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Linksys Wired/Wireless Hybrid Dropping Internet Access Regularly

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damaeus

Technical User
Dec 3, 2010
11
US
Router: Linksys WRT54g Version 6 (Wired/Wireless Hybrid), plugged into a UPS, Firmware updated a couple or three months ago.
Computers: Two connected, one is wired (WinXP), the other is wireless (Windows Vista).
Satellite Modem: Hughes HN7000S

This is a problem I didn't realize I was having until I installed a usage monitor from HughesNet (a satellite internet service, formerly DirecPC), then it all became clear.

Before installing the usage monitor, occasionally I'd try to load web pages or check my e-mail and I wouldn't get a connection. At the time I just figured that was the nature of satellite service. After installing the monitor, I noticed that quite regularly, the monitor would pop up and notify me that no satellite modem could be found. And since I installed the same monitor on my friend's computer, he would get the same notification at exactly the same time.

At first I would angrily get up and pull the power plug on the router, wait a few seconds, then plug it back in. I got tired of doing that every ten or fifteen minutes, and I began waiting patiently. After about 20-30 seconds, we'd get internet access back on both computers at the same time. The lighted indicators on the satellite modem remain steady. I believe I've tracked it down to a simple matter of the router cutting off access to the satellite modem, as well as cutting off access to itself. When I cannot access the internet, I can also not access the router administration through 192.168.1.1. It's like the router says it's had enough and it takes a short break, then comes back after 20-30 seconds.

Well, I've read in other threads about a connection limit of 255 connections, so I thought maybe we were somehow maxing out on connections. But if I'm remembering correctly, I can recall some times when I wake up and plop down in front of the computer, and the first thing that happens is a connection loss, so it may not be maxing out on connections. We both are on Facebook a lot playing the multitude of games they have, sending gifts, receiving gifts, etc... so I imagine the connections are probably way up there when we're both active, but what about the times when only one of us is active, or when nobody is doing anything online for hours, then we just find the connection to the modem is dead the first time we click on something. This also makes chatting on IRC very annoying, by the way. I lose the connection to all the servers I'm on and they all have to reconnect.

DHCP is on automatic configuration, and lease time is one day. I checked with ipconfig /all and right now it shows the lease was obtained at 3:53pm on December 3, and expires at 3:53pm on December 4. We've lost the connection to the modem several times since 3:53 on 12/3.

I just lost the connection again and all I've done is use Google and load about five web pages (not simultaneously).

I do run Sunbelt Personal Firewall, but active or deactivated, it makes no difference.

That's all I can think of to include in this first message. Thanks for reading.

Damaeus
 
So far I've only had to reboot the Netgear router three times when it dropped internet access for both computers. I don't guess that's too bad for something I've had since January 5, 2011.
 
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