OK here are the details. It is not my laptop but it is an HP business notebook that came with a built-in Broadcom 802.11g wireless adapter. The OS is XP Pro with SP2. Network drivers were updated from Windows Updates.

OK I get an excellent signal and I can connect to the router (Trendnet TEW-432BRP) and browse the internet but I get a lot of errors loading pages. The speed is terrible too. When I PING my service provider about 50% of the packets are being dropped. The response is less than 10ms for the packets that are making it though (some good news for once). On my desktop I also have a wireless device (Trendnet). PINGs are perfect and speed is in the Mbps range. No problems whatsoever. I have tried other channels with no change to the laptop. The fact that the signal strength is EXCELLENT tells me that interference is not the issue. I also moved the laptop beside the router for testing with no change. My desktop is at the other end of the house and I have never noticed any interference.

Has anyone seen this happen before and were you able to resolve it? Could it be a wireless adapter/router combination that it causing me grief? I already disabled the 'afterburner' function on the Broadcom device since my router does not support this technology. It also uses Xpress technology (which I just found out is a frame-bursting technology).

I am going to remove the Microsoft certified drivers and use the Broadcom drives that came on the DVD. I will also try another wireless adapter in the laptop and see if I can disable xpress. Any other tips would be appreciated.

Maybe the combo but I would try drivers first... Never heard of Trendnet before, not to say that's a bad brand or anything - they just don't seem to sell them where I live.

I was leery at first too but after picking up the router and wifi adapter from FS for $10 after rebates I can say I am very happy. It has never locked up on me and has been running for months continuously thanks to a UPS.

Anyway I will try the drivers and also disable the XP wireless configuration tool and use the one provided by Broadcom.

First thing I would try is to wire the laptop directly to the router (I assume it has a 4 port switch). If that works better, then the problem is likely the wireless, but if you still have problems it is likely something on your laptop.

Off the top of my head, is it possible you have an MTU problem? Try pinging a known good site using the following:
ping -f -l 1500 {some.site.com}
and see if your pings go through unfragmented. If not, then reduce the 1500 gradually until it does go through unfragmented. That's the size your MTU should be set at (possibly governed by your ISP). Some routers allow you to change the MTU at the router, so you don't have to modify every PC. If you can't modify the router's MTU, then you need to change it on your laptop.

Is your desktop also XP/SP2? If its a different operating system, it could definitely have a different default MTU.

If you need to change your MTU, there are several documents regarding the required registry changes or you can download several utilities that will also do it.

Hope this helps.

Thanks GQUEUE that is exactly the type of information I was looking for. I have connected it directly and the speed is normal with no issues. That is how I got the updates. The desktop is running Windows 2000 SP4. I will look into the MTU setting on the router as well. It has a very detailed interface.

A couple of things:

1. Compare the IPConfigs of your desktop and the laptop with both the wireless and wired connections. (IPCONFIG /all at command prompt). Make sure that all the settings are consistent (default gateway, subnet, DNS, etc..) and that everything is being defined by DHCP.

2. Try pinging the desktop from the laptop (and vice versa) and see if you still get dropped packets. If so, this is an internal network issue and almost definitely something to do with the wireless NIC and your router. See if Trendnet has a firmware update. Also, what type of encryption are you using and have you tried it open (just to see if it works or changes anything).

3. If the pinging between desktop and laptop is ok, then this is a router issue which could be MTU related or maybe an incompatiblity between your broadband connection and your router. Again, look for a router firmware update that might address this.

Also, what type of encryption are you using and have you tried it open (just to see if it works or changes anything

Another great idea. I even suggested this to a friend who was having trouble but it never occured to me when I was having trouble. :rolleyes:

I am using WPA-PSK security with a generated 63 digit alphanumeric passphrase from GRC.COM.

All good stuff. The DHCP is working as the gateway and DNSs are identical. Never tried notebook to desktop ping. Will try that too. I'm pumped!

I had a similar problem once with a Linksys WRT54G router with third party firmware (Sweasoft Alchemy beta).
As it turned out, the wireless network interface was not in the same category as the 4 wired interfaces: it was requesting an IP from the ISP directly, not from the router (192.168.xxx.xxx).
Since my internet provider (Shaw) was offering 2 dynamic IPs, it worked most of the time but was flaky, just as you described.
Switching to the router as DHCP server cured this problem.

What IP does your wireless client get (is it of the 192.168... type)?

Diogen.

Yes the notebook is getting 192.168.1.xxx (within the routers range) and the gateway is 192.168.1.1 as reported by IPCONFIG on the notebook.

OK testing is complete and the trouble has been narrowed down to the WPA-PSK encryption. When the router was 'open' I got perfect results, and when the router was set to WEP I got perfect results. I guess I can drop down to WEP but I prefer not to.

There is no firmware for the router and I have the latest Broadcom drivers too. :( I think I will give HP a call but I hate the thought of getting somebody who knows less than my dog about networking.

I would think its an implementation problem, likely on the router, since a ton of laptops use these Broadcom adapters, so the problem would be more prevalent.

Are you using TKIP or AES with WPA? Try switching and see if it makes a difference. Also, just for kicks, try shortening your passphrase for WPA (to something like 8 characters). Shouldn't make a difference, but you never know.

Alternatively, you might want to contact Trendnet and see what they say.

Thanks GQUEUE. The funny thing about the router is that I do not have the ability to select TKIP or AES even though it is a advertised as such.

This is from the manual,

Supports WPA, WPA-PSK, TKIP/AES and 802.1X for Advance Security
Supports 64/128-bit Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)


One would immediately think 'firmware upgrade' but there no upgrades for this model. Looks like I have to make a phone call to Trendnet.

In the meantime I will try an 8 digit WPA passphrase. Thanks for the tip.

Get a Linksys WRT router - it is $40 at Staples (after rebate).

Diogen.

Yeah I could do that but I prefer to try and figure out the issue rather than junk another piece of technology needlessly. Also, there is no guarantee it will work. After all it could be the a defective Broadcom adapter in the HP.

After all it could be the a defective Broadcom adapter in the HP.


...that may very well be the case...defect or buggy....get another wireless adapter at FS...if it works, keep it or else you have 30 days...:cool:

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/subclass.asp?catid=19997&mfr=&logon=&langid=EN&list=&page=0&sort=3

....but before...be sure you checked another thing (amongst other)...network properties...local area connections....advanced tab....bindings...all checked...prioritize (bring to top) relevant items...try disabling Qos packet scheduling...if all fails............

IT FINALLY WORKS!

Thanks for all the feedback. It came in handy troubleshooting the problem. I phoned Trendnet yesterday and they emailed me a 'new' firmware. It actually stated the same version number (1.0.0) but the dates were different (July 2005 versus December 2005). I also noticed that I now have the ability to select AES. The support person was nice but insisted that the firmware would not fix the problem because the problem was with the notebook (in her opinion). I asked her to send it anyway so I could eliminate that from the equation. So thanks again everyone.

Well this bloody issue has resurfaced with another piece of Trendnet technology. This time it is an TV-IP100W (C1 revision) wireless camera.

About 50% of the pings are lost over the wireless connection. Using the Ethernet interface results in perfect video. I guess another call to support is in order. Funny thing is last time it was the router that needed to be updated to work with the Broadcom NIC. Now even a Trendnet NIC is having trouble talking to the camera.

Yeah I could do that but I prefer to try and figure out the issue rather than junk another piece of technology needlessly. Also, there is no guarantee it will work. After all it could be the a defective Broadcom adapter in the HP.
Not to badmouth your router - but there is a reason that sometimes at Future Shop you can get a Trendnet router for $9.00.

I don't often recommend people just buy something else - but my experience with Trendnet products have been nothing but a waste of time. Buy a Linksys or D-link $50 router and save yourself the trouble.

Cheers.

Yea yea I know. :D Get what you pay for. The thing is that the router after the firmware upgrade and up to this point performed very well. I only recall having to reset it once and I had very few dropped connections. Granted it is not blistering fast but the stability was actually better than my linksys which required a reset about once a month.