Best wireless card?

[Forkin' Crazy]

I finally hooked up to a DSL antenna. :cool:

I have an older D-Link wireless card I am using right now, but the signal strength is very low. My wireless modem is only a couple rooms away. The tech that installed the antenna and system said they make better wireless cards now, some with an external antenna.

Any favorites?

[Scream And Fly]

Paul, do you need a wireless card for a PC or a wireless laptop card? What are you using for a wireless router? The problem could be many things - your wireless router, router placement, etc. Some routers allow you to set the power output of the wireless transmitter.

I've generally been pleased with Linksys products for home use, but my favorite wireless router for the home is the D-Link DGL-4300 (which totally rocks).

[pyro]

Anything but USRobotics for a laptop card/router package. Mine works until you get 20 feet away, then it's hit and miss. crock of sh**

[Stretch]

The Linksys package works well.......anywhere in the house at least!

[mercpunk]

linksys is what my dad uses for all big company's like manafacturing places really big . if you use a home hub you can buy a small booster ant. from staples for 50 bucks and nearly double your range and strength

[Forkin' Crazy]

Thanks guys. It is for my old Inspiron 8200. :o

Card I am using now is a DLink air plus. Router is a motorola. My old DLink router worked good. 30' and several rooms was no problem. I did move the router across the room and that helped. Still getting a "low" signal. Wires everywhere lol.

[wireless]

If you are open to swapping out your wireless router (or adding a new access point to your existing router) you should look at getting a 802.11n set-up.

Not only will you get 100 Mbs throughput (which may not be a big deal), but you will get 3X the distance, and a much more solid connection.

I'm not partial to Linksys, but if you look at their website, you will get all the info you need.

Also, I believe that most "n" cards are also backwardly compatible to 802.11 b/g - so they should still work at public hot-spots and other b/g networks.

[Forkin' Crazy]

Router is a Motorola WR850GP and from what I read on the website, it's 802.11g or 802.11b.

Card is D-Link DWL-650, 802.11g, 802.11b compatible.

I am lost on this one. Damn thing cuts on and off. Router is 20' away and goes through 2 walls.

Wireless network says signal is low, and D-Link signal strength says good. I guess I'm gonna try my old D-Link router and see what happens.

Thanks

[wireless]

These wireless issues can be frustrating.... I know - this is how I make my living!!

Here are a few things to check:

1. Do you live in a densely populated area (houses close together, condo, apartment, etc)? I live in a lake community where houses are about 30' apart. I can pick up 4 of my neighbors wireless networks - and they are all on channel 6! If you see other networks near yours, try to use a non-overlapping channel, as they could be bumping you off. BTW - the only completely non-overlapping channels are 1,6, and 11.

2. Do you have 2.4 GHz cordless phones? They can destroy your network - and since they "poll" the base unit all the time, they can be trouble even when idle.

3. How about microwave ovens nearby? I did some troubleshooting for an office once - turned out that their network crashed every time someone made hot chocolate in a "leaky" microwave
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You may also look into downloading NETSTUMBLER – which is a very hand free tool that can help in situations like this!
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www.netstumbler.com (http://www.netstumbler.com)

[Forkin' Crazy]

Thanks!!! I didn't even think about the phones. One was right behind my computer, so I moved it to the next room and not in line with the signal. Still didn't help. So I hooked up the D-link box I was using at my Mom's.. the same one she uses with her mac all the way across the house. It would do absolutely nothing.

My closest neighbor is 300 yards away, and the other about 800 yards, so I don't think that is a problem either. :mad:

No microwave running.

Frustrating? More like giving me a case of the reda(ss)! :rolleyes:

It has a DSL receiver on my TV antenna, that cable goes to a white box with "Tranzeo Wireless Technologies Inc. on it. One plug goes to the receiver- CPE, one says PC and goes to router, one plug for power. I can plug my computer up to the wire that comes form the PC, and it says I have 100mbps, where the wireless won't get but 11mbps. But.... I can't get the computer to get on line with the line off the PC plug to the networking plug on my computer. I was thinking to heck with a router and just hardwiring it but can't get it to work that way.

Thank you for helping!

[wireless]

I hope that solves the problem - let me know how it goes!

[Forkin' Crazy]

Well I got a Belkin long range router and card... It is still slow, but my reception improved a little, but not as much as I would have thought. Walls must me part lead lol.

I couldn't get it to do dink, so I called and talked to a tech from the internet company. I had to go in and enter all the info, wan addy, SNM, Gateway, Pref DNS, 2nd DNS, set it on b only, and only can use channel 1 or 6. I think he said the antenna itself uses ch 11. Not done messing with it. I have to contact them too.

Still working on it. :rolleyes:

[wireless]

I was assuming that you were getting DSL service over phone lines from a Telco DSL provider - but sounds like you are getting Internet service wirelessly from a WiSP (Wireless Internet Service Provider)? This is why you have a "DSL Antenna" outside on your TV antenna mast?

[boll weevil]

hey forkin, I have had good luck with linksys cards and others but the one that I have to say I have had the absolute best luck with is the 2Wire PCMCIA wireless cards. Oh another trick or two, go into the wireless router, set to b/g mode, and set to channel 11. the higher channels seem to punch out somewhat better. 802.11.b transfer rate is 11mbs. 802.11.g transfer rate is 54mbs. If you are using an older "b" card then I would go with a newer card as they are 5x faster. If you would like I can send you a 2Wire card and see if that will help any. also the 2wire ADSL gateways (modem and router in one) will really reach out there, there are a ton of them on ebay. they are a little pesky to set up initally, but once you are done it is good as gold! about the cordless phones interfering, I have had good luck moving the base at least 30 feet from router, If you have the option, go into the router and turn on diversity spread in the advanced wireless options, that will also help out with range and phones

larry

[boll weevil]

heres another thing to try

dns #1 199.2.252.10
dsn #2 204,117.214.10

also to an internet search on an antenna called the Cantenna. looks like a pringles can but really kicks butt. Is directional antenna, just point where needed!!


larry

[Forkin' Crazy]

Yep, it is wireless. Receiver on the TV antenna. That is why I can't run it on ch 11 and in b mode only.

Signal strength is good to very good now (moved wireless router around).

It goes in sperts. Sometimes is hauls ass, sometimes I think dial up is faster. I have plugged my lap top directly to the router. Transfer speed is 100mbps. No difference in computer speed. I think the problem may lie somewhere else.

Many thanks!

[boll weevil]

is your dsl through cable tv or telephone line? if it is through cable tv, how many lan ports are on the back of router?

[Forkin' Crazy]

is your dsl through cable tv or telephone line? if it is through cable tv, how many lan ports are on the back of router?

DSL tower is 3 miles away. I have a receiver/transmitter on my TV tower on the side of my house that is about 30' tall. I think it's WiSP like wireless said.

One WAN port.

[wireless]

Yep, it is wireless. Receiver on the TV antenna. That is why I can't run it on ch 11 and in b mode only.

Signal strength is good to very good now (moved wireless router around).

It goes in sperts. Sometimes is hauls ass, sometimes I think dial up is faster. I have plugged my lap top directly to the router. Transfer speed is 100mbps. No difference in computer speed. I think the problem may lie somewhere else.

Many thanks!
OK! Now I understand more about what may be going on.

When you plug your laptop directly into the router, you will always see a speed of 100Mbps, as this is the speed of the hard-wired Ethernet connection between your PC and your router - it has nothing to do with the speed of the "Internet" connection.

And because you are getting the same results when you are wired into the router as you get over your "in-house" wireless, I would be inclined to think the your in-house wireless is fine.

I am more concerned that the problem is with your WiSP. Can you give me any deatails on them? Who are they? Did they give you any IP address or configuration info? I would really like to help you look into this further...

[Forkin' Crazy]

Oh I see. Well damn....

He gave me a bunch of numbers to put into the router.

The company is inetsouth.

I am going to give them a call tomorrow. If I can't get this resolved soon, I will have to try something else. what gets me is sometimes it works good, downloading streaming video no problem. And othet times (most of the time) it is as slow or slower then dial up.

How do I find out what the transfer rate is?

:)

[Forkin' Crazy]

I called them and they sent a tech out. He hooked his laptop up to it and comfirmed the slow transfer rate just as I had described. He then climbed my tv tower and replaced the DSL trans/receiver. Everything is good now.

Thanks guys!

[wireless]

Great News! I tried to answer your thread a few times over the weekend, but it seems like the S&F forum database has had some issues. Hope you have smooth sailing from here on in!