I have a acer netbook and the wifi signal keeps dipping in and out even when it says the strength is

I have a acer netbook and the wifi signal keeps dipping in and out even when it says the strength is good when im using it around the house and unless Im sitting right on top of the router the internet connection and usage is really slow. Ive 2gb ram and 250g hd and talktalk siemans router

Change the router for a start… Netgear, Belkin and D-Link are the 3 best brands.

Does the Siemens router have an external aerial?

Netbooks aren't well know for wifi reception due to the smaller aerials that are fitted in to them.

Thanks Richard. My router has an arial that sticks up at the back, but even when using my friends router which is a d-link its the same. I think its the netbook itself, do you know how I can make it pick up signals better? Is there a usb arial or something I can plug in that would keep the signal?

what model is it and how old?
the internal ariel may have become detached from the wireless card
tell us the model and we may be able to find a manual which shows what to check


Also - any chance of interference from other networks? Anyone else locally broadcasting on the same channel?

Hi Jon,
Its a refurbished Aspire one happy N450. Im on a secure network, only a couple of others that come up and they are on different channels.
Cheers

the manual on the Acer website doesn't give any clues. The wireless card will be hidden under one of the panels underneath the machine, but which one is anyones guess.

One comment: "refurbished" usually means "rejected by previous owner as faulty". I wonder what happened with this one?

You can get a USB wireless adaptor for £20 or less. It might be easier to use one of those and turn-off your internal adaptor.

Thanks Alan, Can you recommend a good one?

I usually avoid Belkin since a string of problems with them a few years ago. However this week I visited a customer using 2
Belkin Wireless N dongles around the house whos claims they are superb. I must admit when I installed one on a third PC for the same client, the installation was smooth & simple, and worked a treat!

Given your netbook has been refurbished & your symptoms, it wouldn't surprise that the internal wifi antennas are not plugged into the internal wifi card.

Belkin has their UK office and a warehouse in my town, so I really wish I could recommend them, but my 6 year+ experience with their drivers & software is very bad: even to the point of shipping the wrong driver CD in their retail boxes... I hope they have finally making improvements.

My current batch of trusted USB WiFi adapters are Siemens, so it just goes to show you can't just tar a brand with one brush, you do need some hard earned experience to make recommendations.

Netgear/D-link/Belkin will remain on my personal black list, because there's plenty of alternatives which, in my experience, have a better overall track record (3com/HP, Siemens, Linksys/Cisco). That doesn't mean they don't make the odd turkey, mind :-P

just found strip-down instructions for the Acer One AOA150-157, and on that one to get at the wireless card you have to remove the keyboard, disconnect keyboard and touchpad ribbons, and then remove the top plate.I assume the One Happy will be similar, though not identical
If you're not familiar with this process theres too much risk of damaging the keyboard lugs, or the motherboard ZIF sockets for the keyboard and mouse pad. Then you have to try and fit the ariel leads back onto the wireless card

http://www.dalekeller.net/Other/Computers/AspireOne/Disassembly.pdf

Thanks Robin and Wim, I will bear in mind what you said if I get an adapter, but, Jon, I found a U Tube vid of the comp Ive got, can you tell me where the wireless card is in it? Ive already had it open and put some more ram in. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPaBhgxzqq8

I can't be certain but it looks to be the device pointed at just before the base panel is replaced at 3:34. Wireless cards have two wires connected to them with gold coloured contacts - they simply pull off and push back on. The card itself may be secured with a screw and is connected via a plug/socket arrangement to the motherboard.

that look about right. He touches it with his left hand at around 3:21 and then points at it later as Dave says. That look like the wireless card though it could be a bluetooth module

To clarify: wifi card have 2 circular gold snap-on contacts for wires (the antennas), bluetooth modules don't.

hate to say it Wim, I've seen ones that do. AND 3G SIM card receptacles which do...
I've seen laptops which have antenna for all three running around the screen edge, all connected in the same way
However, its rare.

Thanks everyone, I´ll let you know how I get on.