Losing Connection

[chrisjw]

I'm using wireless connection to another pc downstairs.......Periodically, I go to connect to the internet & it won't connect...To remedy this, I right click the monitor icon at the bottom left of screen, click repair & all is then fine...Can someone tell me the reason this keeps happening & if there is a setting that I can adjust?........

[Deleted]

Where is your wireless router in relation to the PC you are using?

I've troubleshooted similar problems before and there are lots of reasons. One common problem is interference from other wifi routers. These operate on different broadcast channels and if you are close to another that is on the same channel, you can get contention.

If you have an android phone, install this ... it should scan and tell you the channels that you are competing with ...

play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.farproc.wifi.analyzer&hl=en

not got an iphone but this is a link to the same app .. www.ollapp.com/app/wifi-analyzer/iphone

if you are competing, you can change the channel you broadcast within your wifi router

[meeee]

Dec 13, 2012 10:48:59 GMT @ashmal said:

Where is your wireless router in relation to the PC you are using?

I've troubleshooted similar problems before and there are lots of reasons. One common problem is interference from other wifi routers. These operate on different broadcast channels and if you are close to another that is on the same channel, you can get contention.

If you have an android phone, install this ... it should scan and tell you the channels that you are competing with ...

play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.farproc.wifi.analyzer&hl=en

not got an iphone but this is a link to the same app .. www.ollapp.com/app/wifi-analyzer/iphone

if you are competing, you can change the channel you broadcast within your wifi router

Yep this is where I would start to, change the channel on your Router.

[Deleted]

I can talk you through changing the channel if this appears to be the case

[chrisjw]

Dec 13, 2012 10:48:59 GMT @ashmal said:

Where is your wireless router in relation to the PC you are using?

I've troubleshooted similar problems before and there are lots of reasons. One common problem is interference from other wifi routers. These operate on different broadcast channels and if you are close to another that is on the same channel, you can get contention.

If you have an android phone, install this ... it should scan and tell you the channels that you are competing with ...

play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.farproc.wifi.analyzer&hl=en

not got an iphone but this is a link to the same app .. www.ollapp.com/app/wifi-analyzer/iphone

if you are competing, you can change the channel you broadcast within your wifi router

Hi ashmal.

My pc is in my bedroom & the router is downstairs in the lounge.... my connection is with talk-talk. This is the only router in the house & the next nearest one is in the neighbours house. This problem doesn't seem to happen with the pc downstairs, just this one upstairs....I don't have an android, so will have a look at the link you gave. Thanks for the help. It's not a big problem I suppose, but it's just annoying, particularly if I've just spent time typing a post & then find it won't post because of the connection....Just to add, when this problem occurs, it still shows as an excellent connection on the icon..........

[Deleted]

which operating system is your PC on ?

[chrisjw]

XP

[Deleted]

:-(

is your other (working PC) XP as well ?

and has this only recently started? How long have you had Talk Talk?

[chrisjw]

No........Vista

[chrisjw]

It's been happening for a couple of months & Talk-talk has been here for a few years. I will add, that my pc is a rebuilt one from about 4 months back & I connected it to the internet myself. Unfortunately, I have an appointment in half an hour, so need to go out for a while.

[Karma]

Chris, i had the same problem when TalkTalk sent me an upgrade to download onto my router. My desktop that was hard wired to it was fine but my son's connection on his laptop was shocking.

What had happened was that my settings hadn't been saved. I set my wireless connection to the one where it automatically selects whatever the best channel is at that time and the upgrade had unticked that box.

If you go to the Talk Talk help pages and click onto 'wireless problems' it should give you instructions as to how to get into the 'advanced router settings' to fix the problem. It is simple to fix as I did it

[Deleted]

Ok.

It's either interference still - the fact your other PC works and is downstairs closer to the router still points to this. The best channel setting is dependent on what the router detects at that point in time, usually 6 or 11. If a neighbours router is switched off and on during the day, the "best" channel can be impacted. XP might not be switching in time or it is this switching which causes it to lose connection. I would recommend looking on the TalkTalk site as Karma recommends and checking what your router is set to.

or its a config problem with XP (shudder) ... I've had nightmares with this and there are several possibilities.

It could be related to the channel detection on the card (as above)

You should check that you are obtaining an IP address automatically and that the drivers for the wireless card are up to date

These are general guides but don't attempt this if you feel unsure ...

Hit the windows start button, select run and type 'ncpa.cpl'

This should bring up your network center. Select the wireless card and right click, looking up properties. You should get a screen with a card icon and a window below it with things like Client for Microsoft Windows.

There should be a configure button near the top. Select this, and another window will pop up. Select the "Driver" tab. Update driver is then an option and you should be asked to either search for an update or provide the new driver ... if the search fails, you will have to find the update driver off the internet.

Next thing, return to the previous screen where you clicked "Configure"

Beneath "configure" there will be a list of icon and one which says "Internet Protocol Version ... " and click on the "properties" tab below. Another screen will pop up. Check that the settings are set to "Obtain IP address automatically" and "Obtain DNS Server automatically".

[chrisjw]

Thanks guys..Have done as suggested ashmal & the search result came up....'Could not find a better match for hardware'.........All the boxes you mentioned are ticked correctly....I'll have a look on the Talk Talk page.

[meeee]

Is the PC downstairs also using the wirless or is it connected to the router via a network Cable?

[chrisjw]

OK........Got into Talk Talk & the channel was set on 1...Have now changed it to 'auto'.