limited or no connectivity

[Psy]

Hi, i have a wireless network. The service i have is 20Mb broadband but i think i barely receive 2mb of it..

Every 5 minutes approx, i get limited or no connectivity and have to repair the connection. How can this be solved so that i receive what i pay for and the internet doesn't die every few minutes..

Many Thanks.

Psy

[quaxo]

First of all, start by contacting your ISP and explaining the issue to them.

[Psy]

they say everything is fine.. typical.

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

How close are you to the router?

[quaxo]

they say everything is fine.. typical.

What does your computer report the wireless signal strength as?

[Psy]

i'm in the next room so the distance is about 2-3 meters away (with a wall in the middle) and signal strength is excellent. Just gets limited or no connectivitiy every few minutes.

[quaxo]

What kind of wall is it? Concrete? Sheet rock?

Are there any other wireless devices (computers, cell phones, cordless phones, radios, televisions, etc.) between or near the two devices?

[Broni]

What happens, if you hardwire your computer to the router?
How many other computers are connected to the same router at the same time?

[Psy]

umm, material of the wall.. not sure, but not very thick and pretty new house so im guessing breeze block or brick.

as for devices near the connection.. There's mobiles ofcourse and there are 4 other laptops that connect to the same wireless network that all get the same problem.

If i hardwire the laptop to the modem it's fine never cuts off, but others can't use the internet then.. as for attaching it to the router via cable, i haven't actually tried that so i'll do that next and see what happens.

[Broni]

If i hardwire the laptop to the modem it's fine never cuts off, but others can't use the internet then.. as for attaching it to the router via cable, i haven't actually tried that so i'll do that next and see what happens.

Yeah, it'll tell us more.

[Computer CPR]

Are any network errors being logged in the System event viewer on your PC?  I've seen a similar problem before and the problem was related to an error in the operating system on the PC.  I had to run an XP repair.

[dahlarbear]

1.  Which wireless router are you using?  They may differ in quality and capabilities:

    Manufacturer:
    Model (and version):
    Firmware Version:


2.  Which laptop are you using to diagnose the problem?  Make and Model of its wireless NIC adapter?  What operating system and version does that laptop use?

[Computer CPR]

earlier I didn't see where you said that 4 other computers have the same problem.  If that's the case you need to get some more sophistocated wireless tools to see if something else is occupying the frequency or maybe you should boot up a computer with Back Track 2 (a really awesome linux based white hat hacking tool) and see if it can sniff out some other wireless signal.

[dahlarbear]

1.  What can I do if I keep losing my connection on my wireless computers?

http://linksys.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/linksys.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=4029&lid=3999037401B13

They strongly suggest you NOT use the default wireless (communication) channel or the default SSID (network name) as those settings may conflict with your neighbors who are probably still using the defaults.


2.  What can I do if I keep losing my connection on both my wired and wireless computers?

http://linksys.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/linksys.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=4031&lid=3994137401B12

[akil]

IS your Pic's IP address is dynamic or static? Instead of using  automatic (dynamic) IP address try to use static IP address for all of yours PCs

[Psy]

Are any network errors being logged in the System event viewer on your PC?

Haven't the fogiest, Where do I go to check that?

Which wireless router are you using?  They may differ in quality and capabilities:

Linksys Wireless G something or other lol..
No idea about firmware version. again how do you check that?

Which laptop are you using to diagnose the problem?  Make and Model of its wireless NIC adapter?  What operating system and version does that laptop use?

Laptop is: Dell XPS M1710.

Here's some specs:

Code: [Select]

OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name ALEX
System Manufacturer Dell Inc.
System Model MXG061
System Type X86-based PC
Processor x86 Family 6 Model 15 Stepping 6 GenuineIntel ~1997 Mhz
Processor x86 Family 6 Model 15 Stepping 6 GenuineIntel ~1997 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date Dell Inc. A06, 02/04/2007
SMBIOS Version 2.4
Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS
System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume2
Locale United Kingdom
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "5.1.2600.2705 (xpsp.050622-1524)"
User Name ALEX\Alexander
Time Zone GMT Standard Time
Total Physical Memory 2,048.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 1.49 GB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB
Page File Space 3.85 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys

Wireless NIC adapter? umm is that:

Broadcom NetXtreme 57xx Gigabit Controller?
or 1394 Net Adapter?
or Intel (R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection?

Operating system can be seen above. Windows XP SP2.

If that's the case you need to get some more sophistocated wireless tools to see if something else is occupying the frequency or maybe you should boot up a computer with Back Track 2

Where do you get them from? and how do you use Back Track 2 after you get it?

default wireless (communication) channel or the default SSID (network name)

Eh? lol

IS your Pic's IP address is dynamic or static? Instead of using  automatic (dynamic) IP address

I think it's static. It changes when we either lose connectivity or reboot the router, but only then.

Thanks for the questions and info guys.

Hope some of my answers can be of some help to you to help me sort my problem.

Many Thanks

Psy/Alex

[dahlarbear]

1.  Internet Service Provider (ISP).  Since laptop maintains internet connectivity when directly cabled to modem, it appears your ISP is not to blame for your loss of connectivity.  The issue of "throughput" is a separate issue which I'm going to ignore for now.

2.  Modem.  Sounds like your modem is operating properly because you maintain internet connectivity when laptop is directly cabled to modem.

3.  Linksys Wireless Router.  Suspect, very suspect.  Currently you can't maintain internet connectivity with any of your computers for more than a few minutes using the wireless component of the router.  Either "bad" overall hardware router, "bad" wireless subcomponent, buggy firmware, overheating, wireless frequency interference (neighbors, microwave, wireless phones), misconfiguration of router settings or laptop.

Per Broni's suggestion, you should attempt to maintain internet connectivity with computer directly cabled to one of the router ports.  I'd start with a single computer.  I believe you use "straight" (as opposed to "crossover") ethernet cable for this.

If this fails, you may have a bad router overall.  To further test, I'd hardware reset the router settings back to the factory defaults, turn off the wireless component, and retest with single computer directly cabled to router.

How do you do this?  You post the Model Number and Hardware Version of your router and you and/or someone else goes to manufacturer's site to get documentation and view forums regarding any hardware issues (reliability) with that Model/Version.  There may also be "newer" firmware available for download, but I'd wait on that.  You don't want to be the first to test drive their firmware.  See what other users say about the reliability/stability of new firmware.

4.  Model and Hardware Version.  On my Linksys wireless router, there's a sticker on the bottom that says:  Model No WRT54G v5 where "WRT54G" is the model number and "v5" is the hardware version.  The hardware version number identifies a hardware redesign, not necessarily for the better.

5.  Laptops.  Assuming your laptops/operating systems are OK.  Possible network configuration issue, but I doubt it.

[Psy]

WRK54G is the model number, there is no V5 or any other digits after it though..

I'll do as you said about the manufacturers website. good idea.

The router cost £80 i believe which is something like $150, surely that wouldnt go wrong in less than 3 years? or would it.. saying that, i realise that the router is 2 years 3 months old. Could that be the case?

I will also try directly cabling the computer into one of the router ports and get back to you.

Many Thanks.

Psy

[Computer CPR]

Haven't the fogiest, Where do I go to check that?

Go to start...run and type in compmgmt.msc and expand the folder named "event viewer" and look in the system (and possibly application) subfolders for any errors relating to networking.

[Psy]

wow! theres alot of errors in there lol.. alot says tcpip and even more say service control manager. then there is a big section saying cdrom?? lol

[Computer CPR]

well I doubt the cdrom is the issue for now.  Post us some tcpip error messages and the error codes.

[Psy]

Code: [Select]

The server could not bind to the transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{63687A8D-2CDD-46E7-B8A1-925F9D2CDCFB}.

Code: [Select]

Your computer was not able to renew its address from the network (from the DHCP Server) for the Network Card with network address 0018DE1E82D7.  The following error occurred:
The semaphore timeout period has expired. . Your computer will continue to try and obtain an address on its own from the network address (DHCP) server.

Code: [Select]

The IP address lease xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx for the Network Card with network address 0018DE1E82D7 has been denied by the DHCP server 192.168.1.1 (The DHCP Server sent a DHCPNACK message).

there are loads of them over and over.

[Computer CPR]

Sorry if you already told us and I just didn't see it, but what encryption method are you using for this router?  If you are using WPA go in and see what algorithm is being used.  It should say TKIP or AES.

[Psy]

umm, encryption method?? lol.. what's that? hehe!.. Sorry, I'm not too familiar with this stuff.. I can get in the admin cp and enable mac address's but that's about it lol..

[Psy]

one thing i should add is when i login to the admin cp, i get a pop up box that says "stack overflow at line 0".. any idea why?

it says im using WEP.. like a 24 digit key is it? so WPA is not enabled.

[dahlarbear]

Per Broni's suggestion, you should attempt to maintain internet connectivity with computer directly cabled to one of the router ports.  I'd start with a single computer.  I believe you use "straight" (as opposed to "crossover") ethernet cable for this.

If this fails, you may have a bad router overall.  To further test, I'd hardware reset the router settings back to the factory defaults, turn off the wireless component, and retest with single computer directly cabled to router.

You're working hard to find out what doesn't work.  First find out what does work.  Keep it simple...

[Computer CPR]

Do the following while hardwired to this router.  Go to Start...run type in cmd hit enter.  type in ipconfig hit enter.  write down the gateway...open Internet explorer and type in the gateway in the address bar and hit enter.  If you don't know the username/password these are the combos I would try:  admin/password,  admin/(blank), admin/admin.  If those don't work then who knows what it is, but assuming one of those works navigate to the wireless security settings and see how the router is configured as far as security goes and see which encryption algorithm is used.

[rhon_cafe]

hi all,
i have six(6) computers but only one (1) have limiteed or noconnectivity,can any one help me solve this problem? the firewall is off.

before i incounter this kind of problem,i just restore my system to the previous day,tell if that was a bad idea