Support Let me tell you the story of my internet connection

Discussion in 'Technology' started by Ars Nova, May 16, 2014.

  1. Ars Nova Just a ghost.

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    So, I've been having internet issues for several years now. If anyone can solve this ever-self-complicating puzzle then I will be forever in your debt.

    The key devices here are my laptop and my PS3, both with which I've had several problems.

    I live on the second floor of my folks' house. I'm about as far away as possible from the router, which is something I've learned to live with. There's no chance of me moving closer or hardwiring any game systems.

    For a long time, we used a very old Linksys router, which... had its days. It wasn't great but it functioned. Some years I'd have great PSN but my laptop couldn't stay connected, some years it was vice-versa. Early this year, both connections really started to dip, so we tried several things to fix it. We upgraded our bandwidth and signal strength, which did nothing. So we opted to replace it. Of course, a few days before the new router was slated to arrive, both connections suddenly jumped to max with no hiccups. I can't tell if the router was begging us to keep it or laughing at our confusion.

    So now we have this new router—I can check later but I think it's still Linksys—and it's actually worse than ever before. Sometimes my laptop connnection is full bars, but usually at least once a day it dips down below one bar, hiccups and disconnects frequently, usually for blocks of an hour at a time. And my PSN is just a mess: The first few weeks I couldn't even stay online, now I can maintain a connection for several hours but my download/upload speeds are pitiful so there's really no point. I'm currently struggling to download a game update, and actually playing any games is a tooth-pulling affair.

    Just to add further confusion: I recently took up a house-sitting gig for a family friend, during which time I used their wi-fi. At all times my computer ran smoothly (unless it got hot of course), but my PSN was... worse than ever but also ok? I could download games and updates just fine, but my connection speed was balls and I'd lag out of any game instantly. And occasionally I'd just fail to connect, or disconnect quickly. When I got done with that gig and came back home, it was worse than ever, and I'm not sure why.

    So here are all the possible causes we've gone over thus far:
    • Too far from the router, too many walls between me and the router • This might be the case, especially since my laptop connection is much better downstairs. But there's a lot of evidence against it. For one, I can get max speed on both my devices from here, I've done it before. And my roommate across the hall is pretty much sitting on top of the router, with only a floor/ceiling between them, and has similar connectivity hiccups.
    • Too many devices on the network • My mother, stepdad, roommate and I all have laptops, plus some of us use the network for our phones and I have my game systems. It could be that the network is strained, but with the recent upgrades and the fact that only my roommate and I have these problems, everyone else connects fine, I'm not so sure.
    • Devices overheating • I doubt this is it, since I've been using a cooling pad with my laptop and it still has issues. PS3 has a tendency to run hot, but it's always done that.
    • New ext. hard drive causing problems (Laptop) • I recently got a new 1TB hard drive, which came with some program for cloud storage or something? I really didn't see a need for it so I never installed it, but the hard drive may be trying to connect to the internet regardless. I first noticed this issue when it was brand-new, but after several months it seems to have died down.
    • Wires in the way (PS3) • I do have a lot of things hooked up at any one time. I've tried moving the PS3 around to see if I can get a more stable connection, but results are meh.
    • PSN netcode is garbage (PS3) • This was suggested by a friend, and maybe it's all there is to it. The PS3 on average has more problems with more networks that should run smoothly. I've tried everything with this damn console; I've manually assigned an IP address, subnet mask, set up a DMZ... Nothing works. In fact all my tinkering just seems to make it worse. I've google searched the problem dozens of times, run through every answer I can find, and there's just nothing left I can think to try.

    I know system specs are missing from this post, but I'm also relatively computer-illiterate so I never know what specs I'm looking for. Just ask and I should be able to provide.
     
  2. Misty gimme kiss

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    The fluctuating quality of your signal is probably due to the distance and interference. Things like microwaves can interfere with WiFi. I'd really recommend picking up a wireless repeater and seeing if that helps you at all -- basically it's a little device that takes your wireless signal in and boosts it, thereby extending the range/quality of your signal. They're pretty cheap and easy to set up.

    There could be other issues at work here (mostly with your ps3 because they can be really **** with wireless) but the repeater is the first thing I'd try. Also check to see if your router is using Wireless N and what bandwidth you pay for.
     
  3. Karuta Reborn

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    Uh, seems like a problem with your ISP to me. If the connections speeds stayed static then it could be a problem with router placement but the fact that they fluctuate so much is weird. What ISP company are you with?

    Also, some tips:
    Keep your router away from as much electric stuff as possible. (as in, don't have it next to your tv or anything that makes wireless connections).
    Change the wireless channel. Sometimes neighbouring wi-fi connections can mess with yours if they are on the same channel.
    You can do this by entering your default gateway in the URL bar of your browser. To get your default gateway, assuming you're on windows, open up CMD and type ipconfig. Scroll down a bit 'til you see something that says Default Gateway. The IP next to it is what you need to enter. It will usually be something like 192.168.1.XXX. Just enter whatever yours is. It should ask you for a password, try "admin" for both. If that doesn't work look up your routers model with "default password" or something.

    not guaranteeing any of this will solve anything, but it's worth a try. You can try a repeater like Misty recommended too, but I usually like to tinker with stuff and see what results I get before I go out and buy anything.
     
  4. Ars Nova Just a ghost.

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    I'll keep it in mind, but unfortunately I'm not in charge of network expenditures, so I'd have to convince my folks first. Actually I think we talked about it but I dunno if anything ever came of it.
    How do I check if it's on Wireless N?

    Verizon FiOS. The upstairs connections are the only ones that fluctuate.
    I know how to access it, but I gotta get the login info for the new router. I'll try some of that when I do though.