Where are the Network Administrators?

[thrllskr]

This is driving me nuts...

My home network has been working fine for months until today. It is setup as follows:

Cable modem -> Linksys Wireless Router

> Desktop PC hardwired into router
> Notebook PC wirelessly connected, VPN into my company
> Vonage modem hardwired into router

Sitting on a conf. call today, all of a sudden I can't access the web from my notebook. I am connected via VPN to my office (split tunnel) and am getting emails (and can send them). I try the desktop PC - no web access there either. But Vonage is still connected and I am on a live call.

So, I can't use Firefox or IE but VPN/Outlook & Vonage are working fine.

I disconnect VPN and cannot reconnect anymore. I try FTP software and that won't access the web either. It's like if it was already connected, its ok, but it doesn't want to allow any NEW connections. I have a 10mbps connection (recently updgraded) so I know bandwidth isn't an issue.

I unplug cable modem, router and vonage adapter, plug back in and everything works again. I had to do this three times today.

Any thoughts?

[Peter123]

Next time it goes out, only reset the Linksys. Post if resetting it "fixes" the problem. I believe we can isolate it to the Linksys router and then troubleshoot it from there. Also post the Linksys model along with the firmware version.

BTW, how do you like Vonage? I use SunRocket. I went with them because they were about half the price of Vonage and allowed faxing without any extra charges.

[thrllskr]

It happened again tonight and I only unplugged/replugged the router and that fixed it. So its something there, which is weird because I've been using the same router for months with no issues.

I had some service problems with Vonage over the winter but its been working great now (part of it may have been my 2mbps cable plan - Vonage, VPN, etc was too much). I have two lines (phone and fax) and can't complain. It runs about $45/month but my company reimburses me, so I all I am concerned with is the performance, which has been great lately.

[oxnard111]

It happened again tonight and I only unplugged/replugged the router and that fixed it. So its something there, which is weird because I've been using the same router for months with no issues.

I had some service problems with Vonage over the winter but its been working great now (part of it may have been my 2mbps cable plan - Vonage, VPN, etc was too much). I have two lines (phone and fax) and can't complain. It runs about $45/month but my company reimburses me, so I all I am concerned with is the performance, which has been great lately.

Try upgrading the firmware on the router. Also make sure the router is secure. Change the username and password, and also change your wireless security password. It may be someone messing with your network if it is presently unsecured.

[Peter123]

Try upgrading the firmware on the router. Also make sure the router is secure. Change the username and password, and also change your wireless security password. It may be someone messing with your network if it is presently unsecured.

That's exactly where I was going to go once we isolated it to the Linksys router.

Upgrade the firmware. It's very easy to do and only takes about 2 minutes. Trust me, it's simple. Do one thing first. See which firmware you currently have and if there actually is an upgrade.

Once the upgrade is done, don't do anything else yet, first see if that fixes the problem.

However, if you never changed the password form the default (admin for Linksys), change that.

[the only couch rider]

i am running the BEF11WS4 wireless router w/ 4pt switch

i had the same problem, updated the firmware and changed some of the settings around and it was all good

[thrllskr]

Thanks guys - I updated the firmware this morning and changed the password. I am actually going to be gone all day today and not back until tomorrow night but I'll report back once I know if its working better. Thanks for the tips.

It's the WRT54G router. The version on the bottom was 5.0. There was an upgrade available online so I installed it.

[oxnard111]

off the top of my head, sounds like my model number.. i'll confirm tonight..

I had problems with the same router, but version 8.0

[Peter123]

LOL. My dad had the same model, but eventually bought a new one because it kept wigging out all the time. The firmware upgrade didn't even fix his. It went down about once a week.

My next door neighbor has a Linksys on DSL. I've noticed that he loses connection about every other day. I have a repeater on the wall closest to his house (I hop on his on the rare times my cable broadband goes out), but I've never asked which model he has. I'll probably hop on his router tonight, he never changed the password, and update the firmware.

[accbr]

You can upgrade the firmware on those routers to do alot more than they come loaded with if you want to. Check out www.dd-wrt.com.

[Mouthfulloflake]

My Dlink router at home does the exact same thing, and the several linksys routers we use for our wireless public access at work do the same thing.

I figured it was a fact of life with consumer grade routers.

[Peter123]

Luckily, my newest Linksys hasn't ever had this problem.

[thrllskr]

Seems to be working fine now. Haven't had any issues in the past two days. Thanks for tips.