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Thanks to G-Pon posting with this link... http://support.microsoft.com/kb/870702/en-us
I have made two changes to my wireless configuration. I'm not ready to declare victory just yet; but I'm not seeing the cycling like I was before. So I wanted to pass this along to everyone and hopefully it might some.
When I spoke with the FIOS Tech Support on the phone, the one change we made was to switch to handle G only in the router. This works for my laptop; but will need to verify all my other wireless devices in house are G and I don't have any B devices left over.
Start | Connect To | Wireless Network Connection
On the General Tab, Click Properties button
On the General Tab, Click the Configure... button next to the wireless device name you are using
I'm using Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2200BG, so my configuration options might look different than yours.
On the Advanced Tab, there are Property and Values
I changed the following 2:
Ad Hoc Channel - was set to 10, changed it to 11 (this matches the router channel)
Wireless Mode - was set to 802.11b and 802.11g, changed it to 802.11g only
Save the settings
Since I started writing this reply, I did notice it cycle all the way down to 2Mbps and back to 54Mbps; but I was able to surf the entire time while that was happening. Before when it would cycle, I was not able to surf at all, it was just hung there until it got back to 54Mbps.
Hopefully, this will help some people out there. Please let us know if it does.
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Problem Solved
Thanks to Tim Sykes and everyone else who offered suggestions. I mentioned that I was having this problem on page one. With all the activity since then it looks like its pretty common. My dropout problem was definitely wireless related. I had lost connection daily from 5 seconds to 15 minutes in length. Rebooting router, PC, or renewing IP addresses didn't help. I have an Actiontec router and this happened on several different laptops and even a Tivo so the computer/nic was not the problem.
The solution was (as Tim suggested) forcing the wireless channel on the router to 11. By default it is set to Auto.
Once I made that change the problem has not resurfaced. I did this several days ago and have not had a recurrence so I am calling it solved for me.
Hope this helps someone else.
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The wireless connection has nothing to do with the internet service provider. You can have a poor wireless connection just as easily with Comcast as you can with AT&T or Verizon.
The wireless connectivity is a product of the router and wireless devices using it. If for example Comcast made you go buy a router with your own money, and it works well in your environment, then use it instead of the one Verizon gave you for free. Set it to bridged mode, plug it into the Verizon router’s LAN port(s) 1, 2, 3, or 4 and enjoy the wireless as you did before. All wireless routers are the same on strength of broadcast, this is a FCC regulation, but antennae differ greatly, further it is reasonable a D-link wireless card in a computer might be best paired with a D-link router.
But the original post was spta97’s 1rst post, it did not say if the OS was XP, or something else and if the wireless device was built in or a USB type, but wireless is a tricky thing. I saw in a electronics ad a inexpensive hand held device that detects wireless radio interference, man, what a cool-tool that would be for t-shooting issues like this!!
The odd failures described in the original post are going to require other measures to resolve I’m afraid. The symptoms spta97 describes are those of Wireless issues, not TCP/IP protocol issues like we are all more accustomed to trouble-shooting.
XP has a known weakness using a USB wireless device, it and a couple other ideas are found in one of my favorite KB articles, it has good screen shots too! http://support.microsoft.com/kb/870702/en-us
There may be an electro-magnetic field knocking it down, This is by far the most common issue, a ballast in a fluorescent light, a garage door opener, a cordless phone, a high-intensity lamp, bad brushes on the refrigerator motor, all things and MANY more can create the wireless interference issue.
Some helpful Verizin sites are:
http://netservices.verizon.net/portal/link/help/index.jsp?epi_menuItemID=c567d167631f692124525d72532...
for the Actiontec and for other Vz routers:
http://netservices.verizon.net/portal/link/help/index.jsp?epi_menuItemID=c567d167631f692124525d72532...
G-Pon,
I have a windows XP setup on 2 different laptops where I had the problem. Whereas it is possible that this was casued by temporary interference, it really seemed to coincide with the 1.6 update. That does not explain how everyone else here was having the problem as well.
I have had FIOS internet for about a year and never had an issue, as soon as 1.6 was rolled out I started running into these problems. Now it seems to have resolved its self.
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I have had FIOS internet since late 2005 (the very first day I could dump Comcast!) and have been using a Linksys WRT54GL router since late 2006 when my actiontec died. I have never had any issues with dropped wireless links. I just got FIOS TV Nov 28, 08 and have to use a new actiontec for tv guide and multi-room function. But I disabled actiontec wireless xmtr and use my Linksys as my wireless access point. I have had no issues for the past 3 weeks.
The FIOS router is connected by a LAN cable from the ONT box. If you lose internet due to a FIOS problem, you should be able to look at the router status page and see that you no longer have an IP address lease with VZ. Even if you lost your connection to the ONT box, you would still have a local network within the router, including wireless connections.
Have you had any Windows updates lately? Could there have been changes to wireless config based on a recent update? I once had a problem with the Windows wireless manager (Wireless Zero Configuration service) causing me to see constant wireless disconnect/reconnect. I disabled it and now use the utility that came with my wireless card(s) to manage the connections and have had no issues since then.
It could be an actiontec router issue as some folks suggest. If possible, replace it with your own router if you don't get FIOS TV. If you still have issues, it is hard to see how FIOS is the problem. You can run a router with absolutely no WAN connection at all, and it will still connect all your wired and wireless computers together regardless.
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I tried a number of different changes as posted here without success. Finally, hooked up an old D-Link router from a LAN port on the Actiontec to a LAN port (not the WAN port) on the D-Link and turned off DHCP on the D-Link. So far, so good....
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I think I've tried that without success. But I've tried so many things that I've lost track, so I'm not sure.
In your so far successful (knock on wood) configuration, do you have the D-Link router in bridge mode? I'm not even sure what that means or how to do it, but it seems to be a recurring suggestion on this thread.
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If you are not getting FIOS TV, I would recommend just getting rid of your FIOS router and using another one. I had an issue with actiontec not issuing IP addresses to my WIRED connections, so I dumped it for a LinkSys that has worked perfectly for 12 months. I recently got FIOS TV which requires using their router for tv guide and set top box connectivity. They gave me a Westell router this time, but I still disabled the wireless and continue to use my LinkSys as my wireless access point. No issues for the past 3 weeks.
If there is any issue with IP addresses not being stable, that would certainly cause your wireless connections to drop. It would not affect signal strength, but you would lose your link until your router had an IP address to assign.
For a very few of you, I also had an issue once with Windows Zero Configuration (WZC) constantly resetting my wireless connections. You should disable that WZC service and use the utility supplied by your wireless card to manage your wireless connections. You should not discount that Microsoft may have pushed a driver update that changed your computer just like FIOS and their 1.6 image. You just never know.