Kick off wifi when neighbors turn their Wifi on

My neighbors turn their Wifi on and off through the day. When they turn it on my laptop will drop my Home Wifi. After I reconnect to my home Wifi I have limited service (no internet) for 30+ minutes or until the neighbor(s) turn theirs off.

Neighbors are 150yrds-300yrds away. 

 

I've contacted my local Internet provider who reset and updated the router/modem but that hasn't solved my problem. 

What you probably need to do is change the "channel" used by your WAP (wireless access point). Most likely your WAP is integrated with your router.

 

If you download and run WifiInfoView, you can use that tool to view the wireless networks in your area and see what channel your neighbors are using. Of course, their network will need to be running to see it. I suspect it is running full time and your problem only happens when they get on their computer and start using it. WifiInfoView will show the channel they are using.

 

You will then need to log into the admin menu of your router and look at your Wireless Settings. Most likely your channel is set to Auto, but that is not working well for you so try a channel the no one else in your neighborhood is using.

 

Unless you can connect to the router via a wired (Ethernet) connection, you will likely get thrown off your wireless network when you change the channel and will be required to connect again. Only this time, it will be on the new channel, and hopefully will hold.

 

Note all routers are a little bit different, so I cannot give specific instructions (unless you happen to have a Netgear WNR3500L wireless router). Most often, you log in to the router's admin menu by entering the Default Gateway IP Address (often it is 192.168.1.1) in your browser's address box. From there, hopefully you have the password to get in. If you don't know the IP address, run ipconfig from a command prompt and look for Default Gateway.

Thank you. I've gotten WifiInfoView and you are correct all the close by neighbors wifi show up and one was on the same channel as mine. So I login to my modem/router and changed the channel. So here's hoping this works now and no more getting booted. 

And the one that was the same channel is the one you were talking about in your opening post? Even if not, hopefully you changing your channel will help.

 

You might also look at your own router's placement to see if you can put it in a better place for better reception to your connected devices. A central, elevated location is typically better (as opposed to a far corner of the house in the basement). Often just moving the antenna(s) around can help. If internal antennas, just rotating the router 90° may help. Also, ensuring your router (or your notebook) are not near some other device that is causing RFI (RF interference). These can be things like old or faulty TVs, microwave ovens, fluorescent lighting, or other nearby electronics.

 

My point is your neighbor's distant network should not be coming in so strong it interferes with your, much closer network, even if on the same channel, unless, for some reason, the signal strength from your network was being severely attenuated, or interfered with. This same channel issue is more common in apartment complexes where you may have several neighbors' networks just on the other side of common walls, floors, and/or ceilings. 150-300 yards away is still within normal operating ranges of wifi networks, but the signal strength of your network just 10 or so yards away "should" be strong enough to not get kicked off by one so distant in normal circumstances. I say "should" because electronics, especially radio electronics can be mystical and finicky even on good days!

 

Other scenarios could be your neighbor is using a directional antenna for some reason (hopefully not to spy on you!). Normally, wireless networks use Omni-directional antennas for full surrounding coverage. Directional antennas concentrate the RF in one direction, greatly extending their useful distance in that one direction.

Yes my neighbor was on the same channel as me. So I switched channels. Since then I haven't lost connection to my router. I am aware that my Internet cable comes into my home in the same location as the Main Power/Fuse box for the home. Which is another issue I have but will need my provider to move. Thankyou for your assistance.

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I am aware that my Internet cable comes into my home in the same location as the Main Power/Fuse box for the home

 

If your Internet cable is in good condition and there are no connectors/splices where it runs along side your power cable, you "should" be fine there. You can minimize any interference problems by (if possible) have your Ethernet cable cross over your power cable at 90° angles (or as close to 90° as possible). This will help cancel out any "eddy" currents that might cause Interference.

 

But I don't believe this is your problem because you would have interference problems all the time, not just when your neighbor gets on line. Plus your wifi connection is between your computer and your wireless router and really has nothing to do with the router to the pole (or outside cable box) connection. In other words, you losing your wifi connection has nothing to do with your Ethernet connection.

 

Anyway, I am glad changing channels seems to have cleared up your problem.