IP address drops with repeater

[Lat311]

I have a Linksys WRT54GX4 router with a hawkings HWREN1 extender. I initially setup this system several weeks ago and all was well. The past few days now, whenever I connect to the extender, I will lose my IP address every few minutes. I pickup the same one when it reconnects, which takes seconds. I am on channel 1 which is the least populated in my area. I also haven't done anything new ( installed new phone, micorwave, nuclear reactor, etc...) Interestingly, if I connect to the router and try a steady ping to the extender, it drops every 4-5 packet. Also, when I do connect to either one, I am getting varied rates, 36,48,54 Mbs all within minutes of each other. Currently using a Latitude 820, wired clients are fine, as are clients that just connect to the router.

Thanks for your time.

 

[thiggins]

Maybe you have a new neighbor on Channel 1. I suggest you do a site survey to see if things have changed.

Other possibility is that one of the products is dying.

 

[Lat311]

Thanks for your assistance. I have ran a scan and no new networks are in the area. I'm the only one on channel 1 I can see. The extender is about a month old, I now that doesn't mean anything though.

 

[thiggins]

Hawking's stuff is not exactly top-quality.

 

[Lat311]

Oh it's quality alright, the salesman at BB assured me it was, and they know what there talking about, right?

As I'm working on it tonight, I notice when I'm connected to it, if I do a constant ping to any other network device, it drops about every 5th or 6th packet. It doesn't drop my ip as it was the night before. I did have it unplugged all day. If connected to the router (which is in the house next to me) I drop maybe 1 every 100 packets.

Should I get the linksys extender?

 

[thiggins]

Should I get the linksys extender?

I think "extenders" are more trouble than they are worth. They tend to be fussy about the products they work with and cut your available bandwidth at least in half.

Some more information about your environment and expected bandwidth would be helpful.