[Gllug] Linux wireless optimisations

[Thomi Richards]

Hi,


I'm having a few issues with my wireless network under Linux - specifically
that on occasion my laptop cannot "see" the network  from it's regular
position on my desk. The access point is only one wall and a floor away
(about 15M in a straight line), so I would expect the network strength to be
fine. Is that a valid assumption?

I've tried several things to reduce the problem:

My access point is running the dd-wrt firmware, and has a setting for
transmit power. I have increased this to the safe limit, with no percievable
benefit. I have tried playing with the antennae on the access point,
pointing it in various different directions, but again, this seems to make
very little difference. I've tried changing the wireless channel used from
the default (11) to various others (currently set on 6), but again, this
doesn't seem to make a whole lot of difference.

What's interesting is that once I have connected (this involves carrying my
not-so-light laptop down the stairs, connecting, and carrying it upstairs
again), the signal strength indicator reports 75% (whatever that means).

So I have a few questions: First, what range should I expect from a 802.11
A/B/G network? Second, can anyone suggest any measures to inprove my
situation? Finally, can anyone explain to me why my laptop can fail to find
the network in the first place, but then report 75% signal strength and work
happily once it is connected?


Cheers,
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