WiFi Painings

I'm having some WiFi issues, and they're driving me absolutely insane
Would anyone here have any ideas as to what could be causing the interference?

My Home Network:

When sitting no more than 2 meters from the AP, my netbook and iphones drop/freeze connections on a very regular basis (we're talking once a minute here) - they're all running @ G speeds when connected.

My PC (which is upstairs) has an N USB dongle and connects at full speed when it eventually does manage to say hello to the AP, but it drops very regularly too.

I've tried different beacon intervals (as recommended on a number of forums relating to this problem), as well as jumping through each of the channels possible with no joy whatsoever.
My microwave is not in use when I'm testing, and there are ~3 other networks that I can see within range of my house.

Can anyone, please, give me some ideas that don't involve running cable through the house?

*edit* I'll add that any cabled device (cabled directly to the internal router - the Linksys), experiences no connectivity issues whatsoever.
This Linksys router has been working perfectly fine for quite some time in my old house, and has only started acting the maggot in the new one.

Remote Controls and these half-baked new-fangled so called "energy saving" bulbs can all interfere, as can the physical construction of the building. If the AP is low down, move it up (and vice-versa).

Might be worth reading through / posting to the Linksys Forums

I'll just type it again incase the more aged amongst us couldn't read it

What's so "so called" about them? They use 20% of the energy of old bulbs. We've seen a big drop off in our electricity bill since we switched.

I used to have a Linksys wireless router and it was giving me problems continuously. I have my NTL Cable modem and wireless router downstairs and send a link upstairs through a pair of Powerlines (life saving gadgets).
In the beginning I was using a cable router downstairs next to the cable modem and once the link was on the upper floor, a Linksys POS had the wireless duty.

Once I installed my modded Xbox (Gamecon trophy ), I was having nothing but problems.
I ended up giving away the Xbox, thinking that "the problems started once it got in the flawless network".

I then got a Siemens IP phone (cabled base) and it was Hell break loose all over again. It now works only on the Netgear router "downstairs". At this point I started suspecting the Linksys router upstairs.

The final hit came when I replaced my wife's XPS laptop with an Optiplex desktop. Worst communication breakdown ever seen: the Opti would lose its (static) IP address (!) every time the JVC Sophisti home cinema would turn on (wired on the Linksys directly). Now, I am not an expert in networking but I am not a newbie either, meaning that I set up my ports on my own, set static IPs on the network, allowing a range of 3 IP address for DHCP for when my inlaws bring their sh!te Macbooks in our house etc. So I can guarantee that there was no IP conflict or anything else of this sort.

I spent days on the phone with Dell support, trying to figure out why the Opti would lose the IP address. Just as they were about to swap out the whole PC (as an OS re-installation did not change anything!) I remembered the incident with the Siemens IP phone and decided to buy a spare 3Com Gbit switch for troubleshooting.

Step 1: I replaced the Linksys POS with the 3Com, did not change anything else (on the Powerlines, Netgear switch, Optiplex, Sophisti, etc.)
Step 2: It was not required

So moving away from Linksys entirely solved your networking problems? Ugh. I was hoping I wouldn't have to spend monies

I'll see what I can pick up though - I made a small discovery last night. If I move the Linksys wireless router away from the sound system, and TV (literally only by a foot or so) the whole thing seems to become much more stable. Not 100% just yet, but links were staying up on my netbook for considerably longer.

I'll do some more investigationings before splashing out on a new router and USB nic.
Cheers Chosen

I'm not saying Linksys is bad, it might have been just a very picky router that I had. What you should keep from the experience that I shared is that compatibility issues often appear as a failure.
Borrow a router from a neighbor, do loads of testing and start by removing and turning off everything on your network and then start adding devices one by one.

One result only will not necessarily point at that one device, for example if you have everything connected and they're working fine and once you connect one of the iPhones the thing collapses, don't assume that the problem is the iPhone.
Proceed to more trial and error until you are 100% convinced and this way you will only end up paying for what is actually broken.

Turns out the dongle I'm using is a Netgear one.

Idiot Zoro

man, you're going to be in trouble when your looks go

So, like, now then?

I didn't want to be too cruel, but now the flood gates are open:

he got engaged just in time. Poor Karen, look what she lumbered herself with.

I dont know if this has been suggested yet, but it appears your computer isnt physically connected to your router.

Problem solved.