WiFi network - aaaarrrggh please help

[RedLCRB0b]

I'm hoping someone here can point out the stupid mistake or incorrect assumption that I have made.

Heres my setup:
1. Linksys WRT54GL connected to virgin media cable modem.
2. Desktop computer running Windows Vista connected using ethernet cable to wifi router.
3. Laptop and netbook running Ubuntu connected to wifi router using wifi.
4. PS3/HTC Hero connected to wifi router using wifi.
5. Printer connected to desktop pc via usb.

The main problem is that attempting to copy files from the desktop to the laptop (using windows file sharing) is very slow (<1MB/s) and the connection keeps pausing.

The laptop can copy files from the internet easily, it maxes out my cable connection and never drops the connection. The laptop can also print via the desktop to the printer.

Looking around there seem to be lots of issues with copying files to/from Vista so I thought it might be worth setting up an FTP server on the desktop to see if that would improve things. However, I now find that none of the devices on the network can see each other. I can't ping the desktop from the laptop and vice versa. The firewall is disabled on the vista box.

I then tried pinging the machines from my htc hero, and still couldn't see either of them. The same goes for my PS3, although it will happily stream files from the desktop/laptop using upnp.

So the main question is, why can't each of the devices on the network see each other ? The IP addresses all start with 192.168.1..., they all have the same mask (255.255.255.0). What bit of basic networking am I not understanding ?

Bob

[lestag]

RedLCRB0b said:

I'm hoping someone here can point out the stupid mistake or incorrect assumption that I have made.

Heres my setup:
1. Linksys WRT54GL connected to virgin media cable modem.
2. Desktop computer running Windows Vista connected using ethernet cable to wifi router.
3. Laptop and netbook running Ubuntu connected to wifi router using wifi.
4. PS3/HTC Hero connected to wifi router using wifi.
5. Printer connected to desktop pc via usb.

The main problem is that attempting to copy files from the desktop to the laptop (using windows file sharing) is very slow (<1MB/s) and the connection keeps pausing.

The laptop can copy files from the internet easily, it maxes out my cable connection and never drops the connection. The laptop can also print via the desktop to the printer.

Looking around there seem to be lots of issues with copying files to/from Vista so I thought it might be worth setting up an FTP server on the desktop to see if that would improve things. However, I now find that none of the devices on the network can see each other. I can't ping the desktop from the laptop and vice versa. The firewall is disabled on the vista box.

I then tried pinging the machines from my htc hero, and still couldn't see either of them. The same goes for my PS3, although it will happily stream files from the desktop/laptop using upnp.

So the main question is, why can't each of the devices on the network see each other ? The IP addresses all start with 192.168.1..., they all have the same mask (255.255.255.0). What bit of basic networking am I not understanding ?

Bob

Could be a dodgy ethernet cable from PC or the autosensing 10/100 on the PC OR the access point is not working (ie one at 100 full duplex and teh otehr at 100 half duplex

[4hero]

Are all machines on the same workgroup? Right click "my computer", or "computer" and it'll say the workgroup there.

[RedLCRB0b]

lestag said:

Could be a dodgy ethernet cable from PC or the autosensing 10/100 on the PC OR the access point is not working (ie one at 100 full duplex and teh otehr at 100 half duplex

But why would this stop the wireless devices from being able to ping each other ? I also forgot to mention that I have disabled 'Access Point Isolation' in the router config as this is apparently meant to be used for stopping clients from seeing each other, i tried it both enabled and disabled and it made no difference.

[RedLCRB0b]

4hero said:

Are all machines on the same workgroup? Right click "my computer", or "computer" and it'll say the workgroup there.

Only one of the machines is a windows box.

[arcturus]

What anti-virus are you using on the windows box?

[RedLCRB0b]

arcturus said:

What anti-virus are you using on the windows box?

I can't remember, it may be AVG or one of the other free ones. However, why would this stop the other (non-windows) wireless devices from pinging each other, surely they don't go anywhere near the windows box ?

I've just tried using my hero at work to ping one of the work boxes, and it works as expected. There must be something wrong with the settings on my router but having been through all the options I'm at a loss as to what it is.

[lestag]

RedLCRB0b said:

lestag said:

Could be a dodgy ethernet cable from PC or the autosensing 10/100 on the PC OR the access point is not working (ie one at 100 full duplex and teh otehr at 100 half duplex

But why would this stop the wireless devices from being able to ping each other ? I also forgot to mention that I have disabled 'Access Point Isolation' in the router config as this is apparently meant to be used for stopping clients from seeing each other, i tried it both enabled and disabled and it made no difference.

The firewall built in may supress ping by default

[RedLCRB0b]

lestag said:

The firewall built in may supress ping by default

But it lets me ping outside of my home network ?

I'm going to try assigning static IP addresses to all the devices tonight. I will also reset the router config to default and see if that makes a difference.

[lestag]

RedLCRB0b said:

lestag said:

The firewall built in may supress ping by default

But it lets me ping outside of my home network ?

I'm going to try assigning static IP addresses to all the devices tonight. I will also reset the router config to default and see if that makes a difference.

Im not familiar with linksys to comment on the specifics of the device.
But i would:
1.upgrade to the latest firmware version
http://www.linksysbycisco.com/US/en/support/WRT54G...
2. plug laptop into linksys via network cable and see if ping problem dissapears. If it does it indicates a configuration issue on linksys (cisco PIXs were a pain in the ass interfering with email traffic by default. so who knows what interfering cisco has done with linksys)
3. ping from the web interface of the router , probbably under the diagnostics tab

Edited by lestag on Monday 1st February 11:10

[RedLCRB0b]

lestag said:

Im not familiar with linksys to comment on the specifics of the device.
But i would:
1.upgrade to the latest firmware version
http://www.linksysbycisco.com/US/en/support/WRT54G...
2. plug laptop into linksys via network cable and see if ping problem dissapears. If it does it indicates a configuration issue on linksys (cisco PIXs were a pain in the ass interfering with email traffic by default. so who knows what interfering cisco has done with linksys)
3. ping from the web interface of the router , probbably under the diagnostics tab

Edited by lestag on Monday 1st February 11:10

I'm using the latest version of the Tomato firmware with it already. I can see the web interface on the router fine from multiple devices.

I'm going to try rebooting everything tonight. If that doesn't cure it, then I will re-flash it with the stock linksys firmware.

Thanks for all the suggestions

[RedLCRB0b]

Well that's strange. Everything now appears to be working, but I didn't change anything.

Hmmmm.