Still having wifi issues and dropping connectivity
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CrippsCorner
Well-Known Member
If you do decide to get an AirPort Express, always check Amazon! Usually the cheapest for Apple accessories, and still at the lowish price I bought mine...
Apple AirPort Express | Amazon price tracker / tracking, Amazon price history charts, Amazon price watches, Amazon price drop alerts | camelcamelcamel.com
Just to note as well my average speed on 2.4GHz was 12Mb/s whereas on 5GHz it's 14Mb/s
not a lot different, but every little helps!If you look at user reviews of routers... this is where thing gets interesting. You'll quickly notice that all routers sucks, and all are amazing in some fashion (ok, excluding the really crap cheapo ones).
The reason is that they are MANY factors that plays with Wi-Fi.
-> Interference from other surrounding devices, including microwaves, cell phone tower (despite not using the same frequencies, just because they are so powerful) and other routers (neighbors, including, if you are in a building, upper floors and floors bellows you).
And another factor:
-> Compatibility. While they are standards, they are efforts being made by manufactures to supports the most number of wireless cards, you can have compatibility issues.
I can give you a lot of stories about this.
But here is one. My previous system, a high-end business class laptop, Dell Latitude, had the Intel Wireless 5100N. Great card. Intel none the less, they usually make good wireless card, works well anywhere I go, but... not at university. In fact it stop working properly since my university switch to wireless N. They used Cisco routers, so again, nothing cheap here.
The solution was simple, I needed to get the newer revision (yes revision, not model), of the Intel wireless N card that I had. Dell made that happen. However, since teh switch, guess what? If I push my wireless at home, then it fails to keep the connection. It works fine everywhere else I go, except at home. as I had the latest wireless card revision (checked with Dell), I had to switch my router. NOW, everything works above and beyond. So, all to say, it's a bit of a pain in the ass game to get it all working perfectly. And, while not explained here, but experience suggest that, newer techs, in wireless takes time to work well everywhere. That is why I am not sadden at all with the lack of wireless AC. And a smart move for Microsoft, because, while NOW wireless AC is fine, when the Surface Pro 2 was in development (meaning the hardware it will have will be at release) would have been junk, like other laptop with wireless AC. When wireless N is faster than using AC, and AC is plagues with wireless issue, and the range of Wireless N, is also affected, you know that there is some serious work needs to be done. It's too new, let alone wireless AC is still draft stages, let alone early ones. Remember when wireless N came out. Newer draft versions made consumer had no choice to scrap their 200$+ router, for a new one, and even wireless card in their system. talking about a mess.
So all to say at the end of the day, they are MANY factors that plays with your wireless experience, and one of them, is router liking your wireless card.
That is what personal experience suggests, and knowledge from other I am however no experts in the field.
The reason is that they are MANY factors that plays with Wi-Fi.
-> Interference from other surrounding devices, including microwaves, cell phone tower (despite not using the same frequencies, just because they are so powerful) and other routers (neighbors, including, if you are in a building, upper floors and floors bellows you).
And another factor:
-> Compatibility. While they are standards, they are efforts being made by manufactures to supports the most number of wireless cards, you can have compatibility issues.
I can give you a lot of stories about this.
But here is one. My previous system, a high-end business class laptop, Dell Latitude, had the Intel Wireless 5100N. Great card. Intel none the less, they usually make good wireless card, works well anywhere I go, but... not at university. In fact it stop working properly since my university switch to wireless N. They used Cisco routers, so again, nothing cheap here.
The solution was simple, I needed to get the newer revision (yes revision, not model), of the Intel wireless N card that I had. Dell made that happen. However, since teh switch, guess what? If I push my wireless at home, then it fails to keep the connection. It works fine everywhere else I go, except at home. as I had the latest wireless card revision (checked with Dell), I had to switch my router. NOW, everything works above and beyond. So, all to say, it's a bit of a pain in the ass game to get it all working perfectly. And, while not explained here, but experience suggest that, newer techs, in wireless takes time to work well everywhere. That is why I am not sadden at all with the lack of wireless AC. And a smart move for Microsoft, because, while NOW wireless AC is fine, when the Surface Pro 2 was in development (meaning the hardware it will have will be at release) would have been junk, like other laptop with wireless AC. When wireless N is faster than using AC, and AC is plagues with wireless issue, and the range of Wireless N, is also affected, you know that there is some serious work needs to be done. It's too new, let alone wireless AC is still draft stages, let alone early ones. Remember when wireless N came out. Newer draft versions made consumer had no choice to scrap their 200$+ router, for a new one, and even wireless card in their system. talking about a mess.
So all to say at the end of the day, they are MANY factors that plays with your wireless experience, and one of them, is router liking your wireless card.
That is what personal experience suggests, and knowledge from other I am however no experts in the field.
Yes, the interference thing can be significant. At home I had to put the router in the basement, because that's where the cable was installed. It wasn't practical to move it anywhere else for a variety of reasons.
I mounted the router high up on the wall toward the center of the house. However, reception with the SP2 on the main floor of the house was rather intermittent. The area around the router is crammed with ducts, pipes, tubes and other sorts of metallic objects. No wonder WiFi connections were wonky.
I decided to try an inexpensive wireless WiFi extender (by DLink). Turns out it worked well. Placing the extender in the right spot upstairs enabled getting a strong WiFi connection in the target locations. Might be a useful option in situations with interference.
Yea. Well in your case, something else plays a part, is that wireless routers signal have a shape.
While the following is very Apple centric, it does explains a bit the different shapes different antennas provide, you can just look at the pictures, it's self explanatory.
Antenna Help
So you were also probably out of the zone as well. So a mix of both (interferences and possibly shape).
While the following is very Apple centric, it does explains a bit the different shapes different antennas provide, you can just look at the pictures, it's self explanatory.
Antenna Help
So you were also probably out of the zone as well. So a mix of both (interferences and possibly shape).
I've started losing connectivity this evening myself. One thing to consider regarding using 5GHZ vs 2.4 is the ability of 2.4 to to make it around walls and obstructions. In that regard it's far superior to 5Ghz. That is part of the problem with my using it as I may have to relocate my router. The signal is much weaker in my room upstairs than it is with 2.4 GHz band. Just something to consider. I can't understand what has changed except for a tiny update I did earlier today that may have contributed to my particular problem. It could also be the 2.4 band as you suggest as well, so thanks for the info.
Just enable your router's 5GHz radio and then connect to it.
Interesting article. The router at home has 3 rod-like antennae. The router is mounted on the wall, such that the antennae are at equal height off the floor. The middle rod is perpendicular to the wall and the end rods are oriented horizontally, parallel to the wall. This should give a "donut" shaped signal parallel to the wall, reaching the lateral extents of the house, and the other rods emitting signal donuts at a right angle to the wall projecting signal vertically.
The areas above the router get good coverage, except where the signal is impeded by metal ducting, etc. The DLink extender sits in a spot with good enough reception for it to work providing WiFi signal to the upper level of the house.
I really ought to show a sketch of the house, router location, etc., then it would make more sense. Just have to find the time...
CrippsCorner
Well-Known Member
You need to create a separate 5GHz SSID. For instance when using my AirPort Express it only creates a 2.4GHz as standard... until I went into the configuration and created a 5GHz which simply added a new connection. Now when I search for local networks I have my 'BrightBox' SSID (which is my ISP's router) and 'AirPort Express 2.4GHz' & 'AirPort Express 5GHz' so I know precisely what I'm connecting to
