I had a total Linksys system including wireless router, signal booster and
high gain directional antennae as well as adapters. The Linksys router
stopped working on wireless after about a year and the second router did the
same after about six months. I always had problems trying to maintain a
consistent signal. It would range from very low to very good within minutes
throughout the house without any apparent reason. After the last one gave
up, I replaced the router, signal booster and directional antennae with a
cheap Belkin router figuring that it would be disposable like the Linksys
routers. I am pleasantly surprised that the Belkin router works great
without any add-on performance enhancers. The signal varies from good to
excellent throughout the house and is consistent for each location. I also
replaced the Linksys adapters with cheap SMC adapters. Its been about six
months and I am still very pleased.

Just my experience with Linksys which I purchased expecting a much better
product.

Tom Mayer

----- Original Message -----
From: "D Duncan" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2005 11:15 AM
Subject: [PCBUILD] Dsl Wireless [was [PCBUILD] Cable internet access and
home network conflict]


At 08:16 9/7/2005, David wrote:
>A router connects one network with another.  It shouldn't be doing
>anything to interfere with traffic *within* one of the networks -- you need
>to get into much bigger and more expensive equipment to get that "feature".

A few weeks ago, I wrote about my folks' dsl network and how I might
rig up a connection here in the guest house.  Well, I went ahead and
got my own dsl.  I just had to do some fiddling with PPPoE because I
added my old router to my setup, and SBC does that to you.  My former
ISP didn't, so it was an aspect of the configuration process new to
me...a good thing, learning stuff.

However, my folks' network is driving me loony.  Perhaps you can help
me understand where the problem lies so I can help reduce the bills
they keep paying the tech people.

ISP is SBC dsl which requires PPPoE for a router config.
dsl jack-->
1.Speedstream modem-->
D-Link Wireless router (DI 624)
Linksys WAP#1
Linksys Signal Booster
2. down the hall at the bottom of the stairs is a Cisco range expander
3. upstairs is Linksys WAP#2

When I connect to the router with an ethernet cable, the connection
is good.  When I connect wirelessly -- while sitting in the same
chair -- the signal and link vary between fair and none.  I walked
down the hall toward the range expander and the signal got worse and
dropped completely.  Upstairs, my Mom's computer -- cabled to the
WAP#2 -- drops the signal more often than naught.

My thought is it's more about the house interfering with the wireless
signal than anything else, but I'm not confident in my networking
knowledge, so the more I try to find out what it might be, the more
confused I get.  I also did some research and read about WAP
master/slave setups...is that a possibility here?  What more can I
find out to try to get to the real issue?

Thanks tons,
Diane

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