We install & have been installing about 2 Linksys wrt-54g routers and boosters every week for some time with great results. From car dealerships to private homes with the booster the results have been excellent. I'd be happy to help. You can email me at [email protected]

www.hvhomemedia.com

You have to be able too see in the dark.

Wireless works if you help it a bit.

1. Buy DIAGNOSIC EQUIPMENT. Frequency monitoring scanners and such that allow you to "see" whats really happening in your windowless wireless world.
You'll be amazed at what your gear is competing against out there. IT is imperative that you diagnose your REAL problem, not keep switching brand names.

RadioRA?? works on the same frequency as the Chicago Fire Department's Ambulance repeater system. Turn on a scanner and just listen. Took forever to figure that one out

If Belkin = Terk, then Linksys = Blose

Aw, come on now... Linksys? We've used their hardwired stuff for clients & ourselves with great results - no service calls ever. And the wireless stuff is no worse than anyone else's. I avoid all wireless equally, without prejudice.

Yes, Terk & Bose do in fact suck. But when a healthy bottom line is all that matters, the "Marketing 1st, Engineering 2nd" strategy seems to work.

Doug @ HomeWorks

First, I am a DIY/non-professional.

The main problems that I have encountered with wifi is interference in my house from non-line of site (i.e. walls, pipes, etc. that are blocking transmission) and distance from a wireless access point as signal strength decreases to the distance squared the further one is away from a point.

However, I successfully set up a 100% reliable wireless network. The key is having sufficient quantity of wireless access points to avoid line of site issues or distance issues. Short of having a house pre-wired for CAT-5 (which my house was not), I am using a technology called Powerline that has a CAT-5 from my router plug into the AC outlet/powerline adapter. I can then set up 14 hard-wired or wireless access points. I used it to put 3 Siemens wireless access points per floor of my house. Simply install the software, plug into an AC outletthat is hidden (say behind a toaster to give wireless access in the kitchen), and you are good to go. I then used a wired powerline connection to hook up my computer (in my bedroom) to my Gateway Networked DVD player (in the living room) to be able to play music, videos, or display digital pictures in any room in the house via a Niles ZR8630 AV multi-zone receiver. All this in a house not wired with Cat-5. It works great and has a very intuitive interface via a TV (very similar to Escient, but able to show photos). I also used an audiotron (like the Gateway but uses a web interface instead of a TV interface) so I can control the music from a wireless laptop, iPronot, or a desktop as it sets up a web based music server that is accessed by a web page. I compared some significantly more expensive systems (Escient, etc.) and it is more versatile (shows pictures), costs $200, and is 100% reliable in my experience.

Frequency contention can come from:
cordless telephone on the 2.4 band
wireless tv monitors and cameras in the baby's room, front door
microwave ovens.

Both 802.11b and 802.11g standards use the 2.4 band.
802.11a uses the 5.8 band but has more limited distance and more trouble travelling through walls, etc. BUT has less contention with all but the new 5.8 cordless telephones.

I'd say the Key to your entire response is the fact that you used Siemens Access Points..... Spending the few extra bucks can increse reliability greatly...