How to analyze a wifi network with many devices

Question

My friend has a wifi network with an x-box, a wii, a playstation, and two nintendo portables. She's also got 2-3 PC's and a network printer. She's got a wifi repeater as well.

She claims that she didn't have any issues for months with everything working together, and suddenly everything stopped disconnecting.

I haven't been over there yet - wanted to figure out the best way to diagnose the thing. I asked her to send me the stats on the booster and the modem, etc:

The booster is Netgear serial #2ac2195506b95 The modem is Cisco Linksys e1500 #10910c12129103 We have a sprint router thru centurylink and they said it is working fine 660 series

Answer 1

Do a site survey and determine if there are "new" wirelss APs in the area. Heatmapper is a handy tool. A new device may bew causing a conflict. This could be in a nearby building. If you find conflicts, chnage her wireless channel to an unused one and set it so it does not auto select