Internet disconnects when cell phone is using Wifi

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Davidbld
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Internet disconnects when cell phone is using Wifi

Post by Davidbld »

I recently moved to a new room (in a house) and they have wi-fi which I am using. There was a problem with the wifi being slow which was due to a frayed cable which was fixed. Tech fiddled with getting more range on the wifi as well. After the fix my computer (using the Wifi) started disconnecting about once an hour or so from the web and automatically reconnecting (Annoying if I'm playing an on-line game). Well, ive been playing with the settings with not much results. Recently Ive noticed if my Cell Wifi connection is turned off, Im not getting the disconnects (none since I got home for 4 hours). How is my Cell using Wifi interfering with my computer using the wifi? The signal never degrades, I still have 4 or 5 bars when my computer disconnects. Any Ideas or fixes maybe for this problem. (so they can both be on with no problems).
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gilraen
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Re: Internet disconnects when cell phone is using Wifi

Post by gilraen »

Almost sounds like the router is having trouble assigning IP addresses, so they conflict, disconnect, and then get a new IP address and reconnect. Are you able to assign a static IP address to one of your devices and test it that way?
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Re: Internet disconnects when cell phone is using Wifi

Post by Davidbld »

I'm not sure how to do that... (phone or computer) but I'll look into it...guess I can call Spectrum cable when I get the chance...And I know other people in the house are using the wifi with there phones and devices, why wouldn't it still happen because of them?
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LawBeefaroni
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Re: Internet disconnects when cell phone is using Wifi

Post by LawBeefaroni »

I'd do a bit more testing to be sure it's your phone causing the problem. It's possible that you coincidentally had 4 hours of disconnect-free wifi while your phone wifi was off.
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Paingod
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Re: Internet disconnects when cell phone is using Wifi

Post by Paingod »

IP address conflicts can cause real headaches. If both devices are trying to use the same IP, one will 'win' and disable the other.

Here's what you can do to eliminate it:
  1. "Run" cmd (click Start, type "cmd" and press Enter)
  2. type the following and then press Enter: ipconfig /all
  3. Scroll through that and look for your IP address. It might be something like 192.168.1.105
    • If this starts with 169, then there's a different problem and your computer isn't getting a valid IP (not a duplicate IP)
  4. Also find your "Default Gateway" and "Subnet Mask" and write them down to use below.
  5. Once you have your IP in hand, you know the scheme the router is using and can assign yourself a static IP.
  6. Open the Control Panel (click Start, type "control panel" and press enter)
  7. In the Control Panel, look for Networking and Sharing (you may need to go to the upper-right corner and select "View By: Small Icons")
  8. Inside the Networking window, click your Connection (it might have a little plug icon and say Ethernet or LAN next to it)
  9. In the Ethernet window, click "Properties"
  10. In the Properties window, scroll down and find "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)" and click it to highlight it.
  11. Click "Properties" with the above highlighted.
  12. In the Configuration window, click the button for "Use the following IP address"
  13. Enter a number that has a significantly different last number from the IP Address you found above.
    • Don't change the first three segments, just the last one.
    • Most routers seem to default to 192.168.1.100 to 192.168.1.200 for assigned addresses, so choose something outside that range.
    • If you had 192.168.1.105, use 192.168.1.35
    • If you had 10.10.10.105, use 10.10.10.35
  14. The subnet mask should be 255.255.255.0 for almost any home network
  15. The Default Gateway should be listed in your original IP search. Re-use it (probably something like 192.168.1.1)
  16. Click the button for "Use the following DNS Server..."
  17. Type in 8.8.8.8 for the first and 8.8.4.4 for the second. These are Google's own DNS servers, possibly more reliable than your ISP.
  18. Click "OK" on the Configuration window
  19. Click "Close" on the Properties window
  20. Click "Close" on the Ethernet window
Your IP should be static now, and not in conflict with any other device. If you experience problems again, simply go back into the Ethernet properties and reset it all to "Obtain Automatically" and it'll wipe the new settings an restore the old ones.

If the issue persists with the new IP address in place, then there's an entirely different problem at play - but you'll know what it isn't and that can be useful too.
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Davidbld
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Re: Internet disconnects when cell phone is using Wifi

Post by Davidbld »

LawBeefaroni wrote:I'd do a bit more testing to be sure it's your phone causing the problem. It's possible that you coincidentally had 4 hours of disconnect-free wifi while your phone wifi was off.
Yea, for the rest of the night there were no disconnects, but Im going to keep on testing, have the day off so have the time.
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Re: Internet disconnects when cell phone is using Wifi

Post by Davidbld »

Okay, thanks PainGod, perhaps I'll try that later. And it did happen once this morning with my Phones Wi-fi turned off. But its definitely happening a lot less frequently now for some reason. Also, PainGod, is the IP address under "IPV4 adress"? right now it shows 192.168.0.10(preferred) does that sound right? And I can use any number for the last digits? So I could change the 10 to 125 with no problem?
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Re: Internet disconnects when cell phone is using Wifi

Post by Punisher »

Davidbld wrote:Okay, thanks PainGod, perhaps I'll try that later. And it did happen once this morning with my Phones Wi-fi turned off. But its definitely happening a lot less frequently now for some reason. Also, PainGod, is the IP address under "IPV4 adress"? right now it shows 192.168.0.10(preferred) does that sound right? And I can use any number for the last digits? So I could change the 10 to 125 with no problem?
Realistically if you are using static ip's, you need to make sure that the router isnt giving that ip out to other devices by either setting up a reservation in the router or using an ip outside the dhcp range.
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Paingod
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Re: Internet disconnects when cell phone is using Wifi

Post by Paingod »

Yeah, it's the IPV4 setting we're looking at. It sounds like your Router is giving out a very broad range, which might mean someone tinkered with it at some point. I think when I unbox a new one, the range is usually 100-200 by default. They do *tend* to give out IP Addresses in the low-end of the spectrum, so I'd shoot high. You can probably safely assign yourself a high number like 192.168.1.225 or 192.168.1.245.

If you want to make sure it's not in use before using it, from the "cmd" command prompt, type the following and hit enter ping 192.168.1.245
(assuming 245 is the IP address you want to use). If that comes back with no result, it's not currently in use.
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Davidbld
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Re: Internet disconnects when cell phone is using Wifi

Post by Davidbld »

I'm starting to think that someone in the house is using something that interrupts the wifi, today I'm the only one in the house and haven't had a single dissconnect (been about 6 hours). Will have to keep on checking...
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Kasey Chang
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Re: Internet disconnects when cell phone is using Wifi

Post by Kasey Chang »

Change the SSID and password. I know it's a PITA, but someone may be logged in and "borrowing" your signal.
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Davidbld
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Re: Internet disconnects when cell phone is using Wifi

Post by Davidbld »

Kasey Chang wrote:Change the SSID and password. I know it's a PITA, but someone may be logged in and "borrowing" your signal.
Its not my router/Internet. I'm using it from one of the people Im renting the house with. If it keeps up I'll ask him if I can do that, of course it'll mean they'll have to change the password on there devices too, so im not sure how they'd like that. If someone was doing that woudn't it just slow the connection down, not disconnect/reconnect it?
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Davidbld
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Re: Internet disconnects when cell phone is using Wifi

Post by Davidbld »

Okay, well I got around to making it a static IP address thanks to Paingod. Interesting when I did this my internet disconnected and reconnected (like its been doing) but Im assuming that's normal when switching IP adress's. Guess we shall wait and see.

Update: Since I did it this morning, no disconnects (been about 8 hours) fingers crossed!
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Davidbld
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Re: Internet disconnects when cell phone is using Wifi

Post by Davidbld »

Okay second day with no disconnects, starting to think the problem is fixed. I was reading on IP address's and an article said if you play allot of on-line games and you host its best to use a static IP (the disconnects happened with Magic On-line and Diablo 3 on-line mode) I forget exactly why the article said this though. Before this was having problems with my printer using wireless (installation said it couldn't obtain an IP address so maybe this is related) maybe I can figure out if my printer can just use a static IP address...

Thanks Paingod, you are an IT genius :)
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Paingod
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Re: Internet disconnects when cell phone is using Wifi

Post by Paingod »

Happy to help - I hope it holds up. I've been doing IT work for over a decade, from home networks to business networks. The IP Address is an old friend/nemesis and causes a lot of mysterious problems.

The underlying cause hasn't been fixed (something is using duplicate IP Addresses) but it fixes the symptoms, which is all you probably worry about. I'd personally be tearing apart my home network to find the culprit and teach it who's boss. My wife tells me I have issues. :D

They recommend static IP addresses for anything that needs to be found consistently in the same place on a network quickly. A lot of modern games and programs have no issues taking an extra millisecond and referring to a DNS table to find the IP - but some games don't use names. For example, if you're hosting a Terraria server and everyone in the house connects to it to play, you want a Static IP so you don't have to keep checking what your current IP Address is and getting everyone to re-enter the new address.
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Re: Internet disconnects when cell phone is using Wifi

Post by Davidbld »

Its been many days with no disconnects and thats all i care about, its not my network so I shouldn't really be tearing it apart anyways, lol. As I mentioned before there was a frayed wire (Dog chewed it) and when the tech guy came out to fix it he also fiddled with the Modem/router saying he would give it better range. Maybe he did something which caused my IP problem, I don't know. For right now I'm good. 8-)
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