looking for recommendations to replace my Belkin pre-N. Moderately priced, no more than a 50' range. Thanks
Wireless router.....
- Thread starter 46er
- Start date
The Apple Airport express is a great little router for travelling and home use, but maybe not quite what you're looking for. Works with macs, pc's and everything... I take it with me on trips sometimes to use in hotels without wifi.
I am still using the Westell DSL Modem/wireless router which came with my Verizon service. If you want more range, look at some of the products from Hawking Technology. I have one of their wifi amplifiers and a small antenna mounted outside my house with a wire going to the antenna jack on the Westell router. It's pretty amazing, I can get wifi way out in the woods with my iPhone or iPod Touch.... as far as 600 feet from the house!
I am still using the Westell DSL Modem/wireless router which came with my Verizon service. If you want more range, look at some of the products from Hawking Technology. I have one of their wifi amplifiers and a small antenna mounted outside my house with a wire going to the antenna jack on the Westell router. It's pretty amazing, I can get wifi way out in the woods with my iPhone or iPod Touch.... as far as 600 feet from the house!
Haha 
- my only neighbors within range are the squirrels, deer, wild turkeys and other forest creatures. So far none of them have internet access. Anyway, it's encrypted...
But if you want to see some wild stuff, try googling something like "wifi antenna" and you will see contraptions which people have built. One guy posted plans for retrofitting a direct TV dish and claimed a range of several miles! There's some kind of annual "shoot out" where they see how far they can broadcast their signals.
- my only neighbors within range are the squirrels, deer, wild turkeys and other forest creatures. So far none of them have internet access. Anyway, it's encrypted...But if you want to see some wild stuff, try googling something like "wifi antenna" and you will see contraptions which people have built. One guy posted plans for retrofitting a direct TV dish and claimed a range of several miles! There's some kind of annual "shoot out" where they see how far they can broadcast their signals.
Thanks all. From what I can see Linksys is the router to have in my neighborhood In the meantime, I changed my channel option to specify a set channel, not auto. I think the increase in the number of nieghborhood routers might be causing my problem, as it hasn't dropped since I changed the setting, it was dropping regularly..
In the meantime, I changed my channel option to specify a set channel, not auto. I think the increase in the number of nieghborhood routers might be causing my problem, as it hasn't dropped since I changed the setting, it was dropping regularly..
Well, my dropped wireless connection problem has come back. Changing the channel helped over the past year, but now I see there are more wireless folks in the neighborhood, 10 that I can see. Does anyone know of a way I can see what address they are using? And once I get an address, what would cause me to lose it? More powerful router somewhere? Right now I am 15' and one wall between the router and computer. Router is still a Belkin pre-N, WPA secured. It's really become such a pain I'm considering moving everything and hard wiring it. 
Got a Linksys (Cisco) WRT160N at work several months ago and it has been great. We initially got it to control a video server in the projection booth from a laptop in the theatre, about 100 feet away. No problems at all. Now using in our office. These new routers really shouldn't have any problems inside a typical sized home.
I don't think it is a distance problem, rather it seems to be due to the number of active networks. Early mornings I have no issues, but once normal times come around the drops begin. I spoke with Belkin trying fo find out how the actual connection works. I asked, if I get connected, I should stay connected; what would cause me to become disconnected. Not much of a response other than the connection is lost. Very insightful
If the new routers have more than 10 channels, that would probably be a help.
Well, I located some beggarware, (www.netstumbler.com) that gives me the info I was looking for. Looks like my theory is busted, as all but 1 network is using channel 6. The other 1 is using channel 1. I am very cornfused.
Could the problem be on the PC side and not the Router end? Is this problem happening on more than one PC? If it's happening on more than one PC the router might just be flaky and probably time for a new one.
You could also try changing your DHCP settings and select a network other than the 192.168.1.x default network usually offered. Change it to 192.168.77.x and see what happens.
You could also try changing your DHCP settings and select a network other than the 192.168.1.x default network usually offered. Change it to 192.168.77.x and see what happens.
Its probably the router as it happens on any PC using that network. Tried changing the IP, but no difference. From what I can gather, the Belkin is kind of flaky, but I've had no issues the past year. It's like a switch was turned off.
I'm going to connect to a neighbors network and see what happens.
I'm going to connect to a neighbors network and see what happens.
Well that would also be a good way to save money on internet service.
:rofl: It sure would. Here's hoping he's forgetful.....
The linksys WRT54G is great for the money. I just paid $42 bucks for a new one. Cisco is a good company and they will be around for a while.
I do have the Belkin N.....I think its good to a ridiculous 1/4 mile. I paid $110 I think.....but I won the money in a Credit Union drawing. I have the security on.
I made a change to the router settings last night and so far today I have not had any drops. The change was to the mode setting to allow only G and pre-N. It was set to the default
Changing the internal IP of the subnet won't have any affect on wireless connectivity. Some things that do: signal strength and signal-to-noise ratio. If you have anything else on the 2.4ghz band (or 5.8ghz depending on your router model) then it can cause these issues. Examples can be cordless phones, rf-remotes, microwave ovens. If you have a router that has switchable frequency, then try whatever band you're not already on, i.e. if it is running on 2.4 switch it to 5.8.
Windows has a setting in the wireless network properties for "automatically connect to preferred networks". Try clearing this checkbox. Sometimes if you have a signal strength problem Windows will drop the connection and try a different one, and generally you don't want this behavior.
Another issues that sometimes occurs is that people get multiple utilities fighting to configure the adapter. Other than the actual device drivers Windows has everything needed to manage the adapter, so you don't need the OEM utility running in the task tray. If it is, try disabling it.
Windows has a setting in the wireless network properties for "automatically connect to preferred networks". Try clearing this checkbox. Sometimes if you have a signal strength problem Windows will drop the connection and try a different one, and generally you don't want this behavior.
Another issues that sometimes occurs is that people get multiple utilities fighting to configure the adapter. Other than the actual device drivers Windows has everything needed to manage the adapter, so you don't need the OEM utility running in the task tray. If it is, try disabling it.
Check on all those suggestions, but I do keep the preferred auto connect on, and limit the preferred network to mine. So far today all is good.
Bob,
I actually bought the Belkin N you have and after bringing it home we could not connect using the wireless. Then Jessica pushed the button in on the top of it and it broke. So we took it back and I bought the NetGear and as soon as we plugged it in we connected. Have not had a problem. And for the first time the girls can walk to the street with their iPod Touch's and still connect. On sale for $69.
Guy