Question about wireless connections

[LangleyValeSue]

This is probably a daft question, but as I can't use wireless broadband in my house - keeps dropping out, even when I'm within sight of the router thingy, and I get no signal anywhere else in the house - I know nothing about it.

If I have a laptop that is wireless enabled with a dongle thingy, can I use it to get on the internet, say at my mother-in-law's house where she doesn't have an internet connection at all?

[Margaret in Burton]

No Sue

You need to be in the vicinity of a wireless router or an Internet hotspot like in cafe's. If one of her neighbours has one you might pick it up, with their permission of course.

If their network is secured then you will have to be allowed the code for it.

My neighbour had a niece over from the USA a few months ago and I allowed her to use our signal on her iphone to pick up emails.

[dave pusey]

keeps dropping out, even when I'm within sight of the router thingy, and I get no signal anywhere else in the house

That's odd. Wireless will normally work up to about 30m. Ours will cover the back garden and some of the front road.

A few questions in the hope of helping...

What make/model laptop is it?
What make/model dongle is it?
What version of Windows you using? XP, Vista?

[Margaret in Burton]

Dave

We used to have trouble with our router and I changed the frequency it was on.

Can't remember how I did it now. :o

Could be there is interference with other wireless things in the house?

My laptop works outside too and I can pick up networks, secured ones, from over the road.

[dave pusey]

Changing the frequency is usually a good option.

There are a total of 13 frequencies that can be used, and most routers, out-of-the-box, use the first one. If there are two or more routers in range of each other, and all on the same frequency, they will constantly interfere with each other.

[Britec]

Things to think of and try

1) If your using windows to connect your wireless internet disable or uninstall other wireless software that come with router or your connection with drop out all the time.

2) Try changing the channel on router menu in case other items are using same channel

3) Make sure antenna is attached properly

4) Connect without encryption and disable any firewall

5) You could be getting interference from items like cordless phones, microwaves, etc etc.

6) Try resetting the router to factory default

Let me know how you get on

[LangleyValeSue]

Margaret

Thank you for explaining. I have been told that I could use a mobile connection (3G?)

That's odd. Wireless will normally work up to about 30m. Ours will cover the back garden and some of the front road.

A few questions in the hope of helping...

What make/model laptop is it?
What make/model dongle is it?
What version of Windows you using? XP, Vista?

The laptop is my son's and it is an Acer. Don't know the model though and he's asleep now (on nights this week) so I can't ask him. It is running Vista. Don't know the make of the dongle. He's given up on a wireless connection at home. He uses it at work and it works fine.

The question was hypothetical really, I was just wondering how it worked.

My son-in-law is my computer man (it's his job & he gets paid good money! LOL) and he set up the wireless connection on my pc. He couldn't understand why it won't work and we all gave up on it after trying for about a week. I do have problems with all wireless stuff in this house, apparently there is too much metal in the walls and they are concrete rendered so the signal won't pass through them easily. Does that sound right? My wireless Sky TV sender won't always work, nor will the baby monitor and the cordless phones only work in certain parts of the house. My neighbour, who's the other house to our pair of semis, can't get wireless broadband connection either, although the neighbour the other side (not attached to us) gets it perfectly. I know it's not the same, but we pair of houses are unable to get terrestrial TV or digital through our roof aerials. I think I'll just have to move house ;)

[LangleyValeSue]

Things to think of and try

1) If your using windows to connect your wireless internet disable or uninstall other wireless software that come with router or your connection with drop out all the time.

2) Try changing the channel on router menu in case other items are using same channel

3) Make sure antenna is attached properly

4) Connect without encryption and disable any firewall

5) You could be getting interference from items like cordless phones, microwaves, etc etc.

6) Try resetting the router to factory default

Let me know how you get on

Brian

If I remember rightly, my son-in-law did all that. The router was sent to me as part of my broadband package from aol (I know, I know :() My son has his own aol account in his room and he can't get a wireless connection either.
My phone base unit is the only electrical item that is near my router, and I'm sure that we disconnected that when we were trying to install the wireless connection. The cable for the broadband goes from the router plugged into the main phone socket and out through the window frame downstairs, around the house and in through the window frame to my spare bedroom/ study/ craftroom upstairs. I've got used to just using my pc although a laptop with a wireless connection would be very useful in the Summer in the garden!

[Margaret in Burton]

Sue

I think I probably mislead you a little. I was forgetting about mobile internet connection dongles. Have never used one so cannot comment at all about them.

[KiteRunner]

If I have a laptop that is wireless enabled with a dongle thingy, can I use it to get on the internet, say at my mother-in-law's house where she doesn't have an internet connection at all?

Sue, if you have a mobile broadband dongle (e.g. Three, O2 or whatever) with either a pay-as-you go deal or a pay monthly contract, then you would be able to use that to access the internet wherever you go, as long as there is a signal in that area. I have a pay-as-you-go 3 dongle and can use it in lots of places but unfortunately it gets no signal at my mum's house in the countryside. You can check the postcode of the place you want to use it on the service provider's site and it will tell you whether there will be a decent signal there or not.