Network connection gets dropped every so often

[shashgo]

I have this setup at home:  The modem is upstairs and is connected to the wall and a Belkin Wireless-G adapter.  I have three computers at home, one desktop and two laptops.  All are wireless, the desktop is upstairs and has a wireless adapter.  The laptops are downstairs.

Every so often the wireless connection just gets dropped and none of the computers can connect wirelessly to the internet.  Is it possible that the range of the wireless G adapter is not that wide and switching to a wireless N adapter will increase the range and thereby eliminate the problem?  The distance from the room with the router to the room with the laptop downstairs is maybe 25 feet.

Also how do I determine which channel to use

[jagwinn]

I solved this on my system by discovering that I had too many firewalls active.

Each computer has its own MS firewall........turn them off.

The Belkin router has its own firewall......turn it off.

The modem will have a fire wall and that will be sufficient.

Be sure to secure your wireless with a password and do not create a visitor password.

I point everything to channel 6.

This works for my system which consists of  1.) Sorenson Video Relay phone with its modem; 2.) Atlantic cable modem; 3.) Belkin G Wireless router; 4.) 1997 HP Brio desk top with Wireless adapter and running Win2000Pro 5.&6.) wireless laptops both running Vista.

John

[Allan]

I solved this on my system by discovering that I had too many firewalls active.

Each computer has its own MS firewall........turn them off.

The Belkin router has its own firewall......turn it off.

The modem will have a fire wall and that will be sufficient.

Be sure to secure your wireless with a password and do not create a visitor password.

I point everything to channel 6.

This works for my system which consists of  1.) Sorenson Video Relay phone with its modem; 2.) Atlantic cable modem; 3.) Belkin G Wireless router; 4.) 1997 HP Brio desk top with Wireless adapter and running Win2000Pro 5.&6.) wireless laptops both running Vista.

John

Most modems do not have firewalls - most routers do. And there is no reason you can't have both a software and a hardware firewall active.

[shashgo]

Allan, So then what is causing the network connection to drop every so often?  Would an N router fare better than a G router

[Rustys]

Is this Cable, Satellite, DSL?

Does this happen at the same time every day?  Have you tried connecting each computer one at a time to see if one of them can be the cause?

Are you loosing network connection or just internet?

Are all systems configured to obtain IP Address automatically?

Some times having the modem and router IP address the same can cause issues.

Could some one access the modem and or router and set time limits and or access times?

[shashgo]

its cable internet.  I lose internet connection, and I cant even access the other computers so it is a network issue.  Systems are all configured to have static ips, cause I was facing the same problem when I had DHCP on all systems. 

[jason2074]

Try pressing the reset button of the modem and then reconnect. Its not always a router g or n signal strength but interferences.

[chaggoy]

sorry if I will give u an advice though I'm just a newbie here. try to change your wireless channel in your router. 1, 3, 6 or 9 will be fine you can check which of these channel will do. sometimes it helps to some of my clients.

[shashgo]

The problem is not that I cannot reconnect the internet again after I lose the network signal.  When the internet connectivity is lost, I need to go to the router, disconnect the plug (essentially a reset) then wait for 10 seconds.   And then the computers connect to the internet automatically.  I have also tried using different channels on the router in an effort to keep the connection stable, but the disconnection problem still occurs.
I did think it was because of interference, but then how is it that  the internet connections in the wifi hotspots like at starbucks and mcdonalds never lose connection? 
 

[Ryder17z]

What if there is a problem within the router itself ?

[shashgo]

Well, it is possible that there could be a problem with the router, but I doubt it.  If  there was, then there would no internet connectivity at all

[Ryder17z]

Actually, it could be the router's fault, as this happened to me:

I had a D-Link router placed on top of a OEM DSL modem and sometimes, the router shut down due overheat

(If you wonder, i have other equipment now, and a nice fiber connection)

[shashgo]

well okay i can understand the oveheating problem but i dont have my router on top of my modem.  Still what youre saying could be true

[jason2074]

All are wireless, the desktop is upstairs and has a wireless adapter.  The laptops are downstairs.

Did it work before?
Check first one machine via wireless connection on current network setup if the issue exist then add or connect another PC by WLAN. Also by distance or signal strength, move the laptop near the wireless router and check the wireless connection issue. Check all wireless adapter properties uncheck proxy settings, VPN and remove specified IP or DNS address and use auto(TCP/IP.v4.v6). Use Windows Wireless Zero Configuration(XP) startup/WLAN auto config(Vista or 7) type "Automatic" on all adapter. Click start->run->type services.msc->look for the WLAN config. or WZC startup type double click and change to auto, click "apply". On your router settings mixed mode change or toggle from b/g/n to b/g or vice-versa to support all wireless adapter standard for your laptop/desktop.

Try pressing the reset button of the modem and then reconnect

Look for a small hole behind the router/modem(unplugged) and press it with a paper clip.

[shashgo]

jason,

The wireless internet works, thats not the issue.  The issue is that I keep losing the internet connection every so often and I have to manually reset the router.  So Im wondering why I keep facing this problem when the internet connection at hotspots stays nice and stable all the time.  I cant be having more interference than those places, can I?

[rthompson80819]

In one of your posts you said when the internet goes down you can't access the other computers hooked to the router.  That really points to a problem with the router going bad.  Electronics sometimes act funny before they die, many times they just die suddenly, but not always.

The next time it goes down, connect one of the computers directly to the modem just to eliminate cable as the problem (it doesn't sound like it is).

[shashgo]

rthompson,

Actually that was part of the troubleshooting I did.  Youre right, when the wireless connection gets dropped, then even if I hardwire one of the computers to the routers there is still no connection although if I hardwire it to the modem there is.  So then it does narrow it down to the router.  But how can we know for sure whether it is the router that is bad or whether it is because of interference from other wifi networks or appliances.  And if it is because of interference then how  would I know which channel to use on the router?

[rthompson80819]

Try each channel for a few days and see if they all have the same problem.  If all channels have the same problem it's probably not an interference problem, but a problem with the router.

[shashgo]

will do.  Ill try that.  So then basically it is trying all channels until I find one that never gets disconnected.  But heres the problem.  The disconnect is not always a reliable occurence.  It happens sometimes and at other times it doesnt

Anyway I connected a different router and everything is working for right now.  I had tried all the channels on the previous router and even so never had a reliable connection so I figured that the router is bad.  But then again, I am not very sure that it isnt interference from other wifi networks.  For example I have 11 channels on my routers , but there are more than 11 wifi networks in the area so it is quite possible that all channels are being used.  So I wasnt 100% sure if the router was bad but i tied a different router, a N range router and I havent faced any disconnects yet

[Sid]

The trouble seems to be pointing to the router.

What make, model and firmware is it running?

I had the same problem with an old Netgear DG834G v2, it would kick everyone off at 12 midnight, and a bizare work-around was to change the timezone for 12 midnight (as far as the router was concerned) was actually like 5am.

I'm not saying you have exactly the same problem, but it would help to understand if the error is at the same time EVERY day, or at set intervals, or is truely intermitten.

Also, if you have an Android phone, check out the Wifi Analyser app, it will show you what channels are being used.  I'm sure there is PC software out there somewhere too.

[BC_Programmer]

But how can we know for sure whether it is the router that is bad or whether it is because of interference from other wifi networks or appliances.

err...

then even if I hardwire one of the computers to the routers there is still no connection

you can't have wireless interference from other networks or appliances when you are wired directly to the router.

Well, it is possible that there could be a problem with the router, but I doubt it.  If  there was, then there would no internet connectivity at all

Wrong. This is a false assumption that is made not only about routers, but all sorts of stuff. You cannot condense the operation and functionality of something like a router into a black and white "working or not working" state. What you are doing is assuming that since some of it's functionality works, then it works 100%. A Router is comprised of components; they aren't user replacable, but they are still modular in design (I speak of IC chips on their mainboard). Parts of the whole can fail and cause problems while other parts work fine; I've known people who have had the Wireless IC fail entirely, causing the router to lose all wireless capability, but still work fine as a wired router. A good analogy would be if you took a standard computer, and had graphical glitches, then simply assumed it couldn't be the video card because you can still hear sound. It sounds silly that way but with a router it isn't any less silly, just not as obviously so.

Several posters have told you it's probably the router. I'm going to tell you it is- or rather, was, the router. No doubt about it; particularly since another router worked fine. I can say with some certainty that the fact the new router is 802.11n is wholly unrelated to the fact that it works as opposed to the troublesome one, which has almost certainly had an internal failure.

[shashgo]

It dpes seem that the problem was with the router, cause ever since I replaced it Ive had no more problems.

Problem solved

[nightreaper]

I think the same thing happened at midnight for me as well a while back...

[shashgo]

Now with an N router and a G wireless adapter, do you get the range of  G router, since G is the lower parameter?

Also, is the above true, that is get the range of a G router if it is a G router and an N wireless adapter?

[Sid]

Now with an N router and a G wireless adapter, do you get the range of  G router, since G is the lower parameter?

Also, is the above true, that is get the range of a G router if it is a G router and an N wireless adapter?

Start you're own thread.

Yes, a G wifi adapter can only communicate upto the specs for G, so it will only be able to communicate with an N router if it is within the range specified by the G specs.

[shashgo]

This is my own thread, I am the original poster.  Anyway thanks for your input

[jagwinn]

Most modems do not have firewalls - most routers do. And there is no reason you can't have both a software and a hardware firewall active.

Thanks Allen. I have a cable modem from Atlantic Broadband. It has the active firewall. Next in line is a router from Sorenson Video Relay Services, and the firewall is off, behind that is the Belkin G router, and the firewall is off, then, of course, is each individual Windows machine, all with firewall off.

With more than the MODEM firewall on, Video would not play. And the Sorenson is all video. With all subsequent firewalls inactive, I have noticed a smoother and quieter internet experience. I believe the same benefit could be had if using Purple3 videophone service as well.

I still think this may help the person who posted original as I am experiencing better internet activity without the multiple firewalls.

Also, each machne is running AVAST!. I cannot say enough about this anti-virus software...download it if you can...it is free.

John