Topic: Wireless PCI adapter works terribly on one computer, well on others

[Fennecfox]

I've a problem thats making my computer unusable w/ the internet except when I steal the modem and bring it upstairs for a wired connection (my family doesn't like that).  All I do is play Descent 3 single player now.  

I have a ENLWI-G2 802.11b/g Wireless PCI adapter, chipset: RTL8185.
Router: Belkin Wireless G Router- 2.4Ghz 802.11g

I first used it on a system with Ubuntu 10.04 64bit  and Windows XP 32bit.  It was very slow on the Linux partition, which i guessed was the drivers but I failed to get them working in NDISWrapper.  The xp partition was fine for a while until it also started to bog down.  It is very slow and very unreliable.  I then had a clean install of WIndows 7 64 bit, which I use now, and it continued to be very slow and unreliable.  

There is a good floor between me and the router, but when I installed the adapter in the old computer downstairs and put the router @ same distance and same obstacles, it preformed as it was expected to.

My weird config: splitter for tv ->cable modem ->Ethernet modem w/ 2 phone jacks ->wireless router -> wireless connection to pci-card. Recently got a new cable modem, after the problem started (I had an old one before).

There are other laptops with fine wireless connection too.  My firmware is up to date.  No wireless security.

So could it be that I have an incorrect setting for my router?  Is something wrong with my computer?  Thanks a lot for the help in advance!  

[NUMBERZero]

Solution: LONG ethernet cable.

* NUMBERZero is not an expert in this stuph.

[TechPro]

I did a little quick research and most of the reviews of that wireless PCI card were very 'mixed' (a lot of love/hate) with most saying it is most reliable on XP, but can be problematic upon removal and reinstall.  they also point out that the drivers are outdated which means drivers used on systems as new as Win7 64bit may be ... unpredictable.

That said, let's see what we can find out about the setup.  Can you find out what interrupt your wireless PCI is getting in your system?  Is that interrupt also used by another device?  If you don't know how to find out, just ask.

[Matthew]

Solution: Run CAT-5e cable to every room in the house when you build it. 

[DarkWing]

Oh come on, guys.  He already said his family wasn't going to go for that.  Let's be helpful, not obvious.  Sheesh. 

Fennecfox,
Do what TechPro suggested.  Find out what interrupt that PCI card is on, and see if it's an interrupt that is also used by something else.  (in Win7:  Right-Click "Computer", click Device Manager, change view to Resources by Connection ... look for the "Interrupt Request" section).

If it's on a interrupt that something else also uses, try putting the PCI card in a different PCI slot (some slots are automatically shared with other devices), or go into the BIOS of the computer and see if it will let you assign a different interrupt for the card.

It might help.

[Fennecfox]

@NUMBERzero Yeah I probably will do something like that if this doesn't work out    course someones bound the notice the hole in the ceiling  

@Matthew  I'll look for that in my dream house  

@ TechPro+DarkWing  I honestly never heard of these interrupts before you mentioned them    So my card was originally on irq 21 with nothing else withing irq 21.  The problem with switching pci slots is that I accidentally got a dual slot videocard so I only have one available pci slot.  So I get irq 20 with the covered pci slot and seamingly faster speeds( still should be much faster download speeds):

Also, windows 7 and the utility seem to need each other for the card to work:

[Fennecfox]

Alright, so if everything should be working, is there something with the compatablity of my card to the hardware in my pc?  Or something wrong with my computer? 

 I want to make sure nothing is amiss with my computer and its just the cards fault, if thats the case then I'll just move that modem and put the card in downstairs comp. 
Thanks again, you guys are very helpful

[-<WillyP>-]

How much signal strength are you getting?

[Fennecfox]

About 55% usually, the downstairs computer got around there in terms of internet speed when I tested wired vs wireless @ that distance.  I usually get 22mbps download, 4.6mbps upload wired.

[-<WillyP>-]

That could be part of the problem, I would suggest moving it to as close to the router as you can and see if it is still slow with 100% signal strength. Be careful to not make any other changes during this test! If it picks up speed, perhaps a better antenna would help. I used a homemade can-tenna on mine for a while and got a great connection from a wireless router two apartments away.

[Fennecfox]

No dice

 Wireless LAN Utility w/ toolbar underneath

 

I wouldn't be suprised if people used our wireless connection since it has no security  

Edit: tried other PCI slot at 100%, same results

[Matthew]

Can you try the card in another computer?

[Fennecfox]

You must have misread, with all that im posting its understandable 

but when I installed the adapter in the old computer downstairs and put the router @ same distance and same obstacles, it preformed as it was expected to.

I tried the old computer again and at point black (100%) preformed great, I even installed the drivers from the same cd for both computers, but old comp: xp

[Matthew]

Maybe this is an IPv6 issue?

[-<WillyP>-]

Have you tried contacting the manufacturing for help? If they are not able to assist, maybe you can find a forum more directly related.