wireless keep dropping link

kas06 · Mar 6th, 2006, 03:55 AM

I have a Linksys WRT54G wireless router connected to a webstar cable modem. My powerbook keeps dropping the wireless link although I am in the range. In addition, since I don't broadcast my SSID, I have to keep connecting to my network by entering the SSID and my password. It seems that the configuration is not kept. However on occasions, I change my location to wired, then wireless and I am able to reconnect for a short while until the link drops again. I am using Mac OS 10.4.5 and the firmware on the router is v2.02.2. Any suggestions/help is appreciated.

kas

Thom · Mar 6th, 2006, 08:00 AM

I have a cordless phone base station near my wireless router, and the remote phone near my wireless laptop. About once every two or three weeks the signal is dropped, usually after or during a phone call. If you have a cordless phone in your location it MIGHT be the cause of your problem. You can try to set your wireless connection to operate on a different wireless channel and see if that helps.

Moscool · Mar 6th, 2006, 08:07 AM

Welcome to the art of wireless dark magic...

I got support from friends at Cisco about Linksys products and they state that: "there is no reason products shouldn't be 100% compatible with OSX" (!) a.k.a you're on your own...

I would start by broadcasting the SSID; there is really no reason not too. I would also remove all forms of security and see if the connection keeps being dropped. Then either leave the security low (not many reasons to do otherwise unless every student in the neighbourhood hacks your bandwidth) or rebuild it progressively. My current approach on security is to change the PW of the router to something arcane and then to simply apply MAC address filtering.

In my experience there is no way to find out what causes dropping out in the multiple combinations of HW, SW and Firmware: I dropped a Belkin router because I couldn't make it work with iChat AV; then my Netgear dropped like yours and it all stopped after about two months of hair pulling... Go figure...

kas06 · Mar 6th, 2006, 05:22 PM

Thank you Thom and Moscool for your responses. I don't have a cordless phone base near my router, but sometimes I have the phone near my powerbook. I will broadcast my SSID since I am using MAC address filtering anyway and my personal directory is encrypted using PGP software and see how it goes.

kas

kas06 · Mar 6th, 2006, 10:59 PM

Alright so I turned on SSID broadcast and I am still losing the connection. I still lost connectivity, and when I Internet Connect, I don't even see my network. Any ideas??

kas

Moscool · Mar 7th, 2006, 03:48 AM

As I said there are weird things happening out there... Normally the order of play is:
1) rebooting the rooter
2) rebooting the computer
3) pulling one's hair out

I had cases where the signal would drop for hours on end and I would have to hack a neighbour's signal until mine was restored. Then one day things fixed themselves. No idea why/how. Not much help I know but perhaps go check out with Linksys forums...

mguertin · Mar 7th, 2006, 03:41 PM

have you tried using different channels?

kas06 · Mar 8th, 2006, 05:40 PM

I tried different channels mguertin and to no avail. I share your frustration Moscool where the link flip flop for hours then stabalize itself without any intervention. You reminded me with a term that we used to use in the old days, when the mainframe slows down as of a sudden, and we put all our brain cells together to try to find out what happened. We were unable to find anything wrong and the mainframe is back to normal. We used to say CBFM was the resolution. CBFM stood for "Cleared by F**ing Magic".

kas

Mar 6th, 2006, 03:55 AM	#1
kas06 New Neighbour Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 21	wireless keep dropping link I have a Linksys WRT54G wireless router connected to a webstar cable modem. My powerbook keeps dropping the wireless link although I am in the range. In addition, since I don't broadcast my SSID, I have to keep connecting to my network by entering the SSID and my password. It seems that the configuration is not kept. However on occasions, I change my location to wired, then wireless and I am able to reconnect for a short while until the link drops again. I am using Mac OS 10.4.5 and the firmware on the router is v2.02.2. Any suggestions/help is appreciated. kas

Mar 6th, 2006, 08:07 AM	#3
Moscool Honourable Citizen Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: London (UK) Posts: 3,373	Welcome to the art of wireless dark magic... I got support from friends at Cisco about Linksys products and they state that: "there is no reason products shouldn't be 100% compatible with OSX" (!) a.k.a you're on your own... I would start by broadcasting the SSID; there is really no reason not too. I would also remove all forms of security and see if the connection keeps being dropped. Then either leave the security low (not many reasons to do otherwise unless every student in the neighbourhood hacks your bandwidth) or rebuild it progressively. My current approach on security is to change the PW of the router to something arcane and then to simply apply MAC address filtering. In my experience there is no way to find out what causes dropping out in the multiple combinations of HW, SW and Firmware: I dropped a Belkin router because I couldn't make it work with iChat AV; then my Netgear dropped like yours and it all stopped after about two months of hair pulling... Go figure... __________________ Bop 'til you drop MB Pro 15 \| 2.66 \| 4 Gigs of shiny DDR RAM \| 320 HD iMac 27 i5 1TB Time Capsule 1TB iPhone 3G: "What else?" & Sony noise cancelling headphones Canon 7D proper camera with nice L glass and Lightroom

Mar 7th, 2006, 03:48 AM	#6
Moscool Honourable Citizen Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: London (UK) Posts: 3,373	As I said there are weird things happening out there... Normally the order of play is: 1) rebooting the rooter 2) rebooting the computer 3) pulling one's hair out I had cases where the signal would drop for hours on end and I would have to hack a neighbour's signal until mine was restored. Then one day things fixed themselves. No idea why/how. Not much help I know but perhaps go check out with Linksys forums... __________________ Bop 'til you drop MB Pro 15 \| 2.66 \| 4 Gigs of shiny DDR RAM \| 320 HD iMac 27 i5 1TB Time Capsule 1TB iPhone 3G: "What else?" & Sony noise cancelling headphones Canon 7D proper camera with nice L glass and Lightroom

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Mar 6th, 2006, 08:00 AM	#2
Thom Full Citizen Join Date: May 2005 Location: Toronto Posts: 494	I have a cordless phone base station near my wireless router, and the remote phone near my wireless laptop. About once every two or three weeks the signal is dropped, usually after or during a phone call. If you have a cordless phone in your location it MIGHT be the cause of your problem. You can try to set your wireless connection to operate on a different wireless channel and see if that helps.

Mar 6th, 2006, 05:22 PM	#4
kas06 New Neighbour Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 21	Thank you Thom and Moscool for your responses. I don't have a cordless phone base near my router, but sometimes I have the phone near my powerbook. I will broadcast my SSID since I am using MAC address filtering anyway and my personal directory is encrypted using PGP software and see how it goes. kas

Mar 6th, 2006, 10:59 PM	#5
kas06 New Neighbour Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 21	Alright so I turned on SSID broadcast and I am still losing the connection. I still lost connectivity, and when I Internet Connect, I don't even see my network. Any ideas?? kas

Mar 7th, 2006, 03:41 PM	#7
mguertin Honourable Citizen Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Oakville, ON Posts: 5,018	have you tried using different channels?

Mar 8th, 2006, 05:40 PM	#8
kas06 New Neighbour Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 21	I tried different channels mguertin and to no avail. I share your frustration Moscool where the link flip flop for hours then stabalize itself without any intervention. You reminded me with a term that we used to use in the old days, when the mainframe slows down as of a sudden, and we put all our brain cells together to try to find out what happened. We were unable to find anything wrong and the mainframe is back to normal. We used to say CBFM was the resolution. CBFM stood for "Cleared by F**ing Magic". kas