Linksys Wired/Wireless Hybrid Dropping Internet Access Regularly

[damaeus]

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

 

[Lemon13]

You already pinned it down to the router, to assure that connect one pc directly to the modem. if its ok then you have a dogy router, replace it.

M. Knorr

MCSE, MCTS, MCSA, CCNA

 

[damaeus]

LOL, well I thought maybe there might be some kind of setting I could change, or maybe I could reconfigure something. If I knew for sure whether this has been going on since I got the router new, I'd know that either (a) Linksys sucks, or (b) my configuration sucks.

 

[BadBigBen]

It could well be a flaky DHCP implementation on the ROUTER side...

for testing, give your PC a static IP in the same range as the DHCP is set to... (192.168.1.2 to 192.168.1.254)

How do I configure my static IP address?

http://ask-leo.com/how_do_i_configure_my_static_ip_address.html

also if you IPCONFIG /ALL , when it drops the connection, what does it say your IP is? if you are still in the range (see the parenthesis above) then I am also inclined to believe that the ROUTER is trash, but if the IP is anything other then it is time to look a bit closer to your PCs settings and programs that may well cause this behavior...




Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[rclarke250]

Look into an alternate firmware for the router, like

http://www.dd-wrt.com/site/index

Several people I know with the 54g router report that all of the disconnect issues they have had with that router are fixed once they put dd-wrt on it.

 

[Sympology]

Ok (unless i've missed it).

How are you connected to the router, wirelessly or wired?

If wireless, try connecting via a cable.
If that works try using different channels, it may be you have a confict with another wireless device (it may not show up if it has it's SSID hidden).
If wired, try a different cable. They do go bad.

Is the router near any devices with a lot of interferance, flouresant tubes (incluse low energy bulbs), microwave, CRT? If so move it.
Is the router on a power adapter? If so do you have a suitable spare. We see this a hell of a lot at work, even from the likes of Cisco "pro" kit.

Robert Wilensky:
We've all heard that a million monkeys banging on a million typewriters will eventually reproduce the entire works of Shakespeare. Now, thanks to the Internet, we know this is not true.

 

[damaeus]

Okay, I bypassed the router while my friend was at work and I never lost my connection. It's definitely the router.

So away it goes. Now the question is... I read on this site about a router for gamers that has two connection buffers so when one buffer fills up without releasing old connections, you're switched to a second buffer most regular routers don't have so you never experience a connection loss on your computer. I can't find the post anymore so I wondered if anyone knew what brand of router had the two connection buffers. If not, what's considered the "Cadillac" of routers these days? At one point I thought it was Linksys, but I'm not impressed with this one, especially after the latest firmware upgrade. Whoever typed up all the messages for the latest firmware was not a native English speaker. The grammar was horrible and it mae me wonder about the "care" put into their products. I have nothing against foreign languages, but let those foreign to the USA get their own language-specific firmware update. I'd like to see my firmware updates in real English so I won't be left feeling like I'm dealing with a company who even tried to save money on a typist.

Damaeus

 

[damaeus]

Oh, I also forgot to ask -- do the network adapters and wireless USB network adapters have to be the same brand or if they're all 802.11g, is that enough? I'm hoping I can still find an 802.11g router because my PC doesn't have a free PCI slot and the network card is built onto the motherboard.

This might be a stupid question, but at least it's a question I only have to ask once. I'm assuming brands can be mixed and matched because my motherboard's network adapter appears to be branded Nvidia, but possibly Linksys manufactured it for them.

 

[BadBigBen]

nVidia is nVidia... not Linksys... with that said, the 802.11g is a standard in wireless communication, to which manufacturers have to abide to... meaning, they are all interchangeable...

as to the router, I have never heard off one that had double buffer, though that does not preclude that there isn't one... I've found D-Link to be pretty darn easy to use and reliable, and AVM FritzBox (though I am not sure if they are available in the US)...



Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[rclarke250]

Well, LinkSys is a Canadian company that is now owned by Cisco, so if you don't like them, stay away from the Cisco home routers, as they are the same just have a different nameplate on them. Like Ben, I like the D-Link I have been using. And just so you know, Most N- routers, will still work with 802.11G just fine. Just look on the box, it will tell you the specifications it works with. 802.11 a,b,g,n Some will do all, or only one, or any mix of them.

 

[damaeus]

Thanks for the replies. I've heard others say good things about D-Link so I'll go with that one for now.

 

[damaeus]

Hmmm... I wonder:

http://www.google.com

"Linksys sucks" - About 656 results
"Netgear sucks" - About 2,710 results
" D-Link sucks" - About 8,430 results

So I've got to make a choice between a Linksys E3000, or a Netgear equivalent that sits right next to it at Best Buy, or a D-Link® DIR-825 Xtreme N™ Dual-Band Gigabit Router, which is sold at Office Depot, which I assume has the double buffer described in the parenthetical in the next sentence. I don't remember the Netgear model number, but when I asked the guy about a router for gaming with two connection buffers (when one is used up, the router seamlessly switches to the other), he put his hands on the E3000 and the Netgear router sitting right next to it. I've read a lot of spooky information about a high performance Linksys router not having a very strong signal, even though its selling point is that it has more range than previous models. This WRT54G delivers a full-strength signal to the computer connected wirelessly, so given that, I don't think the house or its layout is a problem at all. If I get the Linksys E3000 and the signal is crap, I'll simply know the router is crap. However, this isn't my money being spent and I don't want to be embarrassed if I get an E3000 and it turns out to be a floater in the toilet.

The irritating thing is that when reading reviews, there are some with "one star" and a list of bad experiences, and some with five stars along with worship and glorification.

And then I'm also left wondering if competitors are deliberately posting crappy reviews for various routers..., like the D-Link CEO going to a site selling Linksys to talk about what a horrible router Linksys is, and what a fantastic router D-Link is.

I just want one that does what the box says it'll do. If I get something that doesn't do what's advertised, I start feeling cheated and I start coming up with conspiracy theories about some kind of psychological warfare where companies intentionally glorify products they know are crap just to see how much stress they can lay on innocent customers. I know that sounds nutty, but in this day and age of cost-cutting and looking to save a penny on production costs, inferiority is bound to surface.

 

[tlcscousin]

Any name brand router works,most fail after a while usually after the warranty runs out.The failures can be caused by power issues brownouts surges or intermittent loss of power.
All routers have good and bad reviews, most of the bad reviews you read are because someone had an issue with that make or model. Good reviews are not really an indication because most people dont submit a review of their routers they work so they dont go to sites to write reviews.
I have tried a bunch of the different brands dlink linksys smc belkin tplink airlink engenius aopen (not netgear so far)because of power issues where i live. All sooner or later have died, except the tplink and i replaced it troubleshooting an xbox live issue. That router is still in use at another place and is still working, however it is just over the warranty period now so who knows how long it will last.
So really a name brand router will usually do exactly what they advertize just how long it will do it is up in the air.

 

[Noway2]

For what its worth, I too have a Linksys WRT54g. Not sure about the hardware version though. I did blast the default firmware and upgrade it to dd_wrt. I am still having connection drop issues with it and they seem to be getting worse as in more frequent which leads me to suspect something in the hardware is dying. Performing a power pull reset of it usually straightens it out for a while at least.

 

[damaeus]

@Norway - Yes, the Linksys WRT54G was doing the same thing and it was getting worse.

@tlcscousin - I went with a Netgear N600 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router. It was $149 on sale at Best Buy. Setup was extremely easy and I didn't have to do anything to the two computers because I used the same network name and passphrase.

So far I'm happy.

 

[Noway2]

Personally, I have been happy with my Netgear equipment. I have an fvs318 that has been running 24x7 for almost 10 years in of all places my garage where it gets about a 80F degree temp swing from winter to summer (doesn't freeze but gets to over 100F). It has not given me one bit of trouble or had to be power on reset once in all that time, which is a lot more than I can say about the Linksys.

On the flip side, at my parents house which I visit a couple times a year, I went cheap and got some model of Belkin which has to be power reset a couple of times a day to keep it working.

 

[FredWagner]

You're using a Satellite modem - line of sight up to a satellite. Any chance there are airplanes flying by fairly often - like you're within 20 miles of a major airport ? If a large metal flying machine blocks the path to the satellite for a second or two, could that be the cause of your signal loss?
Back in the 1960's, I had a ham 6-meter radio in Fort Worth, and there was so much air traffic that I could frequently talk to people 30-40 miles away in Dallas by signals reflecting off the airplanes. With no planes in the air, we were not line of sight. Same principle - aircraft reflecting a signal creating a path, aircraft blocking a signal, interrupting a path.

Fred Wagner

 

[damaeus]

No, we live out in the country and there's a perfect line of sight to the satellite. There are no trees anywhere near the line of sight. But the problem was the router, anyway. It's been replaced and I no longer lose the satellite signal... of course, now Facebook buttons have stopped working in Opera, Chrome, Safari, SeaMonkey and Internet Explorer, yet they still work in Firefox. It just happened one night about three nights ago. One minute everything was working, the next minute everything was broken except for in Firefox, a browser I hate because it's so slow and clunky. I bypassed the router, the problem remained. I tried Earthlink dialup, however, and all the Facebook buttons worked again in all browsers. The problem there is obviously with something they did at HughesNet. I'm about to call their tech support after I search the web a bit more for people having the same problem.

 

[FredWagner]

I've made FireFox my default browser at home, it always works, which i can't say for IE8. At work, IE8 works all the time, so I rarely use FireFox. I try to keep Windows fully patched both places - using XP Pro SP3 at work, Vista-64 and Win7 at home. Keep your blood pressure down, go with what works, without digging too deeply to figure out why, unless you're a 'stress junkie' !

Fred Wagner

 

[caaach]

Just to pipe in here late in the game. I have found that netgear has the best out of the box range in both their routers and cards. However, they do not last any longer than any other router or card. I have gone through 3 in as many years. But, that is with almost 24\7 use in accessing the net or network. Poor things get so hot. Others seem to last just as long though. I go with the easy to set up and out of the box range, and that would be netgear, hands down, every time. In my opinion anyway.


Caaach

01001001011001100010000001111001011011110111010100100000011000110110000101101110001000000111001001100101011000010110010000100000011101000110100001101001011100110010000001111001011011110111010100100000011010110110111001101111011101110010000001110111011000010111100100100000011101000110111101101111001000000110110101110101011000110110100000100000011000