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IonCable · Jan 1, 2003, 09:06 PM

I seem to have to reset my D-link daily. It works great but everyday it seems to loose all wireless abilities to my Pismo and Tibook with airport cards. I reset it and everything is fine? Any ideas, need more info? Please Help

ghporter · Jan 2, 2003, 07:50 AM

Do you turn your computers off, or do you let them go to sleep, then notice that you don't have a connection? AirPort cards seem to have a problem with waking up but not seeing the wireless network. This is true of a lot of PCcards, as well, and appears to be related to their power saving systems.

IonCable · Jan 2, 2003, 10:51 AM

yes I do put them to sleep. I there a work around for this? I prefer not to shut them down. I hate booting. I have noticed my firm where is older than the one on the D-link website. Think it's worth it?

ghporter · Jan 2, 2003, 11:10 AM

Don't upgrade your router's firmware unless it adds a feature you need or fixes a problem you have. Again, since it looks like an issue with your AirPort cards, your router is fine.

Aside from not liking the boot experience, is there a reason you don't like turning your computers off? It's probably better on the batteries, it's cooler on the equipment, it's more secure, and it avoids this kind of wireless problem.

As for a fix, my PC laptop had the same sort of problem, and I fixed it by turning off power saving; I don't know how to do that with an AirPort card. It is possible that your AirPort cards' firmware may be old and that updating it (the card's firmware, not the router's) could help.

IonCable · Jan 2, 2003, 12:45 PM

Thanks for the help, I'll check the cards firmware. And the advice on not upgrading the firmware on the router. I was jut about to do that. My pismo can pickup my neighbors wireless network, think that could be part of the trouble. Do you know of a way to block another wireless network. I am a newbie at home networks. Until about a month ago all I had was a Laptop and an Airport to a Cable Modem. Now I have 2 laptops, a ReplayTV and a PC on it.

ghporter · Jan 3, 2003, 10:40 AM

You need to make sure of a couple of things to prevent network interference. First, make sure that your network is running on a different channel from your neighbor's. This is pretty simple to do with AirPort stuff, but I don't know the exact process with your D-Link. Second, make sure your network name (D-Link may call it an "SSID") is set to something other than the default. Go for something out of the ordinary, like "Larry's Wierd Box" or the like-it throws people off, especially when they use snooping software to look for insecure networks.

Make sure any options for remote management of the access point/router are disabled.

Finally, work on getting 128-bit WEP working. This will help your network more secure, and keep your computers from being confused by other, nearby networks.

villalobos · Jan 22, 2003, 05:38 PM

Originally posted by GHPorter:
You need to make sure of a couple of things to prevent network interference. First, make sure that your network is running on a different channel from your neighbor's. This is pretty simple to do with AirPort stuff, but I don't know the exact process with your D-Link. Second, make sure your network name (D-Link may call it an "SSID") is set to something other than the default. Go for something out of the ordinary, like "Larry's Wierd Box" or the like-it throws people off, especially when they use snooping software to look for insecure networks.

Make sure any options for remote management of the access point/router are disabled.

Finally, work on getting 128-bit WEP working. This will help your network more secure, and keep your computers from being confused by other, nearby networks.

Speaking of WEP secured network. I recently activated it with my D-link 614+. It works fine and I would encourage everybody to do likewise. The only tad annoying thing is that upon wake up from sleep, I have to 'select' the network again in order for my computer to see it. It used to get back on track automatically but not anymore. I suspect this is linked to the WEP password: I did put the password in the Keychain and gave the 'allow everytime' permission, but that does not help.
It is not a huge deal, but I don't understand why the computer is behaving this way.
As to why putting an Ibook to sleep instead of shutting down, I would say, 'why would you shut down an Ibook? It is so nice to open the thing and surf or do whatever right away'.

Villa

jfdonahue · Jan 29, 2003, 02:00 PM

IonCable,

I am looking at getting a ReplayTV. How did you hook it up to your Airport network?

Thanks

IonCable · Jan 29, 2003, 11:24 PM

I got rid of my Airport Base Station (Graphite 1st gen) and replaced it with the D-Link 614+. It has a built in router. My Cable line goes in to the D-Link and my 2 Laptops attach wireless. The D-Link 614+ has 4 ports plus the Wireless. It works great I have a much stronger signal with the D-link than the Airport. I can transfer wireless from the ReplayTv but it is slow. Mine is right by the Replay so I just have a extra cable for transfers.

Any thing else I'll be happy to help.

Mark

jfdonahue · Feb 1, 2003, 09:16 AM

IonCable,

Well since you offerred to help...here goes,

I am a newbie to A/V tech, so please excuse my ignorance. My plan is to split the cable coming into the house with one cable going to my Airport Extreme Base Station and the other going to my cable box. I will use the Ethernet port on the Airport Base Station for the ReplayTV and go with a wireless connection for my PowerBook and iMac. Sound ok?

Also, could you explain how you set up your ReplayTV in relation to your other equipment? It sounds like my set up with be almost exactly like yours: I will have a digital cable box, ReplayTV, dvd/vcr combo/ xbox.

I appreciate your help.

ghporter · Feb 1, 2003, 02:25 PM

Your plan won't work unless you get another cable modem: the AirPort Extreme doesn't have a cable connector, and it does not contain a cable modem. What you'll have to do is connect a gateway router to your cable modem's ethernet port, then connect everything (computers, AE, etc.) to the router.

IonCable · Feb 1, 2003, 07:53 PM

the ethernet from the Cable modem goes into the Airport WAN port. Then A line from the LAN port to the ReplayTV box. The iMac and Powerbook are wireless you're all set. The Cable line only goes into the Cable Modem then an ethernet comes out. The Airport extreme has a WAN and a LAN port.