Here is my problem: I have a Windows XP desktop PC, a Windows Vista Sony Vaio laptop, and my girlfriend is using a Windows Vista Dell laptop. We are connected to our AT&T DSL with the desktop PC being hard wired and the two laptops being wirelessly connected via a Linksys Wireless-G WRT54GS router.
We moved into our house in August and for some reason the Linksys router wasn't secured again when we hooked everything up after the move. (It was installed and secured in our previous apartment.) Whenever I tried to configure it, it would tell me that I wasn't connected to the internet. I would open Firefox and get a timeout message on my home page (Google.com) and was unable to ping the modem. After a reboot, I would have about 8-10 minutes of an internet connection and the ability to ping the modem, and then nothing would load at all after that window of accessibility.
I called my ISP and went through the checklist of pinging Yahoo, deleting cookies, etc. and whatnot. Everything looks fine on the connection side; AT&T shows me as connected with no problems whatsoever and both laptops are connecting to the wifi with no problems either. I thought I had a virus that was blocking and/or hijacking my connection, but Katana at the Spybot S&D forums helped me check and gave me a clean bill of health.
So it seems that the problem is restricted to my desktop. I am currently typing this on my laptop and everything is connecting smoothly. My girlfriend has had no problems at all, either. Whether the desktop is hardwired to the modem or connected to the router, everything works after a reboot, but dies out after 8-10 minutes. The same thing happens in safe mode with networking also, 8-10 minutes of connectivity and then nothing.
So that is why I'm here. I don't know if the problem is with my Linksys router, the software, or what. Any help and/or advice would be most appreciated. As of right now, our wifi isn't secured and I really want to get it secured again because I'm not a fan of people mooching off my internet!
Is it Service Pack 3 ?
Do you use a Torrent program ? [never-mind, I see from the link you have deleted torrents.]
…and was unable to ping the modem.
depending on the modem, this could be normal. You should be able to Ping the Router at all times though. Since you know the problem lies with your PC and the wireless PCs are not affected, you should go ahead and apply WPA/WPA2 wireless encryption and secure your WLAN.
couple of other things to try.
You could try Un-installing, then re-installing the Network Adapter.
You could try installing a different NIC card, as they DO sometimes fail like this [10min cycle] If you can borrow one from someone, [your others being laptops ]
You could try using the IP address of your Router for the DNS Primary server.
Your AT&T modem… is it not a 2-wire..? If it is, you could completely eliminate the Linksys and that would help you narrow the margine of error ALOT. However, if your going to use the linksys (and thats perfectly ok), you should run it in this order (specifically ): First power everything down. Then run the ADSL line from the wall to the modem, then power up the modem (make sure all the correct lights come on and the modem connects to the net). From the modem, run it to the last port (usually labeled WAN) on the router, then power up the router. Now, power up your desktop. Right click on "Network Places" on the desktop and choose properties (or go in to the control panel and click on "network adapters") Right click on the adapter your going to use and choose "properties". Highlight (left click one time) the "Internet Protocol TCP/IP" and then click on the "properties" button below the window. Make SURE that it is set to "Automatically renew the IP address" and that there is nothing set for the DNS or Gateway IP's (if you feel you must set the DNS, AT&T's DNS servers are [removed] and [removed]) Then click apply and ok untill your completely out of your networking adapters windows. Now you can plug your desktop into the first available port on the router. To access your routers settings click on this link http://192.168.1.1 (.. I ran into a linksys that the settings address was http://192.168.1.54 the other day so… one of the two should get you there). From there you can secure your wireless settings and whatever ever else you need to do. If that DOESNT work, get a paperclip, find the "reset" button on the ROUTER (not modem) and press and hold the button in for 45 seconds.. that'll give you a hard reset. Then start over from the top and you shouldnt have any more issues.
If your modem is a 2-wire, then it has wireless capabilities and you can take the router out of the loop if you want.
The problem your most likely having (I wouldl bet) is that something… be it a torrent client or multiplayer game or any peer2peer-type application has set a static ip address for your desktop….
The problem your most likely having (I wouldl bet) is that something… be it a torrent client or multiplayer game or any peer2peer-type application has set a static ip address for your desktop….
I question how having a static LAN IP could cause an 8-10min connection cycle ?
I appreciate the tips and help. But nothing seems to be working at all. I don't know what else to do. I can't ping the modem or the router outside of that 8-10 minute window. There is obviously something wrong with my desktop because the connection is fine on the laptops. Everything shows me connected on the desktop but I just can't seem to get it going. And I can't stay connected long enough to make any changes to the modem and/or router settings.
That said, something seems to be going through somewhere. I use Firefox and I have an add-on that allows me to see the local weather. (Forecast Fox) That is loading when I open an internet window but nothing else will. So that leads me to believe that something is working and getting a connection through but just not in the right place so that I am able to browse.
I did find this link and this guy's problem is nearly identical to mine:
Just wondering. What sort of software Firewall do you use?
Most Firewalls are capable of showing connections, and
what services are blocked for with regards to accessing the
internet. Could it be that a service somewhere are blocked by
accident?
Have you tried look in the event-viewer for any error-messages?
I question how having a static LAN IP could cause an 8-10min connection cycle ?
Well … this is how that works. If the host dynamically updates the IP (which all do), and they are set at intervals of…say… 8 to 10 minutes. Then every 8 to 10 minutes the IP address is going to change. (I can elaborate more if you like, however, I think you can figure the rest out)
Abd4253- Did you follow the steps, as I layed them out above?
And Tallon41, if you have a question, you should post it in to a new thread.
If the host dynamically updates the IP (which all do), and they are set at intervals of…say… 8 to 10 minutes.
Rediculous. That would mean a Lease time of 20mins….I've never seen a Residential Router with a default lease time so low. Even *IF* we follow your secenerio, and his IP changes every 10 mins….that alone would NOT cause the loss of internet. You are barking-up the wrong tree.
A reason to try a static IP would be if you suspected that the DHCP server was failing/malfunctioning.
And Tallon41, if you have a question, you should post it in to a new thread.
LOL….not when you are steering the OP in the WRONG direction.
I've never seen a Residential Router with a default lease time so low
well, I guess you should get out more.
.that alone would NOT cause the loss of internet
Ok so your trying to tell me that if you have had an application set your ip (which by the way IS a static ip, obviously you are not aware of this) and your host changes your ip every 8 minutes that that wont cause loss of internet..? You better think about that a little more.
A reason to try a static IP would be if you suspected that the DHCP server was failing/malfunctioning.
you need to read the thread, I didnt say to "try" a static ip.
LOL….not when you are steering the OP in the WRONG direction
let me tell you something, I have been in this field for almost 10 years now. I have yet to see you even offer help. Your to busy trying flame someone that you shouldnt be.. YOU, are the one here steering in the wrong direction. You need to offer a solution or move on.
Gentlemen,
I am not competent to arbitrate the technical aspects of this argument.
However, I do insist that you eliminate the sarcasm, hostility, and inflammatory comments.
You are both competent Techs who are capable of assisting, AND you also know that open hostility in the course of a help thread can only injure your efforts to help the original poster.
The stakes are high, because you both seem to assert that the others' recommendations either will not help or could possibly hurt the original poster's machine functionality.
I'd like to give you a light-hearted comment of "Knock it off."
But I must insist, that no further open hostility will be tolerated.
Do whatever you need to do to control and contain your display.
Take it to PM if you need to exchange technical points of view.
Take it to myself or an Admin via PM if you are unable to resolve the hostility.
But do not display it here in this Forum thread.
Doug
Let's focus on what's important here - helping Jason. This back and forth is helping no one. If you have a problem to work out, take it to private message.
Hello,
What has happened is that Windows sees this as a new connection, and the Windows wireless utility is trying to manage it.
Since the linksys wireless utility is trying to manage the connection as well there is a conflict.
Look on the back of the router for a small reset button.
Please press this button, holding it in for a few seconds.
Uninstall the linksys utility from your computer.
Act like you are setting up the router for the first time.
Install the software first, then install the router.
Make sure that your LAN is set to obtain settings automatically.
Make sure that the wireless adapter, and the wired NIC are not conflicting with each other.
If any one of the three machines is connecting with out any issues then it is not your modem, router, or ISP.
For information purposes only; a STATIC IP does not change. A DYNAMIC IP changes.
This has no relevance to this issue!
Good morning, everyone!
I have good news to share. I appear to be back up and running. I took all of the advice listed here and did a little online searching and deduced the problem - it was a firewall issue.
Apparently, Microsoft issued updates in July and October of this year. Those updates didn't play nicely with users running XP and ZoneAlarm firewalls and knocked out the internet connection to them. Vista users were unaffected. Coincidentally, I use both XP and ZoneAlarm on my desktop PC. My computer was unaffected by the July update for some reason, but the update of October 14th did the dirty work and killed my connection.
It turns out that since I was running ZoneAlarm on the XP desktop machine, the ZA firewall was stopping any connection from being made to anything else from that particular machine. I couldn't browse the web, I couldn't use iTunes, I couldn't receive updates, I couldn't ping the modem or the router, etc. Yet despite that, everything looked to be fine from the connection side, because everything was fine. It was just the in-fighting with my XP machine and ZoneAlarm. Further, it explains why I was able to use the Vista laptops with the wifi because, while the DSL connection was working normally, ZA and the XP update caused the connection to bypass the desktop and sent it on to the router with no problems.
The solution is as simple as updating to the newest version of ZoneAlarm that fixes the glitch. In the meantime, I've turned on the Windows Firewall and uninstalled ZoneAlarm. Doing so allowed me to browse and do everything I was unable to do for the past six weeks. (Yay!) I plan to install the new ZoneAlarm this afternoon and hopefully, that will be all I need to do.
Thank you all so much for your advice and assistance. I was yanking my hair out on a daily basis because of this and I am very appreciative for your help. You guys rock!
Best wishes and happy holidays to all!
-Jason
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Best wishes and happy holidays to all!
-Jason