Bizarre interaction between macbook pro and Netgear WGT624v2

Okay, this is going to sound crazy, as it did to me the first time the light bulb came on, but I can reproduce it very reliably now.

I have had the same Netgear WGT624v2 up and running since it was first available (several years, don't remember exactly when). I've had systems running Windows, several flavors of Linux and OS X (PPC) running on a network behind it during that time with no problems. I've used nics from Intel, Broadcom, Realtek, and a few others, both 10/100 and gigabit ethernet. I also have several gigabit ethernet switches (one large in a central wiring closet) and one smaller one used basically as an expansion hub in a home office. No problemo.

The OS X system I've had for almost 2 years is a Powermac G5, and it has never caused any problems either.

I bought a Macbook Pro (MBP), Intel-based, a while back, and not too long afterward (but I didn't make the connection right away) I started getting strange connectivity problems where the router would stop communicating (wireless and wired side both) on all internal systems.

Here's what I finally tracked it down to:

1) It /only/ happens when I am using the MBP on the network. 2) IT does /not/ matter whether I use the wired nic port or the wireless on the MBP. 3) If the traffic is light on the MBP (like simple web browsing) then nothing bad ever happens. But, if I bash on it, like large file transfers (through to the outside internet) or browse a large site with a lot of large images or something, then the router will die such that it appears to be ok, but traffic won't be routed. Internal networking through it (LAN only) will still work. 4) The Powermac can not be induced into doing this no matter how hard I bash on it, same with the other PC-based boxes.

I can't blame it on a single network interface, since both wired and wireless do it on the MBP. It's not something in a particular file transfer causing the problem. The exact same transfer that will kill the router on the MBP will work fine on the Powermac or any PC system. I could be tempted to blame it on the router, but it works fine as long as I don't do any heavy network traffic on the MBP (months and months with no need for even a reboot of the router).

I'm wondering, since it effects both network interfaces, if it could be something slightly flaky with timing or protocol implementation on the Intel port of the tcp or udp code causing it? I tried a few variations on google searches for this, and can't come up with a similar problem so far. Also, firmware on the router is up to date.

Reply to
Randy Howard
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Since you asked here, you are asking for an ethernet answer.

If your router has a switch, and not a repeater, as most do, then any timing problems should disappear before they get to the router.

If it is a repeater, it is possible but unlikely to be a timing problem from the host.

My guess is that it is at the IP level, somehow the router can't handle some data. Possibly a buffer overflow from running data through faster than it was designed to do.

You might ask in comp.protocols.tcp-ip, as it is more likely an IP related problem.

-- glen

Reply to
glen herrmannsfeldt

On Wed, 10 Jan 2007 17:06:56 -0600, glen herrmannsfeldt wrote (in article ):

That's what I would have thought as well. Putting it zero, single or multiple hops away via switches doesn't change it either.

Well, it's a fast machine, but the others aren't slouches either, and web traffic coming over a 1.5mbit DSL line shouldn't be enough to swamp a 10/100 router, should it?

Beaming local LAN traffic through the switch side of it at much higher speeds doesn't make it happen.

There is a rumor that some recent Apple products have shipped with

802.11n in some pre-release form, and perhaps that could be impacting things somehow, but I'm not sure how to tell if this system does, and I'm guessing it wouldn't be enabled by default. If anyone knows of an easy way to test for such a thing, that might be worth investigating.

Thanks for your help.

Reply to
Randy Howard

(snip)

The only one I could possibly think of is sending ACKs back too fast. That doesn't really make sense, but it is the only part where the speed of your machine should matter.

In that case, it gets to the switch, but normally shouldn't go to the router. They should be separate circuits internally. (snip)

-- glen

Reply to
glen herrmannsfeldt

When I did some updates to a 624 a year or so ago I remember something about some versions of the firmware had troubles like this when certain things happened. Have you read all the release notes for all the firmware versions?

Reply to
DLR

On Wed, 10 Jan 2007 19:24:15 -0600, DLR wrote (in article ):

I think I've read them all at some point in the past, but not recently. I'll go back through them and see if anything sounds similar.

I'm starting to think that just buying a new router might be the simplest route, especially since I haven't been able to find widespread reports of others having problems with their intel-based macs and networking in general. With a new wireless spec change coming out almost constantly, I've been trying to hold off for a while, hoping that things will settle down for a bit, but I suppose they never really do.

Reply to
Randy Howard

The current version for the 624s is v3. You're running a v2. There just may be things that are done these days that the older v2 will never address. I've run into this many times. I figure home routers have a 2 year life and anything over that is a bonus. Sad but true.

Reply to
DLR

On Thu, 11 Jan 2007 01:21:18 -0600, DLR wrote (in article ):

Well, I'm fairly sure the next one won't be from Netgear. Where does one find a good quality and well-supported wireless router these days?

Reply to
Randy Howard

Oh, you want one that will work well 2 years from now with new technologies, 10 times the speed of current connections, home use of things that used to only be considered enterprise things?

I think you're looking for a $1,000 plus unit with a service contract.

I can't imagine any of the home routers I bought 3 years or more ago being very effective with an 8mbps cable connection or Versions Fiber

15mbps setup or running VPNs from home or .....

Linksys makes good stuff. They're up to v6 or v7 on their 54G series. I wonder how well the V1s work now in all situations?

Reply to
DLR

On Thu, 11 Jan 2007 23:20:56 -0600, DLR wrote (in article ):

No, that's not what I asked for at all. Since it's quoted right up there, you can plainly see what I did ask for.

I would like my existing router to simply work well with the products that conform to the same standards that it does. That's apparently too much to ask for.

That's interesting, but I haven't had a change in broadband speed for several years, and based upon conversations with my ISP, not likely to change in the near future. Since the odds of whatever it is being faster than 100mbit are zero, it doesn't seem to matter.

Reply to
Lefty Bigfoot

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