You plug one directly into an outlet (not power strip or extension chord) near your router and connect via ethernet to the router. Then you plug the other one(s) in any outlet around your home and connect that to your device with ethernet or wireless.