Wireless Rookie

Finally decided to upgrade to a Linksys Wireless G Broadband Router since we now have 2 laptops in the house along with my desktop. Seemed easy to install and all just 2 days ago but today my first day of really trying to use my laptop one floor below [router on top floor of loft house] and laptop in living room --- I constantly get knocked off the internet. It takes like 5 minutes to connect and acquire an IP address and I lose it within 5 minutes and then go through the whole ordeal again but it takes 10 minutes. Then lose it within 5 minutes and then takes longer than 10 minutes to reconnect etc...
I looked through this website and I am now going to scour other sites for some suggestions as to what is the problem.
Any ideas? Do you need more info - and if so - what in particular?

 

Wifi troubleshooting http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313242/en-us
and here http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/07/advanced-windows-networking-using.html
and here http://www.ezlan.net/wireless.html

 

Try installing a router on both floors, but you might have to drill a hole through the ceiling to connect it to the modem.

 

You could put a second wireless access point (it does not have to be a router) on a lower floor. A better alternative would be to get a wireless range extender:

http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Sate...578138&pagename=Linksys/Common/VisitorWrapper

However, before doing that, it would be worth trying different positions for your wireless router.

Wireless signals can be blocked by walls (steel reinforced concrete being a particularly effective block). However wooden floors are usually reasonable transparent to wireless. Do you have concrete floors?

Another potential attenuator is a source of Radio Frequency Noise. For example, florescent tube lights and CB radio sets. It would be worth ensuring that the position of your router gives your a straight line to your favoured living room seating position that avoids such possible sources of noise.

It might even be worth putting the router on the floor. For example, if it is on a steel filing cabinet, the steel in the cabinet is going to shield signal downwards.

So first thing to try is a few alternative positions for the router.