I have set up a wired/wireless network at home and I need some experts' help on several issues. I have two main computers (desktops) that are wired to my TRENDnet TEW-432BRP Wireless Broadband Router. I also happen to have three laptops set up to work both in wired and wireless modes. (Since a NIC-Router connection is always faster than a wireless connection, I needed this kind of configuration to plug in the laptops when I needed to transfer huge files or update the software.) Of the three laptops I use, one is an IBM with a Cisco Wireless Adapter. I never had a single problem with this one. Wireless connection is always strong, fast and never dropped a single time. However, the two other laptops are Compaqs. One is a Presario V2710CA and the second one is a Presario R4000. Both are equiped with Broadcom 802.11bg WLAN with the latest drivers available (version 4.10.40.1). I was never able to have a good connection with the two Compaqs. I have searched the internet for a possible solution, but my guess is that the Broadcom cards are somewhat defective or that they are incompatible with the TRENDnet Router. All cards are configured to work on chanel 1 and have WPA-PSK(TKIP) encryption enabled. While trying to troubleshoot this problem, I disabled the wired connection of my main desktop PC and instead, enabled the wireless connection. (The PC is an HP Pavilion with a "generic" Wireless LAN PCI 802.11 b/g adapter WN5301A). It worked flawlessly. During all the testing/troubleshooting, all the computers where in the same room, right beside the TRENDnet Router. I hope I have given enough information. Any kind of help/indications would be greatly appreciated. I have tried everything I could to fix this problem. (Although I may be missing something obvious.) Thanks for any help, MoBe.

Kind of a lot of things still unresolved. One of the problems with wireless is very few people have the tools to view all radio traffic that could include not only the tx/rx freq but to include the if and sum and difference as well as the signal strength and harmonics of any of the original frequencies. I say all that because you made a point to say it is right next to the device. Try to move the devices away some 20 feet. Move any wireless telephone and other electonic device. Be wary of things like UPS's that might be charging nearby the antenna. Some apartment complex's have issues with everyone trying to connect along with 50 other devices causing radio waves. Might get backtrack's cd and sweep your area for other devices (only packet type will show). Set the devices to the slowest speed and no encryption to see if that works then slowly return to normal secure.

Hi jefro, First of, thanks for replying. The fact is that I have three latptops. One works perfectly in wireless mode and is equiped with a Cisco Wireless adapter. Therefore, I knew beforehand that I should have been able to have a good wirelesss network. The problem is that the two Compaq laptops are equiped with the same Broadcom and their wireless connection is extremely slow (google.com takes about 6-10 seconds to load...). I will try to start from scratch (removing security/encryption and seting them to slowest speed) and I will get back at you when I have some results. Once again, Thanks, Mobe.

Hi again, The first thing I tried was to disable the encryption and voila, everything worked as planned. The connection was fast (finally!). However, I tried enabling the encryption again (WPA-PSK) and the connection was slow once again. I've tried using WEP instead of WPA... same results, slow connection. Also, the results were similar when I decreased the speed of the connection. I'm so tired of trial and error right now, I might be ready to sacrifice some "security" for a usable internet connection. Is that in anyway recommanded ? Thanks again, MoBe.

Depends on your data. Most people couldn't care less if someone else uses their high speed once in a while. Could it be that the computers are using resources to seem slow and not the true connection? Use perfmon to see what is changing between open and secure. I don't usually use encryption becuase I only turn on wireless for very limited times. Security is a broad range of things. Not just encryption. If you were to use all tools in the best practices bag and not encryption you may be ok.

Hi again, Well, I have setup permissions on my router so I know no one can actually access my high speed connection. However, since I no longer use encryption on the wireless signal, I know anyone (basically) with minimum knowledge can intercept information (or organise a ARP attack.. :( But like you said, the data travelling inside my own private network is basically, useless and has little "real" value. I have tried to mesure system performance using perfmon and I did not notice any difference between open and secure. So, I'm pretty sure right now that the Broadcom cards inside the Compaq laptops are defective (in some sort of way.) For right now, I'm gonna leave it like it is. I have some college work to do and will not be able to work on that for a couple of weeks. I think this thread is "dead" for now. Thanks again jefro for all your help, it was really appreciated.

Dear MoBeReal, I have the same problem that you drecribed before. I wonder if you have found a solution yet. NA