PC/Wireless Internet Problem. Any Help....?

Hi all!

I know this is a filmmaking forum, but I thought one of you guys may be able to help me out with a little computer problem I’m having (or should I say, have been having for quite some time!). I’m normally pretty good with computers, but for the life of me I can’t seem to solve this problem!

So, a while back I built myself a desktop PC. When I did so, I included a Belkin Wireless card, hoping it would save me the hassle of trailing wires from one room to the next (my modem/router is in a different room to the PC). It seems to connect to the network no problem and when connected it shows a strong signal (four-out-of-five bars). However, if I then try to access the internet, it tries to load, changes it’s status to ‘limited’, then just disconnects. It’s as if it’s fine until it actually tries to exchange any data, then it just shuts down…

The PC is Windows 8.1. The modem/router is a Virgin Media Smarthub, manufactured by Netgear. The wireless card is by Belkin, but I’ve also tried USB wireless adaptors and had exactly the same issue. My laptop connects and works with no problem what-so-ever, even from the exact same spot as the desktop. Smartphone and tablets work no problem too.

Also, I have no problem when connecting the PC via Ethernet. When it’s plugged in, my home network works like a charm!

Any thoughts? I’d love to get this sorted as soon as possible, as I may be moving the PC in the very near future.

Cheers!
 
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Sounds like an IP/DNS issue - it's puzzling that different adapters have the same problem though.

If you can open a command prompt window and type ipconfig, see what it provides for the wireless connection and compare it to the output for doing the same thing on your laptop, that might give you a quick idea of where the problem is. Otherwise you may have to wade through lots of settings windows.

Good luck!
 
Hi all!

I know this is a filmmaking forum, but I thought one of you guys may be able to help me out with a little computer problem I’m having (or should I say, have been having for quite some time!). I’m normally pretty good with computers, but for the life of me I can’t seem to solve this problem!

So, a while back I built myself a desktop PC. When I did so, I included a Belkin Wireless card, hoping it would save me the hassle of trailing wires from one room to the next (my modem/router is in a different room to the PC). It seems to connect to the network no problem and when connected it shows a strong signal (four-out-of-five bars). However, if I then try to access the internet, it tries to load, changes it’s status to ‘limited’, then just disconnects. It’s as if it’s fine until it actually tries to exchange any data, then it just shuts down…

The PC is Windows 8.1. The modem/router is a Virgin Media Smarthub, manufactured by Netgear. The wireless card is by Belkin, but I’ve also tried USB wireless adaptors and had exactly the same issue. My laptop connects and works with no problem what-so-ever, even from the exact same spot as the desktop. Smartphone and tablets work no problem too.

Also, I have no problem when connecting the PC via Ethernet. When it’s plugged in, my home network works like a charm!

Any thoughts? I’d love to get this sorted as soon as possible, as I may be moving the PC in the very near future.

Cheers!

I had the exact same problem. Racked my brain for an entire year, I even ran an Ethernet cable from my studio to the living room.

If you've rebooted and the problem still exists, and no other PC in your house is experiencing the same problem, then the problem is most likely your network card.

If you have another PC that is working fine, and the network card is a USB type, similar to a thumb drive, then take the card out of that machine and plug it into your machine. If you no longer experience the problem you have with the other card in that same machine, the problem is your network card.

If you are using an motherboard wireless connection, then disable it and buy a usb network card that is of the same type as your router or greater. If your router is 'G' type, you can only use a 'G' card. If your router is an 'N' type, you can use 'G' or 'N' card, but you should really just use an 'N' card.
 
Maz - I'll take a look at this tomorrow. Thanks.

Sweetie - I haven't moved it yet, but I can't see it being a problem. Ethernet is fine.

jrusso - My router and card are both type N. The only other PC is a laptop, with built in wireless, that works just fine. I've tried USB cards with the exact same results as using the network card I've installed.

I'm thinking that it's got to be something to do with Windows...

Thanks for the ideas so far. Keep 'em coming!
 
Maz - I'll take a look at this tomorrow. Thanks.

Sweetie - I haven't moved it yet, but I can't see it being a problem. Ethernet is fine.

jrusso - My router and card are both type N. The only other PC is a laptop, with built in wireless, that works just fine. I've tried USB cards with the exact same results as using the network card I've installed.

I'm thinking that it's got to be something to do with Windows...

Thanks for the ideas so far. Keep 'em coming!

Then I suggest you take your laptop to the same place as where your PC is located and see if you have the same problem with the laptop connection.

I don't think it's based on the O/S as the problem is with your connection appearing and then failing gracefully as the signal apparently grows weaker. This is typical with a bad network card.

When you tried the other "USB" cards, did you have the other network card still installed? I suggest if you have a card installed in your PCI slot, you remove it completely from the motherboard. Even disabled, it can interfere with the other network devices if it's failing.
 
I believe the actual problem is the router is too far away from your computer more than the wireless card. So, the signal back to the router is weak. Big businesses use cable Ethernet wire connections over wireless for better security. They keep the cables looking neat by having Ethernet jacks installed into walls like phone lines like old school land line phones. The wires are run through the insides of the walls.

I have to use a Ethernet cable with my all in one printer because the wireless signal is too weak. Is there anyway to bring your router closer to your computer?
 
I believe the actual problem is the router is too far away from your computer more than the wireless card. So, the signal back to the router is weak. Big businesses use cable Ethernet wire connections over wireless for better security. They keep the cables looking neat by having Ethernet jacks installed into walls like phone lines like old school land line phones. The wires are run through the insides of the walls.

I have to use a Ethernet cable with my all in one printer because the wireless signal is too weak. Is there anyway to bring your router closer to your computer?

That's why I already suggested taking the laptop to the same spot to see if that was the problem. Way ahead of you.

Then I suggest you take your laptop to the same place as where your PC is located and see if you have the same problem with the laptop connection.

If that doesn't work then the problem is most likely an issue with the network card.

Keep in mind, Wireless N networks have a very long range. I can actually see 10 of my neighbors networks right now.
 
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Don't trust the "long range wireless." I have a Windows 8.1 Tablet that works great in my flat. If I take it four floors down to the laundry room,, it may start out showing a strong signal,but that is bogus. My tablet cannot connect to my wireless router four floors up. So, I play off-line games like Chess or Tick-Tack-Toe or watch videos on the hard drive. Once I go back inside my flat, the tablet connects to the Internet very easily.
 
jrusso - As in my first post, the laptop works fine from the same spot. I never physically removed the wireless card, when trying the USB adaptor, but I did disable it.

Sweetie - I haven't tried it with Ethernet in the new spot, no. But I feel pretty confident it would work. But it's wireless I want, not wired. Obviously, I don't want trailing cables throughout the house. I could install the cable in the walls, but, as far as I'm aware, I shouldn't have to. Wireless should work.

Again, the computer will connect to the modem no problem. It will stay connected just fine, until I try transfer data. That's when it fails.
 
But I feel pretty confident it would work. But it's wireless I want, not wired.

If you're not willing to test what's wrong, you may never find out what the problem is, hence never find a fix. Then again, it's your issue not mine. If you're not willing to work it out, why should anyone else care?
 
If you're not willing to test what's wrong, you may never find out what the problem is, hence never find a fix. Then again, it's your issue not mine. If you're not willing to work it out, why should anyone else care?

So what you're suggesting is that I should move the PC to it's new location, which is significantly further from the router than it already is, then trail an ethernet cable, down the stairs, through my house to plug it in, just to see if it still works when it's wired?

In what way would that help me solve my wireless issue?

Let's pretend I did that and it worked just fine (which I have absolutely no reason to doubt that it would), then what would you suggest?
 
Let's pretend I did that and it worked just fine (which I have absolutely no reason to doubt that it would), then what would you suggest?

If it worked, it would allow you to eliminate the operating system and the router as the problems. The next step would to be to figure out if range/line of sight were your next issues.

To problem solve, you need to eliminate the big and easy things you can eliminate which don't cost you money so you can get down to the nitty gritty as soon as possible. A lot of the other suggestions involve you purchasing new equipment to see if you have a hardware fault in the network card. It may still be the case, but if it is as simple as an electrical wire which isn't properly shielded running down your bedroom/living room/hallway wall, wouldn't you like to avoid the cost of spending money you don't need to spend?

Otherwise, if money isn't the issue, hire a networking person to work it out for you.

If I were you, I'd hardwire to the network anyway. You'll encounter less problems and have better performance in the long run.
 
Sweetie - I know a wired system would be best, but, if at all possible, I'd like to avoid it. And a wireless network shouldn't be a problem. All my other divices works just fine throughout the house.

So, let's have another pretend, as I still don't get how your process of elimination works; let's pretend I never mentioned moving the PC. So it's staying where it is. I have tried an ethernet cable from there and it works fine. So that rules out the OS and the router? You'd say that are not causing my wireless issue?

I've got a lot of things to try today. I'll try moving it in to the same room as the router, to see if that helps. I'm not sure that it will though; they connect just fine. It's the transfer of data that causes the issue.
 
I still don't get how your process of elimination works

Let me be clear. I don't care if you understand. Hell, I no longer care if you get this fixed.

let's have another pretend

I'm not pretending. You're wasting my time.

Look, you're coming across as you know better, I wish you all the best of luck in working it out.
 
Let me be clear. I don't care...

Let me be clear; I don't care that you don't care. I didn't post my question here expecting anyone to care. What I hoped for was somebody with experience of this, or a similar problem, to offer some advice that may help me solve my problem.

You're wasting my time.

No, you want me to waste my time in moving everything around to then plug it in to an ethernet port (something which, as I've said before, I have no reason to suspect may not work (hence the reason it'd be most efficient for us to just pretend that it'd work)). If doing so would offer some clue as to fixing my issue, I'd do it. I don't think it would be of any benefit to do so. You seem to think there's some benefit in it, but seem to be unable/unwilling to share what that benefit may be.

...you're coming across as you know better...

No, no. I believe you may more knowledgeable than me. I just wish you'd share that knowledge.

I wish you all the best of luck in working it out.

Thank you. :)
 
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