Wireless Network Optimisation

By Mike Lockie – Locall Australis Support

Your wireless network is not related to the internet connection in any way, apart from extending it from your modem to computers linked wirelessly

If you are having problems with the connection to the internet of a computer that is connected wirelessly, the first thing that you should do is try connecting it to your modem or router with an Ethernet cable, to establish that the connection stays stable with the wireless leg taken out of the equation.

Our responsibility to help you connect to the internet generally stops at the point where your modem is connected to our servers. However, here at Locall Australis, we think it’s a bit pointless if you have a connection to your modem, but none of your computers will connect, so , generally speaking, we will assist you to get at least one of your computers on-line as well.

There are many many factors that can effect wireless connections, & for this reason most ISP Help Desks will only assist you to connect computers connected via an Ethernet cable. In fact many Modem manufacturers will also charge you to help connect your computers via a wireless link.

Once you have established that the problem with your connection is in fact the wireless link, & not the ADSL connection, here are some things that you should look at in order to optimize your wireless link.

1. Make sure it is secured. If other people are “stealing” your bandwidth, by using your wireless router to access the internet, then their traffic will not only potentially cost you money, but also will be effecting the stability & speed of your wireless link
2. Tip – Change the SSID so that you know it’s your connection that you are using. If you don’t change the SSID you may be inadvertently connecting to next door’s connection, especially if they have the same brand Router as you
3. Enable security – WPA-PSK is best, but if you have problems try WEP
4. Change the Channel – most Routers these days come pre-set on Channel 11 – this means that it’s a busy channel, with potentially lots of interference. Try channel 1 or Channel 6. This may require some trial & error – ie – try channel 1 for a while & see if its better, if not try channel 6.
5. The wireless signal from your router emits from the antenna in a toroidal shape – kindof like a fat doughnut. The best signal strength is emitted by the side of the antenna, not the top. You should face the side of the antenna toward the computer that you are connecting too. If that computer is upstairs, then lie the antenna on its side.



6. Anything between the antenna & the target computer will cause interference. Some of the worst culprits are;
   1. Metal Objects – like wall framing, RJS beams, Filing Cabinets
   2. Motors – like fridges, air conditioners
   3. Masonry
   4. Speakers & other objects with strong electromagnetic fields
   5. Walls
7. Now, it’s not possible to avoid all of these things, but you should locate the router in such a position that it bypasses, or eliminates them. If you are using a separate Modem & Router, try using a longer Ethernet cable between the two so that you can re-position the router.
8. Try positioning the router so that the signal goes strai9ght through intervening walls, rather than at an angle. The signal travels in a straight line, so a wall at a 45 degree angle is twice as thick as a wall at a 90 degree angle.

 

9. Signal Strength – counter-intuitively, lower signal strength may give you better results than higher signal strength. Some routers do allow you to adjust this parameter. Why? Because a strong signal will “bounce around” off objects in its path & create an out of phase reflection, which means that the signal getting to your computer is worse.
10. Interference. If your wireless connection is using the 802.11g standard (most do), then it is operating in the 2.4 GHz frequency. Many cordless phones also work in this frequency. Try to notice if the wireless drops out when the phone rings, or when people are talking on the phone, if it does, consider getting a new cordless phone that operates in the 5GHz frequency
11. If all this fails, then you may need to consider some alternatives.
    1. Consider getting a dual frequency 802.11n standard router – you may also need to get an N standard wireless receiver as well. The advantages of 802.11n over 802.11g are – different frequency, more robust signal & faster data transmission rates
    2. consider getting a quality wireless adaptor for your computer rather than using the built in wireless
    3. consider running an Ethernet cable to other room
    4. consider powerline networking. This system using two magic boxes which plug into power points. The router connects to one & the computer to the other. The powerline system uses your house wiring as cable between the two boxes. (note- there are some limitations with this system – in particular it helps if both boxes are on the same power circuit)

Terms used:

Modem: device which connects to the telephone cable to allow your computer to connect to the internet

Router: Device which connects to your modem to allow sharing of this internet signal. Your modem & router may be an “all in one” device, like the Netcomm NB6+4W

SSID: the “name” of your wireless network

WPA: Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA and WPA2)

PSK: Pre-shared Key

WEP: Wired Equivalent Privacy

Ethernet Cable: also called Cat 5 cable, typically blue or yellow