Sudden drop of wireless reception!

[TheMac19]

I have a new powerbook that I have been using with a Belkin wireless router, and it's been working just fine, allowing me to be online anywhere in the apartment. However, today I opened it up and am getting almost no reception, despite sitting right next to the wireless router - maybe five feet away and only one bar is showing on the toolbar, and the internet is virtually unaccessable - only once in a while will it actually find a page.
(I've plugged in an ethernet cable at the moment...)
Also, for the past few days, I've noticed that my computer notes the network name as "linksys" - funny since my router is a belkin. When I try to switch back to the network named "WLAN" - which I had been using, it cannot connect. i'm guessing that the linksys network is from some neighbor... but why can't my powerbook connect with my belkin router now all of a sudden - even from 5 feet away? The router and cable modem haven't been messed with in weeks, and I haven't changed anything on my mac...
Any ideas on how I can get back on track?

 

[superbovine]

I have a new powerbook that I have been using with a Belkin wireless router, and it's been working just fine, allowing me to be online anywhere in the apartment. However, today I opened it up and am getting almost no reception, despite sitting right next to the wireless router - maybe five feet away and only one bar is showing on the toolbar, and the internet is virtually unaccessable - only once in a while will it actually find a page.
(I've plugged in an ethernet cable at the moment...)
Also, for the past few days, I've noticed that my computer notes the network name as "linksys" - funny since my router is a belkin. When I try to switch back to the network named "WLAN" - which I had been using, it cannot connect. i'm guessing that the linksys network is from some neighbor... but why can't my powerbook connect with my belkin router now all of a sudden - even from 5 feet away? The router and cable modem haven't been messed with in weeks, and I haven't changed anything on my mac...
Any ideas on how I can get back on track?

first thing to try is powercycle your router. i.e. turn it off for 1 minute allowing everything to disconnect then plug it back in.

if that doesn't work plug in direct via ethernet cable and configure your router.

you said "WLAN". change your ssid,WLAN, and your channel of operation.

1,6,11 is the channels you want. those are the none overlapping channels. to determine your neighbor(s) channels download this program.
http://www.macstumbler.com/

it will display all the wap and their channels. basically just pick on that isn't used.

 

[evil]

ive had problems with my wireless in practically the same situation.
the other wireless systems in my area were messing with my wireless. i dont pretend to know how to fix it
i fixed it by moving.

 

[TheMac19]

three cheers for macstumbler!

many thanks superbovine - I ran macstumbler and it showed both networks - mine is on channel 1 and the neighbor is on channel 6, and after resetting the router I was fine and back online without wires. Isn't it great when a problem is solved so quickly and easily! Now there's something you'll rarely get with a pc...