Please help end my misery.

[eternalsonyz]

I can stand no more this. So lets get start. My home wireless network is set up to have 2 PC connected to it through a wireless router. The wireless router is connected with the cable modem through WAN port (Ethernet port if you’d like). The cable internet came together with cable TV and the brand is Road Runner- Time Warner Cable. Both of the router and modem is place in the living room, it’s right next both of our rooms (We’re living in an apartment). LAN network is impossible considering the distance of needed cables.

Wireless security is WEP 128-bit because one of the wireless adapters doesn’t support higher encryption. The wireless router is a Linksys WRT54GC. The cable modem came from the ISP.

The connection worked well for one or two weeks. Then it started to drop sometimes one of the Pc, sometimes both of us out of the network.

At first we thought that the router cant handle too much data. So we decide to reduce/stop downloading for a while. Problem remained. Sometimes power off/on the wireless router or both (the cable modem also) would work. Sometimes, it’s helpless. Like right now!!!

I attach 3 picture:

Pic 1: I tried to switch to Window Wireless Configuration. I cant connect (LAN is our home network) even though I can see it and enter the exact WEP key. So wth?

Pic2: My adapter’s antenna receive a crap load of signals (include our “100% “ network. Though the signal is not always 100%. It can drop to 58%). I cant connect to our network with the exact key. No error dialog pop up. Nada.

Pic3: It disconnected me again as I’m trying to reach TSF.

I did try to change the channel around (from 1 to 11). Didn’t help. The router LED blink totally normal when it disconnect us.

I’m as much desperate with my hopeless network as I wanna tear apart my router and cable modem-from-hell right now. But before doing that, I need some advice from wise people, considering a new router should be near a hundred bucks.

I thought of some possible answer:

1-Crappy router (I’ve had it for almost 2 years, and it never disconnect me before when I lived in CA, in a house, not apartment. I’m living in TX right now). If it’s so, I can use my hammer right now.

2-Some pricks stealing our network-signal and messing with it. This I don’t know for sure. Sometimes, only one of our computer lost connection, sometimes both of us did. When I went to the router’s configuration page and set up so that the network only assign IP addresses to only 2 computer and only 2, several hours, I got dropped from the network and can never come back in until I reset my router and change the settings.

3-I did something wrong. Though I think not because it’s properly setup (Ethernet cable connecting router and modem through WAN port).

I feel so helpless and frustrate. I’m actually typing this post in Word because I have no connection at the moment. I’m waiting for it to auto re-connect.

And finally, I wanna ask one more question: Is different subnet masks of 2 devices (the cable modem and the wireless router) could have caused this? For example the cable modem's subnet mask is 255.255.252.0 while the router is 255.255.255.0 I’m using Internet connection straight from the modem (I had to bring the whole system into the living room) T_T

[muggy]

try performing a firmware upgrade on the router

[eternalsonyz]

It has the latest firmware version.

[eternalsonyz]

Sorry for double posting. I got the network with internet back now after sweating turn it on/off 1001 times. Very randomly as always. God know how long this will last. I would rather buy 100ft ethernet cables to have a LAN network than get a new router if that's the only solution.