[Trish]

Hello. I have a wireless router that transmits my internet to 2 notebooks. I bought both notebooks together and they are exactly the same model. They both sit next to each other on the tabel and both are getting a 'very good' signal from the router.

One of the notebooks is running perfectly and I can surf the internet for as long as I want. The other notebook keeps dropping the signal every few minutes.

I am really not sure what the problem is. They are both the same model and the same distance away from the router.

Does anyone have any ideas????

Thanks

Edited by Trish, 14 February 2006 - 11:30 PM.

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Hello Trish and welcome to G2G,

I need some basic questions answered before we can troubleshoot your problem. Please answer these questions as best you can in detail, labelled PC1 for the pc that works fine and PC2 for the pc that is having connectivity problems:

1) What Operating System are you using? (Please include any Updates or Service Patches)

2) What is the Model and Manufacturer of your Modem (specify wether Cable, DSL, or Dial-up).

3) What IP Configuration do you Use and What IP Configuration does your ISP reccomend? (DHCP / STATIC / ECT...)

4) What is the Model and Manufacturer of your Router / Hub / Switch? (Please also specify if using Wired or Wireless)

5) If using Wireless are you using the WZC (Windows Wireless Zero Configuration) to manage your wireless connectivity or another Third party Program?

6) What is the Model and Manufacturer of the Network Card or USB Adapter you are using to connect with?

7) What troubleshooting steps have you already tried? (Please give full details)

[SpaceCowboy706]

Hello Trish and welcome to G2G,

I need some basic questions answered before we can troubleshoot your problem. Please answer these questions as best you can in detail, labelled PC1 for the pc that works fine and PC2 for the pc that is having connectivity problems:

1) What Operating System are you using? (Please include any Updates or Service Patches)

2) What is the Model and Manufacturer of your Modem (specify wether Cable, DSL, or Dial-up).

3) What IP Configuration do you Use and What IP Configuration does your ISP reccomend? (DHCP / STATIC / ECT...)

4) What is the Model and Manufacturer of your Router / Hub / Switch? (Please also specify if using Wired or Wireless)

5) If using Wireless are you using the WZC (Windows Wireless Zero Configuration) to manage your wireless connectivity or another Third party Program?

6) What is the Model and Manufacturer of the Network Card or USB Adapter you are using to connect with?

7) What troubleshooting steps have you already tried? (Please give full details)

[Trish]

Thanks for your reply Spacecowboy

Both notebooks are about the same.

1. Both are running Win XP Home with SP2

2. The modem is a Dlink DSL-302g. It is setup with Optus ( a phone company) and I looked up how to connect it with my router here

3. I am not sure. The modem is setup with PPPoE. However in the router I had to set it up to receive the modem as a Static IP as stated in the instructions (link above)

4. The wireless router is a Dlink DI-524. It also has 4 Ethernet sockets

5. I can use the WZC. But I setup most things using the Toshiba Wireless Setup program called Config Free.

6. The standard one that is built into the Toshiba Notebooks

7. I have used the same settings as the GOOD computer.


What I mean when I say the 'internet drops out": I will be surfing happily on a page and suddenly click a link which will take me to 'page not found'. Then I will wait for 30 seconds and a little pop-up (next to the clock) will say IP address found. I can then continue surfing until this happens again.

Also, there are other wireless network in my area. The Toshiba Wireless Program picks them up in its radar. The other networks are on different channels and the GOOD notebook also picks them up.

Thanks again

Edited by Trish, 16 February 2006 - 12:06 AM.

[SpaceCowboy706]

Welcome Back Trish,

First lets make sure that WZC is not trying to compete with your third party vendor connectivity software as the default wireless configuration utility:

Follow these steps for PROCESS 1:

1. Click the START button in the bottom Left hand corner.
2. Click on the RUN link
3. Type in SERVICES.MSC and press the OK Button
4. Under SERVICES (LOCAL) and Name scroll down to WIRELESS ZERO CONFIGURATION near the bottom
5. Right click on it and select PROPERTIES
6. Under Startup Type it should say DISABLED, If it does not please select it.
7. Under Service Status it should say STOPPED, if it does not please press the Stop button.
8. Press the APPLY Button and then the OK Button
9. If you had to change these settings - meaning that the service was started and the startup type was automatic then restart your computer after applying the changes. Now spend some time surfing to see if the problem returns. If the problem returns them move on to my next process below.
10. If you did not have to make any changes - meaning that the service was already stopped and the startup type was already disabled then restart your computer and move on to Process 2.


Next we need to make sure that your laptops are not trying to connect to other broadcasts with lesser signal quality/strength.

Follow these steps for PROCESS 2 (if directed to in Process 1):

If you were using the service that windows uses by default (WZC), I could easily give you a step-by-step walkthrough on how to check this, but you are not. You are using a connectivity manager that I have not had any training on, so you will have to use some trial and error on your own, but I can get you pointed in the right direction at least.

Open the connectivity manager and we are looking for the configuration area that allows us to select what network we want to connect to and what networks are available. Once in this area there should be an area that has a PREFERRED NETWORKS Section and an AVAILABLE NETWORKS Section. Once you find these two areas we want to remove or deny access to the all of the AVAILABLE NETWORKS except your netowrk (or your broadcast) and make sure that only your network (or your broadcast) is in the PREFERRED NETWORKS section. Once this is accomplished apply the settings and restart the computer. After restarting surf the web for a bit and see if the problem returns.

If it returns (dropping out), reopen the configuration utility again as explained before and see if there are any new additions to the PREFERRED NETWORKS.

Please post any problems you encounter.

[Trish]

Sorry for the late reply, I had to go interstate at the last moment.

I fixed the problem. The 'bad' computer had the wireless set to 'shared' instead of 'open' It fixed the problem straight away.

I tried what you said about SERVICES.MSC and if I disabled it, it wouldn't let me put in the WAP. The silly Toshiba wireless program doesn't work on its own, it works with the Windows Program. So when I am in the Toshiba Program and I want to enter in the WAP, it jumps to the Windows dialog box.AARRRGGG!!!! what a headache.


Anyway, I did end up fixing it, thatnks for your help.

Trish