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Competing Wireless Access

Living in an apartment, I have many very close neighbors. After setting up a wireless network, that went smoothly, I occasionally get knocked offline. When I check for available networks to connect to, mine will not be listed and others will be. I have a linksys and I'll see connections available for Netgear, Belkian, and other private named connections. After a few minutes (usually) my actual connection will be available again and I can connect.

So my question is, can competing wireless routers cancel each other out if they cover the same area with their signal or should you always be able to connect to your router regardless of how many wireless access points are located around you?

Thanks for any info, John

Reply to
John Carbone
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knocked

access

Wireless adapters sit around and listen for Beacons with the best signal strength, and will atempt to connect to that network. If you are using the same channel as someone else under the right conditions it could distort or cancel your signal altogether. You might try netstumbler (free download), it will show all the available networks and what channel they are on, then hopefully there is an unused one and you can switch to it.

Reply to
Airhead

I'd get a program such as network stumbler - which is free I think, and see what channel their wireless networks are running on and run on a different channel. Most seem to run on 6 or 1, and the 3 networks near me are all on channel 6 or 1, I'm running on channel 11 to reduce interference.

Daniel

Reply to
Daniel Bennett

A flooded channel is often the culprit for erratic or dropped signals. In your situation, you should try changing to a different channel with your router. If you are using the windows wireless zero configuration utility, make your network a "Preferred" network and uncheck the box that says connect to non preferred networks. This will aid in your adapter seeking only your network. Still, a stronger signal from a neighbor "might" cause problems for you.

Reply to
Doug Jamal

I just recently noticed that there are three WAPs visible from my place. All three are on channel six. Three different SSIDs. The other two have WEP keys. I haven't noticed any connection or throughput problems. I connect to "mine" quickly and easily.

I tried a connection to each of the others. One pops up a WEP key request box. The other one just gives me a "failed to connect" box. I've noticed the "failed to connect" box on some of the secured WAPs at work. I don't know if that's caused by MAC filtering or not. I don't think that it's signal strength causing the message.

Reply to
dold

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