Access point randomly inaccessable

[Blindside]

I use a Linksys BEFW11S4 access point tied into my school network from the house across the street with the appropriate USB receiver. I get very good reception, but about once a week I stop receiving any internet connection, seemingly for no reason. The status window shows strong signal reception, but my Novell client can't fine the school server. I can't even ping the access point. I can solve the problem by power cycling the transmitter, but it will happen again eventually. I have uploaded the latest firmware releases to no avail. There aren't any other computers connected to the router, so it operates solely with wireless (3 computers on the network). I use DHCP, so maybe I should start statically assigning IPs, but I don't know if I can do that without being wired into the router. I have no idea what's going on.

-Thanks, Bside

 

[ashenfang]

try changing channels on the access point. Where you are located, at a school, its probably a pretty "hot" zone for wireless activity. If that doesn't fix the problem, it sounds like once a week something is generating a pulse, and causing interference between you and the access point. Does it do it the same day/time each week? Wireless can be hard to trouble shoot, but alot of time when it shows good signal but can't ping, its interference.

 

[Blindside]

Do I need to be hard wired to the access point to change the channel? Our school doesn't have much in the way of wireless access, but it's more than likely that there are somewhere around 7 cordless phones operating at good ole 2.4 in the same house. I'll give it a shot when I figure out how.

 

[Supchaka]

Possibly your router isnt obtaining a new IP address when the lease runs out from the school. I've had that problem with my DSL before.

 

[Blindside]

Forgive my naivity when it comes to IP assignment...Is there any way to make the router accept a new lease from the school? If anyone knows of an informative website (to save the trouble of explaining this to me), I would be very appreciative.