my wireless problem won't go away...

I've posted about this problem twice in the last month or so, but never persistently, but now I'm just fed up. Here's my problem:

My roommate and I are having problems with keeping a consistent wireless internet connection. We both have different laptops running a different OS, so it's definitely not a computer problem. Our internet connection will start out decently fast, but quickly decline until it is virtually impossible to load a webpage. Rebooting the router will result in 10-15 minutes of fast internet, followed once again by a drop in speed. If I physically plug my computer into the router, one of two things will happen. I will either get a very fast connection that does not slow down, or I will get the same slow connection that I get while using wireless. I have since tried replacing the router, with no success.

I do not believe the drop in speed comes from someone stealing our internet connection, because I have shared internet with 4 people before, and it was much faster than this. Also, we use a secure connection, so it would be hard to connect to our network (hopefully).

My main question (assuming that none of you can help me with the problem itself) is whether this is an internet problem or a router problem. Basically, should I be calling linksys or time warner?

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated, as this is driving me crazy. Thanks a lot!

 

I have seen things like this happen with Linksys routers before, but here's the million dollar question: when you powercycle the router, are you also powercycling the modem? If you are not powercycling the modem and the connection improves, it is a problem with the router.

Have you tried switching router BRANDS (e.g., switching to Netgear) or just replacing the router?


Additionally, since you are using security, is there a chance either you or you roommate has given the wireless key out to anyone else? You may want to try changing the wireless key just as a preventive measure, because that kind of slowdown sounds a lot like somebody with BitTorrent is stealing badwidth from you.

 

You may want to try Network Magic, they have a 7 day full version trial, it can simplify problems and fix them (if it can) but the great thing is it will let you know if sombody is jacking bandwidth from you, it free to try and maybe it will find the problem, Im not too fussy on these type of programs but it helps analyzing problems faster.

 

I'll definitely try using Network Magic; however, regarding changing the wireless key, when I switched routers yesterday, the WEP key was changed as well. So I really doubt that it's someone stealing our internet. But if it is, hopefully Network Magic will point it out.

If by powercycling the modem, you mean restarting it (I am a bit of a newbie with this), then yes, I have tried that a few times, with no result. Both the routers I've tried have been linksys. My roommate and I each had one, and I didn't want to go out and buy a new one before I knew that the router was indeed the problem.

 

OK. With the powercycle phrasing, what I intended was this:

When you restart/powercycle the Linksys router, are you simultaneously restarting/powercycling the modem, or do you do these things separately? If you are doing them together, try doing only one or the other the next time the connection craps out. If you are NOT doing them together, which one generally gets you connection going again?

 

It generally seems to be the router that gets things going again, but I will take special note of it next time I do it. I'm at work currently, but when I get home I'll restart only the modem, and see what happens.

Thanks.

 

Ok, so I restarted them both separately, and it is the router that has an effect on the internet. Restarting the modem did nothing, restarting the router gave me about 5-10 minutes of good internet.

 

There you go, then. The problem is definitely in the router somehow. Here's hoping that Network Magic can help you narrow it down.

 

Ok, so I ran Network Magic, and I have a few questions. First of all, my roommate's computer doesn't show up on the network map, even though he is connected to the internet. Secondly, the network map shows something called Digital Jukebox running on the network. Digital Jukebox is part of Azureus, and that program is currently shut down on both mine and my roommate's computer, yet it is still showing up on the network map.