bad wireless reception

[strngest54]

i have been living in my new apartment and i have spotty reception to the DSL router. Is there a way to change my router to a better quality model? or can i have a tech come and repair the phone line in another bedroom so i can move the router to a different location

[jmw1950]

The basic problem with 802.11b/g wireless (what the Verizon supplied modem/router provides) is that the 2.4 Ghz band where it operates has a wide range of applications, including other wireless networks, cordless telephones etc. The result is that there is no shortage of interference, especially in places like apartments where there are likely to be numerous wireless networks in use in your immediate vicinity. About the only thing you can try is to change the channel your wireless network operates on. While there are 11 channels, the reality is they overlap considerable, So the channels to try (that do not overlap) are 1, 6 and 11. I would not be optimistic about changing channels doing much for you (your wireless device will find your network on any channel that is is on without you doing anything).

802.11b/g is not the only game in town however. If your wireless device supports 802.11n, you can go out and buy an 802.11n wireless access point. 802.11n prefers to operate in the 5Gzh band. There is more 'real estate' in the 5Ghz band, and it generally has a lot fewer users, so there is usually much less interference. As a bonus (but probably of limited use if you have DSL) is 802.11n supports substantially higher speeds than 802.11b/g.

IN any case it is extremely unlikely that your telephone line has anything to do with the reception problems. The issue isn't really the quality of the Verizon supplied equipment, it is the environment it operates in (2.4 Ghz).

Good luck.