Wireless access point drops Internet connection for entire network

[jheiland]

For more than 6 months, I've had a setup where my desktop PCs are on a wired network connection and the laptop, iPhone, and Wii use the wireless. However, about 6-8 weeks ago, the Internet connection started dropping (for the entire network) and the only solution is to reboot the network. The rest of the network works fine - just no Internet connection. This happens 3 to 4 times a week.

I've isolated the problem to having the wireless router, which I'm using as a wireless access point, plugged in. As long as I don't plug the wireless router in, the Internet connection works just fine, but the Internet connection drops within a few hours to a day after plugging the wireless router back in and I have to reboot the network. The router is an older Netgear RangeMax wireless (WPN824; have had it for 5 years). The DHCP is deactivated. As I said before, this setup has worked just fine for the past 6 months.

Thinking the router itself was the problem, I went and replaced it with an actual Linksys wireless access point. It worked for about 5 days and then the Internet connection started dropping again. Took it back to the store. The Staples computer guy thought it might be a problem with my cable modem (from Comcast - have had it for 5 years too). Haven't called Comcast yet. It's been 2 weeks without the wireless router plugged in and not once has the Internet connection dropped. Thoughts anyone?

Regards,
Jeff

 

[G0AOZ]

You said. "I went and replaced it with an actual Linksys wireless access point.". Do you mean you've bought a router with combined wireless access point within it? So now you've basically just got two bits of kit, the wireless router and the cable modem. Right?

Is it the Internet connection l.e.d. on the cable modem that you see drop out?

If it appears to be wireless related, try monitoring for other local WiFi networks on the laptop. Maybe if you use something like Netstumbler you might be able to detect radio interference of some sort.

Certainly involve the cable company. Are you close to a cable data cabinet in the street, or do you have a long run of cable along the street under the pavement?

Get the cable guy to check the signal level. Maybe it's very weak and a slight bit of interference from somewhere is causing it to drop out.

Is your incoming cable into the house in good order? Does the cable come straight in and terminate at your cable modem, or are there various extension cables throughout the house with junction boxes? This could lead to signal losses if connections are (electrically) dirty.

Can't think of anything else at the moment...

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[BadBigBen]

for clarification:

Modem (ComCast) is the only one dialing out to the NET?

WiFi is hooked up to the Modem, not directly to the NET?

thoughts:

perhaps the AP is trying to connect to the NET, thus whacking the internet connection...

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"

 

[jheiland]

Thanks for the reply. To clarify, my current setup is the cable modem hooked to an 8-port Linksys Etherfast Cable/DSL Router and Switch. It resides in the basement with the server where the cable enters the house. The Netgear wireless router is connected to it in a bedroom upstairs (I've got data ports installed all throughout the house fed by the Linksys router). I don't have the wireless access point anymore since using it also caused the Internet connection to drop. Just have the wireless router as the access point now and it is currently unplugged.

I don't recall whether Internet connection L.E.D. light shuts off when the connection drops. I'll plug the wireless back in and check it when it drops the connection.

My laptop can "see" anywhere from 3 to 5 other wireless networks in our neighborhood depending on the weather. I'm not familiar with Netstumbler - I could give that a try.

The cable data cabinet is fairly close by in a neighbor's back yard - the backs of our houses face each other so I'm estimating the run from the cabinet to our house to be about 100 feet at most.

As far as I know, the cable is in good order as we don't have any other troubles with TV or phone connections which also use the cable. The cable comes into the house to a network connection center and one of the output feeds goes to the cable modem, so it only goes through that one junction box before getting to the modem. I can try a shorter run of cable to the modem, but again, everything works as long as I leave the wireless router unplugged.

It sounds like I'll be calling the cable company. I've got a couple of days off in about 2 weeks so I'll try then. I'll post back after that and let you know how it goes.

Thanks for your help,
Jeff

 

[jheiland]

To: BadBigBen -

Comcast modem is the only one going out to the Internet.

WiFi is hooked to the modem via the LinkSys wired router. Using a LAN connection port and not the Internet connection port on the wireless router.

Will check settings again in the wireless router but when I experimented with an actual wireless access point, it still dropped the internet connection. Would an actual WAP also try to connect to the Internet? I'm not very familiar with them and I only had it for about a week before returning it.

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[G0AOZ]

You said, "I've got data ports installed all throughout the house fed by the Linksys router."

Ok, try this. Disconnect ALL data ports in the house from the Linksys router. Connect the Wireless Access Point to the router using a patch cable. Use your laptop close to the AP and see if it will maintain a wireless connection without it dropping.

I'm going to suggest that maybe you have a problem with the data cabling throughout the house...?

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[jheiland]

All,

Thank you all for the replies and apologies for so long in my response back (major product release in a few days - more than a year in the making - wish us luck...). Awesome new search engine overlaying our medical information data.

I believe the problem with the Internet connection dropping has been solved. I checked all of the cabling throughout the house (Cat 5e) and all connections were firing on all 8 pins in sequence with no misfires or weak connections. While the wired router has been purchased recently (last 9 months), I checked the Linksys website and found a firmware update from September of this year. Installed the update more than a week ago and have had no problems since. Am keeping my fingers crossed that this was the issue.

Again thanks for all the help.

Jeff

 

[goombawaho]

Regardless - Make sure you have DHCP turned off on the Access Point and it has been assigned a static address outside the DHCP range of the main router.

 

[jheiland]

Done - thanks!
Jeff