Sorry, but this was meant as a solution (including links and pictures), not as a clarification request.
This is apparently a bug on fixya and I hope they correct this soon. However, here is my answer again:
There are a number of factors that can cause the signal of the access point to deteriorate and the performance of a network to fall under par. Practically any appliance that operates on the same frequency level (2.4 GHz) as 802.11b or 802.11g can cause interference with your wireless network. Be sure to keep cordless phones, microwaves and other electrical equipment at least 3ft away from the access point. Try changing channels on the access point and test it out. To change the radio channel on the access point login to the web based configuration interface and go to the Wireless Settings section, select a different channel and save settings. On the client, go to Device Manager, right click your wireless network adapter and go to Properties. In the "Advanced" tab select the Channel Property and change the Value to the same number as the one you chose on the Access Point. Disable and then re-enable the wireless connection.
You may also want to try changing the position of your access point antenna to improve performance. Play around with its position and see if you notice a difference. If the antenna points sideways or downwards you will have better reception on the floor below.
my son gets a low signal strength on his laptop - 150d8fc.gifdata-src="/uploads/images/150d8fc.gif" alt="150d8fc.gif" class="h_mi" />my son gets a low signal strength on his laptop - bdc513c.gifntenna pointing upwards (default)
Antenna pointing sideways
The location of your access point is vital. Try and place it in a central location, as much as possible avoiding physical obstructions and reflective surfaces. Remember that wireless signals bounce of windows and mirrors, thus decreasing the range. Experiment with different locations until you find one that is practical and promising. Most people like placing it near the ceiling since most obstructions are nearer to the floor.
It’s always a good idea to monitor the performance of your signal by using a diagnostic utility. This will help you to identify how strong your signal is in different locations and whether other electrical equipment is interfering. Run the utility when the microwave or cordless phone is in use and see if you notice a difference. Usually your access point will come with its own monitoring utility. Otherwise you can use a little prgram called netstumbler. You can find it here.
f you are using Windows XP on your laptop, install at least Service Pack 2. Check the Microsoft Website for download details. Windows XP Service Pack 2 comes with enhanced wireless support such as a new network setup wizard, built in support for WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access), an updated Wireless Network Connection dialog box and amongst others, a nice repair feature.
To utilize the repair feature all you have to do is right click the connection and select Repair or click the button on the support tab of the status dialog box. This will disable and then re-enable the connection (which clears many of the error conditions on wireless network adapters), clear the NetBT cache and flush the DNS cache
The connection signal can become low after a long period of activity, and pressing the Repair button will boost it up to “Good” or “Very Good” depending on your location.
If you have any more questions, just come back here and leave a comment - I'm happy to help.
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No more than 20 ft.No obstructions.Thata our only labtop.
There are a number of factors that can cause the signal of the access point to deteriorate and the performance of a network to fall under par. Practically any appliance that operates on the same frequency level (2.4 GHz) as 802.11b or 802.11g can cause interference with your wireless network. Be sure to keep cordless phones, microwaves and other electrical equipment at least 3ft away from the access point. Try changing channels on the access point and test it out. To change the radio channel on the access point login to the web based configuration interface and go to the Wireless Settings section, select a different channel and save settings. On the client, go to Device Manager, right click your wireless network adapter and go to Properties. In the "Advanced" tab select the Channel Property and change the Value to the same number as the one you chose on the Access Point. Disable and then re-enable the wireless connection. You may also want to try changing the position of your access point antenna to improve performance. Play around with its position and see if you notice a difference. If the antenna points sideways or downwards you will have better reception on the floor below. Antenna pointing upwards (default) Antenna pointing sideways The location of your access point is vital. Try and place it in a central location, as much as possible avoiding physical obstructions and reflective surfaces. Remember that wireless signals bounce of windows and mirrors, thus decreasing the range. Experiment with different locations until you find one that is practical and promising. Most people like placing it near the ceiling since most obstructions are nearer to the floor. It?s always a good idea to monitor the performance of your signal by using a diagnostic utility. This will help you to identify how strong your signal is in different locations and whether other electrical equipment is interfering. Run the utility when the microwave or cordless phone is in use and see if you notice a difference. Usually your access point will come with its own monitoring utility. Otherwise you can use a little prgram called netstumbler. You can find it here. f you are using Windows XP on your laptop, installing at least Service Pack 2. Check the Microsoft Website for download details. Windows XP Service Pack 2 comes with enhanced wireless support such as a new network setup wizard, built in support for WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access), an updated Wireless Network Connection dialog box and amongst others, a rather nifty repair feature. To utilize the repair feature all you have to do is right click the connection and select Repair or click the button on the support tab of the status dialog box. This will disable and then re-enable the connection (which clears many of the error conditions on wireless network adapters), clear the NetBT cache and flush the DNS cache.The connection signal can become low after a long period of activity, and pressing the Repair button will boost it up to ?Good? or ?Very Good? depending on your location. If you have any more questions, just come back here and leave a comment - I'm happy to help.
How far away from the router is your son's laptop? Are there any obstructions? Can you re-create the same problem with another laptop?
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