Welcome to the new Wireless topic

Good Morning: I converted both of our automobile dealerships to wireless about 6 months ago. Actually, we do still have 30 some machines hardwired and will continue that with most desktops. The dealerships are in separate building however, on the same lot. I am using a Vicomsoft DHCP Server in each facility and have set 16 IP Addresses (sequential) on each. I am also using a Linksys Wireless Access Point in each building to allow access to the Internet for both customers and employees. Many of the technicians use their own lap tops to diagnos vehicles. Customers waiting for vehicles being serviced also enjoy the use of our T1 cinnection.

Here is the issue. It seems like the various laptops are picking up the access point from the other building. Our Toyota store rarely has more than 3 users and one of them is a wireless print server. Our VW Store typically has 8-10 users and several of them are in the Toyota facility. As this was a budget conversion less than $200 per store I think I will just have to live with it. However, what I have done periodically in the past was to shut the VW DHCP Server down and then do a ipconfig release and renew on the wayward machines at which point they do pick up the Toyota DHCP Server. However, a couple weeks go by and they seem to migrate back to the VW DHCP Server? While it is not a huge issue it just bugs me that the wireless card would pick up a signal from 200' away instead of 50' in the same building. Also the signal is much weaker when connected to the distant access point.

Any ideas or comments would be appreciated.

Rick Kellogg
Mike Fox Automotive, Inc.
Rochester Hills, Michigan