[Eug-lug] Wireless router follow-up

[Brian Gallagher]

I don't think the wired solution, as Bob suggested, is going to happen 
(just my gut feeling.)  A wired solution is what I had in mind from the 
beginning (over a year ago.)  I say this because (A) I didn't want 
people to think I'm not using my head here and (B) liability issues make 
that solution non-viable.  As it turns out the wired/wireless solutions 
are about the same cost when I start to factor in all the little parts I 
would need on top of the cable, with a finger on the scale for liability 
issues.  I acknowledge that a wired solution would be very simple and 
secure, but it looks like I have to go out on the limb, not down to the 
ground.

As I have said before, here is what I know about wireless...not much!  
So I am looking for some advice about wireless in general.

Background: this wireless setup worked for most of the year, or so, of 
use.  In my gyrations of attempting to learn about wireless I have been 
testing various cards, OS's, computers, and locations, so I hadn't 
noticed why my connectivity was faltering.

Present: at my preferred location (P) I get a signal strength of no more 
then 25% and at the garage location (G) I get a signal of 75%.  I have 
noted that I get dropped from G and my house mate says the he has been 
experiencing drop recently.  The router looks very similar to the 
WRT54GL, probably an earlier version.  I note that I can get on late / 
early with no problem, with business hours being the problem.

Question: is it reasonable that under normal conditions of three users, 
heavy usage, and good signal I should not be getting dropped?  That is, 
can a router of this type handle three simultaneous sessions 
indefinitely?  It has been suggested that the router is getting "tired" 
after being on for years.  I am going to offer to replace the router 
with the WRT54GL (65.74 @ mwave.com) and I don't want to find that the 
problem is something down the Comcast stream that I can't do anything 
about.  Oh, and did I mention that Xbox live is in the mix?

Sorry for the long winded email, but my objective is to turn another 
corner in my OSS quest.

Brian