Well as far as I know, altering which mode the router was set on determined whether or not I saw my network. It might have been the channel width but it was related in some way. In answer to your question, there is literally nothing between either computers and the router. One of the computers is right next to it, the other one is simply on the other side of the room.
I did what you said and started it back to factory settings, didn't change the name or anything, and to my surprise - it worked! The bad news is that it only worked for the Inspiron 1525. It didn't connect to the network at all on the first try with the 1545 and then on the second try it identified the router as a new device and took me through some idiot setup process that screwed up all of the settings and made it impossible for either computer to connect to the network.
I suppose the test somewhat eliminates this as an option but I am still somewhat suspect that it could be a hardware issue, at least with the router or with the computers. Reason being is that this router worked at our previous house which was literally down the street. I remember that I just happened to carry the router over by hand (not stuffed in a box) so nothing could have happened to it that might change how it worked from one house to another.
The only new thing that was introduced, hardware wise, was the modem and it doesn't appear to be the issue. I am forced to conclude that this is some kind of settings war that my computer and the router are having.
I did what you said and started it back to factory settings, didn't change the name or anything, and to my surprise - it worked! The bad news is that it only worked for the Inspiron 1525. It didn't connect to the network at all on the first try with the 1545 and then on the second try it identified the router as a new device and took me through some idiot setup process that screwed up all of the settings and made it impossible for either computer to connect to the network.
I suppose the test somewhat eliminates this as an option but I am still somewhat suspect that it could be a hardware issue, at least with the router or with the computers. Reason being is that this router worked at our previous house which was literally down the street. I remember that I just happened to carry the router over by hand (not stuffed in a box) so nothing could have happened to it that might change how it worked from one house to another.
The only new thing that was introduced, hardware wise, was the modem and it doesn't appear to be the issue. I am forced to conclude that this is some kind of settings war that my computer and the router are having.
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