i borrow my neighbors internet, and some nights (NIGHTS, i can hardly get a connection in the day) i can get a clear signal and get up to around 5 mbps on speedtest.net
and other nights, i can't even connect to his wifi.
I know hes broadcasting though, because when i walk towards his house i can pick it up on my ipod touch
could it be the weather? or something else?
Verified answer
It's not the weather per se which is basically an irrelevance at the distances over which wifi operates. However, at night the condition of the ionosphere does change (because it is no longer being battered by the solar wind) in a manner making it more favourable to radio transmission, which incidentally is why you can often hear distant radio stations at night that you can't during the day. I'd still be surprised if that has any noticeable effect in this instance but I wouldn't entirely rule it out.
I heard in Earth Science that Day/night can effect signals from radio stations to some people since radio waves travel better with less radiation (The sun's radiation makes the waves stronger and when they are stronger, the farther away a connection the less strength) . I don't know if its the same with routers, but it could be!
Think it as a Radio station; When your listening to AM radio the sound quality is less and it has less static. But when your listening to a radio station it is better quality but theres a shorter distance of a signal.
___________
But if your using a ethernet cord to get wired connection than it can be the weather from the cord being worn-out by rain or wind.
Well I find it funny that you're using your neighbor's internet xD (though I'm really one to talk here)
Anyway, it could be the weather, or perhaps some other interfering signal. Maybe all the ethernet connections are being used up by various computers, iPods, etc.
Wireless, which operates at 2.4Ghz (most routers do...) is the same as microwave ovens. That means any moisture in the air like fog or rain, will attenuate the signal significantly. That along with interference from other 2.4Ghz radio waves (cordless phones, microwave ovens, etc.) will interfere with the signal you are trying to get.
It's affecting wi fi since it started I can't get connected and my sis having same problem and couple of other people I know.