Tessa the Duchess Posted May 7, 2008 Share Posted May 7, 2008 I bought a Router today. We have connected it to my son's computer, he has Virgin Media Broadband, and I have activated Airport on my Mac. It works but it fluctuates, sometimes I can get online and sometimes I can't same with downloading e.mail. Anybody any ideas why a WiFi connection should fluctuate. For Mac users who use Airport the little fan thingy has only 2 and sometimes 3 waves highlighted, how many do you have. Sorry I know this is a bore, but I usually get great help with these kind of problems from the forum. Tessa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jess Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 if the mac is far away from the router that can interfere with it, my boyfriends computer is the floor above his router and his service is intermittant. Or it could just be a poor router if you really get sick of it you could get investigate getting something to plug into the mac to boost the signal. wifi is sooooo annoying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 I had a real job getting a good signal on my wireless router and eventually found out that the fridge was in the way and swallowing the signal . I put the router on top of a high bookcase and we don't have any problems now. Check you don't have any kitchen appliances in the way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellekatz Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 our rrouter is on top of a welshdresser and my son has no probs 1 floor up, nor my daughter who is two floors up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helly Welly Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Our router is in a cupboard. We can get a signal at the bottom of the garden, in the summerhouse which is a good 80 foot away from the router. Sorry, that wasn't much help was it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessa the Duchess Posted May 8, 2008 Author Share Posted May 8, 2008 Thanks for your replies. My son with the router is 2 floors up, so we had a bit of a play around and it works best turned upside down and not placed on a metal surface. I am very happy that I am now, at last, on Broadband Tessa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 That's good, Tessa. I'm glad you've got it sorted . It was the metal in our fridge that mucked up our signal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Tessa, does your router have two antennae on it? If so, have one sticking up vertically at 90 deg to the router and one 'lying down' sticking straight out form the back of the router. That way you will get a good signal both vertically and horizontally. Unless you've got a hungry fridge that is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessa the Duchess Posted May 8, 2008 Author Share Posted May 8, 2008 Tessa, does your router have two antennae on it? If so, have one sticking up vertically at 90 deg to the router and one 'lying down' sticking straight out form the back of the router. That way you will get a good signal both vertically and horizontally. Unless you've got a hungry fridge that is No only one antennae, it's a Belkin. I can get a full signal in the living room, but in the kitchen where I usually sit (chook watching) the signal is weak, I sit with a ginormous fridge right behind me Weak signal or not, I can still get onlline Tessa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Well, at least you can get online Tessa. My understanding is that 2 antennae are better if you want to get a signal on other floors. I haven't tried mine out outdoors yet, but may well retire to the garden with the lappy one evening. I was lucky enough to get a retired lappy from work for free, and a router from a techie friend, all I had to buy was the wireless USB dongle and Simons time (paid in eggs and cake) to set it up properly for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...