Really annoying internet disconnection problem.
Really annoying internet disconnection problem.
Author
Discussion

FourWheelDrift

Original Poster:

92,357 posts

314 months

Wednesday 30th August 2006
quotequote all
Sometimes my internet connection is fine, it can be on constantly for days before dropping. Then if it tries to reconnect it can't. I end up unplugging the router (Netgear DG834GT) and restarting. This often results in an internet connection that drops again after 17mins (+ - 10secs) and it will not reconnect. I cannot access the Router via the PC (admin) to look at whats happening.

I have the router on the latest firmware and has been since way before this was happening.
All the normal lights are on the router when the connection is lost.
This is via a cable connection to the router, but my laptop cannot access the internet if the connection drops.
BT says there is nothing wrong with the line.
I have changed ADLS filters.
I have tried a different router, same problem.
There can be no other software accesing the internet when this happens.
Although I can't see it effecting it (as my laptop cannot connect via wireless) this has been happening since I updated XP Home to SP2. I have the MS firewall off.

Anyone have any ideas? Other than drive over the Router with a heavy car and buy a Cisco one instead.

(Can't seem to access the Netgear forums either -> forum1.netgear.com/support seems broken)

slinky

15,704 posts

279 months

Wednesday 30th August 2006
quotequote all
So, when your internet connection dies, your connection to the ADSL router dies as well?

If that's the case, that's your problem, potential router overheating, or router replacement required... I've had exactly the same problem recently, albeit with a different manufacturers router...

BliarOut

72,863 posts

269 months

Wednesday 30th August 2006
quotequote all
DG834's are normally excellent. If you've tried swapping routers it confirms it's the PC, not the router particularly as it started when you installed XP SP2. As they say, there's no smoke without fire.

Are you sure the firewall is off. Even if you switch it off it will still switch itself back on with alarming regularity yes

aldi

9,292 posts

267 months

Wednesday 30th August 2006
quotequote all
If you can't access the routers admin page from either machine when the fault is present, it would suggest that the problem is with the router rather than the BT side of things.

What the problem actually is is another question, I'm guessing either p2p or trojan activity overloading its puny circuits or an actual fault with the device it's self.

BliarOut

72,863 posts

269 months

Wednesday 30th August 2006
quotequote all
FourWheelDrift said:
this has been happening since I updated XP Home to SP2.

TangoAlpha

1,175 posts

284 months

Wednesday 30th August 2006
quotequote all
I had the same problem recently. It's an easy fix, all you have to do is tu

FourWheelDrift

Original Poster:

92,357 posts

314 months

Wednesday 30th August 2006
quotequote all
BliarOut said:
FourWheelDrift said:
this has been happening since I updated XP Home to SP2.



Yes but I said it can't be the cause because the desktop was updated, the laptop that connects to the router via a wireless conenction can't get online when the conenction drops as well. I was just giving full info

hut49

3,544 posts

292 months

Wednesday 30th August 2006
quotequote all
I have the same router and the same problem - can be fine for days then it stops doing what it's paid to do. I spoke to Netgear tech service and they told me the buffer gets clogged and needs to be cleared (or some other technogabble). They advised me to unplug it, wait 10 secs and repower it and it's generally ok. Occasionally it trips over again quite soon and I repeat the process. Now I generally pre-empt it and occasionally just whip out the power router's lead and plug it back again on my way to bed.

FourWheelDrift

Original Poster:

92,357 posts

314 months

Wednesday 30th August 2006
quotequote all
aldi said:
What the problem actually is is another question, I'm guessing either p2p or trojan activity overloading its puny circuits or an actual fault with the device it's self.


You mean general unwanted network internet traffic? The kind of thing I stop getting through the router because of the firewall protection of the router?

FourWheelDrift

Original Poster:

92,357 posts

314 months

Wednesday 30th August 2006
quotequote all
hut49 said:
I have the same router and the same problem - can be fine for days then it stops doing what it's paid to do. I spoke to Netgear tech service and they told me the buffer gets clogged and needs to be cleared (or some other technogabble). They advised me to unplug it, wait 10 secs and repower it and it's generally ok. Occasionally it trips over again quite soon and I repeat the process. Now I generally pre-empt it and occasionally just whip out the power router's lead and plug it back again on my way to bed.


exactly what I have to do. Do you think turning it off overnight might be a useful solution?


Oh well I guess wait for a firmware update perhaps.....maybe...... or maybe not.

Edited by FourWheelDrift on Wednesday 30th August 22:56

Plotloss

67,280 posts

300 months

Wednesday 30th August 2006
quotequote all
hut49 said:
I have the same router and the same problem - can be fine for days then it stops doing what it's paid to do. I spoke to Netgear tech service and they told me the buffer gets clogged and needs to be cleared (or some other technogabble). They advised me to unplug it, wait 10 secs and repower it and it's generally ok. Occasionally it trips over again quite soon and I repeat the process. Now I generally pre-empt it and occasionally just whip out the power router's lead and plug it back again on my way to bed.


NAT table getting full.

On the DG834G this doesnt happen on the earlier firmware (V2.10.22) but does on the 3.x releases.

Gets especially battered by P2P apps and they cause it to fail within minutes if set to converse particularly agressively.

FourWheelDrift

Original Poster:

92,357 posts

314 months

Wednesday 30th August 2006
quotequote all
The DG834GT is on firmware V1.02.04 which is the most up to date for it. Unless anyone knows of a Beta version that might be more solid?

hut49

3,544 posts

292 months

Wednesday 30th August 2006
quotequote all
TangoAlpha said:
I had the same problem recently. It's an easy fix, all you have to do is tu....

Looks like TangoAlpha's problem is quite serious - I think we lost him!

Plotloss

67,280 posts

300 months

Wednesday 30th August 2006
quotequote all
FourWheelDrift said:
The DG834GT is on firmware V1.02.04 which is the most up to date for it. Unless anyone knows of a Beta version that might be more solid?


Try an older one.

I've gone back to that 2.0 release for the 834G and its far more stable.

Theres a few on the Netgear website, you shouldnt lose anything.

aldi

9,292 posts

267 months

Wednesday 30th August 2006
quotequote all
FourWheelDrift said:
aldi said:
What the problem actually is is another question, I'm guessing either p2p or trojan activity overloading its puny circuits or an actual fault with the device it's self.


You mean general unwanted network internet traffic? The kind of thing I stop getting through the router because of the firewall protection of the router?


The routers firewall stops incomming, except for what you tell it to forward. The PC firewall stops incomming to the PC also except what its been told to allow, and also stops outgoing except what its been told to allow (or what another program has told it to allow)

What I mean is either p2p software which would be specifically allowed cause you or your children or whatever installed it, which opens up umpty-thousand outgoing connections untill the router runs out of RAM. OR a trojan/worm/whatever that does the same thing but that you didnt deliberatly install, but received in an email or through an IE vulnerability or some other way.

Might be worth trying the connection just using the laptop with the PC off, and if that fails then start again and try it just from the PC with the laptop off, to help to try and eliminate some software on one of these machines causing the problem.

FourWheelDrift

Original Poster:

92,357 posts

314 months

Wednesday 30th August 2006
quotequote all
From memory when I bought this Router it couldn't connect to the intenet without an update, I'm not sure what firmware it was shipped with but if the update was the latest firmware to get it online I could be stuck with no access.

I'll do some searching

Plotloss

67,280 posts

300 months

Wednesday 30th August 2006
quotequote all
http://kbserver.netgear.com/products/

I'd go the one version back and see what happens.

thepassenger

6,962 posts

265 months

Thursday 31st August 2006
quotequote all
Whilst I'm inclined to go with the others and suggest it's a totally banjo'd router, I did notice you'd tried a different unit and had the same result.

So... I'm wondering what's managed to feck up two routers... just out of idiotic interest have you got a UPS and/or surge protector to hand? Is the router plugged in to a surge strip that's a bit long in the tooth (they have a lifespan unfortunatley)? If it's in a multiway socket does it still lock solid if you plug it directly in to the wall?

It probably is just two duff units but you never know.