Need help with WiFi issue

[smokey982]

So I recently changed internet providers and I've been having an issue with my WiFi. I went from a 3mgb Bellsouth DSL modem to a 16mgb Charter cable modem. I'm also using this with a Linksys WRT54G wireless router, which is the same router I used for years with the DSL. My main desktop PC is hardwired from the router and I never have any problems with it. But my wife and I both use the WiFi for our cell phones while in the house. But about every day or two, the phones say they cannot join my network. I can see the network listed on the phones but they will not connect. So I have to unplug the power to the router for 20-30 seconds and it always works fine after that. At least for a day or two, and then it happens again. I never had this problem before I changed providers. Does anyone know why this is happening? This is becoming very annoying.

 

[diogen]

Try changing wireless channel: by default it's 6, change to Auto.
Also, if you have no B-devices, change from Mixed to G-only.

Have you ever considered installing 3rd party firmware, e.g. DD-WRT?
What level security do you use?

Diogen.

 

[smokey982]

I'll see what I can do, but I'm not real tech savvy. I'm not sure if my devices are b or g. The only things I currently use wirelessly are my iPhone, wii, and a laptop that only gets used occasionally. As for the 3rd party firmware, I have no idea what that is. Care to enlighten me? Thanks.

 

[diogen]

This is the one I use now
www.dd-wrt.com | Unleash Your Router

Look at the back of your router, it will list the version.
Have a look in this table whether DD-WRT supports it
Router Database | www.dd-wrt.com
(type WRT54g into the line).

If your model is supported, click the corresponding line and it will take you to the files.
Normally the update is recommended to be done in 2 stages: first the mini image, then the full.

Read more about this in their wiki
Main Page - DD-WRT Wiki

RE: B vs. G
Very few smartphones support anything above G.
B and G uses the same frequency and a G-device will fall back to B if G connection cannot be established.
That usually creates more problems then it solves. Hence, prevent connection on anything but G.

Diogen.

 

[Steve Mehs]

Let's do the basics, did you try a reset by pressing and holding the reset button on the back the router?

 

[smokey982]

I did not try the reset. How is that different than unplugging the unit? Like I said, that fixes the issue temporarily.

 

[Steve Mehs]

Pressing the reset button should take the router back to factory settings. Any changes made will go back to the factory default. Think of unplugging the router as rebooting it but doing the reset as formatting it. It's worth a shot.

 

[TheForce]

I have a similar problem with my N150 Netgear router with this difference- It loses internet connectivity only. Reboot with power cable and it connects to my modem again. ... for a day or two then just loses internet. Wifi and ethernet all work fine. Never had this problem with my old LInksys WRT 54G.

Another issue is with my Hawking Extender which loses it's memory of the encryption WPA and reverts back to WEP. Of course I don't have WEP so I have to reprogram the extender with the CD and reselect WPA, enter the passphase and it again works. I have no help from either tech support on these problems, checked the forums and nothing there either. For this problem I think I will try changing the wifi auto settings to full manual on channel and G. The extender is only used for my ipad so G is all I need. Running out of ideas.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

Pressing the reset button should take the router back to factory settings. Any changes made will go back to the factory default. Think of unplugging the router as rebooting it but doing the reset as formatting it. It's worth a shot.

Agreed.

I would not bother with the 3rd party firmware; keep things simple until you get it figured out. I suspect a hardware reset would help.

 

[stardust3]

This is the one I use now
www.dd-wrt.com | Unleash Your Router

Look at the back of your router, it will list the version.
Have a look in this table whether DD-WRT supports it
Router Database | www.dd-wrt.com
(type WRT54g into the line).

If your model is supported, click the corresponding line and it will take you to the files.
Normally the update is recommended to be done in 2 stages: first the mini image, then the full.

Read more about this in their wiki
Main Page - DD-WRT Wiki

RE: B vs. G
Very few smartphones support anything above G.
B and G uses the same frequency and a G-device will fall back to B if G connection cannot be established.
That usually creates more problems then it solves. Hence, prevent connection on anything but G.

Diogen.

Using the same here, been very pleased with it.

 

[Dr. Pepper 6044]

No Wi Fi experience

Smokey, I 'm with you.

I have been using computers since 1985. I haven't done anything with wifi, until yesterday. I connected a Dlink to the computer I manage at church. It worked and connected with a MacBookPro.

The pastor has a unit he says I can connect to my old computer P2 Win ME. I don't have wireless at home, but the phone company can install it. I am considering that.

I'll keep reading and learning as I embark on something new.

I'll post questions as I have them.

Thanks!

 

[jayn_j]

I have a similar problem with my N150 Netgear router with this difference- It loses internet connectivity only. Reboot with power cable and it connects to my modem again. ... for a day or two then just loses internet. Wifi and ethernet all work fine. Never had this problem with my old LInksys WRT 54G.

I've had cable problems that caused that in the past. Face it, the RJ-45 connector isn't all that good. Try changing the cable between the modem and router. However, it is more likely to be the socket on the modem as they seem to go first.

 

[smokey982]

I don't think the cable or connector is causing the problem. Because I have my desktop PC hard wired from the router and I never have any problems with it. It's just the WiFi items that are causing problems.
And I don't think it's "losing" the WiFi signal, because my phone can still detect the network. It just says it cannot connect to my network for some reason.

 

[TheForce]

smokey- When that happens to me, and it does once in awhile- check your subnet numbers to be sure they are all the same as the other computers that are still connected ( hardwire) and then check your encryption. I have that Hawking extender here that changes back to WEP once in awhile and when that happens the wifi to my ipad fails. Then the ipad indicates a subnet of 255.255.254.0 rather than 255.255.255.0.

jay- thanks for the suggestion of the cable from the modem to the wan port on the router. I didn't think to check that because the act of power cycling the router fixes the problem temporarily. I also unplugged the router and connected the modem to a computer directly and it worked immediately, connected the cable back to the router and it still was down, only power cycling the router fixed it. This is why I still blame the router. Other than that, I like the thing. However, I may decide to buy a high end router next year, to move into the N level of wifi. Need to do some learning on that first. I'm sure there are some negatives with N too.

 

[jayn_j]

jay- thanks for the suggestion of the cable from the modem to the wan port on the router. I didn't think to check that because the act of power cycling the router fixes the problem temporarily. I also unplugged the router and connected the modem to a computer directly and it worked immediately, connected the cable back to the router and it still was down, only power cycling the router fixed it. This is why I still blame the router. Other than that, I like the thing. However, I may decide to buy a high end router next year, to move into the N level of wifi. Need to do some learning on that first. I'm sure there are some negatives with N too.

I have had N routers fail the same way. Unfortunately the cheap consumer routers and switches only seem to last me a year or so, and they always seem to fail at the connectors. The commercial grade switches I have just keep going. I think the next time, I am going to shop hard for a commercial wireless router or access point. Open to suggestions f4rom the IT folks here.

 

[avg1joe]

I had issues a while back that I noted in this thread:
http://www.satelliteguys.us/computer-electronic-gadgetszone/199399-dsl-connection-troubles.html

I believe the culprit was the "wall wart" of the modem/router. In other words the power cord or power adapter.

 

[Kevinw]

I had it recently with my router and I-phones. I changed the channel to 11 from Auto. Nearby houses were on channel 6. Reset the modem an issued a new password and also rebooted the I- phone. I have no idea which one fixed the issue but all is good again

 

[iwc5893]

I have had N routers fail the same way. Unfortunately the cheap consumer routers and switches only seem to last me a year or so, and they always seem to fail at the connectors. The commercial grade switches I have just keep going. I think the next time, I am going to shop hard for a commercial wireless router or access point. Open to suggestions f4rom the IT folks here.

I had a Netgear N fail last year (wouldn't power up), so I switched to the Vigor 2390N from Dray-Tek (::: DrayTek Corp - Your reliable networking solutions partner :::). I've only had to reboot it once due to a lock up, and after I change a configuration setting but that's it. Most people consider it overkill for a residential router but it's got some features that are difficult if not impossible to find in other brands.

The range is better than my Netgear gave me, and it is capable of better speeds. In addition, I can run multiple SSID's at the same time, which allows me to encrypt and isolate my personal network while at the same time have an unencrypted public network for people to use. Since I have fiber optic and wireless internet, I use the dual WAN's as a fail over feature. If my fiber goes down the router automatically rolls over to the wireless side. I can also combine both of them to increase my overall speed and bandwidth.

I haven't figured out the VPN aspects of it yet due to time constraints, but I've played with just about every other feature in it.