network issue

[Modded Matt]

Ok si I got about 15 or so devices on the wireless network. But I have one phone and one laptop that cannot be connected at the same time without bumping the other. Any other combination of devices works fine. There is no ip conflict. Any thoughts?

[Rodent]

does the laptop connect when wired?  I had this issue the other day with Windows 7 I had to connect it to wired then it picked the device up where i could change it to wireless also if your network is keyed may have to add the key and and do usb flash drive connection  from main network to the laptop or phone which i am sure you know this but just thought i would say it

[SethMods]

Hmm...So I have no idea if this is what is actually going on, but I'm wondering if it isn't the "Hidden Node Problem".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidden_node_problem

WiFi is a contention based protocol. It's built very similar to Ethernet which uses something called CSMA/CD to DETECT collisions (when two devices try to talk at the same time.) WiFi uses a variant called CSMA/CA because detection of a collision in wireless isn't a guarantee. A collision could occur and neither of the talking devices may recognize it.

So with Hidden Node both devices can see(or rather hear) the Access Point, but can't see(hear) each other. They both go to talk at the same time, the AP gets garbage because of the collision but neither of the end devices recognize a collision occurred.

Try moving the phone right next to the computer (ensuring that both devices can hear each other) to see if the issue still occurs. Typically Hidden Node occurs based on the geography of a deployed network. (...where each device is located in relationship to the Access Point.)

Again, no idea if this is it, but it may be worth a shot.

Good luck!

[The End of A Heartache]

I had this problem before with my PS3 and my window 8 laptop. The IP address protocol sometimes confuses with prioritizes it causes a wireless traffic problem causing limited connection speed and yes IP boot offs. I had to port trigger/forward my PS3 to a static IP so it will remain constant connected even when I reboot my laptop. If you have a wireless router you can configure the router start up and ending IP address to suite your wide amount of wireless connected device. If it still happens then you might have to make forward trigger.

[Crumbz]

Hmm...So I have no idea if this is what is actually going on, but I'm wondering if it isn't the "Hidden Node Problem".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidden_node_problem

WiFi is a contention based protocol. It's built very similar to Ethernet which uses something called CSMA/CD to DETECT collisions (when two devices try to talk at the same time.) WiFi uses a variant called CSMA/CA because detection of a collision in wireless isn't a guarantee. A collision could occur and neither of the talking devices may recognize it.

Well the CSMA/CD actually has nothing to do with it because anything over 5 devices (especially 15 devices) would cause a lot of latency because of all the collisions on the network that would result. So because of this most routers dont use the CDMA/CD protocols anymore but instead use a sort of NAT protocol or also known as DHCP. This assigns an IP Address to the device trying to connect and it also records the MAC address of the device.

The router then creates a table of all the IP Addresses (Network Communication ID) assigned and the MAC address (Physical Hardware ID) associated with it for faster more efficient communication.

SO the issue is most likely a device limit that has been reached which usually sits at around 20 devices or so. The best way to fix this would be to clear the whole MAC Address list and only reconnect the devices you will be wanting to use.

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So youre options are as follows: (Ranging in Difficulty)
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1) Add a second router to the house with a LAN Cable wired directly to the first router so you could create a second WiFi Access Point (WAP). This could be set as a GUEST WAP for anyone that comes over to visit.

2) Reset the MAC Address list on your router and reconnect all needed devices (Should fix the connection issues temporarily)

3) Add a second router to the house with the same SSID (WiFi Name) and Security (Password & Type) to create a seamless transition from one router to the next.

Now keep in mind the first option is more simple to complete then the second or third but the third option is definitely the most efficient option available, simply because it offers both increased range AND you can have a higher device limit.

[Modded Matt]

HAhah, you realize who the original poster was right? If it was that simple I wouldn't have had to post it. 

To resolve my issue I spoofed the MAC on the laptop and manually assigned an IP address to it at the highest range of my IP series (so the DHCP would not assign it) but I still have no idea why this was creating an issue. The MAC addresses for these two devices were very close, so I can only assume the router was confusing the two devices.

[FOOKz™]

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The router then creates a table of all the IP Addresses (Network Communication ID) assigned and the MAC address (Physical Hardware ID) associated with it for faster more efficient communication.

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ARP! ARP! ARP! ARP! ARP! ARP! says the little yappy dog.