Wireless advice please

[ADd]

Very new to wireless, my own setup has a cable (far easier IMO)

This is my friend's setup:

ADSL modem using BT internet connection
D-Link DI-524 Router http://www.dlink.com/products/?sec=1&pid=316 (cheap and cheerful; placed in hallway downstairs)
Three systems connected, one desktop using a d-link USB adapter (upstairs): http://www.dlink.com/products/?sec=1&pid=334
Two laptops, one using internal wireless, located usually upstairs); the other using a wireless card (usually downstairs).

The first problem is when the laptop with internal wireless is online it seems to make the desktop have significantly reduced signal quality, so much so the desktop loses its connection to the router. If that laptop is switched off, and the desktop and laptop with wireless card is on - there is no problem with the connection. This leads me to believe the culprit must be the laptop with internal wireless, but I am not sure why.

Second problem is losing, generally twice a week, connection to the internet from the modem. This is easily solved by accessing the settings of the router using the IP address for it, and selecting 'DHCP Renew'. It seems the router is 'losing' its connection with the ADSL modem.
As I say this is a minor annoyance, but it would be nice to know the possible reasons.

If this sort of thing posted before, please feel free to slap me with a wet salmon (Monty Python style), I did a search :innocent: I apologise for ineptitude with regard to the often frustrating aspects of wireless networking. All systems are on XP by the way.

[MovedGoalPosts]

Perhaps you could try changing the wireless channel used by the network?

Any way the wireless router could be relocated to the first floor? An extension cable to the phone line perhaps?

[ADd]

Cheers for the reply Rob, I'll mess around with the channels, and see what happens. Relocating the router is possible, but is tricky because of the wire having to go upstairs, so would have to take up the carpet, or use cable 'ties' to stop the dog falling down the stairs

[Aragorn]

Does the 'internal wireless' machine have a b or g wireless card? If it is a b card, the whole network will drop to b speeds and 'might' affect connectivity.
Have you tried plugging in the external card from the other laptop into this one? Might show whether it is an adapter issue or system issue.

HTH

[ADd]

Thankyou Aragorn, I'll so some testing on the weekend, hopefully will get it figured out, and be able to come to some sort of conclusion

[ADd]

Kudos Aragorn, you hit the nail on the head. The laptop creating the problems is one of these:

http://reviews.zdnet.co.uk/hardware/...0000319,00.htm

Has an internal b card, so just popped in a g card, and things are fine and dandy many thanks