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How to increase wireless signal strength?

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Border View

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Posted October 2, 2012 at 2:08PM

My OS is Windows 7 Home Premium (64 bit) On a desktop computer with a wireless card inbuilt. My ISP is o2. I have o2's wireless router called Technicolour. My router is situated about 10 feet away from the desktop, yet my signal strength is only fair. Two bars, sometimes three, out of a possible five.

How do I increase the signal strength? My router syncs at about 2.9 Mbps and my download speed shows 2.4 Mbps. It has been known to drop to 0.3 Mbps and 1.5 Mbps.

Your help would be appreciated.

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Woolwell

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Posted October 3, 2012 at 6:25PM

Before you buy a new dongle - did the old one work well with consistently good signal?

Have you tried changing channels?

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woodchip

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Posted October 3, 2012 at 8:10PM

Disable Wireless

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Border View

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Posted October 3, 2012 at 11:01PM

Hi Woolwell, I used the old dongle on a different computer running XP - my router was a different one too. It ran alongside my laptop which had an onboard wireless card. Always got a good signal. With regard to the channel, I have been on the phone to o2 and they accessed the router from their end and they changed channels. The signal always ends up with just three bars out of five.

Think I must have a poor onboard wifi card.

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Border View

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Posted October 4, 2012 at 12:16AM

I've spent the last hour looking at various adapters on Amazon and comments about them. I run with Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit and the vast majority of adapters appear to have problems with 64 bit. I've settled on the Gump 802.11N 300Mbps which looks compatible with my o2 Technicolour TG582n. Stern warning from one reviewer that I should not use the disc which comes with the adapter and just let Windows set it up.

My only query is will Windows have the driver on my computer and if not how will I connect to the internet for Windows to find the right driver. Or, thinking outloud, when I install the adapter should I be connected to the router with an ethernet cable?

Will get there in the end.

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onthelimit1

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Posted October 4, 2012 at 8:44AM

Most of these dongles are just plug-n-play. No, you don't need to connect by ethernet.

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Border View

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Posted October 4, 2012 at 11:14AM

Thanks onethelimit1

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royabriant

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Posted October 4, 2012 at 1:04PM

  1. Position your wireless router, modem router, or access point in a central location
  2. Move the router off the floor and away from walls and metal objects (such as metal file cabinets)
  3. Replace your router's antenna

But it is obvious that packet loss in wireless connection is very common, you might not get 100% speed.

You can see some more help in this site: http://www.techyv.com/questions/increase-signal-wifi-router

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Border View

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Posted October 4, 2012 at 1:47PM

Hello royabriant. The router is on a table on the landing. No metal objects, e.g. filing cabinets in the house. This router is brand new, being a replacement from o2 received this week.

Many thanks for your tips - I feel sure others with similar problems to mine will take them on board.

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daxian

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Posted October 4, 2012 at 2:07PM

hi ... i had similar problem ....got a dongle and now get full power . http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/320738138114?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

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Border View

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Posted October 4, 2012 at 2:46PM

Hi daxian - I agree. I've order a Gump 802.11n 300 Mbps from Amazon. Will plug it directly into the USB port (not a hub)on the end of a short USB extension. That way I shall be able to position the adapter in such a way that its not blocked by anything.

Will report back when I have it all sorted.

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