Problem with Linksys modem/router

I don't think so - beause the modem/router was working fine until I switched it off and then on again. My USB modem is a Speedtouch 330 from Virgin which has no problems. ISP is Virgin.net.

Who is your provider (ISP)? When you say USB modem, is this the one the provider 'gave' you? Could the issue be that they are looking for a particular MAC and your new Gateway of course has a different one from your USB modem?

fundamentalism, fundamentally wrong.

Sounds to me that you have a broken wire somewhere or a filter problem or your phone company has been doing some rewiring somewhere. What are you using to separate the phone line from the DSL? Are you using an in-line filter or do you have the phone service separated from the DSL at the NID? (Network Interface Device - the box mounted on the back of the house). Check for broken wiring in the house or at the NID. A filter mounted in the NID that's defective will require phone company service. It could be a configuration problem if you have a static IP and the phone company changed the DSLAM service (that's happened to me 3 times). HTH

He should have been more specific as to what kind of modem also - DSL or V.90?

Well today - miraculously - it's working. Not sure for how long.... I'm reluctant to turn it off again in case the same thing happens.

It's a DSL line/modem. I've ruled out wiring problems - based on fact that USB modem always works fine. Modem is connected to an in-line microfilter.

Fingers crossed that the problem is solved. Thanks for the help.

Too right, my serious mistake.

fundamentalism, fundamentally wrong.

Spoke to soon. Still won't reconnect after switching off. Think I'm going to have to replace it with a non-Linksys type.

This isn't really a wireless issue and should probably have been posted to a DSL related newsgroup or blog. Are you in UK? You're posting IP resolves to NTLI.NET which is part of NTL.COM. What's the connection to Virgin.net? (Just curious).

I'm not familiar with the HG200 DSL modem/router/wireless conglomeration. I read some reviews on the subject: |

| seems to suggest that it's a repackaged WAG54Gv2 or WAG354G.

Did you try the latest firmware (for UK)? |

Are you on an ADSL2+ service at 10Mbits/sec?

Does Virgin lock your IP address to your hardware MAC address? If so, then juggling modems might confuse their router. You might want to leave both modems uplugged for a few hours to clear the ARP cache, and then try the HG200 again.

Have you called Virgin support and asked them for line statistics on your HG200? They can query the DSLAM and provide a good clue if there are any line or DSL modem issues. Have them run an ATM loopback test to your HG200 and determine if they can even see the modem from the DSLAM.

My guess(tm) is that you're getting a rather high line error rate when connecting. The usual problem is not the DSL modem, but the house wiring and the DSL microfilers or DSL splitter. Are you sure you have microfilters on every instrument in the house including cable TV settop boxes, satellite receivers, auto dialers, alarm circuits, fax machines, answering machines, etc? Plugging the filters in backwards is another common problem. Double check the wiring. If the DSL disconnects when answering the phone, filters are certain to be the problem.

Another common problem is the excessive use of the flat 4 conductor telco ribbon cable (forgot the official name for the stuff). For some odd reason, using more than about 10ft of the stuff causes problems, probably because it's not a twisted pair. I dunno what level of diagnostics the HG200 offers, but check the signal to noise ratio (or noise margin) and line levels and see if they are reasonable. Noise margin should be >9dB for anything to work.

I'm a big fan of seperate boxes for DSL modem, router, and wireless access point. Many reasons, but your experience is one of them. There is no easy way to determine if your problem is in the DSL modem section, or in the router section DHCP client. With seperate boxes, it would be easy (but admittedly more expensive and messy).

Thanks for the detailed analysis. I'm in UK - it's a Virgin.net adsl line - that's all I know about it. I have no other devices/fax etc. - just 1 phone/adsl line with microfilter.

I'm assuming the problem is with the modem/router and not the line/cabling/ISP because:

1) It always works fine with a USB modem 2) It almost never works with the HG200 modem/router (Very occasionally it does work. When it does work it takes about 10 minutes after connection before kicking-in - typically it never does kick-in.)

Switching averything off for a few hours (overnight) has no effect. I have the latest firmware and have done hard reset. Phone works fine simultaneously with ADSL.

Thanks for the help - I'm thinking I need to replace it with a different manufacturer's model and see if I have better luck.