F-13 qnw wireless routers -

[JD]

  On 08/07/2010 11:07 AM, Bob Goodwin wrote:
>
>      This is a current updated f-13 computer connected to our home LAN. I
>      have been using a Buffalo Airstation WLI-TX4-AG300N, essentially an
>      Ethernet wireless adapter to access the system. I recently bought a
>      Netgear WNDR330 dual band "N" wireless router and am having a lot of
>      trouble getting it to perform as advertised. This is a less than 20
>      year old typical two story frame house. I would expect the walls to
>      be essentially transparent to RF energy.
>
>      Normally the distance between the router and the wireless adapter is
>      less than forty feet and there has been no problem operating in the
>      2.4 gHz band however I find that with equipment located as it has
>      been for several years the new router will not function at that
>      distance in the 5 gHz band. In fact to get any connection at all I
>      have to reduce the distance to about ten feet which pretty well
>      negates the advantage of a wireless system. I decided several years
>      ago that running cables in this house is out of the question.
>
>      I am on the third WNDR3300 router for other reasons but all of them
>      have had weak signal problems in the 5 gHz band. I just got around
>      to experimenting with that problem over the last two days.
>
>      Does anyone have experience with a similar system? I would be
>      interested to know if my observations are typical or if I have an
>      equipment problem. I am considering obtaining a different wireless
>      adapter device to replace the Buffalo unit since it is the only
>      thing unchanged here.
>
>      Any suggestions or observations will be appreciated. I feel,like I
>      am operating in a vacuum with no one to consult.
>
>      Bob
Hi Bob,
I have a very similar problem with the AT&T Uverse router.
Distance between my computer and the router is indeed less than
40 feet in a modern house with very light drywalls (earthquake 
specification),
and because they are interior walls, they have no insulation.
There are 2 such walls between my computer and the router.
Rx signal at my computer is very weak even at 2.4 GHz.
I have set my Tx signal to maximum, but that will not affect
the Tx signal of the router. It has a weak Tx signal.
I do not believe there is anything that can be done to the routers.
I have experimented with putting external high gain antennas on
my computer, but they promise much more than they actually
deliver: nothing - No gain in signal at all.