UKC

Hi guys, hoping one of the resident tech folk can explain this one!

I've been using my BT wifi with their router fine in the new place for 6 weeks. Very stable, multiple computers attached to it, no problems.

A couple of times last last week my desktop and laptop were both losing the connection and the router had to be restarted a couple of times. No problem, a bad day or whatever.

Today my laptop has been connected fine all day. My phone connects fine. But my desktop will connect for a few mins when I restart the router but then suddenly lose the connnection but also not be able to find the network (not in the list, though others are from neighbours or from my phone hotspot through 3G. It can't however see my laptop as a hotspot through the house wifi). If I restart the computer it will start up still unable to see the network but with a list of others there. If I restart the router it will see the network for 5-10 mins max then it disappears from the list.

I've checked and my wireless adapter has up to date drivers.

Not really sure what to try next really. Googling and my generally pretty decent knowledge has got me nowhere so far so hoping with being able to explain fully it might give someone an idea.

In reply to Scarab9:

bit more info. I've found that if I have nothing else connected to the network then my desktop can see it and connect to it fine. As soon as something else connects too then it loses connection and can no longer see the network.

In reply to Scarab9:

It sounds like you've got 2 devices conflicting and trying to use the same I.P.

I've had this years ago, but can't remember exactly how to fix it.

From memory go to the router's admin page, log in and you should have some advanced netwrok settings that will list your devices connected through the router. you may find that the laptop is trying to use the same IP as your mobile for example. within the advanced settings, you should be able to assign the laptop a new IP (go for something a lot higher in the available range)

In reply to Scarab9:

I had a similar issue with our wireless router we were using in conjunction with a new hub (wireless disabled). The pair had been working fine for years, then last week devices just could not log on unless u rebooted the wireless router. In the end I removed the wireless router from the chain and enabled the hub wireless. Now all ok.

Maybe your neighbours are using the same wifi channel as you? Maybe change it and see?

In reply to Scarab9:

Also, which home hib are you using? if its V2 it's known to struggle with more than 4 wifi connections - can you hard wire any of the devices to the ethernet ports?

In reply to Scarab9:

thanks guys. very rock and roll and fell asleep at 5.30 and now need to go out and meet someone, but I reckon you've got it with the ip thing. Have seen it before, just didn't think. I'll check later/tomorrow morning.

In reply to Scarab9:

If it's any help we have a BT Homehub and it's terribly unreliable; we've had no end of tests and checks and new replacements; there's no problem with the house wiring or the outdoor cable, fibre optic is now within 100 yards and the service remains poor and annoyingly sporadic. We've lost count of the number of times we've complained.

In reply to Scarab9:

Looks like changing the channel has done it. Fingers crossed it continues to work. Thanks all

In reply to Scarab9:

There are fourteen channels that can be used for wifi, unless you configure the router to use a specific channel then if communication on the channel it is trying to use is poor, e.g. because of interference from an outside source or because of multi-path interference, then it will hop to another channel. However, national and regional rules do not necessarily permit the use of all fourteen channels, in the U.S. it is against the law to use channels 12-14, so if your desktop's wifi card is set to use channels 1-11 and your router is set to use channels 1-13 or 1-14 then it may establish a connection to your desktop to start with, but when it hops to a high channel, other devices capable of using that channel may stay connected but your desktop would no longer be able to see the network.