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Linksys WRT54G problems: 3

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psemianonymous

psemianonymous

Programmer
Dec 2, 2002
1,877
US
I've read a hundred threads on usenet about problems with the Linksys Wireless-G routers. I'd appreciate some direction as to how to fix my problems.


My WRT54G drops the internet connection after a variable period of time. I've been good for two hours, or as little as fifteen minutes. I am still able to get into router management (i.e. but I am not able to access the Internet. I am running firmware version 1.02.1. Powering down/cycling the router fixes the problem, at least until the next failure...


I have read a LOT of threads, and I have seen some suggestions. Comment as you may on the following:

-I should set the MTU to 576

-Uncheck the "IEEE 802.1X authentication" option

-Upgrade my firmware to the most recent version (I've heard both good and awful things about upgrading the firmware...)

-Change the channel to 11 (from 6)

-Change from Mixed-Mode to G-only

-Heating issue, move the WRT54G itself

-((( INSERT YOUR SUGGESTION HERE )))


A little aside: is there any way to remotely reboot the router (i.e. from my machine, where I am unmovably sitting)? I am aware of the "ping hack", in which you can run linux commands in the "ping" box by doing `ls -al`, for example. So can I use `reboot` or `shutdown 1` safely on this box? I'm afraid to try...

Thanks for any help,


Pete
 
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Current (USA) firmware for the WRT54G is 2.00.8.

You do not use the "ping hack" to reset the machine.

You have listed above a lot of scattered advice, let me immediately toss out the worst that you have read:

. If DSL is your broadband connection, set the clients and the router to MTU of 1492; if cable, the default of 1500 is fine. You would only set an MTU of 576 on a dial-up connection.

. If your are not in an 802.1x setting (your are not) there is no reason to enable this authentication on the client. This bit of advice may well be part of your problem.

. Changing the default channel from 6 to 11 (or 1) can help, but this is advice originally intended for the 802.11b folks. The "G" is spread spectrum, and while it is not exactly true to say the channel change in the presence of intereference makes no difference, for "G" it makes a small one.

. Users of the WRT54G in older firmwares find the Mixed Mode setting preferred to a straight-G setting. This has been my on experience, but the issue seems less important with the firmware releases over the last 8 months. For your firmware release, set the router to Mixed.

. Heating issues. Not in any remarkable way. The Linksys products tend to use convenction to cool themselves, so watch what is stacked below and above them. But I have been running the "ping hack" at 84 without issue for 7 months, and it does not run hotter in any significant way than previously. This has been the general finding other than one posting on the Seattle Wireless site some months ago.

My suggestion is to go to the Linksys site and BroadbandReports. Read exisiting postings about the WRT54G, read the Linksys FAQ on the site:
 
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I did not think you were.

I did see this note last night in reference to the new Version 2 of the WRT54G:

"It looks like we've only been shipping this for about a week.
The initial release of the firmware you see on our website is specific to only version 2, however, going forward, all releases of the firmware will be backwards compatible with v1/1.1.

Regards,
Mike Lipstein
Linksys - A Division of Cisco Systems, Inc.
Account Executive
949-784-2821"

Which suggets that you not use the 2.00.8 firmware, but the previous release: wrt54g_1.42.3_fw.bin

Many users find the self-installing versions of the firmware easier to use: wrt54g_1.42.3_fw.exe

See the site: ftp://ftp.linksys.com/pub/network/
 
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Thanks again. I've already upgraded to the (hacked) version 2.0etc -- and I'm learning a ton by telnet'ing to the router.


I think it's a hardware problem, honestly. I am trying to (manually) invoke the DHCP client for the WAN link, so that I can reconnect to the Internet...it just doesn't connect. I'll be reading more on how to properly use their "udhcpc" program. Maybe I've done something wrong and just need to figure out how to operate it properly.


I have also (successfully) done a manual 'reboot' command, and this does not fix anything. If it were a pure software issue, the reboot would solve any problems. So, I'm leaning towards categorizing this as a hardware issue of some sort.


I'll update this if I figure out what's going wrong, or if the problem magically fixes itself.
 
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Sorry, I meant 'invoke the DHCP client on the router itself'. The DHCP server, i.e. the one that gives me the 192.168.1.* address, works fine. The DHCP client, which connects the router to the cable modem, is not working...or at least, it MAY not be working.


Having had my share of (unrelated) network problems, I am 99.9% sure that it isn't my machine.


Unless you're saying that my corrupt winsock install is doing something unexpected/nasty over the Internet connection and thus my ISP is shutting me down for a few hours? Something like "use BitTorrent"? (By the way, the new linux kernel, 2.6.0, is out and available via BitTorrent as well as 'the slow way'.) I have noticed that after running BitTorrent, the internet dies, usually before BT finishes.


I'll run the Winsock fix anyway, in the vain hope that it helps. And of course, will report back.
 
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No fix as of yet. This post is more of just 'what I tried; what didn't work' instead of 'please please help etc'.


I ran the ping hack, or whatever, and it boosted the signal noticeably.

I ran the Winsock fix, no help.

I changed the channel to 1--as a bit of an accident, I managed to change my neighbor's channel to 11. That was amusing when I realized what I had done.

WEP/WPA are still off.


I've read some things that tell me to put a hub/switch between the cable modem and the router. Somewhat extreme, but if $7 and another used power plug is all it costs, so be it. That, or step down the WAN port to a 10Mbps half-duplex instead of 100BaseTX (I think I have that terminology right). I don't see any buttons to toggle this setting; is it in the remote admin somewhere? I can also use the ifconfig command directly, if necessary.


And *despite* what you say, I've read some things about the MTU settings. But I won't mention any names.

So I'm left with 3 1/2 alternatives:

-Mess with MTU settings*
-Mess with some setting I haven't found yet
-Step down the WAN port, either
-via remote admin web
-buy buying more hardware
 
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The unambiguous way to set MTU values is to run a test on them. Broadband Reports has a Tweak Test that will do exactly that. 576 as an MTU is for dial-up, not cable or DSL. The only exceptions from what I stated above that I have seen are either AOL broadband, where an MTU of 1400 is required, or in the case of VPN connections. Remember that the MTU setting needs to be made both at the router and at the client. You can do the test and download as well the DrTCP utility to set client-side MTU values:
Second note: if you were experiencing autonegotiation issues between the router and the modem you would not have any connection at all without using an intermediate switch or a very lengthy piece of Cat-5 between the devices.

Assuming you have set as long a DHCP lease time as is possible on the router, that you have left the default values for the Keep-alive settings, you should ask your ISP to do a line test.
 
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bcastner, thanks a ton for your help and sound advice. I'd give you three stars if possible (hint to other readers: STARS for bcastner).

I'm going away for the weekend, so I will have some "downtime" from tweaking my connection. Probably for the best.

I'll report back, of course, if anything fixes the problem.


For anyone (now or in the future) with the same problem, you're not alone. These are threads I've read where it seems like we all have the same problem. I got all these from either Google or Google Groups:


(bcastner, I don't recommend you bother reading these. These are here somewhat for reference)








 
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Not running yet. I've sort of put it off indefinitely. My next step would be to put some sort of hub/switch between the router and the cable modem. But not right now...
 
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Not for nothing, have you contacted Linksys, and if yes, what was their advice?
 
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I honestly don't want you to take my advice--I'm as much (or moreso) of a wireless newbie, and probably shouldn't give advice. Plus, I don't think (from what I have just now read from your original thread) we have the same problem.
 
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It is always possible there is a hardware issue with the router. What I have always done is to access the Linksys secure RMA site, entered the information about the router model and serial number, used the "cross ship" option, and in 3 business days or less I receive a replacement router. I then use the packaging to return the troublesome one.


This avoids the tedious time on the phone talking to Tech Support at Linksys.
 
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I am in the same boat.

I will only RMA if all else fails simply because I have a feeling that whatever they replace it with will cause the same problem.

Quick question: I am unable to uncheck the "IEEE 802.1X authentication" option because it is greyed out (but it IS clearly checked). According to MS support, if we are unable to check the box, they say it is already disabled....is this so?

Beyond that, if anyone else has anything to add to this thread before I grab my husband's hammer....
 
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The 802.1x box cannot be unchecked and is gray if you have enabled WPA.
 
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Yes, I just noticed that when I removed all security from the router.

When the security is up (WPA pre-shared key), I noticed that the option is also greyed out BUT the box is also checked.
 
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OOPS...sorry it is early in the morning and I reread what you just wrote. Don't mind that last post :).
 
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