Advise urgently required - Wireless equipment, issues

[mariuszp]

Hello to you.
I have a little problem whitch I wish to share with you.

I have a server with 3 network cards and smoothwall firewall installed.
One network card - modem
second one - office network
third one - public wireless

I have just two Wireless AP and they cover the whole area needed.
These little routers (10euro each?)

(WA-2204A) Wireless broadband router

I must admit I underestimated a value of having a proper AP but maybe my problem is not this box related please advise here is what is happening :

One Router is connected through Ethernet to Blackbox, second blackbox due to it's remote nature is connected via WDS, wirelessly associated with First one.

If I add about 6 clients to the internet.... it's a nightmare.

Pings to 4.2.2.2 are about 4000ms, 2000ms, and dozens of lost packages.

When I'm only one using the internet, It's fine.. it drops maybe once or twice, but the ping is 40ms max the same as through the wire.

I installed extra strong antennas and measured a signal ( it was weak before) but now, The signal is strong. about -30 -40 db, but there is no difference with connectivity , it is TERRIBLE, it's slow, it drops etc.

My question is it a router problem ?

What Equipment do you use in your places ? I really want to cover one big office with wireless network , 2-3 AP's max, and there is no chance to connect those AP's via cable.. only one can be connected I'm afraid.

Is that going to suffer ? I'm aiming for MAX 15 concurrent laptops connected at the same time this is complete maximum.

(WA-2204A) Wireless broadband router
Obviously doesn't do the trick.. I recon it's this box , but.. maybe because wireless is half-duplex, it must be like that..

How people do it then? If I go to open Internet access points It just works flawlessly with many people connected..

Could anyone provide good advise ?

Thank you very much

But, the problem is with a connection to the internet.
Reply With Quote

 

[tipstir]

Hello to you.
I have a little problem whitch I wish to share with you.

I have a server with 3 network cards and smoothwall firewall installed.
One network card - modem
second one - office network
third one - public wireless

I have just two Wireless AP and they cover the whole area needed.
These little routers (10euro each?)

(WA-2204A) Wireless broadband router

I must admit I underestimated a value of having a proper AP but maybe my problem is not this box related please advise here is what is happening :

One Router is connected through Ethernet to Blackbox, second blackbox due to it's remote nature is connected via WDS, wirelessly associated with First one.

If I add about 6 clients to the internet.... it's a nightmare.

Pings to 4.2.2.2 are about 4000ms, 2000ms, and dozens of lost packages.

When I'm only one using the internet, It's fine.. it drops maybe once or twice, but the ping is 40ms max the same as through the wire.

I installed extra strong antennas and measured a signal ( it was weak before) but now, The signal is strong. about -30 -40 db, but there is no difference with connectivity , it is TERRIBLE, it's slow, it drops etc.

My question is it a router problem ?

What Equipment do you use in your places ? I really want to cover one big office with wireless network , 2-3 AP's max, and there is no chance to connect those AP's via cable.. only one can be connected I'm afraid.

Is that going to suffer ? I'm aiming for MAX 15 concurrent laptops connected at the same time this is complete maximum.

(WA-2204A) Wireless broadband router
Obviously doesn't do the trick.. I recon it's this box , but.. maybe because wireless is half-duplex, it must be like that..

How people do it then? If I go to open Internet access points It just works flawlessly with many people connected..

Could anyone provide good advise ?

Thank you very much

But, the problem is with a connection to the internet.
Reply With Quote

3 NICs are what type or brand? I take it one is wireless right or wrong?

WAN = MODEM
LAN = SHO
LAN = HOTSPOT

So you have the wireless wide open without encryption yes or no? Did this setup work or what has changed since you have setup these networks? Did you update smoothwall?

 

[kurtsee]

Hi mariuszp,

We are wanting to help you but first you must clarify on the scenario here.

If you are looking 15 concurrent clients at most, I think we are looking at a small office. The entire office should be easily covered by a high power AP.

But then you mentioned it is a big office. How big are we looking at?

You have two APs and one is plugged in and the other one is in mesh, right?

You obviously need to secure you office wireless network. Are you anticipating guest using the wireless in which case you will need guest portal of some sort?

-Kurt

 

[mariuszp]

Small office

It's a Small office.
3 Network Cards :
1 Marvell Yukon - Integrated with Gigabyte P35 DQ6 Motherboard
2x Intel Server type NIC's 1000Mbps

It is a small office, One network Card is connected directly to Access Point
Second access point is connected wirelessly to first access point
The same SSID so I can walk around the building and it switches devices without loosing network connectivity (Enhanced)

It works well when I'm only one connected.
We add more than 5 users and packet drop rate rise for 1000% almost every second packet drops, connection very slow.

Thats one problem wich I believe it's due to poor AP installation, Cheap 10Euro routers.
Encryption in place 26 Digit WEP - I can configure WDS only in this encryption mode


The other problem is that during the night, when no one uses it... Internet goes off completely, and I need to restart the server to bring it back - lol

 

[tipstir]

It's a Small office.
3 Network Cards :
1 Marvell Yukon - Integrated with Gigabyte P35 DQ6 Motherboard
2x Intel Server type NIC's 1000Mbps

It is a small office, One network Card is connected directly to Access Point
Second access point is connected wirelessly to first access point
The same SSID so I can walk around the building and it switches devices without loosing network connectivity (Enhanced)

It works well when I'm only one connected.
We add more than 5 users and packet drop rate rise for 1000% almost every second packet drops, connection very slow.

Thats one problem wich I believe it's due to poor AP installation, Cheap 10Euro routers.
Encryption in place 26 Digit WEP - I can configure WDS only in this encryption mode


The other problem is that during the night, when no one uses it... Internet goes off completely, and I need to restart the server to bring it back - lol

You have them all using the same SSID how about the Channel you can set them all the same channel. The problem with your setup could be the PC running Smoothwall. Go into the BIOS and make sure power saving is disabled. So that the PCI bus, onboard NIC and HDD don't go to sleep on your causing issues. Same for the wireless devices that connect with also. You are aware that WDS can degrade the overhaul throughput?