I'm a little concerned here. I built a computer for someone, and set them up with a wireless network. There is usually no trouble in doing this, but as usual, I believe XP is screwing it up.

Here's the setup. They have DSL, there's a Linksys WRT54G connected to the modem, then there's one floor and about one room that the signal has to go through in order to get to the kid's room where this computer is. The computer is equipped with a Linksys WMP54G PCI card.

Here's the problem: XP is reporting that there's simply an erratic signal. When I first set it up, the signal was at most 50% (or "good"), and would go down and up constantly and frequently disconnect. So, I tried moving the router a bit so it was about 4 feet closer and out from behind a printer and a monitor in terms of the signal's path to the PC. That improved the signal, but then a little later it went back to how it was before. So I downloaded the Sveasoft Satori Linux firmware upgrade for the router which opens up the signal strength option on the WRT54G. I boosted the signal about halfway to maximum. Nothing really changed. I then tried the maximum (84 I think) - still nothing! However, the wireless signal was not dropping anymore, so I didn't worry about it. A 50% signal won't hurt him.

Now I get an email again saying the signal drops out again. This is annoying for a kid who likes online gaming.

I'm sorry, but I tend to blame XP for something like this. I can't stand how XP insists on taking over the operation of wireless networking. I usually don't even install the software that came with the wireless NIC, since XP is going to try to take it over anyway, creating more problems.

Anyway, some other things that might be helpful are that he's running SP2, and yes, I checked to see what SSID it was thinking it was attached to, and it was the right one. The only other one in the area has WEP enabled, so it can't be trying to connect to that. I can't imagine it would anyway, when there's such a strong signal from the one downstairs.

Thanks for any help. I feel a little guilty since I set this all up, but it's just a strange thing.