Linksys WRT54G wireless network just randomly stops

Got one of these units running with WPA personal, long shared key, G-only,
only my wife's iBook and my linux laptop running off it. For reasons I
don't understand -frequently when my wife and I are surfing away- the
wireless network just drops off. I have to go downstairs and reset the
security parameters, and then it comes back to life.
While I dig in the dogpile -screw the spineless bastids @ google- does
anyone have any silly wild ass guesses what I might be looking for as a
cause?

[POSTED TO alt.internet.wireless - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <(E-Mail Removed)> on Wed, 19 Apr 2006 19:34:13 -0400,
prodigal1 <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Got one of these units running with WPA personal, long shared key, G-only,
>only my wife's iBook and my linux laptop running off it. For reasons I
>don't understand -frequently when my wife and I are surfing away- the
>wireless network just drops off. I have to go downstairs and reset the
>security parameters, and then it comes back to life.
>While I dig in the dogpile -screw the spineless bastids @ google- does
>anyone have any silly wild ass guesses what I might be looking for as a
>cause?

1. Sporadic interference.
2. Router falling over from file sharing (e.g., Bittorrent).
See the FAQ below.

--
Best regards, SEE THE FAQ FOR ALT.INTERNET.WIRELESS AT
John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/FAQ_for_alt.internet.wireless>

On Wed, 19 Apr 2006 23:38:17 +0000, John Navas wrote:

> 1. Sporadic interference.

can you suggest possible sources of interference I should be investigating?

> 2. Router falling over from file sharing (e.g., Bittorrent).

don't do peer-to-peer, Bittorrent...

Could it possibly be faulty hardware or is this kind of instability common
with wireless?

[POSTED TO alt.internet.wireless - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <(E-Mail Removed)> on Wed, 19 Apr 2006 21:42:42 -0400,
prodigal1 <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>On Wed, 19 Apr 2006 23:38:17 +0000, John Navas wrote:
>
>> 1. Sporadic interference.
>
>can you suggest possible sources of interference I should be investigating?

See the FAQ.

>> 2. Router falling over from file sharing (e.g., Bittorrent).
>
>don't do peer-to-peer, Bittorrent...
>
>Could it possibly be faulty hardware or is this kind of instability common
>with wireless?

Unlikely to be a hardware problem. Possibly old firmware -- be sure to
upgrade to the latest firmware.

--
Best regards, SEE THE FAQ FOR ALT.INTERNET.WIRELESS AT
John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/FAQ_for_alt.internet.wireless>

On Thu, 20 Apr 2006 01:49:37 +0000, John Navas wrote:

> [POSTED TO alt.internet.wireless - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]
>
> In <(E-Mail Removed)> on Wed, 19 Apr 2006 21:42:42
> -0400, prodigal1 <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>On Wed, 19 Apr 2006 23:38:17 +0000, John Navas wrote:
>>
>>> 1. Sporadic interference.
>>
>>can you suggest possible sources of interference I should be
>>investigating?
>
> See the FAQ.

been there, done that, none of those sources are issues at the times the
network drops off
can't identify any "competing" networks, using ch.11 myself
microwave -not on
cordless phones -not used
no masses of leaded glass ;-)

>>> 2. Router falling over from file sharing (e.g., Bittorrent).
>>
>>don't do peer-to-peer, Bittorrent...
>>
>>Could it possibly be faulty hardware or is this kind of instability
>>common with wireless?
>
> Unlikely to be a hardware problem. Possibly old firmware -- be sure to
> upgrade to the latest firmware.

I'll check that out. Cheers

prodigal1 <(E-Mail Removed)> hath wroth:

>Got one of these units running with WPA personal, long shared key, G-only,
>only my wife's iBook and my linux laptop running off it. For reasons I
>don't understand -frequently when my wife and I are surfing away- the
>wireless network just drops off. I have to go downstairs and reset the
>security parameters, and then it comes back to life.

What happens when you power the WRT54G on and off? Do the clients
automagically reconnect? Do your really have to reset something to
recover?

What hardware version of the WRT54G? V1 thru V5? It's on the serial
number label.

What firmware version? This sounds vaguely like something I've seen
on early V5 firmware.



--
Jeff Liebermann (E-Mail Removed)
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

"John Navas" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:JRz1g.48720$(E-Mail Removed)...
[POSTED TO alt.internet.wireless - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <(E-Mail Removed)> on Wed, 19 Apr 2006
19:34:13 -0400,
prodigal1 <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Got one of these units running with WPA personal, long shared key, G-only,
>only my wife's iBook and my linux laptop running off it. For reasons I
>don't understand -frequently when my wife and I are surfing away- the
>wireless network just drops off. I have to go downstairs and reset the
>security parameters, and then it comes back to life.
>While I dig in the dogpile -screw the spineless bastids @ google- does
>anyone have any silly wild ass guesses what I might be looking for as a
>cause?

I bought one of these a month ago (version 5) and it would just reset itself
randomly which breaks the connection. After about a minute, the network
would wake up all by itself. I could see it reset spontaneously since the
lights would go out and then flash just like I momentarily pulled the plug
out. It was running the latest firmware (1.00.6). It was returned for a
replacement and that one did the same thing. I finally bought a cheap
CompUSA branded G router and it has been working flawlessly for the past
week. I returned the Linksys and got my money back. I have heard that some
combinations of configuration and traffic can cause this. I had a PPPoE WAN
connection and mixed B & D clients running WEP security. Linksys support was
of no help so I just gave up on it.

David