"Liam" <n**@home.now> wrote in message
news:d7g5th$uoo$1@newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk...
>
> "Pipex" <access1***@msn.com> wrote in message
> news:UPidnSyUkNX6FgbfRVnyrQ@pipex.net...
>>I keep getting a dropped connection when there is more that 1 laptop
>>wirelessly connecting to the router. Do anyone know if it would improve
>>reception if I attached a 6 foot length of thin wire to the small antenna
>>and extended it around the room the router is in?
>> Just a thought.
>>
>>
>
> No that will not help. What you are experiencing is not a "reception"
> problem.
>
> The problem is that the 3Com router is a piece of crap. I have one and
> regularly experience the same problem you describe. It is (usually) unable
> to cope with more than one wireless client at a time.
>
> I am currently looking at alternatives, although I don't know if other
> consumer grade wireless routers have the same issues as the rubbish from
> 3Com.
>
> Maybe others can relate their experiences with equipment from other
> manufacturers?

"Pipex" <access1***@msn.com> wrote in message
news:UPidnSyUkNX6FgbfRVnyrQ@pipex.net...
>I keep getting a dropped connection when there is more that 1 laptop
>wirelessly connecting to the router. Do anyone know if it would improve
>reception if I attached a 6 foot length of thin wire to the small antenna
>and extended it around the room the router is in?
> Just a thought.
>
>

"Clark" <w**@whoknows.com> wrote in message
news:RlYme.740$RV5.309@newssvr30.news.prodigy.com...
> Are you using DHCP to set up the wireless addresses?  Have you made enough
> of them available?
>
> Try it with the laptops fairly close to the router to eliminate the
> reception possibility.  You might go into exactly you have your system set
> up.
>
> Clark
>
> "Pipex" <access1***@msn.com> wrote in message
> news:UPidnSyUkNX6FgbfRVnyrQ@pipex.net...
>>I keep getting a dropped connection when there is more that 1 laptop
>>wirelessly connecting to the router. Do anyone know if it would improve
>>reception if I attached a 6 foot length of thin wire to the small antenna
>>and extended it around the room the router is in?
>> Just a thought.
>>
>>
>
>

"Geoff" <meaningles***@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:EbOdnSTWBtW0GAHfRVnyhQ@pipex.net...
> Yes I'm using DHCP and have sufficient wireless addresses. I use it
> usually without any problems when its just me with my laptop connected and
> my desktop connected by an ethernet cable, but when my son comes home and
> logs on with his laptop I loose the connection. Not all the time, in fact
> we both can be connected for several hours. The main problem is I have the
> message 'acquiring network address'. The only way around it is to restart
> the router then it connects fine.
> Anyone else experienced this?
>
> "Clark" <w**@whoknows.com> wrote in message
> news:RlYme.740$RV5.309@newssvr30.news.prodigy.com...
>> Are you using DHCP to set up the wireless addresses?  Have you made
>> enough of them available?
>>
>> Try it with the laptops fairly close to the router to eliminate the
>> reception possibility.  You might go into exactly you have your system
>> set up.
>>
>> Clark
>>

"Liam" <n**@home.now> wrote in message
news:d7ieut$g66$1@newsg3.svr.pol.co.uk...
>
> "Geoff" <meaningles***@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:EbOdnSTWBtW0GAHfRVnyhQ@pipex.net...
>> Yes I'm using DHCP and have sufficient wireless addresses. I use it
>> usually without any problems when its just me with my laptop connected
>> and my desktop connected by an ethernet cable, but when my son comes home
>> and logs on with his laptop I loose the connection. Not all the time, in
>> fact we both can be connected for several hours. The main problem is I
>> have the message 'acquiring network address'. The only way around it is
>> to restart the router then it connects fine.
>> Anyone else experienced this?
>>
>> "Clark" <w**@whoknows.com> wrote in message
>> news:RlYme.740$RV5.309@newssvr30.news.prodigy.com...
>>> Are you using DHCP to set up the wireless addresses?  Have you made
>>> enough of them available?
>>>
>>> Try it with the laptops fairly close to the router to eliminate the
>>> reception possibility.  You might go into exactly you have your system
>>> set up.
>>>
>>> Clark
>>>
>
> Exactly the same here, DHCP and usually one wired and one wireless
> connection. However, when anyone comes round and wants to connect a
> notebook wirelessly, or I try to use my PDA to connect, then the problems
> will eventually start. The only solution is to disconnect all but the most
> essential (at the time) wireless client, or restart the router which will
> correct the problem for a while. This is hardly the way I would expect to
> use a wireless network. It seems that the 3Com wireless gets overloaded
> with more than one client. Their product description claims it will
> support many more than this; can't remember the exact figure 128 springs
> to mind. I would be content with a reliable 2!
>
> I have done all the firmware updates (currently 1.29, the latest from
> 3Com) and am thinking of going back through the older versions to see if I
> can find a more stable one. But really I have run out of patience with
> this paperweight, and was thinking of going for one of the Draytek Vigor
> series. They are considerably more expensive than the 3Com, but I suppose
> you gets what you pays for.
>
> Would anyone have any opinions on the Draytek Vigor series, say the 2600G
> or 2600VG?
>
> TIA
>
> Liam
>

"Liam" <n**@home.now> wrote in message
news:d7vupe$t7e$1@newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk...
>
> "Geoff" <meaningles***@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:X6CdncfKkK5BoT7fRVnyhg@pipex.net...
>> Liam,
>> I upgraded the firmware to 1.29 and that's when the troubles started. I
>> think the previous version installed, which was on it when I bought it,
>> was 1.24 and I had no problems with that version.
>> I contacted 3Com support and asked if it was OK to install older versions
>> of the firmware, they said it should be but they would not recommend it.
>> If you go ahead and find a older version that works could you let me
>> know.
>> Thanks,
>> Geoff
>
> Geoff and all,
>
> Just went to the 3Com website to collect all the earlier firmware
> versions, lo and behold there is a new one there now, 1.31. But all it
> says that it fixes is a country selection problem with 1.2x versions, so I
> probably won't even bother trying it as 3Com seem to have their heads
> firmly up their arses as far as the wireless performance of this router
> goes.
>
> And the more I think about faffing about with firmware, the more I might
> be inclined to just go and get a decent wireless AP, and use that instead
> with the 3Com wireless off (still using the router and DSL modem though).
>
> But if I do go ahead with the firmware experiments I will post the
> results.
>
> Liam
>

"Geoff" <meaningles***@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:S5qdnYcTdOi31TnfRVnyjg@pipex.net...
> Thanks for the info Liam, I'll try the 1.31 version. I'm sure you are
> right and it shouldn't make any difference but looking at the changes from
> the previous versions that should have created a problem either but it
> did! So they make snick in bug fixes without documenting them (as a
> retired systems developer I used to do it all the time!).
> I'll let you know the outcome of the upgrade
> Geoff
> "Liam" <n**@home.now> wrote in message
> news:d7vupe$t7e$1@newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk...
>>
>> "Geoff" <meaningles***@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:X6CdncfKkK5BoT7fRVnyhg@pipex.net...
>>> Liam,
>>> I upgraded the firmware to 1.29 and that's when the troubles started. I
>>> think the previous version installed, which was on it when I bought it,
>>> was 1.24 and I had no problems with that version.
>>> I contacted 3Com support and asked if it was OK to install older
>>> versions of the firmware, they said it should be but they would not
>>> recommend it.
>>> If you go ahead and find a older version that works could you let me
>>> know.
>>> Thanks,
>>> Geoff
>>
>> Geoff and all,
>>
>> Just went to the 3Com website to collect all the earlier firmware
>> versions, lo and behold there is a new one there now, 1.31. But all it
>> says that it fixes is a country selection problem with 1.2x versions, so
>> I probably won't even bother trying it as 3Com seem to have their heads
>> firmly up their arses as far as the wireless performance of this router
>> goes.
>>
>> And the more I think about faffing about with firmware, the more I might
>> be inclined to just go and get a decent wireless AP, and use that instead
>> with the 3Com wireless off (still using the router and DSL modem though).
>>
>> But if I do go ahead with the firmware experiments I will post the
>> results.
>>
>> Liam
>>
>
>

"Geoff" <meaningles***@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:4sKdnQDh3f8F0TnfRVnytA@pipex.net...
> Liam and anyone else interested,
> I downloaded 1.31 and low and behold the following entry appears in the
> accompanying text file
>
> " Software Release V1.31
> This version of software fixes the following bugs:
> 1. Update NTP time server table entries with valid working servers
> 2. Removed IP conflict error message when Firewall is on and that NAT is
> off"
>
> No mention of country settings! I've installed this version but haven't
> tried it yet, will let you know how I get on.
> Geoff
>
>
> "Geoff" <meaningles***@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:S5qdnYcTdOi31TnfRVnyjg@pipex.net...
>> Thanks for the info Liam, I'll try the 1.31 version. I'm sure you are
>> right and it shouldn't make any difference but looking at the changes
>> from the previous versions that should have created a problem either but
>> it did! So they make snick in bug fixes without documenting them (as a
>> retired systems developer I used to do it all the time!).
>> I'll let you know the outcome of the upgrade
>> Geoff

"Liam" <n**@home.now> wrote in message
news:d85kgl$vnj$1@newsg3.svr.pol.co.uk...
> >
>> Geoff,
>>
>> That bug-fix list is the same as in the previous couple of versions, so
>> they mustn't be bothering to update the release notes apart from the
>> version number in the title.
>>
>> I downgraded to 1.24 today but likewise haven't really put it through a
>> good stress test yet. I will report back with findings.
>>
>> Liam
>>
>
> Well...
>
> I tried going back to 1.24; no good. So against my gut feeling I upgraded
> to the latest 1.31 version. What a waste of time that was. So as I said in
> the subject line, I have now come to my conclusion:
>
> The 3Com 3CRWE754G72-A OfficeConnect 11g ADSL Firewall Router or whatever,
> IS INCAPABLE of reliably supporting more than one simultaneous wireless
> client.
>
> If anyone is thinking of buying one of these, DON'T. Mine will be
> soldiering on for the time being until I work out what should replace it.
> Favourites at the moment are Draytek (although a bit expensive for me) and
> Buffalo (very good reports about this brand); opinions on these,
> particularly Buffalo, would be appreciated.
>
> The 3Com will be cannibalised to see if it contains a mini-PCI 11g card,
> which will find a good home in a notebook. The rest of it will probably be
> almost as useless as it is now, so will likely end up in the bin.
>
> That just about sums up my experience of 3Com. It just goes to show how
> you can fall for a reputable name, only to find out later that they are
> producing shíte.
>
> Geoff, I am still interested to know how you get on with 1.31, but I think
> I already know the answer to that!
>
> L8R
>
> Liam
>
>

"Geoff" <meaningles***@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:3fudnXBgBNfIfTvfRVnyvA@pipex.net...
> Hi Liam,
> Thanks for all the communication on this. Yes I'm afraid my experiences
> are identical to yours. 1.31 is exactly the same as the previous versions.
> We can get two wireless connections working for a short time, about an
> hour, before having to restart the router.
> My son is using a Dlink wireless router at his university and there are
> about 6 of them online with no problems.
> I agree 3Com are a pile of crap. By the way, I wrote to 3Com at the
> following address about the firmware some months ago and they said there
> were no known issues with their firmware! The email address the replay
> came from was:
> esupport_e***@3com.com
> I intend writing to them one last time and telling them it just doesn't
> work.
> Regards,
> Geoff
>