Linksys ea3500 drops coverage - need help

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Wheels_32

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Jan 5, 2014
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Hi,
I have a Linksys ea3500 router. We drop wireless coverage on devices (cell phones and laptop) with some regularity (at least once a day). I have recently changed from Comcast to DSL, I have also changed out all of my cables from my DSL modem to router with brand new cat 6 cable. I do not seem to drop internet signal on my computer that is hard wired, so I don't think it's a poor internet signal issue.

I have had some people suggest "change the channel" however it is currently set to "automatic". Doesn't that mean that the modem will change when it needs to to obtain the best signal? I'm far from an expert on this stuff, but it is getting very frustrating. To clear it up, I need to turn the wireless off (on whatever device, phone, laptop, etc) for a few seconds, and then turn it back on, and it will connect just fine. Do I just have a bad modem, or is there something I can try? I would appreciate any advice!
 
Solution
RealBeast
A wireless AP or access point is another router configured as an access point (DHCP off, static address, LAN to LAN cable connection) that will increase the coverage area of your wireless. Think about big hotels that have wireless everywhere -- they use lots of APs (expensive Cisco products in that case).

I suggest those three channels because they are non-overlapping as you can see HERE IN THE FIRST DIAGRAM.
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RealBeast

RealBeast

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Sep 13, 2010
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Auto channel selection doesn't do much good usually. You should download the free wifi analyzer inSSIDer from HERE install, run on a wireless machine (laptop best) and look under network tab for all the nearby signals. You want to be on the least used and lowest power outside signals choosing from the non-overlapping channels 1, 6, and 11.

It is possible that your wireless radio is failing since it works after turning it off and on. If you decide to replace it, I suggest a concurrent dual band router like an ASUS RT-N56U that will allow you to also use 5GHz and avoid local interference to a greater degree.
 
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Wheels_32

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Jan 5, 2014
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Thank you very much for this suggestion...I will try that later today. My router is a dual-band router, both 2.4 and 5 GHz. Is that what you are suggesting with the ASUS model? I may have confused you about the radio working. When I said I turn it off, then on again...I turn it off at the laptop, or the cell phone...not at the router. So I had assumed that it was very unlikely that all of our devices (multiple phones) and laptop all have failing wireless cards?
 
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Wheels_32

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Jan 5, 2014
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10,510


Sorry - what is a wireless AP?

One other question...are you suggesting that I use channels 1, 6 or 11 if possible? Hope that one of these has the least interference on the inSSIDer, correct?
 
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RealBeast

RealBeast

Titan
Moderator
Sep 13, 2010
17,109
473
104,790
A wireless AP or access point is another router configured as an access point (DHCP off, static address, LAN to LAN cable connection) that will increase the coverage area of your wireless. Think about big hotels that have wireless everywhere -- they use lots of APs (expensive Cisco products in that case).

I suggest those three channels because they are non-overlapping as you can see HERE IN THE FIRST DIAGRAM.
 
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Solution
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Wheels_32

Honorable
Jan 5, 2014
5
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10,510


Thank you so much for your help. I don't believe I have range issues, so I hope I don't need to add access points. I did the inSSIDer tool and found that I was on channel 9 and the "score" was very low. I found that both channel 1 and 11 had quite a few other networks on them, so I chose channel 6 and the score went way up. I am hopeful that this will resolve my problem. Thank you so much!!!
 
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