wireless router - suddenly have a blackspot?

Hi

Does anyone know why my wireless connection (via netgear) would suddenly stop working in only one area? - have been using happily around the house - main location in the living room. (netgear box in upstairs).

However since yesterday it will not connect properly - saying there is an issue with the router - yet if I move laptop even just into the kitchen and refresh it is fine?

Apprecate any pointers

cheers Paddy

Interference from a newly installed 2.4GHz device in the vicinity (e.g. neighbour's house) perhaps?

Switch channels see if that makes a difference.

Hi Clubman, I thought someone else in the area may have set one up and its interfering somehow, but it still seems to show my netgear connection, which is password protected, just doesn't wanna work....I don't see how if its connected in the kitchen, I walk to the living room and it then says there is an issue with the router.

How do I switch channels aircobra19?

Thanks
Paddy

Remember that only channels 1, 6 and 11 are theoretically non overlapping so choose the least occluded of these if possible. You can use NetStumbler to check for neighbouring wireless LANs but you would need a spectrum analyzer to check for other 2.4GHz broadcasts such as some baby monitors, some cordless phones, microwave ovens, TV/digi senders etc.

paddyodoors said:

Hi Clubman, I thought someone else in the area may have set one up and its interfering somehow, but it still seems to show my netgear connection, which is password protected, just doesn't wanna work....I don't see how if its connected in the kitchen, I walk to the living room and it then says there is an issue with the router.

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What strength is the signal? The symptoms you describe could feasibly arise if the signal became too weak for it to communicate with the router in certain spots of the house. Of course there could also be another explanation.

How do I switch channels aircobra19?

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You need to log into your router's administration control panel using a web browser. Consult your manual for more details.

ClubMan said:

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You need to log into your router's administration control panel using a web browser. Consult your manual for more details.

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I think, depending on how its configured you might need to connect to the router directly to this, instead of using WiFi.

Thanks for the speedy response Clubman

hmmmm baby moniter eh - Have a recent addition to the family and a new baby monitor - although have had this for over 4 weeks and problems only started on Tuesday....

Signal strength goes from Good to Excellent - and has always worked well in that spot to date.

As for logging into the routers admin control panel - it looks for a password and DOH! I didn't bother to record the details when I set it up.

will check out NETstumbler - although my laptop automatically scans for other networks, so I can see a list of available LANS......would this be the same thing?

I'll also see if I can get the manual out of the attic - but referring back to my addition to the family - I have no time or energy to be climbing into the attic!!

thanks Paddy

paddyodoors said:

As for logging into the routers admin control panel - it looks for a password and DOH! I didn't bother to record the details when I set it up.

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If you cannot remember the password then you may have to hard reset the router and reconfigure it to its current setup.

will check out NETstumbler - although my laptop automatically scans for other networks, so I can see a list of available LANS......would this be the same thing?

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No - NetStumbler may find networks that Windows will not. It also gives more information about them (e.g. signal strength, channel number etc.).

I'll also see if I can get the manual out of the attic - but referring back to my addition to the family - I have no time or energy to be climbing into the attic!!

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The manual is most likely available to download.

If it was working and now has stopped except when you're close to it I would suspect interference most likely.

Thanks for the input CB and AC19.. will let you know how I get on.

POD

Quick update

I powered up last night and connection was fine again - am happily sitting on my sofa typing this....

must have been some interferance - if there was a new decive in the area - I guess it is likely that it is just switched off at the moment - in which case I will look at the channels then.

cheers
Paddy