Running wireless Connection stability issue in crowded office environment

[albertwt]

Hi All,

 

I'm now having problem with my wireless access point in my office,

 

I've tried the following in order one by one and never run more than two of these:

 

Linksys WRT54G - running mixed mode B & G WPA-PSK personal - Channel 3

Linksys WRT 310N - running mixed mode B & G & N WPA-PSK personal - Channel 9

D-Link DSL-G604T Gen. II - Running default mode WPA-PSK personal - Channel 3

 

i couldn't get steady ping reply when i ping the AP, and from the Netstumbler, I've found out that

the other offices around are running CISCO Aironet AP with channel 1, 6 and 11 wireless G

 

is there any thing that i should pay attention to ? Because this is quite annoying to suffer with non stable AP.

 

Thanks.

[mac_shinobi]

Hi All,

 

I'm now having problem with my wireless access point in my office,

 

I've tried the following in order one by one and never run more than two of these:

 

Linksys WRT54G - running mixed mode B & G WPA-PSK personal - Channel 3

Linksys WRT 310N - running mixed mode B & G & N WPA-PSK personal - Channel 9

D-Link DSL-G604T Gen. II - Running default mode WPA-PSK personal - Channel 3

 

i couldn't get steady ping reply when i ping the AP, and from the Netstumbler, I've found out that

the other offices around are running CISCO Aironet AP with channel 1, 6 and 11 wireless G

 

is there any thing that i should pay attention to ? Because this is quite annoying to suffer with non stable AP.

 

Thanks.

 

Replace D Link with another WAP ie linksys or netgear [edited]

 

That or go with Ruckus

Edited July 30, 2009 by mac_shinobi

[albertwt]

Thanks for the response mate, at the moment I am trying to find the root cause of intermittent network failure before getting the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series which is very expensive for a Medium Office 45 users.

 

performance is not a problem though.

[dhicks]

is there any thing that i should pay attention to?

 

You could always double-check the wired connection to the access point itself - dodgy crimped ethernet cable end or punch-down connection to a patch panel?

 

--

David Hicks

[albertwt]

:-o I've moved this AP to anywhere / different spot in my office but still doesn't work properly.

 

it runs perfectly at my home though :-(

[strawberry]

this will be down to channels, you can only have 1 instance of each of the following channels in one area otherwise they interfere. 1-5, 6-10,11-13

[powdarrmonkey]

Replace D Link with another WAP ie linksys or netgear and put each one on different channels ( 3 channels apart ) ie 3, 6 and 9

 

No, access points occupy five channels. The only possible combination that permits three overlapping access points is 1, 6 and 11 (-2 to +3, +4 to +8, and +9 to +13).

[albertwt]

this will be down to channels, you can only have 1 instance of each of the following channels in one area otherwise they interfere. 1-5, 6-10,11-13

 

is there any caveats that i should know in running wireless AP eg.

1. +/- 5 from the most crowded channel
   
2. avoid running mixed mode --> One AP for Serving Wireless B only, One AP for G only and so on ?
   

[powdarrmonkey]

is there any caveats that i should know in running wireless AP eg.

 

If your neighbours are broadcasting on all channels (which they are) and you can hear them strongly, you've got problems. Channels aren't shared and 'crowded', they are exclusive.

[MicrodigitUK]

Do your laptops support 802.11a because if they do just get a A band access point.

[albertwt]

If your neighbours are broadcasting on all channels (which they are) and you can hear them strongly, you've got problems. Channels aren't shared and 'crowded', they are exclusive.

 

Hi there,

 

So in this case shall I get a better hi gain antenna ?

or get the better hardware like Cisco Aironet 1250 ?

[albertwt]

Do your laptops support 802.11a because if they do just get a A band access point.

 

Hi There,

 

Yes, my Wireless is Intel Wifi link 5100 AGN unfortunately i don't have the AP which can broadcast 802.11a

[powdarrmonkey]

Hi there,

 

So in this case shall I get a better hi gain antenna ?

or get the better hardware like Cisco Aironet 1250 ?

 

And interfere with your neighbours, who will do the same thing and put you right back where you started?* No, talk nicely to your neighbours and see if you can negotiate a way of co-existing peacefully.

 

Or buy a cable.

 

 

(*a good example for powdarrmonkey's book of things that aren't technical problems. *scribble*)

[jc666777]

Your problem might be non-wifi interference which can provide a much stronger signal than a nearby access point.

 

Another nearby access point on the same channel will only gove about 30% drop.

 

But non-wifi interference can kill a whole channel or the whole bg range. Can often be caused by high power bluetooth PIRs such as those for alarms etc.

 

You can scan for this interference using a Wi Spy device.

 

cheers

[albertwt]

Hi All, I've finally found the solution for my specific problem, it is by:

 

1. upgrading the firmware of my Linksys WRT54-G with v24 Micro Generic SP2 firmware

 

http://www.dd-wrt.com/routerdb/de/download.php?file=1188

 

2. boost the power to become 100 mW from 71 mW

3. use channel #3

 

ever since then, my Old Linksys now performing even better and the WLAN connection is still going till today without outage.

 

hope this helps.