I keep losing DNS but not my uploads or downloads

[ds9atttc]

OK let me try to explain my problem I have 3 computers networked together I'm using a linksys router and I have a cable modem
all are running 98se. The problem I'm having is, that on one of the computers, If I'm doing any type of web surfing for more then 30 minutes or so at a time, I keep losing it's DNS. and I have to reboot to get it back. Now the weird thing is, If I'm downloading or uploading with winmx, kazaa or any P2P software I don't lose my connection as far as the uploads or downloads go, but I still can't surf the net because I get the can't find DNS error. Until I reboot. I tried just about everything to fix this problem I tried replacing the network cable the NIC, changing the connection ports to the router and reinstalling all software including 98se. and I still lose my web surfing ability after about 30 minutes on this computer. Can anybody help with this problem It has now become an obsession

 

[pmkincaid]

First, how are you assigning IPs to the workstations? If you are using DHCP, try setting a static IP, or simply hard-code the DNS server within the TCP/IP properties.

Secondly, as for the P2P sharing software - most of those connect via IP to the person you are downloading from - no DNS gets involved. Granted, the initial connections are made via a FQDN, but when connecting to download, its usually by IP and not FQDN.

Hope this helps,
Paul

 

[TheOldMan346]

ds9atttc,

I'd go along with pmkincaid's suggestion of hard-coding the DNS as a stopgap. But I'm curious and would want to know what was going on.

This is only happening on the one computer, correct?
Are there any scheduled tasks being performed?
Is there anything different about the hardware, network configuration or applications running on this computer?

The Old Man

 

[Guest_imported]

OK I'm going to give it a shot pmkincaid and see what that will do.

Now to answer The Old Man's questions, this is only on the one computer No tasks are being performed.
the hardware, network & config on all 3 are about the same.
no other apps are running in the background. All 3 was working fine for about a year or so, Then all of a sudden I started losing the connection on the one.

Thanks for all the help

 

[TheOldMan346]

ds9atttc,

Which Linky are you using? What firmware version?
Is your cable connection DHCP? Does the client computer pick up the router's LAN address as the DNS server or does it get the ISP's DNS address.

There is an undocumented DNS proxy in the LinkSys router that enables you to specify the router's IP as the DNS and it will relay the request to the DNS server address the router picked up by way of DHCP. Apparently there are intermittent problems with this in certain devices/firmware combinations.

Take a look in the LinkSys forum at

http://www.dslreports.com.

You are not alone with this problem.

Good luck.
The Old Man