Well, I could try to makr this interesting for all, but I’m afraid only the deep-in-the-weeds techies will find it so…Moved our cable modem and Linksys WRT54G2 dual band router 30 ft and 3 interior walls away from my desktop that is wirelessly connected via a Linksys WUSB600N USB wireless adapter (the Linksys stuff is about 5 yrs old, dual band 802.11b,g and WPA2 security).Two other laptops and even the desktop show top notch signal (next to my desktop) at 54Mps and ‘very good’ to ‘excellent’ strength. Both the Linksys and the WinXP wireless network handler software say so, and the linksys shows a 100% link strength. Speedtest.net varies w/ Down/Up speeds of 22/19 Mbps early morning to 6/4 Mbps sometimes, but generally pretty good around 10/10. Things went smooth for several weeks after the router move, but in past few days, if I hibernate or restart the computer, desktop cannot reconnect, despite the good signal reading on desktop…Unless I go to the router and unplug/plug its power cord - and this works every time.This occurs using either the Linksys or WinXP wireless software handlers. You only use one or the other at any time, and I was using WinXP. Somebody help me, please.

If you have managed to get 5 years out of your Linksys router, you have been living a charmed life and it's probably time to move on. I have had around 10 Linksys routers over the years, and they have not been nearly as good since Cisco took over. About 4 years ago, I tried Netgear and have yet to have any of the 4 currently in use give any problems.The ONLY thing that I don't like about the Netgear is that the lights don't flash during network activity. The routers have performed perfectly.

Are the laptops having any problems? Does the access point show up at all on the desktop? Have you tried a different wireless adapter? I bought my Linksys router in 2003 and it's still going strong. I did change the firmware to Tomato, but that's been it. Nary a stutter.

A WinXP laptop right beside the desktop connects perfectly, and all the readings on it are same as on my already running desktop (XP).No unplugging of router needed for laptop, however. The difference would seem to be the dongle on desktop

Goto the properties of the wireless network adapter and look in the configuration tab for the power management and uncheck the box that says let this computer turn off this adapter and see if that solves it.

Kart-Racer wrote:Goto the properties of the wireless network adapter and look in the configuration tab for the power management and uncheck the box that says let this computer turn off this adapter and see if that solves it.In Device Manager, the adapter properties shows General, Advanced, Driver, Details Tabs, nowhere is the type selection you mention.The advanced tab has a menu of a dozen technical 'Properties' that you either enable or disable, like AC_BE Support APSD, APSD Capable, CAM When AC Power, Frame Aggregationand the only 2 that I even possibly understand are Auto Channel Select (appears to be enabled)Auto Reconnect Mode (seems to be disabled)

Update: wifi router only connects if unplug/plug power

haddy1
Explorer
Sep 08, 2013
If you have managed to get 5 years out of your Linksys router, you have been living a charmed life and it's probably time to move on. I have had around 10 Linksys routers over the years, and they have not been nearly as good since Cisco took over. About 4 years ago, I tried Netgear and have yet to have any of the 4 currently in use give any problems.

The ONLY thing that I don't like about the Netgear is that the lights don't flash during network activity. The routers have performed perfectly.
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Sep 08, 2013
Are the laptops having any problems? Does the access point show up at all on the desktop? Have you tried a different wireless adapter?

I bought my Linksys router in 2003 and it's still going strong. I did change the firmware to Tomato, but that's been it. Nary a stutter.
burlmart
Explorer
Sep 08, 2013
A WinXP laptop right beside the desktop connects perfectly, and all the readings on it are same as on my already running desktop (XP).

No unplugging of router needed for laptop, however. The difference would seem to be the dongle on desktop
Kart-Racer
Explorer
Sep 08, 2013
Goto the properties of the wireless network adapter and look in the configuration tab for the power management and uncheck the box that says let this computer turn off this adapter and see if that solves it.
burlmart
Explorer
Sep 08, 2013
Kart-Racer wrote:
Goto the properties of the wireless network adapter and look in the configuration tab for the power management and uncheck the box that says let this computer turn off this adapter and see if that solves it.

In Device Manager, the adapter properties shows General, Advanced, Driver, Details Tabs, nowhere is the type selection you mention.

The advanced tab has a menu of a dozen technical 'Properties' that you either enable or disable, like AC_BE Support APSD, APSD Capable, CAM When AC Power, Frame Aggregation

and the only 2 that I even possibly understand are

Auto Channel Select (appears to be enabled)
Auto Reconnect Mode (seems to be disabled)
Kart-Racer
Explorer
Sep 09, 2013
burlmart wrote:

In Device Manager, the adapter properties shows General, Advanced, Driver, Details Tabs, nowhere is the type selection you mention.

The advanced tab has a menu of a dozen technical 'Properties' that you either enable or disable, like AC_BE Support APSD, APSD Capable, CAM When AC Power, Frame Aggregation

and the only 2 that I even possibly understand are

Auto Channel Select (appears to be enabled)
Auto Reconnect Mode (seems to be disabled)

Not from device manager. If you have a Network icon on the desktop, right click there. Other wise goto control panel and find Network and Internet and find your wireless adapter from there and right click it.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Sep 09, 2013
I have a question for network experts?

I have two Moussaka routers here. both fairly new. N-50 and N-150 as I recall.

Do these routers "Ping" a web site to see if they are connected to the net?

The reason I ask is this.. Often I will see a good connection to the park router I have an IP address via DHCP, but the light is orange and it won't let me past the gateway.

My older Hawking, IF I had an IP address, I had a "Green Light" as it were (Blue for Belkin) and everything worked.. but these Belkin jobs seem to want more.

(Thinking of getting another hawking).
LittleBill
Explorer
Sep 09, 2013
WRT54G2 is NOT a dual band router. it is a single band 2.4g based router

not sure on the 5 year comment. i have multiple AP's that are well over 5 years old
Gene_Ginny
Explorer
Sep 09, 2013
I had a Linksys wireless that got so bad I sometimes had to reboot it twice a day. Replaced it with a low priced Netgear and I never have to reboot the wireless router.
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Sep 09, 2013
burlmart wrote:
...
No unplugging of router needed for laptop, however. The difference would seem to be the dongle on desktop
I believe I would try a different wireless adapter since you've kind of narrowed it down a bit.

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