Author Topic: Worthless Inconsistent Fictional Internet  (Read 2699 times)

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MasterVega

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Worthless Inconsistent Fictional Internet
« on: August 03, 2009, 07:15:27 PM »
Hey all. I recently moved into the upper story of my grandpa's house. Everything was going fine until I began setting up my computer. this normally simple process presented complications far greater than any other time I'd moved it (or even the time I assembled it.)

Being already frustrated when I started working with the internet was not a good start.
See, normally I'd just plug my ethernet cable straight into the router, but this isn't possible (read: my parents and my aunt who like to speak for my grandpa said "no") because the router is downstairs. Hell, I didn't even want to run the cord downstairs, or in any sort of way that might endanger my grandpa, but I would be (or should have been) able to deal with their decision. My dad bought me a USB wifi receiver as a belated birthday present so that I could access the web.
It's a well rated device that should work fine... except I seem to have set my computer up in a deadzone or something. My internet connection worked fine for about an hour last night, then inconsistently this morning... and now it's barely there.

Should I move my whole set up around randomly in an attempt to find a somewhere with a stronger connection (this is something I want to avoid)? Is there some kind of booster I could purchase to make my connection not epicly fail? Maybe there are some alternatives you guys can think of... I'm so frustrated right now it's hard to think of a good solution to the problem.

Thanks. Hopefully this is technical enough not to go in the "bitch like you have to" section...

Note: Currently at my aunt and uncle's, using their desktop because I can't get mine to connect for more than thirty seconds at a time.
« Last Edit: August 03, 2009, 07:19:18 PM by MasterVega »
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Nanshork

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Re: Worthless Inconsistent Fictional Internet
« Reply #1 on: August 03, 2009, 07:28:35 PM »
Yes, wifi boosters are available in the form of "better" antennas.

The thing is, how much one costs is related to what brand and model receiver you have. 
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MasterVega

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Re: Worthless Inconsistent Fictional Internet
« Reply #2 on: August 03, 2009, 10:24:30 PM »
Thanks, I guess I'll look for one of those at Fry's or Bestbuy (Kinda impatient right now.)
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altpersona

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Re: Worthless Inconsistent Fictional Internet
« Reply #3 on: August 03, 2009, 10:32:07 PM »
usb extention cable?

if your house router is wifi, then i doubt your in a dead zone unless you have a lot of stuff in the way, or a huge distance to cover.

if its someone elses wifi, then may the force be with you, it can be hit or miss.

is net via cell phone tether an option? i can tether @ about 1mbit down at work where i have 1 bar.

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MasterVega

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Re: Worthless Inconsistent Fictional Internet
« Reply #4 on: August 04, 2009, 12:29:38 AM »
Well, does ~3 walls and being up a story, and ~2 rooms away count as a lot of stuff in the way? The router is in my grandpa's office downstairs, and the house is kinda old...

Unfortunately, I don't have a plan for cellphone net, so it'd be uber expensive. :/

Thanks for the help.

Note: my computer supposedly picks up the network (two out of five bars), which is a weak connection (so says the program). However, once I've connected to the network it always reads as five bars... even though it drops my connection about 20 seconds after said connection is made.
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AlterFrom

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Re: Worthless Inconsistent Fictional Internet
« Reply #5 on: August 04, 2009, 12:34:35 AM »
I remember reading somewhere about shoving tin foil on your router's antennas to boost its signal. Lemme see if I can find it.

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altpersona

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Re: Worthless Inconsistent Fictional Internet
« Reply #6 on: August 04, 2009, 07:45:55 AM »
i wonder if its an 802.11a router. you might find him a nice cheap modern replacement to hook up. or set up a repeater.
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MasterVega

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Re: Worthless Inconsistent Fictional Internet
« Reply #7 on: August 05, 2009, 08:41:39 PM »
My cousin has a wireless bridge he's not using right now, so he's going to try and find it and lend it to me until I figure something else out.

Interesting observation: when my internet is on, holy crap it's on. I managed to get into Call of Duty 4 multiplayer and found out the top four servers were roughly 22, 24, 27, and 34. About thirty seconds later, of course, when the internet decided to epicfail again, I was at about 2000 at best. @_@

The lower ping could be that I'm closer to the servers, but I think the connection speed might also be a factor.
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altpersona

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Re: Worthless Inconsistent Fictional Internet
« Reply #8 on: August 05, 2009, 10:14:46 PM »
thats how it works, speed an proximity.

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MasterVega

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Re: Worthless Inconsistent Fictional Internet
« Reply #9 on: August 07, 2009, 03:34:01 PM »
Okay, so I've set up the network extender to find that yes, it makes the connection reliable enough for web browsing... but when I try to play any sort of online mode with a game, the connection starts out great, then 5-20 seconds in it epicfails and disconnects me from the server.

Great... just wonderful. >_>
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emissary666

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Re: Worthless Inconsistent Fictional Internet
« Reply #10 on: September 01, 2009, 12:42:51 AM »
I know that Apple makes wifi boosters that you just plug into an empty socket.
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Re: Worthless Inconsistent Fictional Internet
« Reply #11 on: September 02, 2009, 01:07:52 AM »
Okay, so I've set up the network extender to find that yes, it makes the connection reliable enough for web browsing... but when I try to play any sort of online mode with a game, the connection starts out great, then 5-20 seconds in it epicfails and disconnects me from the server.

Great... just wonderful. >_>

Solution: Don't play MMOs. Hardlines+Cable are better for XBox Live, as Wifi doesn't handle Live games very well. If it's turn-based, you may be able to get away with lag.


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MasterVega

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Re: Worthless Inconsistent Fictional Internet
« Reply #12 on: September 04, 2009, 01:10:35 PM »
UPDATE: I finally broke down and moved my desktop, and computer desk into the room across the hall from mine, which is directly above the wifi router. My connection works great now, and despite it being WiFi my ping on most of the games I've tried online has been something ridiculously good like 34.

Sinfire - I'd use an Ethernet cable, but I can't for reasons that would have to be explained via a long rant.
I really wish I could buy my own DSL modem and plug it into the phone plug in my room, but apparently that would require us to have a second DSL line. @_@

Emesarry - I tried that, actually. My cousin let me borrow his extra AirPort Express, but it looks like the Airport Extreme (the wifi router) is at least a generation behind it and can't figure out how to work with it. :/
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