Wi-Fi Signal Strength

At my office we have a:
Netgear ProSafe VPN Firewall SRXN3205

The boss has been having issues with signal strength on her laptop. She hates having to deal with a wired connection.

I installed a WiFi Analyzer on my Android and walked around with it.

The BAD end of the scale is -100 dbm and the GOOD end is -40 dbm.

One one end of the office it is hitting -44 .. On the end of the office where the boss sits it's -54. According to the WiFi Analyzer, anything under -60 is Green/Good.... Would those 10 points where the boss sites make a "difference?"

NEXT: The WiFi Analyzer also has a Channel rating of Zero to Ten stars.... We're on Auto...which is being detected as Channel 2 and it is rated at Zero... Channel 14 is hitting 10 stars...

The attached picture is from the Router's settings. It currently will only go to Channel 10. Should I/ can I adjust anything to help out?

Thanks in Advance.

If your WiFi Analyzer shows any channels up to 10 with a better rating, you might try changing to the one with the best rating that you can select.

Your 10 point loss can make a difference with laptops using the (usually poor) built-in WiFi adapter antenna.

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You 10 point loss can make a difference with laptops

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With laptops than has killed me many a time.
Easy fix, change the antennas to higher dB rated ones. If yours are rated at 2 dB, I would go with 7dB replacements. Although a 5dB would double the present signal strength.

Did you check for other routers in the area? Maybe there is interference.

You'd normally use 1, 6, or 11 on 2.4GHz. I prefer to manually set the channel, rather than use auto.

Fact is the laptop wireless was so bad, I carried this in the bag.
http://www.engeniusnetworks.com/prod...c=14&s=35&p=53

This is what I use to check the wifi networks in the area:
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wifi_information_view.html

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Originally Posted by Midknyte

This is what I use to check the wifi networks in the area:
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wifi_information_view.html

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I installed the app on a spare laptop at my desk. There is a total of 31 devices... I see my router and one of my printers... They are the only two on channel 2.

Channels 1, 6 and 11 seem to have the most. Channel 10 has two devices and is at least getting ONE "star" on the other app I'm using.

If I change the channel - and APPLY the change - will that kill people's connection and maybe I should do it early in the morning?

1, 6, and 11 are the only non-overlapping channels. That's why you would use them the most. I'm not sure why the router would choose channel 2. Weird.

I'm pretty sure the channel change wouldn't noticeably affect the connection, but probably best not to risk it.

Thanks. I'll make the change tomorrow since I get here at 6:30 ...

I came in this morning to find the channel had auto set to 11... I changed to 6...where it should stay.

The bosses "desk" is a couple points worse than yesterday but still in the green.

It probably doesn't help that her office has two large windows that go out into a parking lot...then an Interstate Highway... And she has a building phone room in front of her and an elevator to the left of her. (router is to the right)

The signal strength is 6 points better at her doorway that leads down the hall to the server room. Will see how it goes and then consider an access point.