Does moving a wireless router sometimes fix SL network problems?

I don't have a wireless router, just wondering if people with wireless routers and SL network problems ever find that moving the router solves the problem?

Someone with their chat appearing twice provided the motivation for this question.

It probably would if the router/modem issue was signal strength or interferrence related.

/me puts on asbestos underpants.

Generally, it's a bad idea to use SL over a wifi connection. Wifi connections can be horrid regarding dropping packets. If possible, run an ethernet cable from your router to your PC - you'll be much happier, and more secure as well.

/me prepares for tons of "But I use SL over wifi all the time!" responses

Wired versus wireless is off topic.

The question is "Does moving a wireless router sometimes fix SL network problems?"

Sure, that can work. WiFi signals can be crappy, even some ordinary kinds of furniture and walls can block them. It will matter less over time, as more of the SL protocol gets migrated to TCP and more losses are recoverable.

About a year ago I had to use a wifi connection for a month while waiting for landline to be connected. Building I live in is new, in fact it was still being built when I moved in, and for some reason it plays havoc with any kind of signal - radio, mobile phones, all have patchy reception, there is no phone reception in my bathroom. The only way to maintain any kind of reliable internet connection was to move the wireless router over to the window ledge, and it worked best when dangling out of the window.

Even then SL ran very poorly, but as you say, that's not the topic.

depends if you use a laptop and have a bad connection from the toilet

/ducks

Actually Alicia that is a relevant and pertinent comment. Not having a laptop I don't think about moving the computer, I only think about moving the transmitter.

I can picture someone with a connection problem being forced to sit in the bathtub or stand in a closet where the sweet spot for connection is.

"I have to get in the fireplace to get good reception for SL. It's ok in the summertime, but in the winter it's extremely uncomfortable, and the computer is running hot."

Count yourself lucky that most fireplaces operate at a very low level of humidity, otherwise SL might crash despite the superior network reception.

Occasionaly moving a router helps if there was a physical interference. Moving it closer can help if it is too far away.

One thing to check that can really interfere.....is the type of CORDLESS PHONES in the house. (not cell phones)

2.4 mhz CORDLESS phones can interfere with a wireless signal and either the older 800 kilohertz or newer 5.8mhz do NOT interfere. I think some wireless mice/keyboards were also 2.4 and needed replacing.

If the problem is just with SL though, then go back to a wried connection or try a newer or better wireless router if there is no way to go wired.


Sometimes there are firmware upgrades for wireless routers that can be installed from the brands website that fix things.

"moving" is only a small part of the equation. The orientation of the two antennas involved to each other is critical. Ideally, the antennas should be parallel and a perpendicular line from one lines up with the other. In other words, if both devices have the same elevation, both antennas should be vertical. If one device is "directly upstairs" from the other, the antennas should be horizontal. If there's some other change in elevation tipping the antennas to try and line up can help. The biggest problem is that so many laptops with builtin wifi are difficult to tell just what shape/configuration the antenna is in without ripping it apart. IMO a laptop WITHOUT built in wifi, and an add-in card that has an external antenna jack is far superior, but those are getting less and less common since they cost alot more than a bulk OEM builtin one. Perhaps some laptops have or will begin having an external antenna jack for the builtin wifi, that would be nice.

They do, and I live with them We have a Nintendo Wii, and when it is online with someone playing, and the phone rings, we lose total connectivity. Boots ALL computers in the house off line.

You should hear the screaming, LOL!

The 5.8 cordless solve that problem.

Possibly relevant: I have a laptop that's sometimes wired and sometimes wifi-connected in the house where I recently moved. I also have a wifi bridge set up to span between distant rooms. And it's a "wifi-rich" environment in the neighborhood. One day last week I tried moving my laptop from one room to another, and suddenly the network was unreachable, even though signal strength was very good. Examining the setup, I realized that every wifi device in the neighborhood, including mine, was operating on the same channel. Now, that's not really supposed to matter, but I switched channels, rebooted everything, and everything just worked again and kept working, all over the house.

So I don't know if it was the rebooting or the channel reassignments, but it certainly seemed that moving into an area with more interference (in this case, on the same channel) was associated with the problem (which was way more severe than SL having some packet loss--I couldn't even sustain connectivity long enough to associate, despite it being the strongest of the many signals on that channel).

/me laughs at Buckaroo squirming in his asbestos undies.

Don't those itch?

Yeah I've used Apple Airport WiFi with my laptop for 3 years to access SL and its never been a problem.