In search of a solution to a Router problem.

[JeffL]

My boringly reliable Netgear router has developed an unusual problem, and I'm stumped. Hopefully someone here has a simple solution or has seen something similar and knows the cause.

Symptoms: I have two machines currently attached to the router (hardwired - this is not a wireless system.) The notebook computer boots up and gets an internet connection with no problem (regardless of which of the two cables it is attached to) but every once in a while I'll get a quick "Local Area NetworK: A network cable is unplugged" error balloon. It lasts just for a second.

The desktop machine is more problematic. When I boot it up, there appears to be no internet connection and the router lights for that connection don't light up. I have to reboot the router, in which case everything is fine. But I seem to have to reboot the router every time I boot up the desktop system in order to have it assigned an IP by the router and connect to the Internet. Also, the desktop system will also get the random "a network cable is unplugged" message for a second, at random times. (Pretty annoying when you're playing online.) Also - usually the lights for the connections to the computers will go out when the computers are off, but I noticed last night that the lights on the router for the desktop system connection were still on even though the machine was off.

I've downloaded the latest firmware update and updated the router - that appears to have made no difference. This is pretty irritating. Does anyone have any idea as to what may be going on? (oh yeah, I did a virus scan with the latest updates and came up clean.)

Thanks

[DennyA]

Had almost the same symptoms with a D-Link router. About a month or two after that stuff started happening, the router died completely.

Probably time for a new router...

[JeffL]

Had almost the same symptoms with a D-Link router. About a month or two after that stuff started happening, the router died completely.

Probably time for a new router...

Ah heck, now I suppose I HAVE to buy a new wireless router. ;) I'll tell Edie that the experts at Qt3 have told me it's helpless, so we may as well start pricing the wireless routers and cards. :)

[TimElhajj]

Yeah, what Denny said.

Doesn't the router come with any sort of self-diagnostic features, not even something as basic as an error log? That would be where you would start troubleshooting, but if it's only doing its job intermitently it's not a good sign.

Say, I am looking for a wireless router, too. If you find a decent deal on one, pass it along?

[DennyA]

If you're looking primarily for internet access on the wireless connection, I've seen lots of 802.11b routers and wi-fi cards for under $30 after rebates both online and at Best Buy.

If you want 802.11g, then you'll need to spend more, obviously. I've played with the latest from Linksys, D-Link, and Buffalo, and it's all good. I like the D-Link software a bit better, though.

[JeffL]

D-Link has a pretty decent deal if you're going for wireless and want 802.11g (plus the new "enhanced" g.) They have a very highly rated wireless router, the Dl-624, which they are bundling with their matched notebook card (DWL-G650) for $124 when you factor in their $40 rebate. Plus they are offering a couple of MP3 players as bonus gifts if you spend over $100 with them directly.

I was looking at the error logs, etc. and can't find anything that points to anything. It's the intermittent and non-systematic errors that are the most troublesome.

Anyway, I've been messing with it for a week, so I just ordered the above D-Link wireless combo plus their wireless PCI card (I need to hook up a third machine). Ho Ho Ho. :)

[TimElhajj]

Thanks Denny! Do you have any experience with the Microsoft 802.11G? I can get a small discount on one of these, but it's still in the $80 range. I wonder if it's worth it for G. I am just going to be web surfing and emailing, I think.

[TimElhajj]

Nice, Jeff. That $20 rebate on the d-link plus free shipping from newegg makes it a pretty decent deal.

[DennyA]

Jeff,

I'm using the DI-624 here. No problems, and it has excellent range -- noticably stronger signal in the living room than my old 802.11b rig.

Tim,

Alas, I haven't tried the Microsoft hardware.

If you're only doing email and web and occasional small file transfers, though, getting some 802.11b stuff on clearance is really all you need. G comes in handy primarily when moving really big files like video files and game demos. And my anecdotal experience with the DI-624 shows that the G routers may have slightly stronger signals, perhaps just because it's a newer generation of hardware.

[TimElhajj]

G comes in handy primarily when moving really big files like video files and game demos.

Wow, I didn't realize G was that robust. I typically hold off on hardware until I need it to do a particular task, but I think I may just set that aside and go with G. The total cost isn't that bad, and I suspect I'm going to want to move video files eventually. My Tivo is cool, but my capture card allows me lots more control of what I've taped. How much longer can it be before I am able to beam TV programs into the living room.

[Toddy]

Unless you're moving a lot of big files, perhaps in a work situation, I don't see how paying the huge extra price for G is worth it right now. I bought a D-Link DI-614 and DI-520 from Newegg a couple of weeks back for less than half what I would have paid for G stuff, after the rebates. $65 or something total. No signal problems, or any other issues, and I'm going a bit of a ways in a good size four-bedroom house. Really, unless you're in a specialized situation, I'd save the money and go B. I don't think you'll ever miss the added speed.

[DennyA]

Tim mentions moving video files, which is a big reason to go G. I have an Athlon/All-in-Wonder rig I use as a video recorder, and moving gigabyte-sized files REALLY benefits from the added speed of G vs. B.

[Toddy]

Yeah, I got that. But he also said "suspect" and "eventually." When I say that it means "wouldn't it be nice?" and "never," so I ignored it. :wink:

[JeffL]

OK, hooked up the D-link gear today; the DI-624 Wireless router and the DWL-G650 PC card in my notebook. Everything works fine, nice and speedy, no problems with range. But I have a very odd problem - suddenly I can't access two of my three email accounts in Outlook. I thought it must be coincidence, how could a new router have an effect on email? But then I saw "I can't access my email" as a FAQ on the D-link site - but with no real helpful answer.

Does anyone else have any ideas as to what the problem is and how to fix it?

[TimElhajj]

What's the error message say? Is there anything different about the email accounts that don't work and the one that does work?

[JeffL]

What's the error message say? Is there anything different about the email accounts that don't work and the one that does work?

Well, one of the two I figured out. While it was no problem with the Netgear router, with the D-Link router I had to change my mail settings in Outlook from POP and SMTP to pop.charter.net and mail.charter.net. Don't know why it worked with the Netgear router and not the D-link, but that fixed that.

My Netidentity email account is more problematic: I'm getting -Err Access denied errors. When I try to telnet the link per the Netidenity diagnostic procedures (e.g., telnet getmail.myaccount.com 110) I get the same -Err Access denied error. Something odd is causing netidentity to deny my access - though how a new Router could effect that is baffling to me.