Wifi channel & connection stability

WillyNelson · 26 May 2006 at 15:21

I'm having a problem at the moment with the stability of my internet connection. It's mostly noticable when I'm on a P2P network or online gaming.

Take Counter Strike for example. After about 10 minutes of play my connection seems to time out and I'm left hanging before getting kicked by the server. When I check the ping rates to the servers they all come back as 'no response' for a minute or so before coming back.

I run a secured wireless network from my NTHell STB through a Belkin router. There are another two wireless networks that I can detect and all three are running on channel 11. Would changing my channel help with this problem do you think? If so, which should I change to (11 is default it seems).

Also, are there any good programs for testing the stability of my net connection?

Thanks in advance.

GuruJockStrap · 26 May 2006 at 15:42

Trying different wireless channels would be one of the first things I'd do.

Also, Belkin equipment isn't regarded around here as the best option and there are far better alternatives from the likes of Linksys and Netgear.

What wireless security are you using? Sometimes this can have an effect on stability.

What wireless standard are you using? B or G?

Another factor to bear in mind is that wireless uses the open 2.4Ghz frequency as used by other devices like cordless phones and even your microwave, so its a good idea to try different channels.

WillyNelson · 26 May 2006 at 15:52

It's 802.11B secured with 128bit encryption.

should I start with channel 1 and then if that's no better move on to 2 or are there some channels I just shouldn't use?

GuruJockStrap · 26 May 2006 at 16:07

For the security, is it WEP or WPA?

I find the best thing to do when trouble shooting wireless networks is to disable all the security settings (enable SSID, disable any MAC filtering, disable any encryption) first.

Try that and try playing some CS.

If your still getting problems then it'll rule out the security options. You can can then focus on other areas like the frequency.

I honestly think your router might be the problem.

Gaming and P2P applications result in a lot of data throughput (incoming and outgoing traffic/loads of simultaneous connections for P2P) for the router to handle. If the router is poor (low memory, slow CPU or just configured poorly by the manufacturer) then it can't handle the increased load and exhibits problems you describe.

You won't get problems with general browsing and general downloading as there are less demands on the router.

With regards to the wireless channel selection, Access points generally default to channel 11, contributing to congestion at the upper end of the frequency band if there are other wireless access points nearby. It might be a good idea to try 10 and 12 for starters.