Strange Router Problem

42Neil · 25-09-2007, 10:57

I've been having a few problems recently with my net connection disconnecting under heavy load, requiring a reset of the cable modem.

After trying a few things to fix this, I decided to try a new router, to see if that would fix the problem. So I bought a new router (Netgear WRG614) and tried that, but the disconnecting problem was still there.

So I decided to take that router back and go back to my old one, but now for some reason my old router doesn't work any more!

The old router is a Linksys WRT54G, and I am trying to connect using a wired connection, but it just won't work any more. All of the settings are the same as before, but I cannot connect to the web through it any more.

I can access the router via it's IP address (192.168.1.1) and all settings look fine, and I can also access the cable modem's IP address (192.168.100.1). I can even ping web addresses from the router's admin page, but I just can't connect to the web.

Is it possible that Virgin Media are now blocking my old routers MAC address for some reason?

Anyone have any bright ideas as to what the problem may be? It's driving me mad!

**Chris** · 25-09-2007, 11:00

Did you try powering the modem down and up again?

Tezcatlipoca · 25-09-2007, 11:08

Also, regarding the "heavy load disconnections", are you using P2P software (such as Azureus or another BitTorrent client)?

If so, make sure you limit the upload speed within the P2P client (perhaps to half of your actual upload speed), & also reduce the number of connections.

My old WRT54G used to fall over under heavy BT use, if I didn't cut the speed & connections.

Oh, &

btw

42Neil · 25-09-2007, 11:13

Yep, I've tried pretty much all combinations of resetting the modem, router, and PC, to no avail.

I even switched the whole lot overnight and tried again this morning, but still no dice. It's really odd, as the router has been working fine for about 2-3 years, with the exact same settings it has now.

I can't see how just using a different router for a couple of days could possibly affect the old one?

---------- Post added at 11:13 ---------- Previous post was at 11:11 ----------

No P2P software, the heavy load was usually downloading large demos from xbox live, while using a PC at the same time.

popper · 25-09-2007, 11:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by 42Neil

I've been having a few problems recently with my net connection disconnecting under heavy load, requiring a reset of the cable modem.

After trying a few things to fix this, I decided to try a new router, to see if that would fix the problem. So I bought a new router (Netgear WRG614) and tried that, but the disconnecting problem was still there.

So I decided to take that router back and go back to my old one, but now for some reason my old router doesn't work any more!

The old router is a Linksys WRT54G, and I am trying to connect using a wired connection, but it just won't work any more. All of the settings are the same as before, but I cannot connect to the web through it any more.

I can access the router via it's IP address (192.168.1.1) and all settings look fine, and I can also access the cable modem's IP address (192.168.100.1). I can even ping web addresses from the router's admin page, but I just can't connect to the web.

Is it possible that Virgin Media are now blocking my old routers MAC address for some reason?

Anyone have any bright ideas as to what the problem may be? It's driving me mad!

hmm thats a very odd one!.

the 'disconnecting under heavy load, requiring a reset of the cable modem' one is easy enough to explain, (older, and not so old) many (wireless)routers CPU's cant cope with the load and so fall over, and forget the WAN address/route type fault, and as already said, reducing the overall load per second helps stop it falling over.

the fact you can ping from inside it and get a response means the UDP DNS etc is working and so the IP must also be valid, or at least valid within the VM internal network.

did you check to see if it was now still getting a true WAN IP that is viewable/pingable externally to VM network, something in the 80.* 81.* 82.* and now they seem to also use 62.* range, perhaps more?.

42Neil · 25-09-2007, 12:04

Yeah, the router is definitely getting a WAN IP address assigned to it, and auto-detecting the virgin media DNS servers correctly. I tried doing a DHCP release/renew a few times too, but that didn't have any effect.

I haven't checked whether or not the WAN IP is viewable externally to the VM network though.

Uncle Peter · 25-09-2007, 13:10

From the command prompt on your pc can you telnet to a web server (say www.bbc.co.uk) on port 80? If you can then I would suspect that there is an issue with your browser settings (proxy configuration perhaps?)

When you put your connection under heavy stress does your modem drop sync? your signal levels or snr may be teetering on the brink of losing service.

popper · 25-09-2007, 13:15

hmm, well this wont really fix your problem but it will at least tell you if the WAN is reachable etc and perhaps look elsewere for the problem..

there are many ways you could do these tests but the fact you seem to have another working web connection else you couldnt post here, heres what id do.

first of all ,double check the obvious, has VM accounts messed up and wrongly turned off your CM access?,they have done this to me several times so its quite possible, you can still ping websites using the internal vm DNS servers etc, but not go any were when they wongly do that.

'Network Access : Allowed' in http://192.168.100.1/CmOpConfig.asp if they havnt turned you off.

as already said, lots of ways to quicky check, but use your working connection to check the current broken VM WAN by making a quick shell account here, just follow the on screen text.

http://sdf-eu.org/index.cgi?telnet and ping (and other shell based things)your routers WAN IP directly from that external shell account, when your connected to that crumby flickery java web front end your in effect external to any VM part so even if your connection your using to post now is also another VM conection it doesnt matter.

you can use putty in the java front ends place, but its just a quick test so the web java front ends fine for that.

your installed OS is probably fine,but again, as a quick check go grab any of the slax liveCD's and boot the PC on your LAN to see if it can now get a valid LAN IP and browse the web.

http://www.slax.org/download.php

any will do, SLAX Standard Edition v 5.1.8.1 should be fine for a test if you have an average bog standard PC/NC as must people do today.

useing these liveCD's does not write anything to your Harddrives etc (unless you tel it to OC)so no problem, just a nice quick way to see if the OS<>PC<>router<>CM<>VM-network<>web is now working.

if it is, then its time to look at the HD installed OS etc.

other than that,im out of idea's for now, and times moving on, things to do and all that..., hope at least some of this helps a reader or two to at least diagnose and perhaps fix a/the problem their end.

42Neil · 25-09-2007, 13:28

I can't even ping a web address from the command prompt on the PC, but I *can* ping a web address from the routers setup page, so I doubt the telnet thing would work, although it's not something that I've tried.

I very much doubt it's browser settings, as I have tried both firefox and IE, and I have also tried another PC (which connects wirelessly), and my xbox 360 (which is wired), and neither of those are working either.

---------- Post added at 13:28 ---------- Previous post was at 13:21 ----------

They definitely haven't turned of my web access, because everything works fine if I connect to the cable modem directly. It just seems to be the router that is now not working as it should.

OS's etc are definitely not the problem, as I have a mac, pc, xbox 360, ps3 and a wii, and none of them can connect through the router any more.

Very bizarre.

**Chris** · 25-09-2007, 13:44

Could it be as simple as a slightly dodgy connector that you have dislodged by unplugging and reinstating the router? It wouldn't be the first piece of electronic equipment to go on the fritz in protest for being switched off for the first time in years!

42Neil · 25-09-2007, 13:51

I don't think it's a dodgy connector, as I can still "see", and communicate with the router, and cable modem from the PC.

popper · 25-09-2007, 13:54

as chris said, also for whatever reason (powerdown after a long time), its also possible its firmware has become slightly currupted, so again perhaps a re-install/update of its firmware might put it right or perhaps even better if you have the right HW versions, install a 3rd party firmware OpenWrt or instance

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WRT54G
http://wiki.openwrt.org/TableOfHardware?action=show

42Neil · 25-09-2007, 14:04

I did try reinstalling the firmware, but it made no difference.

I haven't tried any of the 3rd party firmware's, as the stock one has always been fine up until now.

It has been powered down for longer than this before though, when I've been away on holiday for example.

The only thing that was different this time was that I used a new router for a couple of days. There's no setting at VM's end that could have been changed by the new router or anything is there?

popper · 25-09-2007, 14:17

re-installing a fresh firmware being the case then and seeing exactly the same results, it looks like its toast in some way then, as you say taking the router out of the chain, your connection works.........

you might still try finding and installing a newer official firmware or a 3rd party one and see were that gets you, but its not looking good from what you tell us.

**Chris** · 25-09-2007, 14:17

Yes, the network does keep a track of which MAC addresses have been connected to it, but that shouldn't in theory cause your problem - power cycling the modem should be sufficient.

It might be interesting to clone the MAC of the router that works onto the old one though, just to see whether that fixes it.