Router problem - AR15.COM

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Posted: 10/9/2004 8:42:53 AM EDT

I just got a new satellite modem and wireless router to which I have connected a desktop and laptop.

The desktop is connected to a wired lan port while the laptop is connected through the wireless connection.

The problem is that I have to do a ipconfig /release and /renew at least once a day to maintain good connectivity on both machines. What is going on and why does this keep happening? Is this a common problem with routers? Especially wireless routers....

Router - Netgear WGR614
PC card - Linksys WPC54G

The symptoms before releasing and renewing are slow/freezing connections and the page progress indicators in Firefox show approx 90+% complete and just sit there. If I stop the page loading I wind having to restart Firefox only to ultimately have the problem again later on.

Both machines exhibit this problem.

Thanks for the help....

Posted: 10/9/2004 8:45:49 AM EDT

[#1]

You might want to manually configure the IP addresses. Some routers and wireless card combo's don't play well together. They might be trying to automatically grab the same IP address. Set the 2 IP adresses manually a few digits apart. For instance-192.168.1.102 and 192.168.1.108.

Posted: 10/9/2004 9:01:22 AM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
You might want to manually configure the IP addresses. Some routers and wireless card combo's don't play well together. They might be trying to automatically grab the same IP address. Set the 2 IP adresses manually a few digits apart. For instance-192.168.1.102 and 192.168.1.108.

I set the two machines to different IP addresses and it seemed to work better. It shouldn't take too long to find out if it still has an issue. It was doing exactly what you described. It was assigning them the exact same IP. That would definitely cause a conflict. Thanks for the help.

Posted: 10/9/2004 9:04:44 AM EDT

[#3]

Do yourself a FAVOR, and toss the netgear.

If that device can't tell the difference between 2 MAC addresses on the 2 different NICs, it needs to be tossed in the gutter. The only other possbility, is both NICs have the same MAC address, which is pretty much impossible.

Posted: 10/9/2004 9:16:33 AM EDT

[#4]

Anytime. Glad I could help and hope it works for you.

ETA- He is right about the netgear though. I had the same problem as you did with my netgear. After I set the IP's myself though I never had another problem.

Posted: 10/9/2004 9:22:38 AM EDT

[#5]

I say that knowing if you go manual IP, you won't have that problem again.

I say that because what else will that device do completely wrong next?

Troubleshooting devices like that can be a nightmare, because unless you've heard about it before, your going to troubleshoot it in a manner assuming the base functions are working correctly.

Having a messed up device like that adds a whole nother layer to troubleshooting.

Posted: 10/9/2004 9:26:26 AM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
I say that knowing if you go manual IP, you won't have that problem again.

I say that because what else will that device do completely wrong next?

Troubleshooting devices like that can be a nightmare, because unless you've heard about it before, your going to troubleshoot it in a manner assuming the base functions are working correctly.

Having a messed up device like that adds a whole nother layer to troubleshooting.

I agree with you 100%. I do enjoy the challenge though.

Posted: 10/9/2004 9:30:45 AM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
Quoted:
I say that knowing if you go manual IP, you won't have that problem again.

I say that because what else will that device do completely wrong next?

Troubleshooting devices like that can be a nightmare, because unless you've heard about it before, your going to troubleshoot it in a manner assuming the base functions are working correctly.

Having a messed up device like that adds a whole nother layer to troubleshooting.

I agree with you 100%. I do enjoy the challenge though.

Crap, I have other problems to worry about then basic functions like DHCP.

Posted: 10/9/2004 9:34:54 AM EDT

[#8]

Even with manual config of the IP's I am still seeing a slow / erratic connection.

If I have to go with another router, which one is the best? Linksys? D-Link? other?

P.S. It is not my satellite provider as the previous modem I was using did not have
these type problems, however, it was not compatible with routers and I had to connect
my laptop with proxy software.

Thanks guys!

Posted: 10/9/2004 9:36:46 AM EDT

[#9]

Linksys should work fine.

I setup plenty of them without a hitch.

Make sure you setup at least WEP for the laptop after you get all of this straighten out, so you don't broadcast your internet connection to others.

Posted: 10/9/2004 9:40:39 AM EDT

[#10]

Thanks for the quick answer.

I live in the country with noone even close to me so the WEP shouldn't be necessary. However,
just for my own peace of mind I may do it anyway. I haven't done that b/4 but I bet I can stumble
through it.

Thanks guys!!!!! I will update you later today when I get the new router. I was at my local Sam's
yesterday and they had plenty of Linksys routers.

Off I go to see Sam Walton!!!!

Posted: 10/9/2004 9:45:09 AM EDT

[#11]

Do you have a 2.4 Ghz telephone

Posted: 10/9/2004 9:47:27 AM EDT

[#12]

If you have any problems with your Linksys router this is a good forum for help.

www.dslreports.com/forum/linksys

Posted: 10/9/2004 9:48:31 AM EDT

[#13]

Check your cordless if you have one. When I get a connection over a wierless phone line it resets my USR.

Posted: 10/9/2004 9:58:06 AM EDT

[#14]

The netgear router may not like the sat connection. Sat connections introduce high latency between connections. High enough that standard TCP connections would usually time out. The netgear router may be choking on this. Just a thought.

-Foxxz

Posted: 10/9/2004 9:58:14 AM EDT

[#15]

I have had an issue with my Netgear router issuing DHCP addresses to a couple of wireless clients. My integrated WiFi on my IBM and Compaq laptops work fine. My iPaq doesn't get one from the router.

Try getting newer code off Netgear's site to see if that corrects the issue.

Posted: 10/9/2004 10:13:13 AM EDT

[#16]

I don't have a home phone period. Got tired of all the phone solicitors. We only use our cell phones.

The latency issue has occurred to me so I am getting dressed to go to town and get Linksys router.

I bought the Netgear because a good friend of mine who has DSL has a Linksys router and has to reset
it about every two weeks. I was just trying to avoid what could have been a problem. It's no wonder I
see so many wireless components for sale here on ARFcom. We try something, it doesn't work well so
we buy something else. The wireless companies must love us because we wind up supporting them all.

Edited : Sorry, I forgot I was on my wifes account - bluedogsixty!

Posted: 10/9/2004 4:05:26 PM EDT

[#17]

As mentioned, check the TTL (time to live) on the WAN side of the router. Your IP frames are probably timing out due to the latency of the satellite connection. Other things that would cause this problem is MTU, if the satellite is choking when the frame size increases. Check the with the satellite vendor, or if you can get a connection without the router, check both the Netgear and Satellite vendor websites. They probably have information on making these type adjustments.

Posted: 10/9/2004 4:07:57 PM EDT

[#18]

60 bucks and many hours later it seems to be working better. I picked up a WRT54G-BP from Sams. It took me a while to get it set and I also had to call Linksys support to assist me in tweaking the router settings for my situation. It now appears to be very fast and stable. Thanks guys for all your help.

Posted: 10/9/2004 4:12:45 PM EDT

[#19]

"Check the hdfdf dfd dfdfl 5498bmmp5 565646 #&^#% sd 45845, dfjdkf gffd hj dfdfdssdf dfs sdfdf "

It's greek to me!

But interesting.

Posted: 10/9/2004 4:17:54 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
60 bucks and many hours later it seems to be working better. I picked up a WRT54G-BP from Sams. It took me a while to get it set and I also had to call Linksys support to assist me in tweaking the router settings for my situation. It now appears to be very fast and stable. Thanks guys for all your help.

Sounds like a G router.
You have a G card? 54mbps is alot better then 11mbps for transferring files between your 2 computers, but no difference in your internet speed.

Posted: 10/9/2004 4:30:31 PM EDT

[#21]

Advice, save your receipt AND box for the linksys card...mine broke after 1 year and they only accept returns with BOTH the box and proof of purchase...(assuming it can't be returned to wherever you bought it)....I still like lynksys though, i have their router (54G), and a some other stuff of theirs.....

Posted: 10/9/2004 4:36:07 PM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
Advice, save your receipt AND box for the linksys card...mine broke after 1 year and they only accept returns with BOTH the box and proof of purchase...(assuming it can't be returned to wherever you bought it)....I still like lynksys though, i have their router (54G), and a some other stuff of theirs.....

Makes sense.
They are the biggest name in home routing.

If it was a business class router like, sonicwall, Cisco, checkpoint, etc it would be a different story.

Posted: 10/10/2004 11:22:29 AM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
Quoted:
60 bucks and many hours later it seems to be working better. I picked up a WRT54G-BP from Sams. It took me a while to get it set and I also had to call Linksys support to assist me in tweaking the router settings for my situation. It now appears to be very fast and stable. Thanks guys for all your help.

Sounds like a G router.
You have a G card? 54mbps is alot better then 11mbps for transferring files between your 2 computers, but no difference in your internet speed.

Yep, it's a 2.4Gig 54mbps router. I am still seeing some issues of slowed page updates and progress indiactor freezes at apporx 98%. Linksys helped me to tweak the setting and suggested I talk with my ISP to adjust the MTU settings. I called my ISP and they were no help. They said there is nothing they can tweak. This may be true. I may have to keep messing with it on the Router end to get it fine tuned. It seems funny to me that many Starband users have switched over to this config and not too much trouble. I downloaded XP SP2 on both my desktop and laptop for the updates. I am using the firewall on both machines and have turned off the router firewall to experiment with the download speed settings. So far, it may be a little better but I am still seeing the freezing of the progress indicators. One more thing worthy to note is that this issue is MAINLY on the ARFcom website that I see this problem. Probably due to the heavy traffic. Any more ideas are welcomed.

Thanks!

Posted: 10/10/2004 11:52:11 AM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:
Any more ideas are welcomed.

Thanks!

I'm getting invalid packets from arfcom's router. Check your firewall log.

There are some really knowledgeable Linksys guys on this forum. Linksys support is usually not very useful. It's a good idea to read the sites faq's also.

www.dslreports.com/forum/linksys

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