Random Question Thread: Tech

**arshesney** · 2012-02-21 08:00

New laptop? I had an HP6620 (or some code like that) at work that would get really hot around cpu area, but worked fine for years. Switched later to a VAIO and wasn't heating that much, guess it depends by manufacturer/model. If it is an old laptop you might open it and check if dust is blocking fan.

**Fryte** · 2012-02-21 18:41

Problem: My wi-fi doesn't reach my bedroom consistently.

Currently using a WRT45G Linksys wireless router. Sadly, the router's position must stay where it is. My bedroom is only 30 or 40 feet away, but the wifi is erratic or nonexistant in that bedroom. Full signal in the living room in between the router and the bedroom.

Looking for any sort of solution, software or hardware. Software tends to be cheaper and more preferred however.

Thanks for any help!

**Purrrfect** · 2012-02-21 18:52

If you have a wifi android device you can get wifi analyzer on the market and see if there may be an issue of lots of surrounding networks on the same channel. I'm sure there is a pc equivalent but I don't know what it is.

**hey** · 2012-02-21 18:53

Originally Posted by Fryte

Problem: My wi-fi doesn't reach my bedroom consistently.

Currently using a WRT45G Linksys wireless router. Sadly, the router's position must stay where it is. My bedroom is only 30 or 40 feet away, but the wifi is erratic or nonexistant in that bedroom. Full signal in the living room in between the router and the bedroom.

Looking for any sort of solution, software or hardware. Software tends to be cheaper and more preferred however.

Thanks for any help!

The only software solutions would probably be to increase the power of the wireless signal and try changing channels, if there's a lot of other people using the same one as you. If your router+wireless card supports 5ghz, and you're not using it, then that would probably help, but may not be an option if your router doesn't have two antennas to broadcast at both 2.4 ghz and 5 ghz, as many devices still do not support 5 ghz.

Otherwise solutions are:

1) wire a connection
2) put a wireless access point closer to your room
3) (if using 2.4 ghz) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electro...nce_at_2.4_GHz

If you can't get a consistent connection from only 30-40', then the problem is most likely interference. The obvious first thing to do here, is increase the power of antenna, and see if other channels are better. If you have a cordless phone that uses 2.4 ghz, you may want to replace that as well. If you're in a really crowded area though, this may not be good enough. If so, the best solution is likely to use 5 ghz, as there is currently much, much less interference at this frequency. Unfortunately, as i mentioned before, this may not be possible, without replacing your router and/or wireless card. If you're on a budget, it may be cheaper to simply get a wireless access point to bounce through. This should be more than adequate, but may or may not be as good as going 5 ghz.

**Caiyuo** · 2012-02-21 18:58

Originally Posted by Purrrfect

If you have a wifi android device you can get wifi analyzer on the market and see if there may be an issue of lots of surrounding networks on the same channel. I'm sure there is a pc equivalent but I don't know what it is.

http://www.metageek.net/products/inssider/ !

Also, you can try pointing one of the thingies at your computer if you haven't already.

**Senji** · 2012-02-21 19:49

Originally Posted by Fryte

Problem: My wi-fi doesn't reach my bedroom consistently.

Currently using a WRT45G Linksys wireless router. Sadly, the router's position must stay where it is. My bedroom is only 30 or 40 feet away, but the wifi is erratic or nonexistant in that bedroom. Full signal in the living room in between the router and the bedroom.

Looking for any sort of solution, software or hardware. Software tends to be cheaper and more preferred however.

Thanks for any help!

Hey touched on it, but in laymans terms; replace the stock firmware with tomato or ddwrt and crank up the wireless signal power. Its weak on that model, and you can turn it up quite a bit.

**Kerberoz** · 2012-02-21 21:05

Get a directional antenna and point it at your room.

**hey** · 2012-02-22 00:01

Is there any way to force thunderbird to check for emails more than once per minute?

**Niya** · 2012-02-22 02:57

@fryte: besides what the others already mentioned, you could try a repeater somewhere between the router and your bedroom. or, if you like it cheap and want to tinker a bit, there's tons of manuals on the net for custom made wlan antenna "boosters" that improve the wlan signal in one direction. Something like "Cantennas" ^^

@hey: no. Only way that i can think of would be using Thunderbird with a server that supports IMAP push, so the server tells Thunderbird almost instant when a new mail arrives.

**Siya** · 2012-02-22 20:19

This may be a dumb question cause I'm fairly sure of the answer, but thought I'de ask it anyways. Was just tweaking my system and such and noticed in the future mark test it was clocking my ram at 667mhz (PC3-10700) when it should be PC3-12800

Spoiler: show

Just wanted to double check before I set it manually in the bios, should be 1600. I've always had it set to auto and just now been around to checking it.

Another thing I wanted to check on regarding future mark was that my physics score was "lower than it should be". Which may be in due part to the RAM but not sure so I'm asking what could cause it to be lower than it should be?

Spoiler: show

**Drakath** · 2012-02-23 11:38

Hi there. Recently my desktop computer has started to freeze a couple minutes after I boot it up every morning. After rebooting it, I keep it on for the rest of the day and it doesn't happen again. I'm a little concerned because it's happened several days in a row now. I'm wondering if there's some way I can identify the cause?

**Rivero** · 2012-02-23 13:35

For some reason youtube loads incredibly slowly compared to other websites. Anyone have any idea why?

**madpersian** · 2012-02-23 14:47

I have the same experience. Its probably massive traffic.

**Rivero** · 2012-02-23 14:49

Ah okay, thanks. Glad to know. Thought maybe some sort of odd virus.

**Ace-o-fire** · 2012-02-23 17:25

Alright this might not be a tech question, but this is the best place i can think of to ask this.

My phone plan was up, and I bought a basic phone off contract for right now. I was wondering if there is any way to get a smart phone without a data plan on Verizon or any other major carrier. I'm just rarely out of wifi so i don't really need the 4g coverage.

**Senji** · 2012-02-23 19:29

Not on verizon. Tmobile you used to, but I think they canned it.

**Ace-o-fire** · 2012-02-23 20:47

Would i be able to buy the phone from a third party source and have them switch over my number without changing of my plan?

**hey** · 2012-02-23 20:49

Originally Posted by Ace-o-fire

Would i be able to buy the phone from a third party source and have them switch over my number without changing of my plan?

'fraid not.

**Senji** · 2012-02-23 23:29

You could just buy an ipod touch or purchase a smartphone outright and use it for wifi, keeping your regular phone and plan for texting/calls.

**Qeomash** · 2012-02-23 23:45

Can two people watch streaming Netflix on the same account at the same time?

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