Need advice: constant problems with different routers

Greetings, I have a set up consisting of Verizon DSL, Westell Wirespeed modem, Linksys router, Linksys WAP, desktop computer (hard wired), laptop computer (wireless) and an additional desktop computer (wireless). All computers are running Windows XP.

The upstairs computer is hardwired directly to the router. There is a long cable connecting the router to a WAP downstairs. The WAP downstairs provides wireless access for the laptop and an additional desktop.

This set up works very well most of the time, but I seem to have to reset the router much more often than I believe is typical (every 2 or

3 days...) This is my second router with this set up...I originally had an old Microsoft router, but I gave up on it when these problems persisted. I installed the new Linksys router and things worked fine for a few days, but now the problems have been returning.

I've long suspected that the Verizon DSL is part of the problem, and in fact there were instances where it was completely down for a few hours and then just mysteriously came back...( I verified this by connecting the upstairs desktop PC directly to the modem). But lately, the DSL seems to be working fine. The most recent shutdown occurred overnight while one of the wireless computers was using Bit Torrent software. No other computers were running at the time. I've successfully used this program overnight many times, but it really clogs up the network. When it's running, all the other computers slow to a crawl. Additionally, there have been many instances where the router went down when that program was definitely not in use.

There must be something wrong with my set up. Some sort of conflict causing the routers to go down. Perhaps the DSL itself goes down and this screws up the router's settings ? I'm at my wits' end... I'm hoping some of you experts can offer suggestions. What typically causes a router to go down like that ? (I'm completely up to date with the latest firmware) What typically causes the DSL to go down ? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks. --N

Reply to
Noydb222
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Why do you have to reset it? What are the exact symptoms? Do all computers fail? Just wired? Just wireless? Can you connect to the router's web interface when this happens? From wired? From wireless? The WAP web interface (from wireless)? Is it just Internet access that's failing? Does local networking work? Wired? Wireless?

That suggests something other than the router.

Have you carefully observed the lights on the DSL modem? What is the WAN (Internet) status in the router web interface? What happens when you just reset the DSL modem?

That's a likely culprit -- Bittorrent opens so many connections that some low-end routers get overwhelmed and fall over. Try limiting (sharply) the number of Bittorrent connections.

You probably also need to use throttling in the Bittorrent client. Both connection control and throttling are easy in Azureus, the free Bittorrent client I recommend.

But still perhaps after it had been used? Or some other file sharing program?

We really need the info I asked for above to be much help.

Let's figure out the problem rather than just speculating. ;)

Reply to
John Navas

Greeetings once again. All the computers fail. I then typically connect the upstairs desktop directly to the modem to verify the DSL is working. These last few times it has been working. I've never accessed the WAP's web interface, although the Router's web interface is most often unavailable...and then all of a sudden it's available.

I was thinking the same thing, but the old Microsoft one wasn't supported by Verizon (or even Microsoft...) so I got the Linksys one so Verizon "support" could help me identify any problems. Their support turned out to be a transfer to the Linksys support line. They showed me how to completely reset the router the last time it went down. The little Local Area Connection icon on my computer often has the red "x" saying that a network cable is unplugged... But right now for example, that red x is there and the internet connection is still working (I'm on the wireless desktop)

Good questions that I am unable to answer right now. I'll be able to check on those later tonight.

Finally, a really good suspect ! I just checked Azureus (that's what I use by the way...) and sure enough the number of connections was set to "unlimited". So I'll have to change that. I have no idea what to change it to however. 1 ? 10 ? 100 ? How many can a typical router handle ? I had been leaning toward ruling out bittorent as a suspect since it has worked just fine so many times before. But that may be because I was downloading something obscure at the time, whereas last night I was downloading something extremely popular.

If by "throttling" you mean limiting the download speed, I have done that...only because I switched from cable to dsl and knew that those cable speeds weren't going to happen anymore. I lowered it considerably (from unlimited down to 50) but perhaps it needs to be lowered even more.

Ah, another possible culprit. Others in the house occasionally use limewire for music... I don't really know anything about that program, but I've gotten the impression that you have to be careful with it.

Good idea. Unfortunately, I'm real big on the speculating, particularly when I haven't got a clue...

I'll check the WAN settings, the dsl lights, and possibly just try to document what happens when I just reset the modem. But I'm going to deal with Azureus first. Thanks so much for your input. I'll post back tonight after I change those settings.

Reply to
Noydb222

No offense intended, but did you miss the "exact" part? I have no idea what "fail" actually means.

But not before???

From which computer??? For starters, let's just talk about the wired computer! The next time this problem happens, run IPCONFIG /ALL in a CMD window on the wired computer, and post the output here. See if you can access the web interface on the router from the wired computer. If you can't, post the *exact* error message.

Which computer?

The wireless computer probably has an Ethernet port that isn't connected. What matters on the wireless computer is the Wireless Network Connection, not the Local Area Connection.

Varies by router. Try (say) 50. If that works without problems, try 100. Etc.

Might be.

The more important thing is to limit the UPload speed! When the upload saturates, download speed drops dramatically. Find the sustained maximum upload speed for your Internet connection, and throttle the upload to no more than 80% of that, or less if much else is going on over your connection. Or run the Auto Speed plugin for Azureus, and try Desired Ping of (say) 50 ms.

It is indeed another possible culprit.

Reply to
John Navas

Greetings once again.

Last night I thought I had the problem identified. Everything went down, but came back up with a reset of the modem(only)

I wrote a very long description of all the details...I listed the cmd ipconfig /all results for both desktops, and most of the settings for the router. But then in the middle of all that, I lost the connection again. I ended up losing all that information before I sent it along to this group.

This time, a reset of the modem didn't change anything. The modem and the rourer seemed to be working fine. I never lost connection with the hardwired desktop (which was always connected to the router). So this morning, all of a sudden the wireless is working again. This coincided with the lease line time. I have that set for "0" which apparently means one day.

I'm getting paranoid that this is all going to crash again any minute now so I'll just send this along. I have documented all the settings you advised I look into. It would take all day to type them all in... I have all the router settings, all the ipconfig results etc. for both desktop pcs. Please let me know which specific information would be of use in diagnosing my problems. Thanks very much. --N

Reply to
Noydb222

Am I safe in assuming the Westel is in Gateway mode (since it works with the router most of the time)? Have you power cycled the router (linksys) and the Westel together? What I mean here is pull the power plug on both and wait about 30 seconds. Now power up the linksys router, wait a few seconds (to allow it to get a head start) and power up the westel. What we are doing is, ensuring the westel is 'mated' to the MAC address of the linksys router.

Next is the Linksys router the only DHCP server on the network, this function is disabled in the WAP downstairs, correct?

Next run through the answers John Navas has asked for.

fundamentalism, fundamentally wrong.

Reply to
Rico

Then it wasn't "everything" -- it was just the modem connection. Apparently the router and wireless access point were still working, although we can't be sure of that because you didn't run specific tests while you were down.

Unless you explicitly tossed it, your Forte Agent newsreader should still have what you wrote. Check Window -> Open Outbox.

How do you know that? Were you able to reach the Web config screen on the router? What was the router status? Same questions for wireless.

Wireless? What does that have to do with the wired machine?

You mean DHCP lease?

I doubt it. Why do you have it set to "0"? Set a reasonable time.

Use Windows cut and paste -- much easier and less error prone.

Questions above and in my prior response.

Reply to
John Navas

Greetings, Sorry it has taken so long for me to respond. My setup has been going down so frequently, and the situation keeps changing so much, it?s difficult to even try to explain the symptoms. But I?m pretty sure I have the source of the problems narrowed down to the router. I bought the thing thinking that all routers in this price range are essentially the same, but I?ve come to find out that this router has well documented problems with P2P programs. So long story short, I just won?t use any of them for the time being, and I?m shopping around for a new router. Thanks for all your help. I?m going to start a new thread with questions about what exactly I should be looking for in a router given my setup and plans. I?d appreciate any advice any of you might be able to offer. Thanks again.

Reply to
Noydb222

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