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Hi, anyone have any ideas why my laptop's wireless doesnt work properly?

My laptop's wireless signal cuts out and then wont find a wireless signal, despite being several metres from my wireless hub. Sometimes it works fine but have better chance of getting signal by elevating the base of my laptop slightly. I dont get a signal outside my room, when our other laptop gets signal in the garden which is 2 floors downstairs.Any suggestions?

Please only respond if you are experienced in wireless troubleshooting.

Update:

Its an internal card - it came with the laptop so not sure what spec it is - its a Siemens C Series Lifebook C1020 laptop 2GHz processor.

The signal being picked up is my own hub as I know its name. I have something on my Laptop called Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless which is used to detect wireless networks. My router is an Actiontec 1 which is quite good as its futureproof.

The other laptop is of lesser spec and is older (its a Dell) but it uses a USB Wireless key. Any further suggestions would be great - how do I know if the wireless card is knackered? The battery someone was referring to - do they mean the small round one? As I ve recently replaced the main big battery

13 Answers

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  • 2 decades ago
    Favorite Answer

    If it's a wireless card (external) then it could just be a bad card. If it's internal wireless (like in an IBM T42) then you may want to disable it and then re-enable it. Also check to make sure the hub is good - sometimes the connection could be bad as well.

  • 2 decades ago

    Some WIFIs just work better than others. Try resetting your router. Totally reset it by holding down the reset button for a few seconds, and then try doing the setup again. I would check the WIFI on your laptop or your PC card. It might be damaged or just weak. Sometimes when you try to hook a wireless-B card to a wireless G router, then the signal is bad. It works best if you get a wireless G router and a wireless-G card.

    If one laptop works better than the other, I'm thinking your laptop has a weak WIFI connection to your router.

  • Anonymous
    2 decades ago

    It may be possible that you aren't programmed to pick up own base signal, and you are actually picking up another signal from someone else's base, farther away. That would explain the intermittant signal, and why at times you get no signal at all. Open the program, and have it search for the signals, then choose the strongest. That's the one that's most likely yours.

  • 2 decades ago

    anytime you use a cordless phone that is at the 2.4GHz range or if there is a microwave oven near by that is running thes devices may cause the signal to be lost or weaken greatly about why you get a signal in some places and not others can depend on how much reflection is occuring and how much of the signal is being absorbed and what not if there are alot of plants in the house they will contribute to loss

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  • Anonymous
    4 years ago

    ok... that is embarrassing. I had an same difficulty. The ethernet connection became coated with a sticky label. i really felt like an fool because i must have appeared on the decrease back of the computer 5 minutes previously i got here across it staring me contained in the face behind a sticky label! I in simple terms knew I had the in undemanding words computer contained in the international with out an ethernet card. i became incorrect. It became there.

  • 1 decade ago

    well if the one lap top works from outside it must be the card in the other laptop. Either swap them to check or buy a new card, make sure it's the correect wifi protocol though

  • 2 decades ago

    Check out transmitting power of your wireless hub.

    Your Wan card might have problem.

    You might be working in too congested area.

    How many users are using it.

    Lose connection of your wireless hub.

    .

  • 2 decades ago

    if your are getting limited or no connectivity, i may not be that you arent getting a signal sometimes you will recieve this if your dhcp server isnt assigning you a valid ip address what type of wireless hub do you have?

  • 2 decades ago

    Check with the manufacturers to make sure you have all the latest drivers. An outdated driver can do that.

  • Anonymous
    2 decades ago

    Sounds as if your battery is going out. Replace it and I bet everything will be fine.

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