How can I determine if a wireless router is defective?

Heh, heh. I like Gremlins. Gremlins make more sense to me than “bending” the wireless signal. :dubious: (Thank you Knead ToKnow, NineToTheSky, and Half Man Half Wit for supporting my skepticism.)

I’m happy for you that it has worked out fine. Clearly it is no fun when it doesn’t. I got my impression of the problem from the Internet (I know, don’t believe everything you read) and from the salespeople (I know, don’t believe everything a salesperson says).

Hmmm. I do have a cordless phone which is in the general area of being in between my router and my laptop. Would switching channels help with this issue?

Radio signals, especially at higher frequencies, can be reflected quite effectively. Many of the newer wireless routers take advantage of a phenomenon known as ‘multipath’ where multiple reflections are recombined at the reciever to increase transmission rate.

Line of sight is your best case for radio signal propogation, but you can’t always get this. Trying to receive through multiple interior walls can sometimes be a challenge. You are dealing with fairly low power signals and compromised antenna designs.

Placing the router near a window which is very transparent to the signals and sitting near a window may allow a significant improvement in signal quality even if the signal is bouncing off your neighbor’s house across the street.

There is no simple way to model the propogation of any particular wireless setup which is why the trial-and-error method of moving things around is probably your easiest method of optimizing your network. If that doesn’t work, you can look at changing the hardware to something more effective. Directional antennas are a good means of focusing the unused energy that is radiated out in all directions toward the location you are most likely to be operating your computer.

OK, that makes sense. “Bouncing” I’ll buy into. “Bending” I won’t.

Alas, the room that contains the router has one window that looks out onto nothing that would reliably bounce a signal. Some trees and a lot of open space.

  1. Anthony N - I have saved your explanation on my hard drive, because you’ve said it better than I ever could. I’ll be using that sucker for years to come.

  2. Its easier to change your wireless broadcaster than your phone signal, usually. A lot of cordless phones automatically adjust their signals when you re-charge them, so its possible that they could interfere with each other.

  3. Good luck.