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Re: [LUG] Wireless netbook works perfectly in one location; but not another... ?

 

On Sun, 19 Jun 2011 19:17:07 +0100
Roland Tarver wrote:

> On Sun, Jun 19, 2011 at 6:59 PM, Grant Sewell <dcglug@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
> > On Sun, 19 Jun 2011 18:40:42 +0100
> > Roland Tarver wrote:
> >
> >> Hi Folks :-)
> >>
> >> The situation:-
> >>
> >> Location 1 (Virgin broadband).
> >> 1 x Desktop computer successfully connected to internet via wifi.
> >> 1 x Netbook unable to browse web pages using same wifi connection
> >> as desktop. *Able* to ping URLs, but unable to browse to them? :-s
> >>
> >> Location 2 (talk talk broadband).
> >> 1 x *same* netbook connects effortlessly and is able to browse web
> >> pages.
> >>
> >> Each location has a different wireless router. The router at the
> >> problem location (1) is a netgear dgn1000. The netbook OS is
> >> Xubuntu 11.04. Browser is firefox. A speedtest (.net) of the
> >> wireless desktop at location 1 = 1.8 mbps (down); 0.7 mbps (up).
> >> With the net book connected to the talktalk wireless at location
> >> 2, speedtest (.net) = 4.5 Mbps (down); 0.65 Mbps (up).
> >>
> >> Not sure how much of this info is relevant/useful?
> >>
> >> Currently, I am at a different location to the net book. But will
> >> post any requested info here shortly...
> >>
> >> This is probably something fairly simple? Unfortunately my
> >> networking knowledge is rubbish :-s Any help greatly
> >> appreciated. :-)
> >>
> >> Many thanks
> >> Best wishes
> >> roly :-)
> >
> > You've said you are able to ping URLs... do you mean URLs or IPs?
> > ÂIf it is the latter, then it could be a DNS issue.
> >
> > Grant.
> 
> Hi Grant,
> 
> Thanks for your reply.
> 
> I was able to ping www.google.co.uk.
> 
> On a single occasion I was able to browse to google and conduct a
> search. However, this took ****ages****.
> 
> The netbook behaves as if the wireless connection has very low
> capacity/bandwidth (not sure of the right term - but hopefully you
> take my meaning). There also appears to be some lost data packets (as
> reported in the ping summary).
> 
> Connecting the netbook and router with an ethernet cable permits
> normal connectivity/use. :-s
> 
> Many thanks
> Roly :-D

Could be a "congested" WiFi channel, amongst other things.  wicd (unles
the default Network Manager) will tell you which channel each wireless
network is using.  If you have too many wireless networks in close
proximity to eachother, all using the same channel, problems can
occur.  Having said that, it should affect the other machine if it's
connecting wirelessly as well.  If it turns out that there are a number
of wireless networks all sharing the same channel as the one you're
trying to connect to, try changing the channel (on the router) to some
other channel.

http://tinyurl.com/yhqvjrc

That's a Wikipedia picture of the WiFi channels.  If you're on 1, try
changing to something that doesn't overlap with 1... like 6+. :D

Grant.

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