Odd wifi problem - dropping connection

[McJamweasel]

My PC's wifi keeps on playing silly buggers, it will intermittently drop the internet connection. Winblows reports that the connection is still up, good strength etc. however I don't have any internet access.

The odd bit though is that if I connect to the router via my iPhone, this wakes up the PC's internet connection again - immediately. Sometimes it will come back on it's own, however if I disconnect the wifi connection it won't reconnect for a couple of minutes.

It doesn't happen everyday but when it does it tends to every few minutes (it's gone twice while I've been writing this post).

I can still access the router config while the internet is dead.

It seems to be doing the same on the Mrs' laptop too, although I don't get any accurate fault reports off her (just 'the internet is broken') and it doesn't happen as often to her.

I've changed the wifi channel in case it was getting interference but it's made no difference. I've also reset the router, both hard & soft resets.

Any ideas? Router fubar?
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[ncrn]

What happens if you connect a lan cable between your laptop and the router? Do you get the same loss of web connection?
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[chrisw]

Although you said you've changed it, it does sound like a channel overlap. Download inSSIDer (or similar) and see what else is around. If nothing else it will rule it out.

Also badly behaved wireless devices (2.4Ghz band can get very noisy) can cause similar issues (essentially the same problem as above).

[sickpup]

Which OS?
What router?
What encryption?
What version of 802.11?
What make laptops?
Using windows or another utility to make the connection?
Does it happen all through the day or only at night?
What is the downstream margin when it happens?
What is the ISP?

Also have you turned off power mangement on the wireless cards?

[CaNsA]

ignore me, sickpup beat me to it.

[sickpup]

[CaNsA]

Lolz, just edited
Lolz, just edited
Lolz, just edited

bloody echo!

[Scotsman37]

Some wireless home phones work on the same frequency as 2.4Ghz and at times microwaves can interfere with the wireless signal too.

I've recently had to replace the yellow Lan cable that was connected to a device, and discovered that it was this was causing the router to lose the signal and once I replaced that cable everythng went back to normal with no dropping of wireless signal.

[ws4936]

Hello IT, have you tried turning it off and on again?
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