2 Routers on 2.4Ghz down, time to move to 5GHz?

I remember complaining about my WNR1000 not working correctly, but I did manage to get it to work at 150Mbps, but about 10 days ago it just started randomly dropping my laptop out of its service and disconnecting everything I have connected (causing many a Z line). Up to 3 times a minute.

So I went out and got a Linksys E1000, only to find out its doing the same thing, just not 3 times a minute at least.

I'm wondering if its time to try a 5Ghz router, because there are a good 14 networks inssider can pick up at first run, and if I leave it running, it can pick up another 7 on top of that. When I'm at school, there's only a few different types of networks and maybe one or two types of router broadcasting the same SSID and I've never really been dropped from that network at all. I have the Intel WiFi 5100 AGN.

 

Update: I decided to try my old router again while I was deciding on when to return the E1000 when I noticed that the WNR1000 hasn't kicked me off in hours after plugging it in; and after using it for a good 5 days again, has only kicked me off once; so now I'm really confused and and somewhat annoyed.

 

Does it happen one more than one notebook?
I'm asking because Intel 5100 is notorious for doing exactly what you've described. Have you per chance had your Wi-Fi drivers updated in the mean-time? That could explain why is suddenly started working better.

 

I've been using the same driver in the HP driver thread since the day it was posted (back in February). I don't have any other devices that connect to it enough for me to notice it besides my DS and my Zune, and they both work fine whenever I use them.

I have noticed that it likes switching itself off ever since I updated the driver, and I don't think its the touch strip on my laptop turning it off because its the only part of it that actually changes, volume works fine.

 

I strongly suspect it's the infamous Intel 5100 causing problems although it would help if you could test it with some other Wi-Fi card.
If it happens often enough maybe you could borrow an USB Wi-Fi card for a day or something?
If all the wireless channels are in use choose the one of the non-overlapping channels (for the US 1, 6 and 9) that has the least SSIDs running on it.
Also check if you have a cordless phone that works on 2.4GHz band and disable Bluetooth devices if you use any (at least do it for testing)

 

I have the infamous Intel 5100 and it works perfectly. I agree with downloads that getting a wireless adapter to test with would rule it out or in.

 

The only other 2.4GHz device in the house in range of my computer and router is my Wireless mouse, and that pretty much becomes unusable if I do any file transfers over 5MB through wireless, but I never seen it do anything else.

It seems to be working now for whatever reason, but I'll leave it alone for a few more days (and probably just return the E1000 and get a refund.) If I have more issues, I'll just get a 5GHz router and give the old one to a friend (or sell it).

 

Cordless phones commonly operate at 2.4GHz, this really screwed with our wireless network whenever we used it, every wireless device was dropped whenever we were using the cordless phone.

 

Update 2.

Went ahead and traded the E1000 for the E2000 and set it to run in 5GHz N only mode, which only allows my own laptop with it. I've kept the WNR150 running connected through a LAN port to serve the other wireless devices in the house that don't work on 5GHz. Haven't had any issues since I set it up to run in AP only fashion.

Any news that the E2000 might be supported by WRT anytime soon? I'd like to be able to use both 2.4 and 5 GHz at the same time, but It's not really important at the moment.

 

Linksys E2000 is just a Linksys WRT320N with a new name so it is already supported. There are no hardware differences but there may be some concerning a bootloader or something in firmware that requires E2000 to have a special procedure a dedicated firmware.
Go to DD-WRT forum and take a look at this matter.
BTW E2000/WRT320N is not a simultaneous dual band router so you're not gonna be able to use both radios at the same time (that's unless I'm mistaken- someone please correct me if I'm wrong)

Anyway- you chose a good router this time so stick with it and don't exchange it for anything else.

 

Agreed, a good router seems more difficult to find than people realize. There is a lot of crap on the market.

 

So I've noticed in working at Staples for the last few months. I can say my experiences help me in recommending routers now.

Anyway, doesn't look like the E2000 is offically supported just yet, and I don't feel like making a brick (even though I have a laptop with a Serial port built in), I'll leave it alone for now.

 

Did you ever find out if there were any 2.4Gz cordless phones, bluetooth devices, or microwave ovens within say, 100 meters of your router and computers? Don't forget that things like cell phones and PDA devices can also speak Bt and WiFi. And some cars. Wireless home electric and water meters are moving to Wifi and Bt if they don't already talk over the powerlines.

All of that RF on the unlicensed 2.4Gz band adds up pretty quickly.

Rather than trying to find a router that 'works', it might be easier to ID and reduce/eliminate the interference.

 

Hm.

I know the microwave is in 100 meters (but has to go through a ceiling at least)
I'm not too sure which band our house's cordless phones work on, could be either.
I don't own (and no one else in our house does) own anything that has bluetooth. I'm not at much liberty to remove the interference cause I don't live on my own yet

 

microwave ovens, although heavily shielded, run in the 700 to 1500 watt range.

wifi runs in the under .3 watt range.