Wireless Network Trouble

[CaptainPixel]

Hello,

I need help, I've done everything I can think of and can't figure this one out.

Here's my problem. I have a wireless Linksys router connected to a Comcast Cable Modem. I have a WinXP PC connected to the router via ethernet cable. I have a Macbook Pro, and two iPhones that connect wirelessly. I recently pulled out an old WinXP laptop to use as a media center. Whenever that laptop connects to the network I get crazy packet loss on all devices on the network. Sometimes websites load, sometimes they don't. Sometimes I can ping them, sometimes not. Resetting the router helps but only for a few minutes.

I've updated the firmware and drivers on all devices, I've assigned static IPs to all devices, I've tried different channels on the router, I even tried connecting a different wireless adapter (USB) to the WinXP laptop. Nothing works. The network is fine until that WinXP laptop connects wirelessly then everything craps out.

Any ideas?

 

[arges86]

my friend had a similar issue, cause the old notebook had limeware, or a torrent application running which would overload his bandwidth

 

[CaptainPixel]

No torrent or bandwidth heavy applications are running on the WinXP laptop. The only application that runs at startup that should be accessing the network is a Logitec Touch Mouse server, but the problem persists even after turning that off.

I should note that transfering files between computers and using applications like the Touch Mouse server seem to be perfect. It's only when accessing the internet that things fall apart. That leads me to think it's a problem with the router, but the hardware can't be bad because everything works fine as long as that one computer isn't on the network.

Every device has it's own static and unique IP assigned, including both iPhones so there should be no IP conflicts, and the network is using WEP so I don't think I have unauthorized users causing trouble.

The packet loss isn't constant either. Some packets make it through. Typically trying to load a website will result in the page loading partway then stalling.

Could there be something with Windows XP that's causing the problem? That laptop is the only one running that OS that connects wirelessly.

 

[CaptainPixel]

No ideas?

I was reading and it seems the Windows Zero Configuration utility can cause problems with a computer that are very similar to what I'm experiencing BUT I don't see how the WZC on the WinXP laptop could also be affecting all the other devices on the network.

I tired disabling the WZC on the laptop, but once it's disabled the wireless adapter won't look for any networks because there is no configuration utility.