Two laptops one keeps dropping from router

[#1]

Advice please, we are using two laptops - both wireless. one running Windows 7, the other Vista home premium. The wireless connection on the Windows 7 is constant, however, on Vista, several times a day, there is no internet connection at all and the router does not have it listed.  I have checked to see different IP address have been assigned to both machines and there are.
Sometimes it will come back on a few moments later, other times we have to unplug the router before it will connect again.
We are on fibre if that is any help.
Also, any advice you can give, please do it in baby language as I am a complete computer numpty - thank you 

[#2]

Does the Vista laptop have a convenient switch to turn the wifi off/on.  Or maybe one of the function key combinations?  If so, when the Vista has lost connection, try switching that off for a few seconds, then back on again.  Not convenient and not a fix, but maybe a  lerss inconvenient patch for your problem.

[#3]

Try configuring a different wifi channel in the router.
Channels to try are 1, 6 and 11, stick with whichever gives the best result.

[#4]

On the vista laptop, when the wifi drops, try going to Control Panel/Device manager and disable and then re-enable the WiFi device driver. If that restores the connection, have a hunt around the internet and see if there is a more recent driver for the wireless device (don't use the "find a driver" websites - identify the device and go along to the manufacturers website)

[#5]

Thank you wisty,  npr and sjptd  for your advice
Drivers are up to date
On/off switch set to on
I have tried every channel
If I go to the router and refresh, the router then recognises the laptop and there is a connection again for a while, but having ti do this several times a day is a bit of a pain in the rear :o(

[#6]

Is it the plusnet router that is supplied?
If so get rid of it. My Macbook pro used to do the same thing whilst other devices ie ipads and macbook air were fine. I got a new macbook and was still intermittent. I bought myself an apple airport extreme and no problems anymore.
The router from PLusnet is USELESS  and is the worst i have ever come across. I think i may ask for a refund on it as it is that bad

[#7]

You haven't said which router you have - if it is the TG582n try giving the Vista laptop a fixed IP address
Go to here http://192.168.1.254/cgi/b/lan/?be=0&l0=4&l1=-1 login required
The click on the device then on Configure then tick Always use the same IP address
This may fix it

[#8]

Quote from: jmctighe

Is it the plusnet router that is supplied? If so get rid of it. My Macbook pro used to do the same thing whilst other devices ie ipads and macbook air were fine. I got a new macbook and was still intermittent. I bought myself an apple airport extreme and no problems anymore. The router from PLusnet is USELESS  and is the worst i have ever come across. I think i may ask for a refund on it as it is that bad

It is a Plusnet router with a Openreach bix underneath, still do not understand why we have to have the two of them, the engineer said something about them bringing out a new one soon but I did nit catch exactly what he meant :o(

[#9]

Quote from: Oldjim

You haven't said which router you have - if it is the TG582n try giving the Vista laptop a fixed IP address Go to here http://192.168.1.254/cgi/b/lan/?be=0&l0=4&l1=-1 login required The click on the device then on Configure then tick Always use the same IP address This may fix it

The router is a PXK3X3
S'cuse ignorance, but I though each device should have it's own IP address, which when I have looked at the router each laptop and my phone does, should I change this?

[#10]

That isn't your router type - if you go to http://192.168.1.254/login.lp what is the type shown in the top left
Each device has it's own IP address which is automatically assigned but sometimes the TG582n can get it's knickers in a twist and Vista doesn't see the router
Setting a fixed IP address for the Vista laptop only means that the IP address for that laptop doesn't change if it loses the connection to the router.
Now here I am speculating and may be wrong but if the laptop loses connection to the router then reconnects then Vista may still be looking for the original IP address but the router has allocated a different one

[#11]

Afraid your link is not working for me, but I do have access to the router and the home page there is nothing at all about the type of router, actually, it is a odd kind of set up, with previous routers I have been able to see much more information.  If I go to the help desk tab, it gives all sorts of info but says serial number and product name as just being Plusnet router nothing more specific than that.
I do think you are right about the IP address for the Vista not being stable, but there is no way I can click on the vista info in the router to change it.
dick:quote

[#12]

Does the router look like one of the top two on this page? : http://www.plus.net/support/broadband/hardware/ and, if so, which one?

[#13]

It is the top one  
dick:quote

[#14]

In which case ignore my suggestion as you can't do it

[#15]

At least I know I am not even thicker than I thought  
dick:quote