Windows 7 and fluctuating wifi

Good morning folks. I'm not sure if this is the correct forum for this question but if not I'm sure the mods will move it. I used to run xp on my laptop and never had any fluctuation with my wifi signal. I use a Linksys WRT54G router. Ever since I did a clean install of windows 7 my wifi signal fluctuates from 3 bars which was standard with the other os, to 1 bar. I bought a smart phone yesterday with plans of using a lot of the features over wifi but again the signal will totally drop out and I ended switching over to HSPA. Any ideas on this, everything is in and is used in the exact same place.

 

It quite possibly your router, since the fluctuations are not limited to your laptop.

 

Any suggestions on what to do about it, is it fixable?

 

Well I never go with the bars on the signal strength. They are arbitrarily dictated by the manufacturer.

To see if it is the router, there are two routes you can go. Replace the antennae. They just screw on.

Try out a new router for 30 days.

 

Going to a new router won't help.

It will just confuse matters because the known standard of comparison will be lost.

Instead, turn off all other recently introduced wireless devices.

Do a network scan of nearby access points, maybe someone got a new router for Christmas.

Setup a few feet away from the router and see if the fluctuation happens.

Turn off power management, see if the fluctuation goes away. This one has pretty good odds given the more agressive power management under Win7.

Get the pattern? Isolate every element that could affect the situation. By the process of elimination, you will find what has changed.

 

- change the channel to something more obscure than the default 1 setting
- ensure that none of your home electronics may interfere on the wireless g frequency
- disable Windows 7 power management of the wireless adapter, as mentioned above
- ensure that your wireless drivers are up-to-date; refer to the manufacturer's webpage for your specific model OR if you have an Intel wireless chip you can get the driver off Intel's website OR you can let Windows Update install a driver for you via an ethernet connection.

 

Thanks folks, I'll give it a try.

 

disabling windows 7 power management did the trick, no fluctuation with a very good signal strength. A much deserved albeit belated thank you.

 

I'm glad you solved such a frustrating problem, but I believe plumsauce originally made that suggestion in post #5.

Cheers,

Bog