[pastyboy]

Hello. Computer novice here so bear with me.

I have a couple of questions regarding the internet setup in my house, I hope someone can help?
I currently have 4mb broadband with virgin media. I have a wireless router (belkin 54g) and use 2 laptops and 1 desktop wirelessly.

Q1. I have been having problems with my own laptop, with the connection to the internet working ok for a period of time and then just losing connection for no reason. I am in the same room as the router so it is not a distance thing. When I search for the wireless network it says it is unprotected, but I have enabled security on my machine. The other laptop and desktop appear to have no problems. What can I do? This problem has only just started, a couple of days a go there was no problem.

Q2. Since the above problem download speeds have been very slow. If I was, for example, downloading a 5 min video file this would usually only take a few mins. But now I can’t download anything because the connection just switches off after say 30 mins, and the download is only half way through.
I ran a couple of speed tests and they tell me that my download speed is roughly 1000kbps. I rang virgin media to ask what it should be and the bloke told me that with a 4mb speed the average download speed is 476kbps. Can someone explain this to me?

Many thanks in advance – I hope it makes sense?

Pasty

[Hybr!d]

Someone nearby could be hijacking your wireless signal.

This will definitely effect speed.

I would advise securing the router with a WEP or WPA key.

The router manual should instruct you how to do this.

[pastyboy]

Cheers for the reply Dave.

Well, i've just spent half an hour on the phone to Belkin - not sure the bloke really knew what i was on about so decided to phone virgin instead. Turns out it was my virgin modem that was the problem - the frequency (if that makes sense to you) had changed which makes the connection turn off, and reduces speed. Virgin even offered to pay for the phone call as it was there fault - tidy!

Just ran a speed test - 3880 kbps as apposed to the 1000 before - admittedly i am connected to the modem directly and not wirelessly but even so!

Pasty

[Hybr!d]

Sounds good, I'd still highly recommend securing your wireless signal for 101 security reasons.

[pastyboy]

It appears that my problems with the wireless connection have not been fixed. I believe it is a problem with my settings, but don’t know how to fix it. I hope someone does?

The problem – I turn my computer on but it doesn’t recognise my security ENABLED router. I refresh my available networks and mine appears but it is an UNSECURE wireless network. I click on change advance settings and go into the properties of my network and notice that the data encryption is showing DISABLED. I change it back to WEP and the network key highlights. I click ok but it won’t let me on the internet. I then click REPAIR which appears to fix the problem.

When I get onto the internet I go straight to the belkin page 192 etc where it says I’m connected and that security is ENABLED. What do I need to do to ensure that this is correct and stays correct.

Thanks.

[Hybr!d]

You are changing the security settings on the router box and not on your PC yes?

Did the router come with a manual or CD?