Intermittent wireless connection?

[RhinoCan]

Does anyone know of any reasons why a wireless connection would be intermittent?

My mother's wireless is cutting out randomly for extended periods - hours, not just seconds - for no obvious reason. Let me tell you about her setup. She's in a small house and has a laptop that she connects wirelessly. My brother has his computer setup in the basement. He has a desktop and a cell phone; the desktop connects via ethernet, the phone connects wirelessly. The internet arrives via a fiber optic cable. My brother has had no connection issues via ethernet. The last time my mother lost her wireless connection, she went downstairs and my brother assured her that he was online with his desktop and could access websites at that moment.

All this suggests that the connection from the ISP is fine but that wireless within the house is intermittent. Why would that be? I've checked the router settings - they have a modem/router combo - and everything seemed fine there. But, just as I finished checking everything - I didn't change anything - we lost the wireless again so I'm unable to troubleshoot further until it comes back.

Could the wireless section of the router be failing, in which case we could try to get another modem from the ISP?

Could the wireless connectivity within her laptop be failing? Are there any diagnostics I could run to figure that out? It's a very new laptop, she's just had it since Mother's Day this year so I'm reluctant to believe it is failing already but I can't rule it out either.

 

[jds63]

Interference is one cause, cell phone, wireless home phones, metal objects, distance and being in a basement could be something in between walls. Just start happening since had new laptop and was router in same area always ? Look here
https://iihelp.iinet.net.au/Troubleshooting_Wireless_Network_-_Dropouts

 

[RhinoCan]

I'm skeptical about the problem being anything in the house. The house is small and hasn't had any significant construction in years. The modem hasn't moved and is a short distance from where my mother uses her laptop, which is basically the floor above the modem and 15 feet or so to the east. I appreciate the link and will have a look at the various sorts of dropouts that it mentions to try to diagnose things. This will probably wait until I'm up there the next time in a couple of weeks where I can do some more conclusive testing and troubleshooting, particularly to determine if the ethernet is having any issues or if any other wireless devices are having trouble.

Thanks for your suggestions. I look forward to other ideas if anyone has any.

 

[jds63]

O.k. what i wanted to know if always in same place and has worked fine there. Can not rule out interference. Try make sure laptops network drivers are up to date. As said before ethernet to a desktop is fine, doubtful just an issue with wireless on router, something avbout different channels read before for WiFi. YW, as hard for you not being there too, even troubleshoot within windows.

 

[RhinoCan]

O.k. what i wanted to know if always in same place and has worked fine there. Can not rule out interference. Try make sure laptops network drivers are up to date. As said before ethernet to a desktop is fine, doubtful just an issue with wireless on router, something avbout different channels read before for WiFi. YW, as hard for you not being there too, even troubleshoot within windows.

I suppose interference can't be ignored but I'm not sure what might have suddenly appeared to cause that interference. It certainly wouldn't be something like adding an addition to the house that moved the modem and laptop further apart. Or a renovation that introduced new materials between the modem and the laptop.

Thanks for the suggestion about the network drivers. I can check the ASUS website and see if they have new ones for her laptop.

Sorry, I'm not familiar with "YW".

I'll certainly be able to do more when I'm in the house. A quick walkthru may give me a clue and a quick check for other networks may reveal a new network that may be on the same channel; a simple channel change may fix everything.

 

[jds63]

YW, Your Welcome ! Sorry not only building material, metal etc.. as i listed other devices that can cause interference as this is just one cause not the only cause. Exactly as i think said about Mother she was not computer literate, so really need get as much info as possible for us to help too.
Check some settings in Network in Windows on laptop ,plus can run troubleshooting as something there could of changed also.

 

[RhinoCan]

My brother has a cell phone that uses the WiFi too. I suppose there's an outside chance he is doing something on the same channel as her and at the same time and that his phone knocks her connection off. That bears investigation too.

 

[jds63]

My brother has a cell phone that uses the WiFi too. I suppose there's an outside chance he is doing something on the same channel as her and at the same time and that his phone knocks her connection off. That bears investigation too.

That i am not really familiar with, cell phone wifi, but i think 2 should be able to share wifi. But does make a good point only if he is also experiencing issue with cell phone too. I have a tablet with WiFi in house and using same router as my Desktop on Ethernet connections, as never had to change channels or anything, not sure if exactly the same idea, but tablets are similar to laptop in ways and being portable (wireless).

Never hurts to ask ISP as you are paying them for service, sometimes have diagnostic utilities to use.

 

[Ztruker]

Next time your there, install TeamViewer so you can work on the laptop remotely. Has saved me many, many hours of frustration and travel. Alternatively look into setting up Remote Desktop for the same reason.

Also, what is the make and full model number of the laptop (I'm guessing the ones shown in your specs are your and not your mothers).

 

[RhinoCan]

Next time your there, install TeamViewer so you can work on the laptop remotely. Has saved me many, many hours of frustration and travel. Alternatively look into setting up Remote Desktop for the same reason.

Also, what is the make and full model number of the laptop (I'm guessing the ones shown in your specs are your and not your mothers).

Ztruker, I already have TeamViewer on both computers for exactly the reasons you suggest. Unfortunately, TeamViewer doesn't work very well when we lose the wireless connection which is why I created this thread ;-) We are thinking of running an ethernet cable between the modem and the laptop as a backup if we can't resolve this situation (or even if we can) but that isn't in place yet.

Re specs: the specs shown are mine, as you guessed, but my mother's laptop is also an ASUS laptop running Win8.1. Her model number is X554L.

 

[RhinoCan]

My brother has a cell phone that uses the WiFi too. I suppose there's an outside chance he is doing something on the same channel as her and at the same time and that his phone knocks her connection off. That bears investigation too.

That i am not really familiar with, cell phone wifi, but i think 2 should be able to share wifi. But does make a good point only if he is also experiencing issue with cell phone too. I have a tablet with WiFi in house and using same router as my Desktop on Ethernet connections, as never had to change channels or anything, not sure if exactly the same idea, but tablets are similar to laptop in ways and being portable (wireless).

Never hurts to ask ISP as you are paying them for service, sometimes have diagnostic utilities to use.

How do I troubleshoot WiFi in Windows when the WiFi is actually working? Sometimes, our connection is fine and when that happens, I could run those diagnostics. I know these troubleshooters come up automatically when something malfunctions but how do you start them when things are working? And will the troubleshooter work when the wireless is functioning normally?

Also, am I correct in believing that changing the wireless channel on the router changes the channel for ALL users of the router? I was thinking of changing the channel in case my brother's cell and my mother's laptop were interfering with each other but if changing the channel affects both of them, then they'd just be clashing on channel 5 instead of channel 11. Changing the channel is only useful if the neighbours are the source of interference and they are on the same channel, right?

 

[RhinoCan]

YW, Your Welcome ! Sorry not only building material, metal etc.. as i listed other devices that can cause interference as this is just one cause not the only cause. Exactly as i think said about Mother she was not computer literate, so really need get as much info as possible for us to help too.
Check some settings in Network in Windows on laptop ,plus can run troubleshooting as something there could of changed also.

Are there any free applications I can install to help identify sources of interference? I don't suppose they will find anything except when my mother gets knocked offline and then they may be too complicated for her to use but maybe there's something that's really simple that would indicate what's going on?

It seems possible the neighbours are clashing with us in some way via their own wireless activity and maybe an app that was listening for interference would detect that? Hmm. Maybe I should just change the channel now to avoid that possibility (and hope that doesn't put her on the same channel as another neighbour that is on THAT channel.... An app that told us what channels the immediate neighbours were using would be handy.... If they were all using Channel 1, which seems to be the default, we could use channel 5 or 11 or whatever and avoid the conflict....

 

[Ztruker]

How far is the laptop located from the router? If it's a fair way think about using a Powerline Adapter (need 2) instead of running a Ethernet cable.

Changing the channel does affect everyone. Worth trying though.

I've not seen or heard of anything that can check for interference.

Edit: Just found this: inSSIDer 3.1.2.1

• Publisher's Description

This Wi-Fi network discovery tool displays every wireless hotspot’s MAC address, encryption, signal strength and channel, and is the standard troubleshooting tool for millions of Wi-Fi users throughout the world.
Measure Wi-Fi Signal Strength
inSSIDer for Home helps you measure the signal strength and estimate the performance of your Wi-Fi in various locations. See how walls, stairways, and doors affect your wireless network coverage.
Pick a Better Channel for Your Wi-Fi
All Wi-Fi must share channels with other networks in the environment. Too many networks sharing or overlapping a channel can slow down the performance of all Wi-Fi networks on that channel. This Wi-Fi scanner helps you see the best channel for your Wi-Fi.
Make Sure Your Wi-Fi is Secure
inSSIDer will help you determine which security setting your Wi-Fi is using, reducing the risk of unauthorized access into your home network.
Technical Details:

• Uses your current wireless card and connection software
• Works with Microsoft Windows Vista, 7, and 8 (32 and 64 bit)
• Track the strength of received signals in dBm over time
• Sort by MAC address, SSID, Channel, RSSI, and Time

What is the full model number, X554LI, LD, LP, ??

 

[RhinoCan]

How far is the laptop located from the router? If it's a fair way think about using a Powerline Adapter (need 2) instead of running a Ethernet cable.

Changing the channel does affect everyone. Worth trying though.

I've not seen or heard of anything that can check for interference.

Edit: Just found this: inSSIDer 3.1.2.1

• Publisher's Description

This Wi-Fi network discovery tool displays every wireless hotspot’s MAC address, encryption, signal strength and channel, and is the standard troubleshooting tool for millions of Wi-Fi users throughout the world.
Measure Wi-Fi Signal Strength
inSSIDer for Home helps you measure the signal strength and estimate the performance of your Wi-Fi in various locations. See how walls, stairways, and doors affect your wireless network coverage.
Pick a Better Channel for Your Wi-Fi
All Wi-Fi must share channels with other networks in the environment. Too many networks sharing or overlapping a channel can slow down the performance of all Wi-Fi networks on that channel. This Wi-Fi scanner helps you see the best channel for your Wi-Fi.
Make Sure Your Wi-Fi is Secure
inSSIDer will help you determine which security setting your Wi-Fi is using, reducing the risk of unauthorized access into your home network.
Technical Details:

• Uses your current wireless card and connection software
• Works with Microsoft Windows Vista, 7, and 8 (32 and 64 bit)
• Track the strength of received signals in dBm over time
• Sort by MAC address, SSID, Channel, RSSI, and Time

Both of these points are VERY interesting. I had not hear of Powerline adapters before and had no idea such an animal existed. As I look at the prices, it seems as if they are WAY more expensive in Canada (where I live) than the US, especially the highest-rated Netgear. The passthru model is apparently 89.99 in the US but around $250 (Canadian) here but our dollars are nowhere near that far apart in value. I have no idea why. I'll look at some other stores though and see if I can do better than at Amazon. It would be tempting to go this way since it saves us having to run Ethernet between the two rooms....

I'm also delighted to find that this inSSIDer exists (and is free)! it seemed logical that such a gizmo might exist but I didn't actually know for a fact that it did

I've just installed it and it is showing me all the nearby networks, including what channel they are using. It sees that I'm on channel 11 and tells me that I'd get a better "link score" - which is presumably a better performance if I changed my channel to 6. There are fewer people on channel 6 than 11. But there are NO others on channel 3 so I'm not sure why it isn't recommending that. I may try both and compare results....

But that's on MY network here at home. I'm going to need to try it on my mother's network and see what happens there....

Interesting. Not nearly as many networks there - she's on a street of single family homes while I'm in a small apartment building - but she had two neighbouring networks that were on Channel 1. As luck would have it, I changed her to Channel 11 a couple of hours ago. InSSIDer is *not* suggesting a channel change for her but I'll bet it would if I changed back to Channel 1.

I will cautiously guess that these neighbouring networks where the issue and that I've fixed the problem by changing her channel. We'll have to try this for a while to be sure though: I'm just proposing a theory that sounds reasonable to someone like me who knows relatively little about networks....

What is the full model number, X554LI, LD, LP, ??

I can't get the last character of the model number right now; Mom's in the middle of making dinner and really hates being disturbed while she's cooking; she stresses that something will get overcooked or will boil over or whatever if she's away from the kitchen....

I'll talk to her later though and see if I can get her to find the last bit of the model number. (I wish the manufacturers made it easier to ask the computer itself for the model number, serial number, etc. instead of making you try to find bar codes on the original box and then try to read tiny print to figure it out. It would be displayed in System or ipconfig or whatever if I were running the world.)

 

[jds63]

My brother has a cell phone that uses the WiFi too. I suppose there's an outside chance he is doing something on the same channel as her and at the same time and that his phone knocks her connection off. That bears investigation too.

That i am not really familiar with, cell phone wifi, but i think 2 should be able to share wifi. But does make a good point only if he is also experiencing issue with cell phone too. I have a tablet with WiFi in house and using same router as my Desktop on Ethernet connections, as never had to change channels or anything, not sure if exactly the same idea, but tablets are similar to laptop in ways and being portable (wireless).

Never hurts to ask ISP as you are paying them for service, sometimes have diagnostic utilities to use.

How do I troubleshoot WiFi in Windows when the WiFi is actually working? Sometimes, our connection is fine and when that happens, I could run those diagnostics. I know these troubleshooters come up automatically when something malfunctions but how do you start them when things are working? And will the troubleshooter work when the wireless is functioning normally?

Also, am I correct in believing that changing the wireless channel on the router changes the channel for ALL users of the router? I was thinking of changing the channel in case my brother's cell and my mother's laptop were interfering with each other but if changing the channel affects both of them, then they'd just be clashing on channel 5 instead of channel 11. Changing the channel is only useful if the neighbours are the source of interference and they are on the same channel, right?

Look here and can try other steps included in article, just basic windows troubleshooter, even though it works at times, can still use it to determine if all it set correctly.
Wired and wireless network problems - Windows Help