First inspect that all the wires are been plugged properly in it at the router and from the plug one of the first things you need to do is that you have top access them. Confirm that the power cord is connected and see that all the lights of the router and cable/DSL modem are working properly. This may also appear to you like a silly suggestion but you should never ignore the noticeable given to you. You will not be surprised that how your design can be perfect, and after a while of playing around with settings you realize that the network cable leading from the router to the cable modem has come undone to some extent.

You will also prefer to check that your wireless network adapter is being switched on or not. Some of the laptops have a small blue or red button on the side whereas the other laptop will require you to do it manually enable it from the operating system. For doing it manually go to windows and go to the device manager option and check that your wireless network adapter is being enabled. If you owe a PCMCIA or a USB wireless adapter then try to removing it and then try to re-inserting it while the Windows is running so it will re-detect it immediately.

Then the lights on the adapter will automatically give a sign of whether there is a problem. The modem I am having has two lights out of which one is orange lights indicate me that the PCMCIA card has power and the other is green light which shows that the connection is being started. Whenever the green light blinks it means that I am not in the range for the wireless access point or there must be some problem with the connectivity, whereas when there is a stable light it means that the connection has been recognized effectively. Then see that your device certification at the sorts of details will vary from product to product.

Driver Compatibility

It is essential that to make definite that you have installed properly and the correct device driver which is been required by your wireless network adapter. This can also result in all sorts of problems or any difficulty relating to your adapter not to function. A friend of mine complained me that the wireless network was going wild when he had recently set it up. After doing the inspection of the wireless network I noticed that he had attached his router correctly but did not installed the 5v correctly, he had installed it in a 3v driver on his laptop PCMCIA network card. Once the correct driver is installed in it properly, then everything began to run very efficiently. It will just go to show that how even the negligible detail can make all the variation so make sure that you have the correct driver installed in it!

Low Signal Strength

There are a various types of factors that can cause the signal of the access point to weaken and the presentation of your network and to fall under same level. Basically any application that operates on the same frequency level (2.4 GHz) as 802.11b or 802.11g can cause interfering with his wireless network. See to it that to keep the cordless phones, microwaves and any other electrical tools at least a meter away from the wireless network access point. Try altering the channels on the access point and test it out on one of the clients. For altering the radio of channel on the access point login to the design and go to the Wireless Settings section, select a different channel and save the settings change by you. From the user option, go to Device Manager and right click at your wireless network adapter and go to Properties. From the advanced tab selecting option click the Channel Property and change the Value of the same number as the one which you have done while choosing the Access Point. Then Disable and re-enter the number in order to enable the wireless connection.

Access Point Location

You may also want to change the position of your access point antenna to make improvement in the performance. Then Play around with its position and see it to that you notice a difference in it. I have noticed that if the point of the antenna is moved sideways or downwards then I am having a better response on the floor below. The following images are shown so that you can understand what I mean.

Antenna pointing upwards (default)



Antenna pointing sideways

The location of your access point is very much vital. Then try and place your antenna in a central location, where as much as possible avoiding manual obstructions and thoughtful surfaces. Also remember that the wireless signals can bounce on windows and mirrors, thus resulting in decreasing the range of it. Always experiment with different type of locations until and unless you find one which is practical and capable. Most people, place their antenna towards the ceiling since there is most of obstruction are closer to the floor.

It’s always a good idea to screen the performance of your signal by using an indicative value. This will not only help you to check it out that how strong is your signal which is been received from the antenna is different and whether all other electrical tools is not interfering in it. Run the utility when the microwave or cordless phone is in use and see if you notice a difference. Usually your access point will come with its own monitoring utility.