Losing Signal Then Reconnecting

[BriLam]

So, it seems I'm having a problem connecting to the internet.

I have a Linksys BEFE11S4 router which I've used for more than a year with no problems. I recently moved to a new apartment complex and had yet to have my Comcast High Speed Internet hooked up. There were many Wireless signals to use in the mean time, so I chose one entitled Belkin. I assume the router the fellow used was a Belkin router.

Anyway, while on this network, I noticed my Dell laptop (with built in Truemobile 1150 Wireless Card) was losing the signal, then reconnecting. This process took maybe 20 seconds maximum. I assumed it was the network's fault and thought nothing of it. The disconnection and reconnection process occurred maybe 5 times in two days.

Yesterday, I had my internet hooked up, so I set my router up. All was fine and dandy until I began having the same problem again! So, it hadn't been the Belkin. I started playing with the router itself and the disconnections seemed to stop for maybe 12 hours. Then, I had 5 in about an hour while I was away from the computer.

Now, I thought of it being a cordless phone or other signal interfering, but that wouldn't matter when I first connected to the Belkin network, since God knows where that router was located. For the record, I have a cordless phone on my desk and a large TV where the router and modem are located.

I thought downloading a new driver for the Truemobile might help, so I did. All went fine, but the problem still exists. I assume the problem is on my end, since it occurred on the Belkin router before happening on my Linksys.

Does anyone have any ideas? The outages don't last long but it's darn near getting me mad. I haven't crossed that threshold yet, but soon...

Thanks in advance, folks.

 

[BriLam]

I toyed with the modem and router before bed and, after waking up, I realized it seems the disconnection and reconnection occurs at almost the same interval in the hour, to the second:

From the AOL Instant Messager program:

xxx signed on at 3:31:24 AM.
xxx signed on at 4:41:24 AM.

So, the disconnection happens a few seconds earlier than this, lasting the exact same amount of time. It is now 6:45 AM and the disconnect happened one time a little before 3:31:24 AM, then a full hour and 10 minutes later. But, nothing happened at the 5:00 hour or 6:00 hour.

This would make me think it's something in the router settings, but it doesn't happen every single hour in the day, just some. It seems almost random, but it's at the same interval in the hour.

Ideas?

 

[BriLam]

I came home today from classes and I found the previously posted hourly disconnection doesn't hold true. I was disconnected and reconnected more than 6 times in about 4 hours, all at different times.

Sorry for the constant updates -- this just has me really frustrated.

 

[StumpedTechy]

Sounds like thee common denominator is your laptop any strange settings on your laptop or new firewall programs installed? Anything that may be interfering with it working wirelessly?

If your having the same dropoffs on 2 different wireless connections more than likely its the PC config.

 

[BriLam]

I see how that makes sense. I have installed nothing new and updated my driver for my wireless card after the problem began.

I don't even know where to start in terms of PC config.

What gets me is nothing changed between when I last used the wireless and now.

 

[StumpedTechy]

Have you checked your event logs? Have you enabled to see your icons always even when connected to the network? Does your PC get the icon of the 2 computers and have a big X when you get disconnected? Have you tried to do a repair of the connection when it gets disconnected?

I hate to say it but using the log of the disconnection of the messenger isn't going to help too much with determinig what is occuring.

Do you happen to have another WIFI spot that is not in this "new house" does it behave the same way there? Maybe if you were getting wifi from 1 building its a cable issue up to a spot in your entire complex?

 

[Jedi_Master]

Hwdy folks...

Sounds like the card may be going into Hibernation, or Power Saving Mode, didn't see which Operating system you are using, but check any Power saving features of the card, if any under AOL, any in the BIOS, and any in the Control Panel...

 

[BriLam]

I was using AIM's log simply to tell me if I was still getting disconnected since I had no way of knowing otherwise. The connect/disconnect happens so quick that I don't even know about it. Looking at my online time on AIM lets me know I've been signed off again.

For example, this past night all was fine until about 4 AM, then I was disconnected and reconnected about 4 times until 8:30 AM when I woke up.

I will look at the router and see about the log. I also looked for the hibernation settings of the card itself and found nothing. Under Network Connections, I went to the properties of the wireless card, Dell Truemobile 1150 Series Mini PCI, and took a look. Nothing I could find.

I haven't repaired the network when disconnected because I have only actually been present for this process one out of the many times it has happened. 95% of the time it occurs when I have been idle for a long time. Would I be able to repair it when it is connected or would that do nothing to help the situation?

Also, what I am going to try is wiring the laptop to the router. I just want to make sure it is definitely not the router causing the problem. I disabled the wireless and am know using the "Local Area Connection 2" to connect. Also, my girlfriend is bringing her iBook today and we'll see if she gets disconnected at all.

I do have a warranty with Dell, so if the problem is the wireless card itself, I'll be able to get it fixed. I just want to narrow the problem down. I assume it must be, since I mentioned having this problem when I connected to that other Belkin network before mine was hooked up.

Thanks so much for the help, both what I've gotten so far and anything additional you can give me! I owe you guys, like always!

 

[BriLam]

One more thing: I was looking around again and found "Card Power Management" is OFF for the Wireless card. You can also set it to auto or on. Is this correct?

Thanks.