Help with wireless network and router config?

Fenika · Aug 19, 2011

My neighbors said I could bum their internet (I will pay 'em a small monthly fee b/c I don't want to be a bum) (No really, I'm not stealing their internet. Otherwise I wouldn't be asking for advice on how to change their settings).

They did warn me that their internet is funny, and that sometimes, even when they are in the same room, pages won't load.

I finally went out and got the signal extender today, and it's working fairly well.

Previously, while standing in the backyard with the iPhone or netbook, the devices never connected to the network. While standing on their porch the other day, the iPhone connected. Today for some reason, the iPhone connected in my yard and in my house, BUT, the signal was dancing all over the place (drop/2 out of 3 wifi bars, 1 bar, drop, etc) This was while standing in the same spot in my yard. This was also connecting directly to their wireless network ofc, not through the signal enhancer (which stretches to the far bedroom)

The computers load certain pages (google, whatever) Super fast sometimes, and super slow other times (same page, different times). Certain pages it takes forever to load (pages that tend to be clogged anyways, like weather.com are particularly bad, but occasionally they do load fast. Like right now I loaded weather.com's home page AND weather for 90210 (not in my cache) and both were 2 seconds load time.)

So I'm guessing that the neighbors have their settings screwy. I think they use cable (I can get all the details, including their modem and router this weekend). I found this article from Apple http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4199 but I have no idea if it is good advice or good advice for a PC.

I also found this article - http://truvoipbuzz.com/2010/03/how-to-change-router-settings-best-voip-performance-tutorials/ and again I don't know if it is good advice. They do say to clone the Mac address so that the ISP doesn't know you are using a router with multiple (presumably) devices.

So should I ask my neighbor to follow this advice and is there anything else I can check?

I also want to advise them to turn on security, since I'm bouncing their network further down the neighborhood.

kuwisdelu · Aug 19, 2011

Fenika said:
Previously, while standing in the backyard with the iPhone or netbook, the devices never connected to the network. While standing on their porch the other day, the iPhone connected. Today for some reason, the iPhone connected in my yard and in my house, BUT, the signal was dancing all over the place (drop/2 out of 3 wifi bars, 1 bar, drop, etc) This was while standing in the same spot in my yard. This was also connecting directly to their wireless network ofc, not through the signal enhancer (which stretches to the far bedroom)

The computers load certain pages (google, whatever) Super fast sometimes, and super slow other times (same page, different times). Certain pages it takes forever to load (pages that tend to be clogged anyways, like weather.com are particularly bad, but occasionally they do load fast. Like right now I loaded weather.com's home page AND weather for 90210 (not in my cache) and both were 2 seconds load time.)

My first question is what kind of internet do they have and what kind of router is it?

If you're paying for shit-tier internet, you're going to get shit-tier internet. Of course, sometimes you get crappy up/down speeds regardless, because the ISP just wants to screw you, but that's another story... In any case, we should at least know what kind of speeds their ISP is supposed to be giving them.

As for the router, while there's plenty of cheap routers out there, most of the cheap ones use older protocols like 802.11g versus 802.11n (the current WiFi protocol), so the cheaper ones are going to be slower. Cheaper routers can be flakier, IME, and most importantly for you, they're not going to have as good range.

So I'm guessing that the neighbors have their settings screwy. I think they use cable (I can get all the details, including their modem and router this weekend). I found this article from Apple http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4199 but I have no idea if it is good advice or good advice for a PC.

Yes, all of those suggestions are for troubleshooting the connectivity of an iPhone with any router. While Apple makes routers, there's no "PC" vs. "Mac" router or anything like that. For basic wireless connectivity, they're all the same. The features where routers begin to differ significantly shouldn't be important to your problems here, except for maybe the signal strength, range, etc., which isn't so much a feature as just better hardware vs. poorer hardware.

I also found this article - http://truvoipbuzz.com/2010/03/how-to-change-router-settings-best-voip-performance-tutorials/ and again I don't know if it is good advice. They do say to clone the Mac address so that the ISP doesn't know you are using a router with multiple (presumably) devices.

An ISP shouldn't care how many devices you're using. I wouldn't screw with the MAC addresses unless they accidentally set up something very funky, in which case this is probably not the advice you are looking for anyway.

So should I ask my neighbor to follow this advice and is there anything else I can check?

The Apple page is fine to follow. (Note that the iPhone doesn't support 5 GHz, but I would guess your neighbors don't have a router that supports 5 GHz anyway.) I wouldn't bother with the other page's advice.

I also want to advise them to turn on security, since I'm bouncing their network further down the neighborhood.

Check to see if their router supports WPA2 or at least WPA. If it only supports WEP, throw it out and tell them to get a new one.

Tirjasdyn · Aug 20, 2011

If your neighbors have cable internet they may be throttling it to keep bandwidth down because they probably have a bandwidth limit.

ISPs are capable of blocking certain services as well unless you pay a fee. For example, some broadband companies charge an extra fee for xbox live...so you pay for internet, connecting to xbox live, and For xbox live itself as well.

Williebee · Aug 20, 2011

Just to be clear, it is likely you and the neighbor will be violating the user agreement they made with their internet provider. If money changes hands, also one or two laws.

Folks, sorry to be a meanie, but assisting someone in the commission of a crime, on Mac's board, isn't cool.

clockwork · Aug 20, 2011

Aye, locking pending review.

Help with wireless network and router config?

Fenika

kuwisdelu

Revolutionize the World

Tirjasdyn

Outline Maven

Williebee

Capeless, wingless, & yet I fly.

clockwork

In the zone...