Major Signal Drop on new RT-66NU at distance...

[dearthian]

Background:
Installed a brand spanking new RT-66NU router on Friday, replacing a 2 year old Linksys Wireless N router, to improve my signal range for my most distant spots. Had read range reviews, and this seemed to be the ticket.

Once I got it installed and configured, my signal strength and quality at my most distant point had dramatically improved. At distant point, I was getting 78% signal strength on the 2.4ghz band(up from 48% compared to the Lindsys) and 48% on the 5ghz band (unusable on the Linksys) running iStumbler on my MacBook Pro. Streaming 1080P HD video from online was rock-solid and buffer-free (with 10Mbit cable modem). I was defaulting my gear at this spot to the 2.4ghz band because the 5ghz band was occasionally dropping me. The router covers 2 neighboring houses with about 80' and 3-4 walls (none concrete) between furthest point and router. There is only one other wireless device in range (a neighbor's Netgear; I live outside the city without a lot of neighbors)

It worked fine till at least 1:00PM yesterday. Got home at 8:00 PM to discover the 2.4ghz band had basically disappeared at this farthest point. Connected my laptop to the 5ghz band and it worked fine. Ran iStumbler and it confirmed that it couldn't detect the 2.4ghz band, and detected the 5ghz band at 28% signal strength.

Router came, out of the box, with the 3.0.0.3.112 firmware from NewEgg (not an open box special or anything).

Here are my current settings (not hiding SSID on either):
Wireless settings:
2.4ghz
Wireless Mode: Auto
Control Channel: 5
Channel Bandwidth: 40MHz (I have tried all settings)
Extension channel: Upper
Authentication: WPA-Auto-Personal
WPA Encryption: TKIP-AES

5GHZ
Wireless Mode: Auto
Channel Bandwidth: 20/40
Control Channel: Auto
Authentication: WPA-Auto-Personal
WPA Encryption: TKIP-AES

QoS is off. No USB devices connected. WAN settings are default settings (nothing advanced configured). Using IPV4.

When I moved the 2.4 to 20MHz setting and the 5GHZ to 40MHZ, it reappeared at 34% signal strength and goes up to 40%. When I connect to it, nothing happens (web browser page requests time out).

Here's the rub: go to the other house and everything works...perfectly. Both bands 100% and respond perfectly.

I've tried dropping encryption on 2.4 band and hasn't changed anything.

There are no wireless phones in the two houses: we've all cut the cord and use cell phones.

I just took my MacBook to my bathroom (about 30' closer). My signal went up to 40% on the 2.4 band, but no time outs.

After beating around the bush , I guess my question is: is there any reason I should be getting this drastic of a signal drop? Should I get a replacement or try something different? Are there any settings I should change?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[AnthonyArmato]

Change your security to WPA2 and try changing channels. inSSIDer is a good program to download to see what channel the networks around you are on.

 

[RMerlin]

Go to your "dark spot", and picture an imaginary straight line from there to the router. Is there any particular obstacle in the direct line, such as a microwave oven, a piece of large furniture, etc...? Waves travel in straight lines. While some might bounce around, your strongest signal is one that travels in a straight line between the router and the device.

 

[dearthian]

None of that changed anything. Took it back to factory default, but loosened encryption wpa2. Still nothing.

I had gotten an Asus EA-N66 when I bought this to replace my Linksys Wireless G game adapter. In the short term, I'm using it as a range extender and using the Linksys game adapter as an AP (and it rocks). But it will only connect to it without encryption. I ran the Linksys config software connected to a Windows PC and it says it can't detect it, so I can't change the encryption level (this worked once upon a time).

I kinda live in the sticks, where people think War-Driving is demolition derby. So I'm not 'super' concerned. But would love to figure this out.

 

[dearthian]

Go to your "dark spot", and picture an imaginary straight line from there to the router. Is there any particular obstacle in the direct line, such as a microwave oven, a piece of large furniture, etc...? Waves travel in straight lines. While some might bounce around, your strongest signal is one that travels in a straight line between the router and the device.

Closest thing electrical is a refrigerator. Microwave is not in line of sight.

The funny thing is, nothing has changed in the spatial regard from the time it was working till it wasn't.

Appr. 4 walls between (wood and paneling, no concrete). I even raised the router up to give it better line of sight. It's not hidden in a cabinet or anything. I might experiment a little more with that at the location it is at.

 

[RMerlin]

Can also try removing and putting back the antennas, in case one would be loose.

 

[thiggins]

The funny thing is, nothing has changed in the spatial regard from the time it was working till it wasn't.

Just trying to think of all the things that could cause something like this.

Can you provide a rough sketch of the houses, router placement and test points? Be sure to show any trees between houses.