Wireless Signal Question

[Posei]

So I bought a new computer couple weeks ago and everything works great. The annoying part is it gets a crappy signal from my router which is only like 10 feet away (through a couple walls though) Usually only get 2/5 bars for signal strength, rarely 3 bars and that's fine for browsing and all but for games it sucks when I ping out for 5-10 seconds every 5 minutes. My laptop I can take anywhere around where this computer is and get a perfect 5/5 signal strength -_-.

So my question is... anyone have any suggestions/tips on how I could raise the signal strength without having to ditch wireless and run a cable to it. Do wireless expanders really work?

Oh and the router is a speedstream 6250 if that helps at all and I'm using the wireless antenna for the desktop that came with it. Need anymore info to help lemme know.

Thanks

[MaSeL]

Walls by default cut down the signal strengt by a certain percent (certainly concrete walls or brick walls).

Did you install the latest firmware on you wireless router, that could help alot.

Wireless expanders can also do the trick, but for only 10 feet away I'm not sure it would be worth it.

I'm kinda having the same problem so I'm gonna try something totally new (for me that is). I'm gonna try to set up a dLan network (ethernet over existing powercables). I'll let you know how it turns out.

[AngelEyes]

You can also try changing the wireless channel that your card and router speak to each other on. I think the default for most is 11. I changed mine to 6. Do you happen to know if the router is a wireless B or G? B will get a lot more interference from other wireless objects such as phones in the 2.4ghz range or baby monitors or even microwaves.

[cpinney]

yea walls could do it, i have a linksys router and my other computer in another room threw 3 walls and about 8 yards or more away gets 70% 65% and works fine, if nothing else works try and move it somehow so its either closer or doesnt have to go threw a wall or 2, or something like that

[truez]

Ok some facts about Wirelss vs Cable - FYI...

1. For your internet access wireless works fine - for data transfer across a LAN generally NO.
2. A cabled lan can operate at much higher speeds, generally 100/1000 - although there are some slower cards. The faster wireless cards operate at up to 54.
3. Wireless is also subject to slightly more latency - On a bad link, you're looking < 20ms.

More Info -
Performance
Wired LANs offer superior performance. Traditional Ethernet connections offer only 10 Mbps bandwidth, but 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet technology costs little more and is readily available. Although 100 Mbps represents a theoretical maximum performance never really achieved in practice, Fast Ethernet should be sufficient for home file sharing, gaming, and high-speed Internet access for many years into the future.
Wired LANs utilizing hubs can suffer performance slowdown if computers heavily utilize the network simultaneously. Use Ethernet switches instead of hubs to avoid this problem; a switch costs little more than a hub.

Source - here

Ok some more insights, this one is for a company where they are wondering to go wired or wire less
Source - here

TBH, based on my personale experience, Using wired coonection SRO laggs 20% less than Wireless

[cpinney]

truez u copypasta u

[MaSeL]

Ok some facts about Wirelss vs Cable - FYI...

1. For your internet access wireless works fine - for data transfer across a LAN generally NO.
2. A cabled lan can operate at much higher speeds, generally 100/1000 - although there are some slower cards. The faster wireless cards operate at up to 54.
3. Wireless is also subject to slightly more latency - On a bad link, you're looking < 20ms.

More Info -
Performance
Wired LANs offer superior performance. Traditional Ethernet connections offer only 10 Mbps bandwidth, but 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet technology costs little more and is readily available. Although 100 Mbps represents a theoretical maximum performance never really achieved in practice, Fast Ethernet should be sufficient for home file sharing, gaming, and high-speed Internet access for many years into the future.
Wired LANs utilizing hubs can suffer performance slowdown if computers heavily utilize the network simultaneously. Use Ethernet switches instead of hubs to avoid this problem; a switch costs little more than a hub.

Source - here

Ok some more insights, this one is for a company where they are wondering to go wired or wire less
Source - here

TBH, based on my personale experience, Using wired coonection SRO laggs 20% less than Wireless

All true, Ethernet connections are always faster then wireless but you don't alway have the possibilities to put ethernet cables all through your house. Therefor sometimes you have to go wireless. Or as I suggested before, try to set up a dLAN network. Which I will not persue anymore because of the hight cost (200mbit DLAN for my home network (3PC's) would cost about 400 euro (400 dollar) ) (200 mbit = 100 download 100 upload)

[cpinney]

400 euro is like 1,100 usd i think or somewhere around that, very expensive indeed lol i hope it lasts a while.

[SpInKsTaR]

I heard somewhere you can put a Tin can on the router Aerial and you get better signal

[AngelEyes]

Is this what you meant Spinkstar?
http://lifehacker.com/software/how-to/b ... 296367.php

Can't speak for the antenna's, but I did get the firmware hack for my Linksys router and it boosted it's str immensely. Maybe you can look for a firmware hack for you router to help boost it's power?