[MarkM]

New house went in next door and now our wireless has slowed to a halt.   Downloaded inssider 2 this weekend to see which channels are less crowded.  I see 6 wireless networks around my house on the 2.4ghz frequency (all very strong) and several of us are on the same channels or very close and overlapping.   I'm sure there are more, I just can't see them. 

Move down the channel (3, previously 9) so that my overlap is minimum with others.  Wireless connection feels like a slow death.(ok over exaggeration) Tried all of the channels to see if any would have a quicker connection and they all feel like the days of dialup.  Moved the router closer etc, no luck, speed is inconsisstant.

Router is Linksys 54wrt something.  Music server and Squeezebox Touch are hard wired to network.  We run 2 laptops, ipod and iphone on the wireless home network, all at various times.  Connection speed is fine plugged in.

Will a dual band router that broadcasts a 2.4/5 ghz  signal help?  My thought is move the laptops to the 5ghz frequency (with new usb 5ghz adapter) for consistant connection speed and the other devices will still be able to connect on the 2.4ghz frequency. 

Anyone else successfully deal with a similar issue?  Ideas???   Does it sound logic going with a new router/adapter    

[DougSmith]

Sounds like 5 GHz wireless-n may help you (but hard to say for sure). If you want the full performance benefit (1 GHz wired/300 MHz wireless), you will probably have to upgrade you internet service (to a docsys 3 modem).

[srb]

If you want the full performance benefit (1 GHz wired/300 MHz wireless), you will probably have to upgrade you internet service (to a docsys 3 modem).

1 Gb wired / 300 Mb wireless

[MarkM]

Sounds like 5 GHz wireless-n may help you (but hard to say for sure). If you want the full performance benefit (1 GHz wired/300 MHz wireless), you will probably have to upgrade you internet service (to a docsys 3 modem).

That has been my feeling, the 5ghz wireless-n may help.  Guess I will have to spend the $200 for the router/adapter to see if I can get out of the congested 2.4 ghz around me.

I'm looking for consistant speed/connection via the wireless and do not feel the need to upgrade my ISP plan due to the routers speed abilities.  Everything has been fine over the years(streaming video etc)- until they literally squeezed a house in next to me, (this winter) and now the owners wireless router is rubbing it in.     

[Pez]

Have you tried moving the location of the router? I had a similar problem and moving my router made a huge difference.

[MarkM]

Have you tried moving the location of the router? I had a similar problem and moving my router made a huge difference.

I did move the router closer to the area where the wireless devices are used, signal is stronger in amplitude as monitored through inssider 2.    Speed is inconsistent, at times I think it is solved, I'm ready to have a beer and pat myself on the back........

I think I will borrow a wireless router tomorrow to make sure the router's wireless broadcast/receiving isn't acting up.  Wired is fine.

[Pez]

That actually is something that worked for me as well. Just changing brands made a clients network much faster.

[mcgsxr]

Those with indepth knowledge of wifi etc can chime in with why, but I found that moving to an N router, even though I use only G, made a significant difference in coverage in my suburb.  Plenty of wifi around too, I can "see" other networks around me.

I had a Linksys WRT54GS, and moved to a refurb Cisco N this Xmas.

[lcrim]

I live in a condo community and can detect about a dozen wireless networks in range.  A few suggestions I would make are to check on Amazon and the Cisco home sales sites and look for a n router that is a refurb.  Go to the DD-WRT site and read about flashing that router w/ DD-WRT firmware for that specific router.  I have 2 Linksys wrt160n v1.1 that are connected wirelessly to avoid running cables from downstairs to upstairs.  The suggestion to reorient the antenna is good as well.  Your 54 g&b router would benefit from better firmware as well.
There is a growing movement that is concerned w/ the health effects that may be caused by those narrow waves and cell phones and mw at home.  In any event , I'm sure I have more interferance from nearby than most and my home network is still very fast. 
After I wrote this it occurred to me that you may not be using any security.  Please try going to to WPA.

[MarkM]

Thanks for the suggestions, will try updating the firmware and then another router this evening.  The whole house has been wired with cat 5 and there is a patch panel in the basement, so it is easy to move the router and do the testing.   

Network has always been secured/encrypted from day one.

[Elizabeth]

An off question, but; can you poison a nearby router? Say your neighbor wants you off 'his' frequency, so he does"XXXX" to destroy your ability to use 'his' frequency, thus leaving it free for him to exploit fully?
I base this on the local main library where hundreds of public use computers share limited download space. Seems the few have found a way to hog the bandwidth so they have 100% instant access while everyone else is back to dialup-like waits, and no solution from the Library other than not our problem. (they do have a time limit to users of two hours..)

[chip]

Those with indepth knowledge of wifi etc can chime in with why, but I found that moving to an N router, even though I use only G, made a significant difference in coverage in my suburb.  Plenty of wifi around too, I can "see" other networks around me.

I had a Linksys WRT54GS, and moved to a refurb Cisco N this Xmas.

I do agree with this - I went from a Linksys wrt54gs to a Dlink DIR655 and it made a big difference.

Try a new router that supports wireless N and let us know if that helps at all.

[Pez]

Have you considered building a giant faraday fence between you and the neighbor? Good fences make good neighbors right?

[jqp]

An off question, but; can you poison a nearby router? Say your neighbor wants you off 'his' frequency, so he does"XXXX" to destroy your ability to use 'his' frequency, thus leaving it free for him to exploit fully?
I base this on the local main library where hundreds of public use computers share limited download space. Seems the few have found a way to hog the bandwidth so they have 100% instant access while everyone else is back to dialup-like waits, and no solution from the Library other than not our problem. (they do have a time limit to users of two hours..)

You would probably have to be a bit of a hacker to deliberately "poison" someones wireless router setup. This would probably also mean installing some kind of scrambling antenna, etc.

There are 11 channels to chose from, your wireless card should work on at least three if not all 11 channels. Newer routers are better in many ways than routers of a few years ago. You can get dual-band routers that broad cast in 2 different major bands 2.4 and 5 GHz, giving even more options.

Wireless signals are broadcast from the router in three-dimensional shapes, depending on the antenna configuration you have. http://www.connect802.com/antennas.htm

Here is a good tutorial on wireless router concepts (see several other links on the page on wireless concepts):

http://familytech.familysearch.org/2010/11/6-more-steps-to-improve-your-wireless-network-signal.html

[jqp]

That has been my feeling, the 5ghz wireless-n may help.  Guess I will have to spend the $200 for the router/adapter to see if I can get out of the congested 2.4 ghz around me.

I'm looking for consistant speed/connection via the wireless and do not feel the need to upgrade my ISP plan due to the routers speed abilities.  Everything has been fine over the years(streaming video etc)- until they literally squeezed a house in next to me, (this winter) and now the owners wireless router is rubbing it in. 

I have a feeling your issue is the actual new house, and the position of your router's antenna...

I have this router - 3 antennas do help, you can even get inexpensive special antennas that screw on in place of the smaller ones. It has been great for me, and should work for your scenario for $65! It is also a Gigabit router for PCs connected directly to it.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833127215&nm_mc=EMC-IGNEFL031511&cm_mmc=EMC-IGNEFL031511-_-EMC-031511-Index-_-WirelessRouters-_-33127215-L022C

[Johnny2Bad]

Location does really help ... so does antenna orientation. If you don't have, or can't attach, an external antenna, try re-orienting your router ... ie if it's horizontal, move it to vertical, or vice versa. If you can attach an external antenna, do that ... just orienting the antenna elements has a huge effect on both reception and rejection of unwanted signals. With careful placement, you can pretty much create a zone of reception that rejects everything else quite well.
"N" routers are much better at dynamically (on the fly) changing channels for best performance, even if used with a slower client.
I've used a few different brands of routers and there is definitely a difference. Linksys were great at one time but in my experience are not as good when it comes to the wireless versions. D-Link I wouldn't recommend to my worst enemy. By far the best I've found are Netgear routers ... really a league apart from the usual lowest-cost-commodity units most people get recommended to them, since for some reason it's assumed $10 is more important than actual performance amongst the average computer "experts".
That's about all I have for advice, based on my own experiences. Good luck.

[lcrim]

I just picked up on this thread again.
If you want to get an excellent new wireless router, I would recommend the ASUS RT-N16 802.11b/g/n Gigabit Wireless Router.  It uses a Broadcom chipset which are generally accounted as the best.
It is available here http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833320038 It costs about $95 which is a bit rich for me but rather than buy Netgear I can recommend this.
The Linksys refurbs around $30 to $40 are fine as well, Broadcom chips and flash it w/ DD-WRT and the problems w/ slow connections will disappear.

Larry

[MarkM]

Went to Best Buy today and picked up an open box Netgear WNDR3700-100NAS dual band router for $90.  The wireless speed is now consistant for video, no drops or freezes in the transfer rate over the air.   Checking out audiocircle was even getting to be challenge on the wireless.   

Also picked up a wireless adapter for the 5ghz frequency.  No other networks were detected.  On the 2.4ghz, I could pick up almost a dozen networks, all depends on which room I am in the house.(ones I could see, others may not be broadcast?)

Thanks all for your suggestions! 

[srb]

I have the Netgear WNDR37AV, which as far as I can tell, is no different than the WNDR3700 except for the marketing name change.  Although the antennas are internal and cannot be adjusted (nor are there any connectors for external antennas), it outperforms many routers that have triple external antennas.
 
My only complaint so far is that non-computer connected wireless devices (Airport Express, iPod Touch and Xbox 360), do not show the Device Name under Attached Devices, only the IP and MAC Addresses.
 
Steve

[Pez]

Now time for revenge, buy a wifi jammer and point it at your neighbors house!