Reducing wireless dropouts

[slipd]

Hi guys,

I manage a small wireless network at work and from day one we've been plagued with random wireless dropouts on the client machines...

It only seems to affect some machines and it can happen at anytime. Being networked the machines do not reconnect automatically and always require a restart

What can I try?

Thanks.

 

[MissChief]

Check your wireless channels first. Download inssider to a windows laptop and walk round the office and check for other networks and channels. Consider also a wireless access point somewhere in the office to keep the signal strong. Also look at any other cordless or wireless devices and interference sources. Anything large and electrical such as a photocopier or the water cooler can give interference.

 

[Cyber-Mav]

list all yor wireless hardware, and i dont just mean laptop and phone model numbers.

list all wifi accesss points, and list the type of wifi card the client devices use e.g intel, broadcom, atheros etc and which model numbers those adapters are.

also check your using latest drivers and firmware.

can provide more help if you provide the above info in detail.

 

[slipd]

Sorry for the belated reply!

Right, where to start? Our network is split across 2 workshops, the access points not more than 10 meters apart. They both connect (wired) to our switch and then on to our server. The APs are both Cisco WAP200 using the latest firmware.

On the host side we have around 30 hosts (desktops) in workshop 1 with never anymore than 10 connections at anyone time and in workshop 2 we have another 30 machines with around 20 simultaneous users. The machines are either Lenovo, HP/HP Compaq or Fujitsu. The wireless adapters are either Linksys WMP54G or D-Link DWL-G510 - although both brands will drop out on the different machines... all the machines use XP.

The APs are on channels 6 and 11 and hosts only connect to the AP in the workshop they are in

Do you need anymore info?