# Acer Aspire One Netbook Wireless Card -connection keeps dropping



## ImmortalBeloved (Feb 20, 2010)

Having the exact same problem here. My dad just purchased the exact same laptop. My brother's room is one door down from him and he gets signal no problem. Even I do clear on the other side of the house with my Macbook and my Nintendo Dsi. We can't understand why literally one door down he get's no signal and if he picks up his laptop and walks into the hallway near my brothers room it works. I will read this thread but if you have any different advice for me that would be great. I don't mean to hijack the thread but I figured why start another when we're having the exact same problem.

We are using a D-link DIR ver 3.0

Ok I have had to edit after checking more closely the WLAN on my dads computer is different from the original poster. It's an Acer but still 802.11. So if I just need to start a new thread then I will.


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## 2xg (Aug 5, 2009)

Although it appears that you're having the same issue, I have created a new Thread for you. We'll be glad to assist you.


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## ImmortalBeloved (Feb 20, 2010)

Ok thanks! Sorry about that. The issues persists. Basically my dad can't be online when he's in his bedroom which is literally 8 ft away from my brother's room and he has no problems at all. If my dad steps out into the hallway no problem. My room is much further away and I never have problems. The router is located on the other side of the house in my office.

D-link DIR ver 3.0

Acer Nplify 802.11 bgn

Please let me know what other info I can provide. Thanks again!


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## 2xg (Aug 5, 2009)

From your Dad's computer try removing all wireless profiles stored in your computer and re-connect to your home wireless network, make sure that you have the correct encryption needed if your wireless is secured.
Here's a guide=> Click on Start select Control Panel. Select the Network and Internet option and then click the Network and Sharing Center. In the tasks on the left click Manage Wireless Networks. Click your network name in the list, then right-click and select Remove Network. This will clear out the profile. Then go back to the Network and Sharing Center and click Connect to a network and reconnect to your network.

Also, From his laptop pls. run Xirrus Wi-Fi Inspector
Here's a more detail guide => Double click on the xirrus icon on your desktop or if you have one running in a corner, just click on it. Tap the Printscreen key on your keyboard, open up Paint then choose Edit from the Menu and select Paste, then SAVE it. Upload and attached it here, click on Go Advanced and locate Manage Attachments Tab and attached the file. 

Pls. post update.


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## ImmortalBeloved (Feb 20, 2010)

Here is a snapshot of the scan 

http://i915.photobucket.com/albums/ac357/akolts/Untitled.jpg


The connection started to work again with three bars and it never exceeds three bars. Any advice you can give based on the scan would be appreciated. Thanks!


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## 2xg (Aug 5, 2009)

ImmortalBeloved said:


> Here is a snapshot of the scan
> 
> http://i915.photobucket.com/albums/ac357/akolts/Untitled.jpg
> 
> ...


You may try changing the Channel to 11 and change your Security from WEP to WPA2, see how your wireless connection is. Channels 1 and 6 are both good also in the US, and you may always check your connections.

An update will be appreciated.


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## ImmortalBeloved (Feb 20, 2010)

Will this effect other computers in the house? We have two other laptops as well and nintendo Dsi's and a wii system. I'm assuming we will need to redo the network profiles on those?

How do I go about changing the channel. Thanks!


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

If you change the encryption, you'll have to redo all the profiles. If you just try changing the channel first, that won't require any changes, they'll automatically find the channel.


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## ImmortalBeloved (Feb 20, 2010)

ok that's good news. To change the channel I need to find the router IP address correct? Then log in and change the channel?


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## 2xg (Aug 5, 2009)

How to access your D-Link Router? 

Open your web interface and type "http://192.168.0.1" into the address bar, then hit "Enter" or "Return."
Use "Admin" as the username and leave the password blank when the login screen appears.
Click "OK." You should now see the D-Link configuration screen.
In here you may Locate the Wireless setup => Wireless network settings and change the Channel

To change your Security from WEP to WPA2 locate the "Home" tab in the D-Link Configuration screen, and click on the "Wireless" button.
As have mentioned you will need to change the Profiles on all computers from WEP to WPA2.

Hope this helps.


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## ImmortalBeloved (Feb 20, 2010)

It's not letting me log in by leaving the password blank.


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## 2xg (Aug 5, 2009)

ImmortalBeloved said:


> It's not letting me log in by leaving the password blank.


What's the exact Make and Model of your D-Link router?

or you may try a Default Password of "Admin".


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## ImmortalBeloved (Feb 20, 2010)

it's a Dir-615 ver 3.00


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## ImmortalBeloved (Feb 20, 2010)

looks as though my brother set a password when he initially set it up so I used that and it worked.

Where it says wireless channel it will not let me change anything. The drop down menu is greyed out under the wireless network settings section.

edited

OK figured it out I had to uncheck the auto option and then it let me change the channel.


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## 2xg (Aug 5, 2009)

ImmortalBeloved said:


> looks as though my brother set a password when he initially set it up so I used that and it worked.
> 
> Where it says wireless channel it will not let me change anything. The drop down menu is greyed out under the wireless network settings section.
> 
> ...


If its greyed-out, uncheck the "auto channel scan"


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## ImmortalBeloved (Feb 20, 2010)

Done thanks! I switched to channel 11 and he went from 3 bars to 1 bar so now have tried channel 6. 

What do you advise from here? Changing from wep to wpa as suggested before?


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## 2xg (Aug 5, 2009)

I'd choose WPA2-PSK if you have this option. How's your wireless connection on Channel 6?


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## ImmortalBeloved (Feb 20, 2010)

Another question. Do I need to restart his notebook after these changes? 

He's on channel 6 now and at two bars. On channel 1 he had the most bars he's had thus far which was 3.


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## ImmortalBeloved (Feb 20, 2010)

2xgrump said:


> I'd choose WPA2-PSK if you have this option. How's your wireless connection on Channel 6?



I have WPA Personal or Enterprise options. I'm guessing I choose personal? The one you mentioned above does now show as an option unless I need to be looking somewhere else.


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## 2xg (Aug 5, 2009)

Choose WPA Personal.

EDIT: If you have computers that are >5yr old it may not support WPA only WEP. You may check on this.


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## ImmortalBeloved (Feb 20, 2010)

Ok. I have changed back to channel 1 and still two bars. It seems that sometimes it makes it to three but never beyond. I will try changing to WPA. I need to let everyone know so they understand they need to set up new network profiles.

I was wondering what the difference is between that and WEP and why it will make a difference? Just curious. I'm sure there's a complicated answer but you can give me the short version. lol


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## 2xg (Aug 5, 2009)

Difference between WEP and WPA

Most of the time changing the Security improves the wireless network connectivity.


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## ImmortalBeloved (Feb 20, 2010)

Ok thanks for the link. I think we will try that and see if it helps. Didn't seem to be a big difference between channels 1, 6 and 11. Do you need to leave it on a certain channel for a bit to really notice the difference? 

I will change security and update. Thanks again!


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## 2xg (Aug 5, 2009)

Feel free to try other Channels as well, 3, 4, 9 see if it makes any difference. But let's wait what happens from changing the Security first. I would do a test in just One wireless computer for right now, the most problematic one.
Sometimes it's a bit odd that if you remove the Security from the router completely for a couple of minutes, save and close the router's configuration page. Come back again then put the Security back, save and close. This method sometimes does work.


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## ImmortalBeloved (Feb 20, 2010)

ok, I tried to change the security and I don't know what I did wrong but to make a long story short I had to end up resetting my modem to get back online. The pc that was initially used to set up the router has since crashed so when we used my dads laptop to set up the router over again and now we're back to the same settings as before but on a different channel. 

I am not sure what the heck I did wrong. I simply chose WPA from the drop down menu and then saved. Then none of the machines in the house could get online again hence the reason we reset the modem and set up the router again. Because I kept being prompted for a password to the WPA and it wasn't taking any of them. lol I was pretty confused for a minute. It seems like no matter the channel with the exception of one he gets max 3 bars and the exception is even worse. I am willing to try and change security again but I want to make sure I do it correctly this time. Where did I go wrong? lol I am obviously confused. lol

Another thing I was noticing when in the router wireless settings was the list of Dynamic DHCP Clients. There was a playstation listed. No one in our house owns a playstation. Does that mean someone was using our connection? And if so how did they manage that?

Also I was wondering, will buying a better router help? I was wondering if this router is not that great.


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

If you don't have at least WPA with a strong key, it's quite possible someone was freeloading.


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## 2xg (Aug 5, 2009)

If you are bring prompted for the password, it's either you didn't setup the WPA Password from the Router or did not re-do and change WEP to WPA and put in the security key correctly on each computer. It's gotta be one of those.

Updating your Router to the latest firmware might help as well. I will do the same thing to the problematic computer, update the wireless ethernet adapter. You may go to the Manufacturer's website to download the latest driver firmware.

If you can afford to replace your router for a better one, that would work as well. :smile:



ImmortalBeloved said:


> ok, I tried to change the security and I don't know what I did wrong but to make a long story short I had to end up resetting my modem to get back online. The pc that was initially used to set up the router has since crashed so when we used my dads laptop to set up the router over again and now we're back to the same settings as before but on a different channel.
> 
> I am not sure what the heck I did wrong. I simply chose WPA from the drop down menu and then saved. Then none of the machines in the house could get online again hence the reason we reset the modem and set up the router again. Because I kept being prompted for a password to the WPA and it wasn't taking any of them. lol I was pretty confused for a minute. It seems like no matter the channel with the exception of one he gets max 3 bars and the exception is even worse. I am willing to try and change security again but I want to make sure I do it correctly this time. Where did I go wrong? lol I am obviously confused. lol
> 
> ...


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## ImmortalBeloved (Feb 20, 2010)

ok, well it seems we had a playstation freeloader. lol I think I failed to set up the WPA password when I made the change, then I hit save and couldn't do anything from there.

I will update the router firmware or see if there is an update available as well as the notebooks wireless adapter. Also, I think we may look into getting a new router.

So if I want to attempt to change the security again I need to make sure to set a password this time but will I need to reset my modem as well? Or was that just because we reset the router last time and we were basically starting over?


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

I'd reset the router to factory defaults, it's the best way to get a known starting point.


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## Argamonius (Jun 20, 2011)

This may sound too simple, but move the router, the fact that your dad can 'step into' a stronger signal suggests to me either scattering or diffusion, keep in mind waves dont go around corners, they have to be bounced. play with the location until everyone is happy with the signal. Just my own personal experience, but raise the router also. Pointy objects, soft pillows and metal anything tend to screw with the signal.

If the geometry of your house prevents you from simply moving the router to obtain a signal (i.e like a long hallway with several doors on the same side, and the router at the end of the hallway) try useing moms makeup mirror (preferably one with a concave side) and hang it high in the hallway and angle part of the signal into your dads room. Trust me it works. I stretched a 50' hotspot limit to about 120' around two corners and through a sliding glass door. aint physics fun  [hint use a flashlight to visualize the signal in total darkness]


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## 2xg (Aug 5, 2009)

Thanks for the feedback, this is an old Thread and it's time to Close.


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