<http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/01/26/headaches_missing_wifi_connection/>
By Tony Smith
Hardware Headaches I own a Linksys WRT54G wireless router
and in the four years I've had it, I've connected it to two Macs, two
PCs, a Nintendo Wii and a host of handhelds. It's been a joy to use,
more so than the Proxim box I used to own. Until now. Over the last
month or so, it's begun to drop connections randomly and without
warning. Parts of my home once in reach of its transmitter have
mysteriously become dead zones...
Judging from the activity in a number of Mac-centric online forums,
my experience is shared by many Wi-Fi users and owners of a wide
array of access points from almost every vendor. To fellow sufferers
trying desperately to connect with a Mac, I'd point out that PCs are
no better, sometimes worse if you use Windows XP itself to connect
rather than third-party tools like the utility Intel ships with its
wireless products.
Netgear rather kindly passed one of its travel wireless routers my
way, a smart, easy-to-use way to share a broadband internet
connection when you're out and about. I tried it at home in place of
the Linksys box, but the results were the same: excellent coverage
and connectivity most of the time spoiled by unexplained link losses.
Now, when I installed the WRT54G, it detected maybe four nearby
WLANs. When I put the Proxim in there weren't any at all. Now, the
number's up to eight. A new one, clearly maintained by an Apple
AirPort Extreme base-station, appeared for the first time last night.
All this in a fairly typical London street.
I started out on Channel 1, moving to Channel 11 when I installed the
Linksys. I upgraded from WEP to WPA at the same time. Since then,
I've shifted to Channel 6. While most other WLANs are using 1 or 11,
more are starting to use 6 as their owners perceive they may get a
less crowded frequency. The open source tool iStumbler
(
http://www.istumbler.net/) reveals just how busy the 2.4GHz band is
becoming around me.
So what's the problem? What's causing me to (metaphorically speaking)
tear out my hair trying to figure out what's going on, and making my
other half loudly complain (literally) that she has a crucial
deadline to meet and can't connect to send email?
The weight of similar stories posted online suggests my circumstances
are in no way uncommon. So what do we have here? Is the Wi-Fi
standard simply incapable of coping with a certain density of access
points at a given location? Is there an issue with the longevity of
the hardware? Are pre-802.11n products indeed hindering the ability
for older 802.11b and 802.11g hardware from connecting correctly?
Whatever the problem, users have a case the Wi-Fi vendors and
standards-setters must answer. We're clearly running up to the limits
of the technology, not in terms of data throughput speeds, but how
many WLANs can co-exist and still operate efficiently. If they don't
they're in serious danger of badly disappointing consumers who've
either splashed out on new wireless hardware or been led to believe
it's the best thing since sliced bread by service providers.
I'm in Wi-Fi range of more than eight houses and apartments, and if
the adoption of domestic WLANs continues at the current rate, no
one's going to be able to connect soon. Wi-Fi has gone beyond early
adopters like me as ISPs and TV services have pitched wireless
networking to consumers, all on the assumption that the user will be
the only one with a WLAN in the vicinity.
It's only going to get worse, as more folk are encouraged to use
wireless technology to pump HD content around the home.
Maybe I should ditch all this wireless kit and start plugging in
powerline Ethernet adaptors - like the ones offered by Netgear
(
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/01...etgear_hdx101/) and
Devolo
(
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/01...an_200_avdesk/)
- around my home. I lose the freedom of movement wireless provides,
but at least I'll be sure of a connection.
NEWS: WTF has my Wi-Fi network gone? 
Linear Mode
