Network disconnect with netgear routerrouter with mixed-mode enabled - does it really cripple speeds for...
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Network disconnect with netgear router
router with mixed-mode enabled - does it really cripple speeds for all?My router is really slow. How can I troubleshoot?no internet access on guest SSID on netgear WNR2000 routerGuest wifi mode on a secondary routerWhy does my Netgear WNR 1000 router keep giving the wrong IP address?Netgear DHCP server doesn't provide the inputted dns servers to the connecting computerInternet Connection Sharing with Wireless Hosted Network (WHN) is not providing a DNS server for WHN clientsSetting up port forwarding on secondary router with restricted config access to primary routerNetgear WNDR3700 WiFi-n not giving 40 MBpsrouter automatically disables wifi and enables after 2-3minRepeater increases WiFi signal but internet remains very inaccessibleNETGEAR ROUTER | AP Mode | wifi login not identical as upstream router
I buy a netgear R6250 for my home.
I have more than 10 devices connected by wifi, so it seem be good to this.
But, I have a problem with it:
I lost internet connection some times. I need to disconnect the wifi on my mac and reconnect to retrieve it. When I do a traceroute, I get a "could not resolve google.com hostname" like if the router have a poor dns.
The dns server configured now is the modem's dns used to provide internet.
What can be wrong in the router config which be cause this problem ?
Thanks.
networking wireless-networking router dns
asked Aug 17 '14 at 11:10
KivaKiva
1931214
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 4 mins ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
|
show 1 more comment
I buy a netgear R6250 for my home.
I have more than 10 devices connected by wifi, so it seem be good to this.
But, I have a problem with it:
I lost internet connection some times. I need to disconnect the wifi on my mac and reconnect to retrieve it. When I do a traceroute, I get a "could not resolve google.com hostname" like if the router have a poor dns.
The dns server configured now is the modem's dns used to provide internet.
What can be wrong in the router config which be cause this problem ?
Thanks.
networking wireless-networking router dns
asked Aug 17 '14 at 11:10
KivaKiva
1931214
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 4 mins ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
Please give us some more details an tell what you have already tried to make it work? When you have no working connection, traceroutes will always fail. Are there a lot of other wifi networks in your environment (they can interfere with your connection)? Try this: osxdaily.com/2013/12/11/… or this: blogs.aerohive.com/blog/the-wireless-lan-architecture-blog-3/… What channel is your wifi on? Are other devices affected by this issue or it is only your Mac?
– agtoever
Aug 17 '14 at 11:22
Yes the traceroute fails too when I lost the connection. There a many wifis, I'm in a building with more than 15 wifis. My channel is 44 (default router settings) and yes, all devices are affected by the issue (macs, ps4, iphones, ipad, TV and co). I try to change dns to openDns or google dns but it doesn't resolve the problem, so I'm not sure dns is really the problem (even with the error message)
– Kiva
Aug 18 '14 at 8:52
Did you try to detect interference as explained in the two links in my previous comment? If that doesn't work, try setting your router to another channel (on the 5 GHz band, which is where you are on now) and if that doesn't work, try reverting to 802.11b/g/n or 2,4GHz (channels 1-11). Finally maybe an obvious remark: I presume your SSID (wifi network name) is unique in your wifi range (if not: change it to something unique in your router). Let me know if any of this helps.
– agtoever
Aug 18 '14 at 9:04
Yes the SSID is unique. I'll try the two links asap and I'll tell you if it's ok
– Kiva
Aug 18 '14 at 9:45
Here is the wifi signal, imageshack.com/i/ipSuVL0Yp all seem good
– Kiva
Aug 18 '14 at 19:14
|
show 1 more comment
I buy a netgear R6250 for my home.
I have more than 10 devices connected by wifi, so it seem be good to this.
But, I have a problem with it:
I lost internet connection some times. I need to disconnect the wifi on my mac and reconnect to retrieve it. When I do a traceroute, I get a "could not resolve google.com hostname" like if the router have a poor dns.
The dns server configured now is the modem's dns used to provide internet.
What can be wrong in the router config which be cause this problem ?
Thanks.
networking wireless-networking router dns
asked Aug 17 '14 at 11:10
KivaKiva
1931214
I buy a netgear R6250 for my home.
I have more than 10 devices connected by wifi, so it seem be good to this.
But, I have a problem with it:
I lost internet connection some times. I need to disconnect the wifi on my mac and reconnect to retrieve it. When I do a traceroute, I get a "could not resolve google.com hostname" like if the router have a poor dns.
The dns server configured now is the modem's dns used to provide internet.
What can be wrong in the router config which be cause this problem ?
Thanks.
networking wireless-networking router dns
networking wireless-networking router dns
asked Aug 17 '14 at 11:10
KivaKiva
1931214
asked Aug 17 '14 at 11:10
KivaKiva
1931214
asked Aug 17 '14 at 11:10
KivaKiva
1931214
asked Aug 17 '14 at 11:10
KivaKiva
1931214
asked Aug 17 '14 at 11:10
KivaKiva
1931214
1931214
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 4 mins ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 4 mins ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
Please give us some more details an tell what you have already tried to make it work? When you have no working connection, traceroutes will always fail. Are there a lot of other wifi networks in your environment (they can interfere with your connection)? Try this: osxdaily.com/2013/12/11/… or this: blogs.aerohive.com/blog/the-wireless-lan-architecture-blog-3/… What channel is your wifi on? Are other devices affected by this issue or it is only your Mac?
– agtoever
Aug 17 '14 at 11:22
Yes the traceroute fails too when I lost the connection. There a many wifis, I'm in a building with more than 15 wifis. My channel is 44 (default router settings) and yes, all devices are affected by the issue (macs, ps4, iphones, ipad, TV and co). I try to change dns to openDns or google dns but it doesn't resolve the problem, so I'm not sure dns is really the problem (even with the error message)
– Kiva
Aug 18 '14 at 8:52
Did you try to detect interference as explained in the two links in my previous comment? If that doesn't work, try setting your router to another channel (on the 5 GHz band, which is where you are on now) and if that doesn't work, try reverting to 802.11b/g/n or 2,4GHz (channels 1-11). Finally maybe an obvious remark: I presume your SSID (wifi network name) is unique in your wifi range (if not: change it to something unique in your router). Let me know if any of this helps.
– agtoever
Aug 18 '14 at 9:04
Yes the SSID is unique. I'll try the two links asap and I'll tell you if it's ok
– Kiva
Aug 18 '14 at 9:45
Here is the wifi signal, imageshack.com/i/ipSuVL0Yp all seem good
– Kiva
Aug 18 '14 at 19:14
|
show 1 more comment
Please give us some more details an tell what you have already tried to make it work? When you have no working connection, traceroutes will always fail. Are there a lot of other wifi networks in your environment (they can interfere with your connection)? Try this: osxdaily.com/2013/12/11/… or this: blogs.aerohive.com/blog/the-wireless-lan-architecture-blog-3/… What channel is your wifi on? Are other devices affected by this issue or it is only your Mac?
– agtoever
Aug 17 '14 at 11:22
Yes the traceroute fails too when I lost the connection. There a many wifis, I'm in a building with more than 15 wifis. My channel is 44 (default router settings) and yes, all devices are affected by the issue (macs, ps4, iphones, ipad, TV and co). I try to change dns to openDns or google dns but it doesn't resolve the problem, so I'm not sure dns is really the problem (even with the error message)
– Kiva
Aug 18 '14 at 8:52
Did you try to detect interference as explained in the two links in my previous comment? If that doesn't work, try setting your router to another channel (on the 5 GHz band, which is where you are on now) and if that doesn't work, try reverting to 802.11b/g/n or 2,4GHz (channels 1-11). Finally maybe an obvious remark: I presume your SSID (wifi network name) is unique in your wifi range (if not: change it to something unique in your router). Let me know if any of this helps.
– agtoever
Aug 18 '14 at 9:04
Yes the SSID is unique. I'll try the two links asap and I'll tell you if it's ok
– Kiva
Aug 18 '14 at 9:45
Here is the wifi signal, imageshack.com/i/ipSuVL0Yp all seem good
– Kiva
Aug 18 '14 at 19:14
Please give us some more details an tell what you have already tried to make it work? When you have no working connection, traceroutes will always fail. Are there a lot of other wifi networks in your environment (they can interfere with your connection)? Try this: osxdaily.com/2013/12/11/… or this: blogs.aerohive.com/blog/the-wireless-lan-architecture-blog-3/… What channel is your wifi on? Are other devices affected by this issue or it is only your Mac?
– agtoever
Aug 17 '14 at 11:22
Please give us some more details an tell what you have already tried to make it work? When you have no working connection, traceroutes will always fail. Are there a lot of other wifi networks in your environment (they can interfere with your connection)? Try this: osxdaily.com/2013/12/11/… or this: blogs.aerohive.com/blog/the-wireless-lan-architecture-blog-3/… What channel is your wifi on? Are other devices affected by this issue or it is only your Mac?
– agtoever
Aug 17 '14 at 11:22
Yes the traceroute fails too when I lost the connection. There a many wifis, I'm in a building with more than 15 wifis. My channel is 44 (default router settings) and yes, all devices are affected by the issue (macs, ps4, iphones, ipad, TV and co). I try to change dns to openDns or google dns but it doesn't resolve the problem, so I'm not sure dns is really the problem (even with the error message)
– Kiva
Aug 18 '14 at 8:52
Yes the traceroute fails too when I lost the connection. There a many wifis, I'm in a building with more than 15 wifis. My channel is 44 (default router settings) and yes, all devices are affected by the issue (macs, ps4, iphones, ipad, TV and co). I try to change dns to openDns or google dns but it doesn't resolve the problem, so I'm not sure dns is really the problem (even with the error message)
– Kiva
Aug 18 '14 at 8:52
Did you try to detect interference as explained in the two links in my previous comment? If that doesn't work, try setting your router to another channel (on the 5 GHz band, which is where you are on now) and if that doesn't work, try reverting to 802.11b/g/n or 2,4GHz (channels 1-11). Finally maybe an obvious remark: I presume your SSID (wifi network name) is unique in your wifi range (if not: change it to something unique in your router). Let me know if any of this helps.
– agtoever
Aug 18 '14 at 9:04
Did you try to detect interference as explained in the two links in my previous comment? If that doesn't work, try setting your router to another channel (on the 5 GHz band, which is where you are on now) and if that doesn't work, try reverting to 802.11b/g/n or 2,4GHz (channels 1-11). Finally maybe an obvious remark: I presume your SSID (wifi network name) is unique in your wifi range (if not: change it to something unique in your router). Let me know if any of this helps.
– agtoever
Aug 18 '14 at 9:04
Yes the SSID is unique. I'll try the two links asap and I'll tell you if it's ok
– Kiva
Aug 18 '14 at 9:45
Yes the SSID is unique. I'll try the two links asap and I'll tell you if it's ok
– Kiva
Aug 18 '14 at 9:45
Here is the wifi signal, imageshack.com/i/ipSuVL0Yp all seem good
– Kiva
Aug 18 '14 at 19:14
Here is the wifi signal, imageshack.com/i/ipSuVL0Yp all seem good
– Kiva
Aug 18 '14 at 19:14
|
show 1 more comment
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
I'll take a swing and try to formulate an answer for wifi connection problems in general, hoping this answer may help other people with similar questions/problems. Please feel free to edit/extend this answer as you see fit.
Introduction
The number of wifi access points is increasing (see this report, page 14 and 25). The migration from mobile (GSM/3G/3G) connectivity to wifi connectivity in urban area's originates from public demand and governments, TelCo's and cable providers are happy to fulfill those needs. With more people having access to wifi and more wifi access points appearing it becomes more and more difficult to maintain a good working wifi connection. We'll take a look at the things you can do to improve your wifi connectivity.
The scope of this answer is limited to connection loss. This explicitly excludes connection speed problems or problems connecting to a wifi network in general.
Causes of connection loss: wifi signal quality and strength
The quality and strength of your signal is dependend on:
- the quality and power of the transmitter (your access point)
- interference on the way from the transmitter to the receiver
- the quality of your receiver (wireless antenna in your laptop/phone/computer/tv/...)
The terms quality and strength can be explained using the analogy of speech. If two people talk to each other it is important that you hear enough volume (signal strength) and that there is not too much noise, cluttering the voice of the speaker (quality). Noise can be dealt with by removing the noise (talk inside a home instead of next to a drilling machine) or by increasing strength (talk louder).
How to measure wifi signal quality and strength
The quality of your signal if often displayed using bars or using the semicircles of the wifi logo. 
Most wifi tools can display the strength of the signal and its quality (often in terms of a signal-to-noise ratio). Some tools that you can use to analyse your wifi signal are (in alphabetical order):
- Android
- Wifi Analyzer
- Linux
- iwconfig
- iwScanner
- /proc/net/wireless ('watch -n 1 cat /proc/net/wireless')
- Wavemon
- OS X
- Apple's own Wireless diagnostics (only on Lion v10.8.4 and later)
- iStumbler
- KisMAC
- Windows
- InSSIDer
- NetStumbler
How to improve wifi signal quality and strength
Here are the things you can do. Please consider changing only one thing at a time and evaluate if that makes your situation better (keep the change) or worse (revert). That makes evaluating the result of your actions much easier.
- Improve your access point´s transmission:
- Remove obstacles between your access point of your wifi device. Placing it high on a wall or on a closet is a good strategy. Putting your access point in a closet places it nicely out of view, but reduces the signal, because it has to travel through your closet wall.
- Place it close to the center of the space where you want wifi coverage. Most wifi antenna's are omni-directional, which means the signal is sent like a bubble around your access point.
- In case your devices are located in a specific direction from the access point, you can check if the antennas of your access point can be replaced and install a directional antenna instead of the (mostly default) omni-directional antenna.
- Place your access point away from other electronic equipment, specifically wireless alarms, baby monitors, microwaves, radio controlled equipment, computers/servers and (in specific cases) tv remotes because they all transmit power with (more or less) the same frequency as your wifi access point.
- Make sure your SSID is unique in your area.
- Try rotating your antenna(s). Your wifi antenna transmits an electrical field and a magnetic field perpendicular to each other. By rotating your antenna, you rotate those fields. The interference with other networks can be limited by adjusting the polarization of your antenna. Just experiment with this one.
- There are specific applications (NetSpot for Mac or Heatmapper for Windows) that let you scan your house for the best wifi coverage and location.
- Optimize your access point's settings:
- Make sure your access point runs on its latest firmware or switch to DD-WRT for more control of the router's signal output (warning: expert users only).
- Experiment with the "wifi mode" of your access point (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/...) a clear 802.11g signal is always better than a crippled 802.11ac connection.
- Some routers have a "mixed mode". Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Try turning it off and see if that helps.
- Some routers have an "Eco mode" that makes it transmit with less power. Try turning the "eco mode" off and see if that helps.
- On some routers, you can set the "transmission power". Try setting it of different values and see how that helps. Note that higher isn't always better.
- The wifi frequency bands are subdivided in channels. When there are a lot of access points on the same channel, the access points and the devices can interfere and cause connection loss. Use a wifi analyser to check which channels are least occupied in your area.
- When upgrading to a new access point, consider the next generation "smart wifi" access points.
- Improve your receiving device:
- Make sure your device is running on the latest software versions and specifically make sure your wifi firmware is updated.
- Try to move your receiver (laptop, antenna) a bit. The wifi electro magnetic wave has a frequency of 2.437 GHz and a wavelength of 4.85 inch or 12,3 cm. If you move your receiving device just 1/4 wavelength (a bit more than 1 inch or 3 cm) you might just make the shift from sitting in a knot (low-point) of the signal to peak signal strength. Main point is: shifting your device just a centimeter really can make a difference.
- More access points:
- As this solution costs money and sometimes increases the problem by introducing random access point hopping, this options should be considered a "last resort" and not your first solution. You can buy a standard access point repeater or configure an accesspoint to act as a repeater, for example using DD-WRT.
add a comment |
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1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
I'll take a swing and try to formulate an answer for wifi connection problems in general, hoping this answer may help other people with similar questions/problems. Please feel free to edit/extend this answer as you see fit.
Introduction
The number of wifi access points is increasing (see this report, page 14 and 25). The migration from mobile (GSM/3G/3G) connectivity to wifi connectivity in urban area's originates from public demand and governments, TelCo's and cable providers are happy to fulfill those needs. With more people having access to wifi and more wifi access points appearing it becomes more and more difficult to maintain a good working wifi connection. We'll take a look at the things you can do to improve your wifi connectivity.
The scope of this answer is limited to connection loss. This explicitly excludes connection speed problems or problems connecting to a wifi network in general.
Causes of connection loss: wifi signal quality and strength
The quality and strength of your signal is dependend on:
- the quality and power of the transmitter (your access point)
- interference on the way from the transmitter to the receiver
- the quality of your receiver (wireless antenna in your laptop/phone/computer/tv/...)
The terms quality and strength can be explained using the analogy of speech. If two people talk to each other it is important that you hear enough volume (signal strength) and that there is not too much noise, cluttering the voice of the speaker (quality). Noise can be dealt with by removing the noise (talk inside a home instead of next to a drilling machine) or by increasing strength (talk louder).
How to measure wifi signal quality and strength
The quality of your signal if often displayed using bars or using the semicircles of the wifi logo.
Most wifi tools can display the strength of the signal and its quality (often in terms of a signal-to-noise ratio). Some tools that you can use to analyse your wifi signal are (in alphabetical order):
- Android
- Wifi Analyzer
- Linux
- iwconfig
- iwScanner
- /proc/net/wireless ('watch -n 1 cat /proc/net/wireless')
- Wavemon
- OS X
- Apple's own Wireless diagnostics (only on Lion v10.8.4 and later)
- iStumbler
- KisMAC
- Windows
- InSSIDer
- NetStumbler
How to improve wifi signal quality and strength
Here are the things you can do. Please consider changing only one thing at a time and evaluate if that makes your situation better (keep the change) or worse (revert). That makes evaluating the result of your actions much easier.
- Improve your access point´s transmission:
- Remove obstacles between your access point of your wifi device. Placing it high on a wall or on a closet is a good strategy. Putting your access point in a closet places it nicely out of view, but reduces the signal, because it has to travel through your closet wall.
- Place it close to the center of the space where you want wifi coverage. Most wifi antenna's are omni-directional, which means the signal is sent like a bubble around your access point.
- In case your devices are located in a specific direction from the access point, you can check if the antennas of your access point can be replaced and install a directional antenna instead of the (mostly default) omni-directional antenna.
- Place your access point away from other electronic equipment, specifically wireless alarms, baby monitors, microwaves, radio controlled equipment, computers/servers and (in specific cases) tv remotes because they all transmit power with (more or less) the same frequency as your wifi access point.
- Make sure your SSID is unique in your area.
- Try rotating your antenna(s). Your wifi antenna transmits an electrical field and a magnetic field perpendicular to each other. By rotating your antenna, you rotate those fields. The interference with other networks can be limited by adjusting the polarization of your antenna. Just experiment with this one.
- There are specific applications (NetSpot for Mac or Heatmapper for Windows) that let you scan your house for the best wifi coverage and location.
- Optimize your access point's settings:
- Make sure your access point runs on its latest firmware or switch to DD-WRT for more control of the router's signal output (warning: expert users only).
- Experiment with the "wifi mode" of your access point (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/...) a clear 802.11g signal is always better than a crippled 802.11ac connection.
- Some routers have a "mixed mode". Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Try turning it off and see if that helps.
- Some routers have an "Eco mode" that makes it transmit with less power. Try turning the "eco mode" off and see if that helps.
- On some routers, you can set the "transmission power". Try setting it of different values and see how that helps. Note that higher isn't always better.
- The wifi frequency bands are subdivided in channels. When there are a lot of access points on the same channel, the access points and the devices can interfere and cause connection loss. Use a wifi analyser to check which channels are least occupied in your area.
- When upgrading to a new access point, consider the next generation "smart wifi" access points.
- Improve your receiving device:
- Make sure your device is running on the latest software versions and specifically make sure your wifi firmware is updated.
- Try to move your receiver (laptop, antenna) a bit. The wifi electro magnetic wave has a frequency of 2.437 GHz and a wavelength of 4.85 inch or 12,3 cm. If you move your receiving device just 1/4 wavelength (a bit more than 1 inch or 3 cm) you might just make the shift from sitting in a knot (low-point) of the signal to peak signal strength. Main point is: shifting your device just a centimeter really can make a difference.
- More access points:
- As this solution costs money and sometimes increases the problem by introducing random access point hopping, this options should be considered a "last resort" and not your first solution. You can buy a standard access point repeater or configure an accesspoint to act as a repeater, for example using DD-WRT.
add a comment |
I'll take a swing and try to formulate an answer for wifi connection problems in general, hoping this answer may help other people with similar questions/problems. Please feel free to edit/extend this answer as you see fit.
Introduction
The number of wifi access points is increasing (see this report, page 14 and 25). The migration from mobile (GSM/3G/3G) connectivity to wifi connectivity in urban area's originates from public demand and governments, TelCo's and cable providers are happy to fulfill those needs. With more people having access to wifi and more wifi access points appearing it becomes more and more difficult to maintain a good working wifi connection. We'll take a look at the things you can do to improve your wifi connectivity.
The scope of this answer is limited to connection loss. This explicitly excludes connection speed problems or problems connecting to a wifi network in general.
Causes of connection loss: wifi signal quality and strength
The quality and strength of your signal is dependend on:
- the quality and power of the transmitter (your access point)
- interference on the way from the transmitter to the receiver
- the quality of your receiver (wireless antenna in your laptop/phone/computer/tv/...)
The terms quality and strength can be explained using the analogy of speech. If two people talk to each other it is important that you hear enough volume (signal strength) and that there is not too much noise, cluttering the voice of the speaker (quality). Noise can be dealt with by removing the noise (talk inside a home instead of next to a drilling machine) or by increasing strength (talk louder).
How to measure wifi signal quality and strength
The quality of your signal if often displayed using bars or using the semicircles of the wifi logo.
Most wifi tools can display the strength of the signal and its quality (often in terms of a signal-to-noise ratio). Some tools that you can use to analyse your wifi signal are (in alphabetical order):
- Android
- Wifi Analyzer
- Linux
- iwconfig
- iwScanner
- /proc/net/wireless ('watch -n 1 cat /proc/net/wireless')
- Wavemon
- OS X
- Apple's own Wireless diagnostics (only on Lion v10.8.4 and later)
- iStumbler
- KisMAC
- Windows
- InSSIDer
- NetStumbler
How to improve wifi signal quality and strength
Here are the things you can do. Please consider changing only one thing at a time and evaluate if that makes your situation better (keep the change) or worse (revert). That makes evaluating the result of your actions much easier.
- Improve your access point´s transmission:
- Remove obstacles between your access point of your wifi device. Placing it high on a wall or on a closet is a good strategy. Putting your access point in a closet places it nicely out of view, but reduces the signal, because it has to travel through your closet wall.
- Place it close to the center of the space where you want wifi coverage. Most wifi antenna's are omni-directional, which means the signal is sent like a bubble around your access point.
- In case your devices are located in a specific direction from the access point, you can check if the antennas of your access point can be replaced and install a directional antenna instead of the (mostly default) omni-directional antenna.
- Place your access point away from other electronic equipment, specifically wireless alarms, baby monitors, microwaves, radio controlled equipment, computers/servers and (in specific cases) tv remotes because they all transmit power with (more or less) the same frequency as your wifi access point.
- Make sure your SSID is unique in your area.
- Try rotating your antenna(s). Your wifi antenna transmits an electrical field and a magnetic field perpendicular to each other. By rotating your antenna, you rotate those fields. The interference with other networks can be limited by adjusting the polarization of your antenna. Just experiment with this one.
- There are specific applications (NetSpot for Mac or Heatmapper for Windows) that let you scan your house for the best wifi coverage and location.
- Optimize your access point's settings:
- Make sure your access point runs on its latest firmware or switch to DD-WRT for more control of the router's signal output (warning: expert users only).
- Experiment with the "wifi mode" of your access point (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/...) a clear 802.11g signal is always better than a crippled 802.11ac connection.
- Some routers have a "mixed mode". Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Try turning it off and see if that helps.
- Some routers have an "Eco mode" that makes it transmit with less power. Try turning the "eco mode" off and see if that helps.
- On some routers, you can set the "transmission power". Try setting it of different values and see how that helps. Note that higher isn't always better.
- The wifi frequency bands are subdivided in channels. When there are a lot of access points on the same channel, the access points and the devices can interfere and cause connection loss. Use a wifi analyser to check which channels are least occupied in your area.
- When upgrading to a new access point, consider the next generation "smart wifi" access points.
- Improve your receiving device:
- Make sure your device is running on the latest software versions and specifically make sure your wifi firmware is updated.
- Try to move your receiver (laptop, antenna) a bit. The wifi electro magnetic wave has a frequency of 2.437 GHz and a wavelength of 4.85 inch or 12,3 cm. If you move your receiving device just 1/4 wavelength (a bit more than 1 inch or 3 cm) you might just make the shift from sitting in a knot (low-point) of the signal to peak signal strength. Main point is: shifting your device just a centimeter really can make a difference.
- More access points:
- As this solution costs money and sometimes increases the problem by introducing random access point hopping, this options should be considered a "last resort" and not your first solution. You can buy a standard access point repeater or configure an accesspoint to act as a repeater, for example using DD-WRT.
add a comment |
I'll take a swing and try to formulate an answer for wifi connection problems in general, hoping this answer may help other people with similar questions/problems. Please feel free to edit/extend this answer as you see fit.
Introduction
The number of wifi access points is increasing (see this report, page 14 and 25). The migration from mobile (GSM/3G/3G) connectivity to wifi connectivity in urban area's originates from public demand and governments, TelCo's and cable providers are happy to fulfill those needs. With more people having access to wifi and more wifi access points appearing it becomes more and more difficult to maintain a good working wifi connection. We'll take a look at the things you can do to improve your wifi connectivity.
The scope of this answer is limited to connection loss. This explicitly excludes connection speed problems or problems connecting to a wifi network in general.
Causes of connection loss: wifi signal quality and strength
The quality and strength of your signal is dependend on:
- the quality and power of the transmitter (your access point)
- interference on the way from the transmitter to the receiver
- the quality of your receiver (wireless antenna in your laptop/phone/computer/tv/...)
The terms quality and strength can be explained using the analogy of speech. If two people talk to each other it is important that you hear enough volume (signal strength) and that there is not too much noise, cluttering the voice of the speaker (quality). Noise can be dealt with by removing the noise (talk inside a home instead of next to a drilling machine) or by increasing strength (talk louder).
How to measure wifi signal quality and strength
The quality of your signal if often displayed using bars or using the semicircles of the wifi logo.
Most wifi tools can display the strength of the signal and its quality (often in terms of a signal-to-noise ratio). Some tools that you can use to analyse your wifi signal are (in alphabetical order):
- Android
- Wifi Analyzer
- Linux
- iwconfig
- iwScanner
- /proc/net/wireless ('watch -n 1 cat /proc/net/wireless')
- Wavemon
- OS X
- Apple's own Wireless diagnostics (only on Lion v10.8.4 and later)
- iStumbler
- KisMAC
- Windows
- InSSIDer
- NetStumbler
How to improve wifi signal quality and strength
Here are the things you can do. Please consider changing only one thing at a time and evaluate if that makes your situation better (keep the change) or worse (revert). That makes evaluating the result of your actions much easier.
- Improve your access point´s transmission:
- Remove obstacles between your access point of your wifi device. Placing it high on a wall or on a closet is a good strategy. Putting your access point in a closet places it nicely out of view, but reduces the signal, because it has to travel through your closet wall.
- Place it close to the center of the space where you want wifi coverage. Most wifi antenna's are omni-directional, which means the signal is sent like a bubble around your access point.
- In case your devices are located in a specific direction from the access point, you can check if the antennas of your access point can be replaced and install a directional antenna instead of the (mostly default) omni-directional antenna.
- Place your access point away from other electronic equipment, specifically wireless alarms, baby monitors, microwaves, radio controlled equipment, computers/servers and (in specific cases) tv remotes because they all transmit power with (more or less) the same frequency as your wifi access point.
- Make sure your SSID is unique in your area.
- Try rotating your antenna(s). Your wifi antenna transmits an electrical field and a magnetic field perpendicular to each other. By rotating your antenna, you rotate those fields. The interference with other networks can be limited by adjusting the polarization of your antenna. Just experiment with this one.
- There are specific applications (NetSpot for Mac or Heatmapper for Windows) that let you scan your house for the best wifi coverage and location.
- Optimize your access point's settings:
- Make sure your access point runs on its latest firmware or switch to DD-WRT for more control of the router's signal output (warning: expert users only).
- Experiment with the "wifi mode" of your access point (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/...) a clear 802.11g signal is always better than a crippled 802.11ac connection.
- Some routers have a "mixed mode". Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Try turning it off and see if that helps.
- Some routers have an "Eco mode" that makes it transmit with less power. Try turning the "eco mode" off and see if that helps.
- On some routers, you can set the "transmission power". Try setting it of different values and see how that helps. Note that higher isn't always better.
- The wifi frequency bands are subdivided in channels. When there are a lot of access points on the same channel, the access points and the devices can interfere and cause connection loss. Use a wifi analyser to check which channels are least occupied in your area.
- When upgrading to a new access point, consider the next generation "smart wifi" access points.
- Improve your receiving device:
- Make sure your device is running on the latest software versions and specifically make sure your wifi firmware is updated.
- Try to move your receiver (laptop, antenna) a bit. The wifi electro magnetic wave has a frequency of 2.437 GHz and a wavelength of 4.85 inch or 12,3 cm. If you move your receiving device just 1/4 wavelength (a bit more than 1 inch or 3 cm) you might just make the shift from sitting in a knot (low-point) of the signal to peak signal strength. Main point is: shifting your device just a centimeter really can make a difference.
- More access points:
- As this solution costs money and sometimes increases the problem by introducing random access point hopping, this options should be considered a "last resort" and not your first solution. You can buy a standard access point repeater or configure an accesspoint to act as a repeater, for example using DD-WRT.
I'll take a swing and try to formulate an answer for wifi connection problems in general, hoping this answer may help other people with similar questions/problems. Please feel free to edit/extend this answer as you see fit.
Introduction
The number of wifi access points is increasing (see this report, page 14 and 25). The migration from mobile (GSM/3G/3G) connectivity to wifi connectivity in urban area's originates from public demand and governments, TelCo's and cable providers are happy to fulfill those needs. With more people having access to wifi and more wifi access points appearing it becomes more and more difficult to maintain a good working wifi connection. We'll take a look at the things you can do to improve your wifi connectivity.
The scope of this answer is limited to connection loss. This explicitly excludes connection speed problems or problems connecting to a wifi network in general.
Causes of connection loss: wifi signal quality and strength
The quality and strength of your signal is dependend on:
- the quality and power of the transmitter (your access point)
- interference on the way from the transmitter to the receiver
- the quality of your receiver (wireless antenna in your laptop/phone/computer/tv/...)
The terms quality and strength can be explained using the analogy of speech. If two people talk to each other it is important that you hear enough volume (signal strength) and that there is not too much noise, cluttering the voice of the speaker (quality). Noise can be dealt with by removing the noise (talk inside a home instead of next to a drilling machine) or by increasing strength (talk louder).
How to measure wifi signal quality and strength
The quality of your signal if often displayed using bars or using the semicircles of the wifi logo.
Most wifi tools can display the strength of the signal and its quality (often in terms of a signal-to-noise ratio). Some tools that you can use to analyse your wifi signal are (in alphabetical order):
- Android
- Wifi Analyzer
- Linux
- iwconfig
- iwScanner
- /proc/net/wireless ('watch -n 1 cat /proc/net/wireless')
- Wavemon
- OS X
- Apple's own Wireless diagnostics (only on Lion v10.8.4 and later)
- iStumbler
- KisMAC
- Windows
- InSSIDer
- NetStumbler
How to improve wifi signal quality and strength
Here are the things you can do. Please consider changing only one thing at a time and evaluate if that makes your situation better (keep the change) or worse (revert). That makes evaluating the result of your actions much easier.
- Improve your access point´s transmission:
- Remove obstacles between your access point of your wifi device. Placing it high on a wall or on a closet is a good strategy. Putting your access point in a closet places it nicely out of view, but reduces the signal, because it has to travel through your closet wall.
- Place it close to the center of the space where you want wifi coverage. Most wifi antenna's are omni-directional, which means the signal is sent like a bubble around your access point.
- In case your devices are located in a specific direction from the access point, you can check if the antennas of your access point can be replaced and install a directional antenna instead of the (mostly default) omni-directional antenna.
- Place your access point away from other electronic equipment, specifically wireless alarms, baby monitors, microwaves, radio controlled equipment, computers/servers and (in specific cases) tv remotes because they all transmit power with (more or less) the same frequency as your wifi access point.
- Make sure your SSID is unique in your area.
- Try rotating your antenna(s). Your wifi antenna transmits an electrical field and a magnetic field perpendicular to each other. By rotating your antenna, you rotate those fields. The interference with other networks can be limited by adjusting the polarization of your antenna. Just experiment with this one.
- There are specific applications (NetSpot for Mac or Heatmapper for Windows) that let you scan your house for the best wifi coverage and location.
- Optimize your access point's settings:
- Make sure your access point runs on its latest firmware or switch to DD-WRT for more control of the router's signal output (warning: expert users only).
- Experiment with the "wifi mode" of your access point (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/...) a clear 802.11g signal is always better than a crippled 802.11ac connection.
- Some routers have a "mixed mode". Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Try turning it off and see if that helps.
- Some routers have an "Eco mode" that makes it transmit with less power. Try turning the "eco mode" off and see if that helps.
- On some routers, you can set the "transmission power". Try setting it of different values and see how that helps. Note that higher isn't always better.
- The wifi frequency bands are subdivided in channels. When there are a lot of access points on the same channel, the access points and the devices can interfere and cause connection loss. Use a wifi analyser to check which channels are least occupied in your area.
- When upgrading to a new access point, consider the next generation "smart wifi" access points.
- Improve your receiving device:
- Make sure your device is running on the latest software versions and specifically make sure your wifi firmware is updated.
- Try to move your receiver (laptop, antenna) a bit. The wifi electro magnetic wave has a frequency of 2.437 GHz and a wavelength of 4.85 inch or 12,3 cm. If you move your receiving device just 1/4 wavelength (a bit more than 1 inch or 3 cm) you might just make the shift from sitting in a knot (low-point) of the signal to peak signal strength. Main point is: shifting your device just a centimeter really can make a difference.
- More access points:
- As this solution costs money and sometimes increases the problem by introducing random access point hopping, this options should be considered a "last resort" and not your first solution. You can buy a standard access point repeater or configure an accesspoint to act as a repeater, for example using DD-WRT.
edited Mar 20 '17 at 10:16
community wiki
3 revs
agtoever
add a comment |
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Please give us some more details an tell what you have already tried to make it work? When you have no working connection, traceroutes will always fail. Are there a lot of other wifi networks in your environment (they can interfere with your connection)? Try this: osxdaily.com/2013/12/11/… or this: blogs.aerohive.com/blog/the-wireless-lan-architecture-blog-3/… What channel is your wifi on? Are other devices affected by this issue or it is only your Mac?
– agtoever
Aug 17 '14 at 11:22
Yes the traceroute fails too when I lost the connection. There a many wifis, I'm in a building with more than 15 wifis. My channel is 44 (default router settings) and yes, all devices are affected by the issue (macs, ps4, iphones, ipad, TV and co). I try to change dns to openDns or google dns but it doesn't resolve the problem, so I'm not sure dns is really the problem (even with the error message)
– Kiva
Aug 18 '14 at 8:52
Did you try to detect interference as explained in the two links in my previous comment? If that doesn't work, try setting your router to another channel (on the 5 GHz band, which is where you are on now) and if that doesn't work, try reverting to 802.11b/g/n or 2,4GHz (channels 1-11). Finally maybe an obvious remark: I presume your SSID (wifi network name) is unique in your wifi range (if not: change it to something unique in your router). Let me know if any of this helps.
– agtoever
Aug 18 '14 at 9:04
Yes the SSID is unique. I'll try the two links asap and I'll tell you if it's ok
– Kiva
Aug 18 '14 at 9:45
Here is the wifi signal, imageshack.com/i/ipSuVL0Yp all seem good
– Kiva
Aug 18 '14 at 19:14