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The Graveyard - Products No Longer Supported => Routers / COVR => DIR-860L => Topic started by: garael on August 14, 2015, 06:50:23 AM

Title: Wi-fi range
Post by: garael on August 14, 2015, 06:50:23 AM

I'm having very poor reception with hand-held devices at ~50 feet, through two residential walls (i.e., drywall, studs and insulation).  I have the router set up as dual band, but I don't really need both. I have it working with Chromecast on 2.4ghz.  Can you please provide some optimization tips for range and how to exclusively use 2.4ghz?  Thanks...

Title: Re: Wi-fi range
Post by: FurryNutz on August 14, 2015, 07:08:42 AM

Link>Welcome! (http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=48135.0)

• What Hardware version is your router? Look at sticker under the router case.
• Link>What Firmware (http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=47512.0) version is currently loaded? Found on the routers web page under status.
• What region are you located?

Internet Service Provider and Modem Configurations

• What ISP Service do you have? Cable or DSL?
• What ISP Modem Mfr. and model # do you have?

50ft thru two walls maybe a bit much for some routers without some help or some range extenders.  Device reception capabilities when receiving can be a factor. Some devices may not work well at far distance ranges so signal boost from the main source maybe needed.
Router Placement
Forum User - "Well I feel really dumb. After moving the router away from other electronic devices my speeds are back to normal. Just a heads up for anyone experiencing slow speeds, you might want to move it away from other electronics and see if that helps."
3-6' feet minimum safe distance between devices.
Placement on main level floor and central in the building and WELL ventilated is preferred. Not in basements or closets as building materials, or near by electronics devices could interfere or hinder good signal propagation.
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-basics/31083-smallnetbuilders-wireless-faq-the-essentials (http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-basics/31083-smallnetbuilders-wireless-faq-the-essentials)

Wireless Configurations
Links>Wireless Installation Considerations (http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=48327.0) and Managing Signal Congestion (http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=53228.0) and Good Neighbour Policy (http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=10634.0)

• Ensure the default (dlink) SSID name is changed. Ensure that different SSID names are used between each WiFi 2.4/5Ghz radios. Can be anything and not something that's already in use by any neighbouring WiFi routers. Under Setup/Wireless/Manual.
• What wireless modes are you using?
• 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz routers: Try single mode G or N or mixed G and N on 2.4Ghz and single mode N or AC on 5Ghz?

If you don't need or use 5Ghz, you can disable this radio. It can be re-enabled later on if needed.

• Channel Width set for Auto 20/40Mhz or try 20Mhz only.
• Try setting a manual Channel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_channels) to a open or unused channel. 1, 6 or 11. 11 for single mode N if the channel is clear.
• What security mode are you using? Preferred security is WPA-Personal. WPA2/AES Only. Some WiFi adapters don't support AES (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Encryption_Standard), so you might want to try TPIK (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temporal_Key_Integrity_Protocol) only or Auto TPIK and AES.
• Any 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz cordless house phones or WiFi APs near by that maybe causing interferences?
• Any other WiFi routers in the area that maybe causing interferences? Link> Use InSSIDer (http://www.techspot.com/downloads/5936-inssider.html) to find out. How many? Use v3, its free.
• If you have any of these options, Try turning OFF or ON Short GI (http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-features/30969-what-do-80211ns-optional-features-mean-for-you), WLAN Partition, Extra Wireless Protection and HT 20/40 Co-existence if you have it. Also testing with HT20/40Mhz Co-existence enabled will impact results as well when enabled using single mode N. I prefer to use this option OFF. Recommended settings are default. Under Advanced/Advanced Wireless.

Title: Re: Wi-fi range
Post by: garael on August 14, 2015, 07:40:01 AM

HW: vA1
FW: 1.08
Region: US

ISP: Comcast cable
Modem: Netgear CMD31T

Title: Re: Wi-fi range
Post by: FurryNutz on August 14, 2015, 07:49:10 AM

Let us know about the other suggestions and questions when you can...