Wireless Cable Modem

They have: 3 posts

Joined: Jan 2000

I just had a wireless cable modem installed to my desktop. When I go to use my laptop in another area of my house the Internet takes forever to upload.
When I checked the wireless connection it tells me that the signal is low.
Is there anything I can do to get a stronger signal. Or do I have to call the cable company for them to adjust. My laptop is about 3 years old. It's a IBM and runs Windows XP, SP1. My desktop is slightly more than a year old and runs XP, SP1 too. Thank you for all the info you send my way.

Ruffle

They have: 5,633 posts

Joined: Jan 1970

Call the company, they can tell you exaclty what to do. If you what us to suggest help your going to need the be a little more specific...

JeevesBond's picture

He has: 3,956 posts

Joined: Jun 2002

Just sounds like the wireless signal isn't strong enough, I've had this problem also.

Is there anyone else in the area with wireless? Make sure you're using a different channel if there is and preferably use infrastructure mode with encryption (otherwise you're leaving your network wide open).

What happens when you take the laptop closer to the wireless access point? If you're finding it works ok you might want to invest in some extra equipment to get further away.

You can get wireless repeaters/extenders, or different antennas, personally I would use some sort of repeater/extender at an open spot roughly halfway between the wireless access point and the area you're having trouble with. Which manufacturer you go to is your choice, probably the same one as the access point would be preferable.

a Padded Cell our articles site!

The Webmistress's picture

She has: 5,586 posts

Joined: Feb 2001

We have a temporary wirless system set up until my new office is completed next week and it is rubbish! Not that it helps you but just to say you are not alone! Wink

Julia - if life was meant to be easy Michael Angelo would have painted the floor....

Greg K's picture

He has: 2,145 posts

Joined: Nov 2003

We installed wireless here at work, and it does pretty good most of the time.... UNTIL... anyone used the microwave. It is about 3 ft from the wall the wirelss router is mounted to. I was sitting here with a strong signal, but the noise level was peeked. I was trying to figure out what was going on, and looking at the level indicators when I heard the microwave beep becasuse it was done, that noise indicator dropped to nothing... LOL

One of the guys here said it messes with his bluetooth headset for his phone too.

I was told before that any access point can be used as a extender. Does this also mean my linksys router can act like an extender as well? I'm trying to fiure out the best way to do this, we have a new office across the hall, and only one network line run there. should I just et up second access point or extend the one... (Edited: We already have two linksys Wireless-G routers here, so trying to utilize the other one. My concern is just plugging the router in means choosing another subnet for the other office. Not sure how that would affect the access to the servers)

-Greg

DC_Sara's picture

She has: 392 posts

Joined: Jan 2002

We have a wireless router and a cable modem. Recently that happened to us too, it was really slow. We called our cable company (Cox) and they told us that we needed to buy a new modem to handle the new level of speed that we just subscribed to. Needless to say they replaced our modem free, did they have a choice? No. Not since we just moved in less than a year ago!

I would contact your cable company. Do you have a secure network? We did that as well with the wireless, it makes me feel better at least that no one else can share it.

~*Sara*~

They have: 3 posts

Joined: Jan 2000

Thank you everyone who responded to my question. I called my cable company today that installed the modem so now I have to wait to hear from one of the techs to set up an appointment. I will let you know what happen once the tech comes over to take care of my problem.

Plus I am going to ask about the wireless repeaters/extenders or a different antenna suggested by JeevesBond. Because I think this could be the problem.

Smiling Ruffle

popinsiteads's picture

He has: 51 posts

Joined: Sep 2005

too much of a thick wall.
(if you are with blueyonder and have telewest you can plug the wireless into your TV set-top box.)

And what do you mean: "Upload the internet"?
No wonder its taking forever

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