# Wireless connection goes flaky on me

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-connection-goes-flaky-on-me/429628>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 11, 2007, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-connection-goes-flaky-on-me/429628 "2007-12-11T17:37:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Neptunian\_Slug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce7236/32.png) [@Neptunian\_Slug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neptunian_Slug)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2007, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-connection-goes-flaky-on-me/429628/1 "2007-12-11T17:37:25Z")

</div>

I haven’t had any luck figuring this out.

I bought a Dell laptop not too long ago with a wireless card. Got a DLink router and hooked it up to my DSL connection. No problems right?

Well I went out and bought Computer Associates Internet Security Suite and ever since then my connection flakes out on me. When the computer boots up, I get a security message saying that access to “so and so” IP address is denied. Which is odd since it looks like it is the default gateway that I entered into the router to get it working.

I can use the computer for anywhere from 5-30 minutes after which the connection seems to just stop. The Network Center says that I am connected and it seems that I am sending information, but not receiving. If I disconnect and re-connect, there is no effect. If I restart the computer, I get a connection again.

First time I have dealt with this wireless stuff and I realy think its a pain. I may go back to wired. But for right now I have to suffer.

Any thoughts?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2007, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-connection-goes-flaky-on-me/429628/2 "2007-12-11T18:16:10Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=Neptunian Slug]  
First time I have dealt with this wireless stuff and I realy think its a pain. I may go back to wired. But for right now I have to suffer.

Any thoughts?  
[/QUOTE]  
Sounds like your wireless router is working fine, it is your antivirus that is causing the grief. I have no experience with Computer Associates products, but if the problem started after you installed that software, I would say that is where the problem lies, not with your router. My advice is to uninstall it, and see if that solves your problem. If so, install a free antivirus program like [AVG 7.5 from Grisoft](http://free.grisoft.com/doc/5390/us/frt/0?prd=aff), which I have never seen cause a networking problem.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\
**Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-connection-goes-flaky-on-me/429628/3 "2007-12-12T15:44:04Z")

</div>

A word of advice: Never ever **EVER** use or even install any type of internet security ‘suite’. They are unnecessary and put their fingers into so many different places they inevitably screw something up. Even a name brand like Norton Security Suite will do this.

They’re marketed to the whole ‘the internet is so dangerous’ mindset. All you need is:  
[ul][li]A good antivirus (I **do** recommend Norton’s AV)[/li][li]A good firewall (I recommend ZoneAlarm, free!)[/li][li]A good anti-spyware (I recommend Windows Defender, Spybot, and/or Adaware in that order)[/li][/ul]  
The antivirus and firewall are must-haves! The last one is optional but a good idea.