Wireless-G Range Expander(Linksys wre54g) sporadic loss of internet connection

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Sounds like interference. Try a different non-overlapping channel (1, 6, 11) and look for sources of 2.4 GHz interference.

Hey why didn't anybody tell me that I could go into network connections, rt click on tcp/ ip then manually enter the ip address of

198.168.1 etc, the sumnet mask, the default gateway, and the primary two dns servers??!! So the next time I lose my connection as described and the ip address is all 0's, I can manualy enter the settings above instead of fiddling with the config button on the range expander(which most of the time does not work) so that I can be back online in a few minutes. Thanks very much everyone for your helpful "advice"!!!!?? John

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The problem is that when DHCP (the way config info is handed out) is failing, the connection is probably failing as well; i.e., that's treating the symptom, not the disease.

True, John, but at least I'll be back online within minutes(instead of a prolonged period of time). John

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The difference shouldn't be significant. If it is, something is wrong.

Just happened 30 minutes ago, about the same time my neighbor came home so I'm wondering if he is using a microwave or cordless phone, although I recall he only has a cell phone. His apartment is close proximately to mine. I booted up, doubled clicked on IE, yahoomail.com would not connect(or any link). I looked at icon of connection in system tray, my settings were still there, manually entered earlier today as I described. I then shut off notebook, unplugged range expander for 3 minutes, plugged back in, still settings same in connection icon, would not connect('finding yahoomail.com" I then held in button on range expander(config) for 30 seconds, unplugged expander for 3 minutes(I had turned laptop off), powered expander on, still could not connect although the settings for ip address, submask, etc were all in network connections as I had manually configged earlier. I then had an idea, range expander was on , blue light blinking showing some activity. I 'disabled 'my connection by rt clicking on connection in system tray, then went to start, then 'connect to my wireless connection:' said 'enabling', my problem was fixed (I rebooted to be sure) and I am typing this in google groups right now. The wireless card is linksys, the router is linksys, and the range expander described earlier is linksys(it is a repeater) I don't understand what you are referring to in your post, could you please explain it to me? Do you think I should take the repeater back to the store to exchange it, could it be defective(doubt it)? When the 'range expander' is working, it's great- signal goes from very low or no signal to very good to excellent with it engaged(by the way, have a Hp laptop also- w a broadcom driver, when I can't connect on my dell w linksys wireless adapter, I also cannot connect with HP laptop. So please offer some feedback(spoke to linksys support, they are not much help, read thru knowledge base too) It seems to happen at night(ALL DAY today connection was fine till neighbor(he is asshole) came home. John

Went out today, returned range expander for same model(exchange was allowed), now 2 blue lights are indicated on top of range expander- not one red and one blue like on model I returned(may be slightly different model) Well had absolutely no problem setting up, connection is great and I notice that when I hold pointer over connection icon in system tray, it always says signal strength excellent, 54Mbps, not 48 or 36 like in linksys range expander I returned today. So maybe I had defective range range expander, time will tell- John (A Happy Ending I hope-)

Hi,

I'm glad your "new" repeater is working like it should. Perhaps the first one was made on a Friday... :^)

I apologize if my language in my reply was a little fuzzy.

This is just FYI stuff, since it looks like you are now up and running like should be. If everything is working, you don't have to be concerned with this. All of this should be going on "behind the scenes", without your intervention.

Your first post caught my eye because you had mentioned that you were using Linksys' proprietary turbo and having problems repeating.

The following applies to DLink, which I'm more familair with, but I am going to assume probably applies to Linksys as well.

The proprietary rates "do their magic" by using multiple channels, instead of just a single channel. Generally, the proprietary rates are similiar with different manufacturers, but each has their own variant. This is why to take advantage of them, you need hardware from the same manufacturer. A DLink router/AP needs to be talking to DLink client hardware (capable of the proprietary rates), Linksys with Linksys, ect. All of them are also capable of falling back to standard 802.11[a/g/b], unless you config them not to. This is so different manufacturer hardware can talk together by falling back to vanilla 802.11 standards. The different manufacturers all claim various big numbers that their proprietary rates are capable of, but in the real world the performance increase is ~20 percent.

Consumer repeaters, at least DLink, are not capable of repeating the "proprietary" turbo rates, as it would mean repeating across multiple channels. They are taxed to the limit repeating just standard 802.11 rates, as repeating means transmitting and receiving. In fact, the standard rates get cut in half going through repeaters. If you only use your wireless network for internet traffic, you won't even notice the pipe being cut in half though. (Unless of course you are lucky enough to have a T2 or better at home!) If you want to see the drop, try doing some comparison between using the repeater and not using it while transfering some files around locally. Your little Linksys client icon isn't going to going to change either. Mine always (DLink) says I'm at 108 Mbps (ha!).

But, you shouldn't have to turn off the "proprietary" turbo rate on the originating router/AP before setting up a repeater. The way the "handshake" should work, seamlessly and behind the scenes is, after your point your repeater towards an intended SSID or MAC to repeat is basically:

-- [Repeater comes to life and finds the originating SSID/MAC that you configed to repeat]

[Reapter]: "Hey, AP, I'm configed to work with you! Want to work together?" [AP]: "Sure! Sounds good, but I'm in configed in a "propriertary" rate right now. Let me fall back to standard 802.11(whatever)." [Repeater]: "Ok. I'll look for ya when you fall back and come back to life." [Repeater sees AP again] [Repeater]: "Hey, AP, I'm configed to work with you! Want to work together?" [AP]: "Sure! Sounds good and I'm in a mode that can do this. Lets do this thing!"

They both say, "I do", and go on life together...

"Eric" hath wroth:

Not all the turbot or super-G technologies use more than one channel. Atheros Super-G uses 2 channels via "channel bonding". Intersil Nitro, and Broadcom Afterburner/Xpress use "frame burst" to gain speed and only use one channel.

That really depends on the distance. 54Mbits/sec connections yield about 25Mbits/sec thruput up to about 20ft. Any farther and the access point detects errors and reduces the speed. The same thing happens at 108Mbits/sec. You can get about 60Mbits/sec throughput, but only if you're very close. I was finally able to get such speeds with a DI-624 but only out to about 6ft range. The slightest reflection of garbage from a different access point would cause the system to detect an error and slow down. Basically, the main advantage to these modes is that close in (i.e. less than about 15ft), the thruput is higher. Past about 15ft, they do nothing useful because you're running at 54Mbits/sec or slower.

You may find this review of the WRE54G illuminating:

"As you can see from the test results, the WRE54G's repeated throughput falls off pretty quickly, so I can't recommend it at all as a way to improve wireless speed in areas where it may be lower than desired."

The test results at:

worse than half. Half is what you would get if everything was perfect. It never is.

Actually, you may notice the erratic thruput from a repeater.

the lower graph. It should a fairly constant line, not an oscillatory mess.

Note the lower graph. It should a fairly constant line, not an

Yuck! I just ran mine, repeated and non-repeated, and yep -- its pretty ugly repeated too.

Damn, now you have me thinking about taking the repeaters out of repeat mode to run them just as additional AP's -- laying down even more CAT5! :^)