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Is it WinXP or just wireless which sucks?

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Occulis
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 12:05    Post subject: Is it WinXP or just wireless which sucks? Reply with quote

I have a LinkSys wireless 802.11g access point at home. It plugs into my router. It works flawlessly, or at least so well my simian grey matter thinks it is flawless.

However, I also have a LinkSys 802.11g wireless network card in my PC. There is a distance of 15 feet between the access point and the card.

When the card does see the network, it says the signal is "excellent" and I get a 54mb connection.

Then, about once per 40 minutes, WinXP stops communicating with the WAP. It can't "repair" the device. It can't reconnect to the network even though the network is visible in the "View wireless networks" list. I have the latest linksys drivers for my card.

I reboot (without powerdown) and it is able to connect again.

While I expect chaos, instability and random reboots from a Microsoft product, this seems a little extreme. WinXP really doesn't seem to like wireless networks at all.

I'm going to plug in the network card to another machine, install Debian on it, and see how it fares.

Any suggestions for the WinXP machine?


Update next day:
I had previously installed the right drivers, and the newest ones, but I didn't
run the LinkSys wireless monitor tool. It sits in the systray. Since I left
that thing running I haven't been disconnected.


Last edited by Occulis on 01/04/05 - 14:19; edited 1 time in total
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Aviger
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 12:51    Post subject: Reply with quote

i've had similair trouble with winxp and wireless
It works great for a while then poof, drops of without any reason whatsoever and a reboot fixes it.

Not a bit deal while websurfing or working on stuff, but when playing online games it sux ass
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Abi
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 13:00    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've never messed with wireless but found this same problem when I visited the 'rents this holiday season... sucked ass Sad seems to be pretty common with Win XP and wireless Sad
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Jakanden
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 14:14    Post subject: Reply with quote

Aviger wrote:
i've had similair trouble with winxp and wireless
It works great for a while then poof, drops of without any reason whatsoever and a reboot fixes it.

Not a bit deal while websurfing or working on stuff, but when playing online games it sux ass


I have also experienced this on WinXP. It annoys the shit out of me because it drops me from EQ. I ended going back to a Cabled connection and havent really f****d around with figureing out why it does it. I guess I should try to though heh
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Occulis
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 14:33    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's going to be funny (?) when I have to set up a wireless linux machine acting as a CAT-5 bridge to a winxp machine right beside it because WinXP can't keep a wireless connection alive. Real funny. So funny I might just stab my throat out! *($#($*(#*(&
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sinrakin
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 14:36    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've had this too, but it varies a lot. Best bet would be to check linksys for updated drivers, and make sure all the options in XP for dynamically modifying things are disabled (e.g. power saving mode where it sometimes decreases transmit power dynamically if it thinks it can get away with it).
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cheese
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 14:39    Post subject: Reply with quote

have you tried different channels? Or maybe a different external antenna?
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Occulis
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 14:40    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah... so far I have 32 hours /played in 802.11g and still no reliable solution. Good idea about the powersave. Will check the energy star crap in control panel.
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sinrakin
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 14:45    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not sure about linksys specifically, but usually the settings for wifi cards can be gotten to through the device manager entry, under properties on the wifi card. There might be some logging you can turn on there too.
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Overon
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 14:46    Post subject: Reply with quote

yeah i have this problem too

works for a few minutes in winxp then drops


this was on a friends laptop (ibm T-30) ... on my other friend's laptops they all used the IBM access connections software to do their wireless and it worked perfectly, but on one of the 2 friends who used winxp to do wireless it would work for like 5-15 minutes and then cut out



the problem was happening on a wireless router that required authorization to log in


also, one of my friends winxp wireless setup interface was a lot different than the others .. probably through service pack updates or something .. im not sure which computer had which updates (the working wireless or the non-working wireless) ... but its something to look into


Last edited by Overon on 01/03/05 - 14:48; edited 2 times in total
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Mogling
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 14:46    Post subject: Reply with quote

I dont have this problem with my wireless laptop but i am using a microsoft wireless router i picked up for 8$ on clearence.
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r00typooh
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 14:49    Post subject: Reply with quote

i've had issues with Linksys products dropping my signal generally.. don't ignore the possibility that you have a defective product. i've had numerous issues with the hardware stability over the past few years that i've been using their products. recently i switched to netgear, which seems to be working much better.

you may want to also try the hacked linksys firmware... i'm not sure which hardware models there are releases for, but i know that it's outthere. i have a friend whose using it and swears its the best thing you could do for your linksys router... you may want to try f*****g around with that to try to get some extra stability.
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Occulis
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 14:54    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sweet - thanks for all the advice. I'll definitely not punch anyone in the face this week. Definitely.
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Overon
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 14:55    Post subject: Reply with quote

r00tus wrote:
i've had issues with Linksys products dropping my signal generally.. don't ignore the possibility that you have a defective product. i've had numerous issues with the hardware stability over the past few years that i've been using their products. recently i switched to netgear, which seems to be working much better.

you may want to also try the hacked linksys firmware... i'm not sure which hardware models there are releases for, but i know that it's outthere. i have a friend whose using it and swears its the best thing you could do for your linksys router... you may want to try f*****g around with that to try to get some extra stability.



it was a linksys router where i was having the problem by the way
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Tiluvas
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 15:20    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a similar problem, but it's not a wireless router. I have a Linksys 4 port router/switch(I forget the model number), and after a day or two all activity on my main desktop just stops.

I don't think DHCP is renewing my IP or something, and I can't access the internet or the network or anything. I also can't access the admin page(http://10.100.1.1 or whatever), until I do a hardboot on the router(unplug/plug back in).

Any thoughts? I tried googling, but didn't see any results.
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Overon
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 15:32    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tiluvas wrote:
I have a similar problem, but it's not a wireless router. I have a Linksys 4 port router/switch(I forget the model number), and after a day or two all activity on my main desktop just stops.

I don't think DHCP is renewing my IP or something, and I can't access the internet or the network or anything. I also can't access the admin page(http://10.100.1.1 or whatever), until I do a hardboot on the router(unplug/plug back in).

Any thoughts? I tried googling, but didn't see any results.



thats odd

the more i hear about linksys the less i like them heh

have you done a firmware upgrade on your router?
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Xieroth
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 15:51    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've never liked Linksys ... just because it says CISCO on the box doesn't mean it is a quality device.

I've used netgear mostly. However I am moving to Astaro shortly. with a netgear switch if needed.
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Qaldyin
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 15:57    Post subject: Reply with quote

Same exact problem in my household bro. Good thing the router is in my room and I'm not wireless lol.
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r00typooh
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 15:58    Post subject: Reply with quote

if you use the equipment a lot and a decent amount of data transfer, you'll burn the linksys up and it'll start to run like shit.. they're not made to handle high data throughput *shrug*


i have one in my parent's condo and it has worked great for years now.. but all they do is browse the web... never any major file transfers and they're surely not using hte network as much as i would.
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Overon
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 16:21    Post subject: Reply with quote

i use a belkin router at home

never had any problems


i did have problems with the netgear one i had previously .. however i use netgear switches at school and they work like a charm
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Aviger
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 16:26    Post subject: Reply with quote

i just remembered one problem i DID manage to solve.
If you have a program with your wireless card that can do authorization and such make sure you either use it or WinXP built in network stuffs.
Those 2 had a fight over who got to talk to my router and neither of em won Razz
I noticed that although it's scary it's allways better to let winxp handle everyhthing, that helped my connection.

Another thing that i know messed up my connection was about 4 people around me in a 100 yard range using wireless to Razz i had to physically go and tell one of them to turn to a different channel so each of us was 2 apart or it would just refuse to work Razz
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Overon
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 16:34    Post subject: Reply with quote

i had a wireless switch that if you used a wireless phone at the same time as it you wouldnt get wireless internet
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Confused
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 16:40    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a laptop using a linksys 802.11g router and WinXP pro. I dno't think it has ever dropped me.
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sinrakin
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 16:41    Post subject: Reply with quote

One other thing, the place where I work does a lot of stuff with wifi, and the support people all insist that you should never, ever hibernate the PC if you're using wireless. Not sure if they're right or not, but the rumor is that the wifi drivers are very intolerant of hibernation, and even if you come out of hibernation and it seems to be working fine, all bets are off and it may fail later.

Sucks for me, because I always hibernate.
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Overon
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 16:43    Post subject: Reply with quote

what about putting you computer into sleep mode? (the mode that still uses a small amount of power but isnt quite hibernation)


i never hibernate, theres just no reason to .. its either off or sleep mode
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Occulis
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 16:45    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wonder if living 10 miles from IAH is having any effect. Embarassed
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r00typooh
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 17:04    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.tropos.com/products/5110outdoor.shtml

get one of these and you won't have any other wireless connectivity issues. . .


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Overon
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 17:09    Post subject: Reply with quote

nifty


looks like cancer! Wink
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r00typooh
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 17:14    Post subject: Reply with quote

it makes a strange humming sound all the time.
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compusmack
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PostPosted: 01/03/05 - 17:35    Post subject: Reply with quote

My aunt's HP XP laptop had this issue when she bought it. There is some kind of setting that you can change in windows to fix this. It's been months since i fixed it, but i think some kind of keep alive or authentication must be toggled. Her laptop would drop internet connectivity after about 10 minutes, and it needed reboot or reconnect of dhcp i think to fix it before that.
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