Need assistance badly with wireless connection. Please

[Nikato]

I've been having this problem with my wireless connection in my house. I have a Linksys WRT54Gv5 wireless router that works. It is currently downstairs where I am located. I have my desktop computer plugged in wired, along with my Wii and PS3, though the only connection thats actually on all the time (for the most part) is my computer. My PSP, DS, and Laptop all connect wirelessly without much trouble.

The problem is my mothers computer which is upstairs above my room (and a little bit farther). Most of the time her computer (now my old computer) can't connect to the wireless. My house is rather long, and the only reason that her computer can connect is because I bought a wireless Range Adapter (one of the ones by linksys, bounces the signal strength or something). It see's the network but it can't connect to it, always says limited or not connectivity. Sometimes i'll get lucky and it connects with either a low connection or "very good", but it bugs out a lot.

Lately its just been getting on my nerves and im near the end of my rope trying to figure this out. For example now it won't connect at all. The signal strength fluctuates anywhere from 60%-85% but no matter what it just won't connect. Always gets limited connectivity. I did change some wireless options online in my routers menu, but I changed them back to the origional when I was done. I can't figure out what the problem is besides range, but like I said, sometimes it works with very good, but a lot of times its limited.

What should I do? Is the linksys router bogus? It notice that it sometimes drops my wireless from time to time, and when im in my room (which is downstairs almost below my mothers) my connection will be fine, drop, then I have to walk near my router in the other room to reconnect.

Please, I really could use some help. Anything. Should I get a new wirless router? If so what? Is it a problem with something in the wireless admin menu? Channel?

Thank you all very much for your help.

[jhg60]

I used to work a lot with RF signals. To clarify this issue it would be very helpful to first do something like move your mothers computer downstairs so that it is definitely near the wireless unit. test it for a while. Then IF it is rock solid in your connection you will know a lot more than you do now. IF it is rock solid for a week for example, then you know you have a distance problem and probably will also know that the ports, firewalls, etc are ok since the work 100% while in proximity.

Otherwise you will forever drive yourselv crazy with what amounts to solving MULTIPLE possible problems. This is the worst possbile way to deal with these things. TOTALLY eliminate the distance issue first.

(PS. Distance per se is not always the only issue...desity of intervening materials such as walls, wiring, and plumbing make it more difficult to solve these problems. )
john

[Nikato]

Thank you for your reply!

The computer that my mother is using now is my old computer. I had it set up downstairs near my wireless card when I was reinstalling it. It was down here for about 3 days online the whole time updating and stuff (that and I was at parties...cough) and the wireless connection was 100%.

I reconfigured my expander to test it out and now the internet works for her. I am getting an error on both computers saying that there is a conflicting IP address on the network. I'm guessing it is from my range expander and I know that I had an option to change the IP address but I wasn't sure if it would mess with my connection. Would it? Thanks.

[jhg60]

I am not a networking sepcialist so I will have to speak in generalities. I added a linksys router to my speedstream modem to access SBCglobal DSL and I had to alter the setting on the modem to allow my computers to work through the router. I SUSPECT you may be having a problem in which you need to manually set the IP address to share the same router (IF I remember correctly that means tweaking the "subnet" which means the latter end of the IP addresses have to be different while the first part remains the same ). Again my memory fails me since I was in over my head...but the IP address has up 4 sets of digits and the last two are used locally. It sound to me like your router is trying to install both computes (and expander?) on the same IP address ?????
It sounds like your expander gve you the option to change ip address and you refused...maybe you can go to install and give it another unique IP address?
John

[Nikato]

Yes I can. I was just unsure if it would hurt the internet connection or something. But, thanks for letting me know that it shouldnt. I'll try that out. Thanks