Intermittent Wireless Connectivity due to Steam?

manasecret · 02-01-2010, 06:23 PM

I have internet through AT&T Uverse, which is a fiber/dsl hybrid system that includes IPTV, internet, and home phone. I use it for TV and internet.

Since we got it, we have had problems with the wireless connections being intermittent on both my desktop and laptop. A simple right-click->Repair on the wireless icon fixes it, but it is of course a pain in the ass and, for situations such as yours where you want to play a game online, is completely broken.

But I don't use the internet enough at home to bother figuring out the root of the problem. Both computers are using wireless cards that AT&T gave to us, the desktop card connected through USB and the laptop card connected through the slot port. My guess that the problem originates with the wireless cards, but it is fairly coincidental that two cards have the same problem.

The Uverse system sounds like yours, in that the "modem" is also a wireless & wired router. Maybe the routers are just poor quality when it comes to wireless internet.

As for your case:

1. Highly doubtful the game or Steam did anything to affect your router or to mess up your wireless connectivity.
2. The best option of course would be to run a cat5 cable through the walls to where you need it to be. Of course, that is probably not the solution you want...
3. So the second option is to narrow down on what is causing the problem. Try switching to a different wireless card. You can get a fairly cheap USB one that you may need in the future anyway for whatever reason. If you still have the problem, then the card is likely not the problem. That means it's likely a problem with the router and Verizon needs to come do something about it.

ZebraRampage · 02-01-2010, 06:50 PM

It went out again, but I checked the router settings and changed the channel from automatic to a number, 6 in this case. That actually fixed it. Maybe other networks were interfering with mine as well. I really think that the router is where the problem is.

manasecret · 02-02-2010, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZebraRampage

It went out again, but I checked the router settings and changed the channel from automatic to a number, 6 in this case. That actually fixed it. Maybe other networks were interfering with mine as well. I really think that the router is where the problem is.

Let me know if that continues to work. We have a bunch of Uverse users in the area because the wireless names all have the same prefix, just with a unique number at the end. So maybe I need to switch the channel.