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Network Connection Crashes PC?

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PC and laptop run XP Pro SP2.
Linksys N router.
PC wired to router.
Laptop uses wireless.

It seems to be a pattern that on occasion, my main PC crashes when I am connected to it from my laptop via Remote Desktop. It does not crashes when I am using it locally, but it seems to have crashed once a day while doing things from the laptop. My connection from the laptop to PC, even though signal strength is strong, is slow. Sometimes I click something more than once because I do not know if the PC saw the click, Then I lose all connections. I go to the local PC and the screen is blank.

Anyone see something like this? The PC is fine when I am using it. Only crashes when using it from Remote Desktop on from laptop.

Thanks for any suggestions.

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Clarifications

In reply to Network Connection Crashes PC?

Clarifications

Sounds like some form of Signal Interference

In reply to Network Connection Crashes PC?

Other Wireless Devices will cause the WiFi connection to be slow to none existent at times so you’ll need to isolate other possible potential Sources of Interference. Things like Cordless Phones Cell Phones and other Wireless devices should be removed from the vicinity and see if that improves the problem.

You also need to remember that WiFi Computer Networking is much slower than Wired LAN’s so you need to use the systems accordingly. If in doubt wait till you see something happen and don’t attempt to push work through the system when you are unsure that it’s working correctly.

Col

Will Look

In reply to Sounds like some form of Signal Interference

The only thing in the room near the router is a cordless phone. I will try removing that and see what happens.

I have also noticed that when using Remote Desktop into my main PC, when I do something too fast, like click a menu twice because nothing popped up the fits time (that I can see), not only will I loose connection to the PC, but my laptop looses all net. The signal is there, but I have to reset the network connection to get the laptop on wireless again. However, when doing anything outside of Remote Desktop, like using the regular internet via IE, the laptop is fine.

Well in that case

In reply to Will Look

It could be a speed restriction with the WiFi connection. These are slower than Wired connections and the Remote Desktop may be placing a bigger load on the available Bandwidth and causing it to stop working when you do something to fast for it.

Personally it’s not a problem that I’ve run into previously but then again I’ve always been using Wired LAN’s because of the better Security & Speed. But from your description of the problem it sounds as if the WiFi connection is breaking down under the load that is being placed on it when you are running Remote Desktop.

Col

It may be due to pre N

In reply to Network Connection Crashes PC?

Wireless N is not a current standard, so there may be problems with it (different problems with different vendors).
Are you using a pre-N adapter on your notebook? If so, is it Linksys as well? If not, it may be the problem described above (different vendors).
Check for Firmware upgrades on both the adapter and the router. check all of the settings on the router as well.
It sounds like Hal is probably correct though, but it may just be an issue with pre-N.
Since pre-N has a much higher speeds, the problem may not be with bottlenecking the system, but with interferance. Does anyone else in the area have strong WIFI signals? Did you setup security on your net? Could anyone be piggybacking on your net?
It may also be that if the desktop is being used for Internet surfing or other tasks which would send it out to your ISP, that the much slower connection tweaks Windows.

I have been advising peopel not to move to per-N yet. The only real benefit that they will see is on their local network for speed/range. Anything going through their DSL/Cable will be unaffected.

Info

In reply to It may be due to pre N

Hi-Speed: Dell Draft N Wireless
50% faster and 25% more range when used with 802.11n routers!

There is 1 update for it right now but not had a chance to do it because they say I have to uninstall the older version first.

Have a wireless N router from Linksys.
http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=L_Product_C2&childpagename=US%2FLayout&cid=1144763513404&pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper

It is secured with a 64 character password of numbers, characters, and symbols, and nothing is really using the net on the PC except AIM and Firefox.

In my area, I see other active wireless connections, but everyone is B or G and no one has the speeds my router shows. Every is in the double digits and mine is the only in the list showing 3 digits for speed.

I will be trying the update soon for the network card, but I think it is more of a security fix.

Will look into other things too but maybe you both are right as it may simply be interference, Terminal Service hogging, and then the issue that Timewarner sucks.

[Author]

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