Why is my wireless router signal so weak even though it's close by?

[aychamo]

Hey guys

I seem to be having a problem with my wireless router. I'm using a LinkSys Wireless Router-G. This is not the brand new one with the speedbooster.

I have my router in the room RIGHT next to me. I am literally 15 feet away from my router, and it is sitting on top of a piano. There is a single wall between us, and the door to the room is always open. And yet I can not get a great signal with my router. I get three out of four bars, and it can say low or good quality signal. Instead of 54mps it may say 36 or so. Why would it be so low when the router is still so close to me?

Thank you;)

 

[aychamo]

Hey guys. This problem is persisting. I'm getting 2 or 3 bars out of four (in WinXP, the icon in the system tray). It occasionally goes up to the full four bars. I haven't run NetStumbler or anything to get a real accurate reception reading though. I'll get between Good - Very Good - and Excellent reception strenght readings. ... From 15 feet away from my Router though (one wall between us, and this is just in an apartment complex with thin-ass walls (wood and sheetrock).

My very beautiful and patient girlfriend (who is trying to make me get off this forum right now) has a Blitzz Wireless-B PCMCIA card in her laptop, and she gets perfect, full strength signal. Our laptops sit right next to each other (although mine may be a foot closer to the router), and she gets full strength and I get between 50% and 100%. What gives?

This leads me to believe that the problem may be in my wireless card, instead of the router itself. The thing is, this is a Dell Inspiron 8600 with Centrino. But this is a 802.11g card. Isn't Centrino just 802.11b? I think I have a MiniPCI b/g card installed. Could this card be the problem? I don't even see a place on my laptop that could be an antenna or anything. Do the MiniPCI or Centrino or whatever tend to have poor signal strength?

If this is the problem, I'd consider purchasing a PCMCIA 802.11g card. Thank you;)

AYCHAMO

 

[dduardo]

I just went to dell's website and they said the centrino is 802.11b. If you want the full capacity of 802.11g then your going to need to get another card.

 

[loseyourname]

If you're only fifteen feet away, and your patient girlfriend doesn't need to use the connection at the same time as you, why not just run a wire?

 

[aychamo]

I am 802.11g. I have the upgraded network card in this laptop. It's the Minicard or whatever, that is built into the laptop. It is 802.11g. Before I moved my router (previously it was directly in sight of me) I connect perfect at 54Mbps. I can still get my 54 connection usually, but the signal strenght is very poor, compared to my girlfriends laptop with a 802.11b PCMCIA card. I'm not running any wires :)

 

[chroot]

Is your outside internet connection even remotely close to 54 Mbps? If not, don't freaking worry about it.

- Warren

 

[aychamo]

Sigh, I think you people hate me. I wish that no one would post unless they had an answer. There have been three posts in here by you guys and nothing has been beneficial at all.

I do worry about network speed because I have a network here. I use my LAN for purposes other than internet.

 

[chroot]

Try swapping network cards with your gf, if possible, and see what happens.

If you can't swap cards, just swap laptops with her. She won't notice.

- Warren