Newbie with wireless signal problems

[Phil]

Hi

Firstly, apologise if this is dealt with elsewhere, I have looked around but there is a lot of technical stuff here I don't understand, so please be patient with me.

I bought my Asus 802.11g router about a year ago and set it up (very difficult!) on a network to 3 PCs by ethernet & 1 laptop by wireless. On the whole the ethernet works fine but I'm having probles with the wireles connection which disappears for long periods. I can pick up a faint signal from a Belkin router down the road but nothing at all from the Asus. Then, suddenly, it returns with an "excellent" signal.

It has been suggested to me that the firmware may need updating, currently 1.6.5.3. I haven't attempted this before and to a novice, the Asus website is pretty inscrutable. Can anybody tell me which is the latest version I should be using and is there a simple guide to loading this? Any other suggestions for the cause of the loss of signal, I have tried using a different channel but it made no difference.

TIA

Phil

[Styno]

I would suggest you install official firmware 1.8.1.7 or latest available on Asus site (or unofficial firmware 1.8.1.7-3 but this one will probably be to no-more-use then the official ones).

To install the new firmware download the latest usersmanual from the Asus site. It contains detailed description on this process.

A simple howto:
1) Reset your router first (makes sure you have enough memory free to do the upgrading)
2) Upload the new firmware preferably with Asus supplied firmware restoration tool. You can also do this using the webinterface. Allways use a wired connection to upload the firmware. Do NOT use wireless connection.
3) Once firmware upgrade process completes (You may need to logon again), reset the router to factory defaults using the reset button on the back. Push the button for 10 seconds to achieve that.
4) Reconfigure the router using the webinterface. Do NOT restore your old setting by uploading an old configuration file. Your router will become very unstable if you do that.
5) Done.

[Phil]

Thanks, that all seems OK. I have downloaded version 1.9.2.7 from the Asus site as this seems to be the latest one. When I open the zip file it seems to be in a file with the extension TRX. My computer doesn't recognise this and there seems no information if I go online. Do I need something else to open this?

Cheers

[Antiloop]

read manual

[boemboem]

Thanks, that all seems OK. I have downloaded version 1.9.2.7 from the Asus site as this seems to be the latest one. When I open the zip file it seems to be in a file with the extension TRX. My computer doesn't recognise this and there seems no information if I go online. Do I need something else to open this?

Cheers

hello,

it isn't a windows' recognized extension. It only is the extension of a Asus firmware. When you select it in the web-interface of your router it will open it as a firmware... and phil if you follow Styno's instructions it must work

[Phil]

Much appreciated! BTW, I have downloaded the latest manual & read it a number of times. The section on upgrading the firmware is all of one paragrah with no actual instruction, so it doesn't take long! I don't think this product was designed for the in-experienced user :confused:

[Styno]

Much appreciated! BTW, I have downloaded the latest manual & read it a number of times. The section on upgrading the firmware is all of one paragrah with no actual instruction, so it doesn't take long! I don't think this product was designed for the in-experienced user :confused:
Okay, I recognise some of the basic problems you encounter, like the zip file and what to do with it. These basic types of problems are likely to be overlooked by users who have gone beyond the most basic stuff. I will try to update the firmware update HOWTO with this kind of info so that anybody can understand it. If you have suggestions please PM me.

http://wl500g.info/showthread.php?t=1329