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Hi all, I'm currently stumped with my wireless network, and wireless networking is NOT my bag so I'm hoping I can rely on somebody in the Networking forum here to help guide me through this. 
My router+cable modem (it's one integrated unit) is located on one end of the house, and I have two computers connected wirelessly on the other end of the house. The router/modem unit is an old 802.11g unit provided by my ISP. It's always had a hard time reaching the computers in the back of the house. It's only about 50/50 as to whether the computers will even detect the wireless network.
Part of the issue with the wireless is that our house is heavily insulated in some way against RF, be it accidental or on purpose. Our cell phones go dead as soon as we cross through the front door. Complete loss of signal. AT&T had to install a microcell inside of the house and run it through our router in order to get us cell service. Running an ethernet cable is out of the question, btw, because of the architecture of the house.
I bought a bigass antenna from Fry's to hook up to the router/modem in the hopes of extending its broadcast range... only to bring it home and find out that the antenna on the unit is hard-wired in place. Oops.
I went back to Fry's and the guy sold me on an Asus RT-N12 unit marketed as a combination Router and Repeater, as well as an aftermarket high-gain antenna to maximize the signal strength. I set it up in the middle of the house with the antenna, went into the software and set it up as a Repeater, and... holy crap, it worked! Full reception on both computers in the back! Streaming 720p on Youtube! Amazing!
...But only for about 90 minutes. Because every 90 minutes or so, the back computers lose internet connection. They are still connected to the WLAN, they just can't go anywhere on the internet. Trying to go anywhere in the web browser gives me a DNS lookup error, and the Windows wireless utility shows the WLAN with a little asterisk that reads "Limited Internet Connectivity". In order to get internet back, I have to unplug the power from the RT-N12 unit and plug it back in. Then I'm good for another 90 minutes or so until I have to do it again...
So, does anybody have any ideas? I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to wireless networking so it could be a very simple setting that I'm overlooking. If you have any advice or suggestions, please throw them my way.
My router+cable modem (it's one integrated unit) is located on one end of the house, and I have two computers connected wirelessly on the other end of the house. The router/modem unit is an old 802.11g unit provided by my ISP. It's always had a hard time reaching the computers in the back of the house. It's only about 50/50 as to whether the computers will even detect the wireless network.
Part of the issue with the wireless is that our house is heavily insulated in some way against RF, be it accidental or on purpose. Our cell phones go dead as soon as we cross through the front door. Complete loss of signal. AT&T had to install a microcell inside of the house and run it through our router in order to get us cell service. Running an ethernet cable is out of the question, btw, because of the architecture of the house.
I bought a bigass antenna from Fry's to hook up to the router/modem in the hopes of extending its broadcast range... only to bring it home and find out that the antenna on the unit is hard-wired in place. Oops.
I went back to Fry's and the guy sold me on an Asus RT-N12 unit marketed as a combination Router and Repeater, as well as an aftermarket high-gain antenna to maximize the signal strength. I set it up in the middle of the house with the antenna, went into the software and set it up as a Repeater, and... holy crap, it worked! Full reception on both computers in the back! Streaming 720p on Youtube! Amazing!
...But only for about 90 minutes. Because every 90 minutes or so, the back computers lose internet connection. They are still connected to the WLAN, they just can't go anywhere on the internet. Trying to go anywhere in the web browser gives me a DNS lookup error, and the Windows wireless utility shows the WLAN with a little asterisk that reads "Limited Internet Connectivity". In order to get internet back, I have to unplug the power from the RT-N12 unit and plug it back in. Then I'm good for another 90 minutes or so until I have to do it again...
So, does anybody have any ideas? I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to wireless networking so it could be a very simple setting that I'm overlooking. If you have any advice or suggestions, please throw them my way.