Weak wireless signal...

Hi All,

For the last few weeks I have noticed my wireless signal get very weak and I can't find an explanation for it. The signal has always been perfect prior to maybe 3 weeks.

I have a Netgear WGR614v9 router. I have it secured with WPA+WPA2 key and have access list enabled on the router. There are 4 laptops (1 MacBook, 2 Toshiba and 1 Dell), an iPad and a couple of phones that can access it. I have tried connecting with Access List disabled - no difference.

The non Mac laptops can connect in a certain room no problem, with no degradation in signal as can the ipad and phones. But the MacBook just drops signal as soon as you walk out of the room that has the router in it and into the room I need it in. I have walked to the front door (further away distance wise) and still have perfect connection. I have tried rebooting the router several times, having only 1 device connected to it, picking signal up first then walking to the room in question but it still loses connection.

There is a small storage room in between the 'router room' and the room which loses connection that has bits and pieces and a hot water tank. But prior to these last few weeks - that was never a concern...

Is there anything that somebody can suggest I try doing, any tests I can run, software I can use? My next step is to borrow a router from a friend and see if that makes a difference...

Thanks in advance!

Have you tried experimenting with different channels on the router? In my experience, when a router that had been working fine suddenly starts having issues, it's usually because another router was recently installed in the area.

Thanks for the reply cwa107...

Can I change channel while everything is connected?

It is currently on 6 but I have noticed that there are a lot of other (and new) wireless networks that are the same provider as mine so that may have something to do with it...

Snakedoctor said:

Thanks for the reply cwa107...

Can I change channel while everything is connected?

It is currently on 6 but I have noticed that there are a lot of other (and new) wireless networks that are the same provider as mine so that may have something to do with it...

Click to expand...

The provider wouldn't matter, but the channel does. The channel defines a slight variance in the signal frequency. So, for example, instead of running at 2.45 GHZ, it might run at 2.44 GHz in a different channel. So, if you can see the other networks using that same channel, you definitely want to switch.

When you change the channel, it will kick all of the client devices off, but they should get right back on.

You are a hero my friend...

I'm now hanging my head in shame as I work in IT... whoops!!

Thanks mate!

Snakedoctor said:

You are a hero my friend...

I'm now hanging my head in shame as I work in IT... whoops!!

Thanks mate!

Click to expand...

No problem, glad that did the trick.