Poor wifi signal on Inspire

pilsbury

Well-known member
Jun 26, 2011
84
1
0
Visit site
I'm only a couple of weeks in with this Inspire, so forgive my noobness. I have a high dollar Linksys router about 30 feet away from my living room, where i use my HTC 90% of the time. My Dell Studio and iPhone 4 use this router and have four bars in signal strength. My Inspire only has one, very seldom two bars. Can anyone steer me in the right direction of an app or tweak to maximize my wifi signal strength? Everyone in the house uses the same router, and this is by far the poorest signal strength.
 

repligator

Well-known member
May 2, 2011
174
18
0
Visit site
When you say bars do you mean the radiowave (H+, E, G, 4G) cellular network signal with five stepwise bars, or the microwave quadrantal (wavelike) wifi icon with one dot and three concentric arcs?
 

RoboWarrior

Well-known member
Apr 3, 2011
149
4
0
Visit site
He said wifi which is the microwave quadrantal (no whose the noob now XD). I know when you cover the top-left corner of the phone the signals decreases. This is a common feature of MOST htc devices (hd2, evo, etc).
 

modset777

Member
Jun 28, 2010
14
0
0
Visit site
He's talkiong about the wif signal bars, Are you rooted by chance? Because I've noticed different ROMs for some reason get different wifi strength.
 

fernandezhjr

Well-known member
Mar 26, 2011
936
19
0
Visit site
I'm not sure about your Dell Studio, but I know the iPhone is wireless-g. The Inspire is wireless-n, although backwards compatible. What about your router? When you say high dollar, I assume it is wireless-n. How do you have the router configured? I have a wireless-n router, but also have g devices I need to run off of it. I have the router setup in a backwards compatible mode, so I am forced to use tkip+aes security. Have you tried switching channels? Wireless-n is more susceptible to interference and does not penetrate walls as well as wireless-g.

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk
 

pilsbury

Well-known member
Jun 26, 2011
84
1
0
Visit site
Yes I have the wireless N router, I forget the model number, but it has two physical movable antennas. How exactly do I configure this router for my needs-3 iphones, 1 Inspire and my laptop? Thanks for your responses.
 

fernandezhjr

Well-known member
Mar 26, 2011
936
19
0
Visit site
Basically, you first want to make sure it is configured properly. My router is a Netgear. Does the signal improve as you walk closer to the router? Stand about five feet infront of the router, wait a few minutes, and then go to the wireless settings on your phone and tap on the connection name. A box should pop up. What is your signal strength, speed, and security type?

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk
 

pilsbury

Well-known member
Jun 26, 2011
84
1
0
Visit site
speed 19 mbps
channel 1
signal strength poor
security wpa/wpa2 psk this is in the living room

In the room with the router signal strength is excellent. 61 Mbps. About 30 ft away, LOL.
 

fernandezhjr

Well-known member
Mar 26, 2011
936
19
0
Visit site
speed 19 mbps
channel 1
signal strength poor
security wpa/wpa2 psk this is in the living room

In the room with the router signal strength is excellent. 61 Mbps. About 30 ft away, LOL.

Based on the security used, you appear to be in a proper backwards compatible configuration. In this configuration, the highest speed you will get with the Inspire is 65mbps. You could try switching the channel to 6 and then 11 to see if either helps, but that is not likely. I had the exact same problem as you because I had my router in a room in an extreme corner of my home. With my previous router, which was strictly wireless-b/g, I didn't have an issue. It wasn't until that router went out and I bought my wireless-n router that I started having an issue. I had to run a cable to relocate my cable modem and router to the living room, but once I did this, my issue went completely away. As I previously stated, with wireless-n, location is more critical. Having walls between your thirty feet would only compound the issue. It is still possible that you may have a source of interference in your home that could be causing the issue. In my case, I could not locate such a source. Although, I was suspicious of the digital meter outside my home that was backside of the router. The meter itself would not cause interference, but they do have a wireless chip that tries to communicate with a thermostat and appliances that have a similiar chip. You may have some source of interference or it may be strictly a location issue.

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk
 
  • Like
Reactions: pilsbury

pilsbury

Well-known member
Jun 26, 2011
84
1
0
Visit site
Based on the security used, you appear to be in a proper backwards compatible configuration. In this configuration, the highest speed you will get with the Inspire is 65mbps. You could try switching the channel to 6 and then 11 to see if either helps, but that is not likely. I had the exact same problem as you because I had my router in a room in an extreme corner of my home. With my previous router, which was strictly wireless-b/g, I didn't have an issue. It wasn't until that router went out and I bought my wireless-n router that I started having an issue. I had to run a cable to relocate my cable modem and router to the living room, but once I did this, my issue went completely away. As I previously stated, with wireless-n, location is more critical. Having walls between your thirty feet would only compound the issue. It is still possible that you may have a source of interference in your home that could be causing the issue. In my case, I could not locate such a source. Although, I was suspicious of the digital meter outside my home that was backside of the router. The meter itself would not cause interference, but they do have a wireless chip that tries to communicate with a thermostat and appliances that have a similiar chip. You may have some source of interference or it may be strictly a location issue.

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk

OK. Hey I appreciate all your help. I will get some longer cables and put the router in the room I'm in. Thanks again!
 

repligator

Well-known member
May 2, 2011
174
18
0
Visit site
You need to access your router settings via one of your computers connected to the router (preferably a laptop or desktop wired to it via ethernet cable) but it can be done from one of the phones as well

Usually all you need to do is type in http://192.168.2.1 in the url of the browser of your choice. (The subnet adress could be a little different--check your Linksys manual)

Hopefully you are not like my mother in law who has a password protected router but cannot remember the password. The default is usually admin with no password (blank). Would be a good time to set up a password if you havent already--Just make sure to write it down and keep it in a safe place.

Another thing you can try within the Inspire is Menu/Settings/Wireless & networks/Wi-Fi settings/ Menu/Advanced and check the Best Wi-Fi performance box.

Do you have a landline remote phone nearby? Unless you are on the DECT6.0 standard this can totally interfere with your signal as they all run typically on the 2.4Ghz Microwave frequency. Your microwave oven (when runnning) can cause interference as well.

Beyond just the channel setting in your router, try changing the wireless setting to WirelessG only. This could alleviate some intereference issues and will still allow all devices to connect.


He said wifi which is the microwave quadrantal (no whose the noob now XD).

I never assume that someone does or does not know something. Some people use the term wi-fi loosely to mean any signal, much like many people use the term online to mean on the computer wether or not they are connected to the interwebs.
 
  • Like
Reactions: pilsbury

repligator

Well-known member
May 2, 2011
174
18
0
Visit site
Thanks. I'll try that. My best performance box is checked and my router is pw protected. I appreciate the help.
Just a quick note, sorry if you are already aware of this, but your WPA/WPA2 PSK access password is different from your router access password. Typically when you run through the WPA security settings when you install the router, you set a network access password (guest and full) but it does not typically prompt you to password protect the router as well. (Huge numbers of people have routers that can be accessed with no password)

Your modem has a separate password and firewall also (if they are separate units).

I have an easy to remember alphanumeric guest password for my wifi router for internet access, and a strong password for full access because I use my destop like a server with all my music and such in shared folders.

My modem and router are also firewall enabled and password protected.
 

fernandezhjr

Well-known member
Mar 26, 2011
936
19
0
Visit site
If leaving the password blank doesn't work, try using the word password. I didn't mention trying using a b/g only setup because with my Netgear router it is not allowed. I can only do n or n with backward compatibility. I assumed yours would be the same. If you can do it give it a shot. When I had my Inspire on wireless-g, I believe it was connecting around 50mbps. This is still good, however, if you have any other wireless-n devices, they will also be connecting at a slower speed.

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk
 

repligator

Well-known member
May 2, 2011
174
18
0
Visit site
Also

When you try to log into the browser-based utility, your
password does not work.
Your wireless security password also serves as the
browser‑based utility’s login password. To see this
password:
1. Open Cisco Connect.
2. On the main menu, click Router settings.
3. The Password is displayed on the left side of the screen.


Looks like the newer draft-n routers are getting better at protecting people from themselves.

Sorry if this is overkill but I am having a slow day at work and bored out of my skull.
 

pilsbury

Well-known member
Jun 26, 2011
84
1
0
Visit site
Haha, no overkill. I'm pretty proficient with smartphones, but routers is a different story-I appreciate all the help gents!
 

Trending Posts

Forum statistics

Threads
942,409
Messages
6,913,952
Members
3,158,399
Latest member
pauloxcavalcante