Improving WiFi signal strength

[bello]

Hi, hope someone can help.

I have a Compaq nc6400 laptop. I also have a wireless network in my house. I use my laptop in my study which is about 15m-20m from my wireless router. When my laptop is not in the docking station I get very good signal strength (60% - 80%). When I hook my laptop to the docking station, the signal strength drops to about 10% - 20%, and intermittently actually drops the connection which causes me huge frustration . I have contacted HP and they say that's the problem with the docking station and there is nothing I can do about it .

Has anyone else had similar problems and solved them - if so, please can you advise me. Someone mentioned to me an external/usb wireless antenna - not sure where to get such a thing.

Thanks in advance for your help .

 

[Ricard]

Try changing the wireless channels... Channel 1,6 or 11 on your AP

got nothing to loose.

 

[Goobie]

What brand is your wireless router? Many of the more wellknown routers' antennas can be replaced. I replaced my DLink's puny antenna with a bigger antenna and it made a huge difference.

 

[bello]

Thanks for the prompt feedback - much appreciated.

I have a D-Link DSL-G604T router. Couple of questions:

o How do I change the channel?
o Where would I be able to get a bigger antenna?

Thanks again !!

 

[marvos]

We had similar issue with M*cer laptop. Nearly threw the damn thing out the window. (8th floor flat). We could not believe it when we found the problem. That laptop had a bluetooth and wifi card builtin. Under the power management settings of the laptop it was set by default to give more power to whichever card was actually connected to something........ while it was running on battery power. As soon as we plugged the power in, the laptop then gives max power to both devices. Bluetooth being the most aggressive scanning device out of the two, completely blots out the wifi card while it scans for devices in range. Once it finds and connects to something (eg. cellphone) the power is then set to standard which still interferes but not half as bad.
You have 3 choices:
1. Turn bluetooth off. OR
2. Make sure there is something for it to connect to. OR
3. Throw laptop out the window.

 

[Gunny]

Is the laptop lid closed in the docking station ? normally is because you use an external monitor. The antenna for the wireless card is in the lid it runs up next to the screen. Try having the lid up and see what happens.

 

[Elf1nDrak3]

Thanks for the prompt feedback - much appreciated.

I have a D-Link DSL-G604T router. Couple of questions:

o How do I change the channel?
o Where would I be able to get a bigger antenna?

Thanks again !!

Login to the Web Interface of the router and go the HOME > WIRELESS page.
There you can change the channel.
Also any of the following antennas will work on your router:
http://www.dlink.co.za/antennas.php