Cannot connect to home wireless network...

Once in a while(~30mins) I will lost the connection. Can still see the network in "Connect to a network" window but I just can't connect to it unless I restart my DSL-2640T wireless ADSL router(latest firmware upadted). I can connect without any problem via the ethernet cable. I only have the SSID hidden, no WEP and WPA. Any idea?

Thanks for any help

 

Turning off the SSID is not a security measure at all. I would just turn it back on and use something like WPA or WEP(as bare minimum).

I used to have a card that could not connet to hidden SSID's. When you are trying to troubleshoot a problem it is best to go back to out of the box config and work your way forward slowly to see what breaks it. (just set a password on the router first

 

I have to disagree I think turning off your SSID broadcast is one of the most powerful defenses there is, nobody can hack you or steal your bandwidth if they dont even know your network is there.

No matter how strong a safe, give somebody time and they can crack it, but just bury your money in the back yard and nobody will ever find it kind of thing.

 

Not meaning to be confrontational here but the SSID will only keep out nosy neighbors and n00b's. Given freely available tools anyone who wants to connect to the AP will.

I didn't say that you shouldn't turn off the SSID, but rather it wasnt any kind of real security since the OP isnt using WEP or WPA or anything else.

You are absolutely right, given enough time and opportunity not much will keep out a determined hacker but zero security is like an open invitation too.

 

The user that are hacking are usng a linux os. With the scanner they use it is in the clear. Hidden only impact MS windows, not much else. So the only one your fooling is your self if you classify hidden ssid as security.

Most wireless pda will see an use anything with out security, hidden or not.

Setup WPA then it does not matter whether it's hidden or not. Check your advanced properties of the wireless card, may be powering it down to save energy. Also check your Power Management CP settings.

 

I have set WPA2-PSK before, just want to try if there's any difference connecting the wireless network.

And my nearest neighbour live at least 50m away from me..

What does the "Roaming Aggressiveness" found on the advanced tab of my wireless adapter(3945ABG) mean? Do I need to set it to highest?

 

As the others have pointed out, turning off SSID doesn't really provide any security against someone who's looking to break into a network; however, it's probably a good idea anyway because it'll keep the bored and the curious from trying to connect to your network - say, a neighbor who keeps seeing other networks identified by his computer and wants to see what's there.

In terms of dropped connections, it could be either too much congestion on the particular channel you're using coming from other networks or from some other radio source, or else interference that's degrading the signal and causing a timeout every so often.

The best way to deal with that is to use a utility that can tell you what channel other networks are broadcasting on, and set your router to a channel that has the least amount of traffic. Also, review the placement of your router to see if there's anything inside your home that might be interfering with the signal.

Lastly, the "roaming aggressiveness" feature seems to be a feature that allows the adapter card to jump networks every time it finds a stronger signal. If there are a lot of other networks in your area, and your network gets blocked by congestion or interference, your adapter might be too aggressively trying to jump to another network that it's not supposed to be accessing, which would end up leaving you with a dropped connection. I would try setting roaming aggressiveness to its lowest setting to see if that helps to keep your laptop faithful to the signal from your own router.

 

Im not really a wireless security person but...

cant people scan frequencies these days? even if your SSID broadcast is off im sure the evil geek forces can find a way to find your router by listening to the transmission packets its sending

or am i watching too much tv?

 

To be honest mac filtering isnt too hot either. With the proper setup you can sniff out the wireless traffic and see what mac address is in the header of the packet and then spoof a mac to get on a wireless network as well.

 

as everyone has said, give a hacker time, and they can compromise a wireless network. tools abound on the internet for this mostly using linux.

use wpa2, min 20 random character password- that ensures pretty good security.....

it also sounds to me the basic problem is power related.........

 

Actually, turning SSID broadcasting off is a BAD thing because of the way your machine connects to your wireless network. When the SSID is being broadcasted, your computer picks the proper network and simply connects. When SSID is not being broadcasted, then your computer will constantly keep sending a message, "Are you there XXX network?", until you connect. That is why in Vista, when you try to disable broadcasting, it tells you not to do it. Here is a good article:

http://blogs.technet.com/networking/archive/2008/02/08/non-broadcast-wireless-ssids-why-hidden-wireless-networks-are-a-bad-idea.aspx

There is no better way to protect your wireless network than WPA2, but even a simple WEP is enough to stop your neighbor from using your network.

 

A little extra hunting at the beginning of the connection is worth the while to keep the bored and the idle curious from poking at my network - which is all turning off SSID is intended to accomplish.

 

Exactly my thoughts

as you say, if those nosy folks also know you have a $1000 and ^, good way to loose it.........

 

Turning off SSID is just like locking your screen-door at night; neither will stop a determined thief for more than a second or two - a SSID-less router still broadcasts its presence, and the lock on a screen-door is easily disabled, simply by poking one's hand through the screen mesh - but, both add another annoying little nuisance that must be overcome before entry is gained, and both require the would-be entrant to actually commit a crime in order to gain entry. Because of that, a locked screen door will often deter the curious and the bored, because gaining actual entry requires both some extra effort and the taking of that final step across the line dividing legal from illegal. Disabling SSID does exactly the same thing. In order for a bored, curious neighbor to get access to your SSID-less network, s/he must first expend some effort - however minimal - to download the tools necessary to find the network and to actually use them, and also require her/him to take that final step across the line of illegality, because a SSID-less network is a clear indication of someone who does not want other people trying to access that network. It's sort of like a do-not-disturb sign - of absolutely no security value against a determined entrant, but generally fairly effective as social pressure against the bored and the curious.