More Wireless Router Connection Problems!!

I'll try to be thourough without writing a novel! I have a Zyxel
Prestige 660HW-61 wireless router that connects wirelessly (sometimes)
with a Windows XP SP2 desktop via a Belkin F5D7001 PCI Card, a Toshiba
laptop with built in wireless, and an Apple G4 Powerbook. I use the XP
desktop the most often therefore have most problem with it. However,
all computers will lose connection at one point or another.

Regarding the desktop, the wireless connection seems to drop about
every 20-30 minutes or so. Sometimes it's more frequent. I know the
frequency because I use (or try to use) Skype frequently and
conversations last only about that much time before being dropped.
Also, the wireless network connection icon will sometimes come up and
say "Limited or no connectivity, You might not be able to access the
internet or some network resources. This problem occured because the
network did not assign a network address to the computer." At this
point if I click repair, then it disables the connection, re enables
the connection, and assigns an IP address, then all is well again until
the next time.

On the other hand, it I connect my Powerbook to the router via CAT 5
cable, everything seems to be fine and the connection stable for many
minutes. I'll sometimes use Skype on the Powerbook this way to keep
connection from dropping my calls. Unfortuantely, this is not the most
convenient way to do things. Besides, that's why I went wireless!!

I've been told that there are probably interference problems, but I
just don't buy it!! The problem is just too frequent and seems to have
some sort of pattern to be interference. Can anyone suggest anything I
can modify/check/troubleshoot in the router? The firmware is the most
recent and all the other settings seem OK. Please help, I'm about the
chuck this thing out of the window!!!! Thanks.......Dan

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
> I'll try to be thourough without writing a novel! I have a Zyxel
> Prestige 660HW-61 wireless router that connects wirelessly (sometimes)
> with a Windows XP SP2 desktop via a Belkin F5D7001 PCI Card, a Toshiba
> laptop with built in wireless, and an Apple G4 Powerbook. I use the XP
> desktop the most often therefore have most problem with it. However,
> all computers will lose connection at one point or another.
>
> Regarding the desktop, the wireless connection seems to drop about
> every 20-30 minutes or so. Sometimes it's more frequent. I know the
> frequency because I use (or try to use) Skype frequently and
> conversations last only about that much time before being dropped.
> Also, the wireless network connection icon will sometimes come up and
> say "Limited or no connectivity, You might not be able to access the
> internet or some network resources. This problem occured because the
> network did not assign a network address to the computer." At this
> point if I click repair, then it disables the connection, re enables
> the connection, and assigns an IP address, then all is well again until
> the next time.
>
Maybe, the XP O/S is trying to roam and trying to connect to other networks
in your area dropping your connection. Have you considered that if you have
not set the preferred network the O/S and card are to stay locked in on?
Have you tried disabling the Wireless Zero Configuration Service on XP that
makes the O/S roam with the card?

> On the other hand, it I connect my Powerbook to the router via CAT 5
> cable, everything seems to be fine and the connection stable for many
> minutes. I'll sometimes use Skype on the Powerbook this way to keep
> connection from dropping my calls. Unfortuantely, this is not the most
> convenient way to do things. Besides, that's why I went wireless!!
>
> I've been told that there are probably interference problems, but I
> just don't buy it!! The problem is just too frequent and seems to have
> some sort of pattern to be interference.

> Can anyone suggest anything I
> can modify/check/troubleshoot in the router? The firmware is the most
> recent and all the other settings seem OK. Please help, I'm about the
> chuck this thing out of the window!!!! Thanks.......Dan

Have you reflashed the router with the firmware? It might correct the
problem. Have you tried reinstalling the driver for the card?

Duane

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
>Regarding the desktop, the wireless connection seems to drop about
>every 20-30 minutes or so. Sometimes it's more frequent.

Just a random hardware thought: Is the router getting enough cooling
airflow? Sometimes these little boxes get stuck in places where they
can overheat...

I'm not sure why you are discounting interference, are there no
cordless phones or microwave ovens in your (or your neighbors')
house(s)? You could try changing the channel to one of the
non-overlapping ones {1,6,11}.

And, as Duane said, check the network settings and that you are using
the latest drivers, and remove all extraneous WiFi networks.

Duane, I went through and made sure WZC was disable and it was...kind
of. It showed stopped but startup was still set to automatic. I have
changed it to disabled, so hopefully this will have a positive effect!
I didn't flash the firmware but confirmed that it was most recent.
Also, I did reinstall the driver......even reformatted and reinstalled
windows to start fresh with the connection. I'll see if the WZC change
helps at this point and keep you posted. Thanks for the feedback!!!

Bill, router seems to be in OK place, that is, on open table with good
airflow around it. Made a change to WZC as Duane suggested, so I'll see
what that does. Thanks for the info and I'll keep you posted.......Dan

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) ups.com...
> Duane, I went through and made sure WZC was disable and it was...kind
> of. It showed stopped but startup was still set to automatic. I have
> changed it to disabled, so hopefully this will have a positive effect!
> I didn't flash the firmware but confirmed that it was most recent.
> Also, I did reinstall the driver......even reformatted and reinstalled
> windows to start fresh with the connection. I'll see if the WZC change
> helps at this point and keep you posted. Thanks for the feedback!!!
>

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) ups.com...
> Duane, I went through and made sure WZC was disable and it was...kind
> of. It showed stopped but startup was still set to automatic. I have
> changed it to disabled, so hopefully this will have a positive effect!
> I didn't flash the firmware but confirmed that it was most recent.

Flashing the router with the firmware is like doing a reinstall, which could
correct a problem if something has gone wrong. No program is perfect.The
reflash may or may not improve the situation.

Duane

(E-Mail Removed) hath wroth:

>I'll try to be thourough without writing a novel!

Novellas are fine.

>I have a Zyxel
>Prestige 660HW-61 wireless router that connects wirelessly (sometimes)
>with a Windows XP SP2 desktop via a Belkin F5D7001 PCI Card, a Toshiba
>laptop with built in wireless, and an Apple G4 Powerbook. I use the XP
>desktop the most often therefore have most problem with it. However,
>all computers will lose connection at one point or another.

Model of Toshiba laptop and what model wireless card is installed?

>Regarding the desktop, the wireless connection seems to drop about
>every 20-30 minutes or so. Sometimes it's more frequent. I know the
>frequency because I use (or try to use) Skype frequently and
>conversations last only about that much time before being dropped.
>Also, the wireless network connection icon will sometimes come up and
>say "Limited or no connectivity, You might not be able to access the
>internet or some network resources. This problem occured because the
>network did not assign a network address to the computer." At this
>point if I click repair, then it disables the connection, re enables
>the connection, and assigns an IP address, then all is well again until
>the next time.

What happens if you do nothing after it disconnects? Does it
reconnect automagically? Most wireless clients will do this if
interference is bad enough to cause a disconnect. However, the
"limited connectivity" message that Windoze wireless zero config
generates does not mean that it has just lost the connection. It
means that it has recognized that the connection was lost, attempted
to reconnect, attempted to get an IP address via DHCP, and failed
miserably. In traditional Microsoft wisdom, it doesn't retry after it
has failed once. Please disable WZC and see if the Belkin or
Toshiblah software can do a better job of recovery.

>On the other hand, it I connect my Powerbook to the router via CAT 5
>cable, everything seems to be fine and the connection stable for many
>minutes. I'll sometimes use Skype on the Powerbook this way to keep
>connection from dropping my calls. Unfortuantely, this is not the most
>convenient way to do things. Besides, that's why I went wireless!!

I'm lost. You say the desktop disconnects every 20-30 minutes or so.
Then you switch to a Powerbook G4 laptop with a wired connection. The
Toshiba isn't even mentioned. Can we get this organized please?
Something like a table:

Device Wireless card Symptoms
Desktop F5D7001 PCI disconnects every 20-30 mins
Toshiba ?????? ???????
Mac G4 ?????? ???????

What happens when you connect the Desktop directly to the 660HW-61
router with a CAT5 cable? Same with the Toshiba laptop? Make sure
the wireless is disabled when you test this. If the G4 does not have
wireless, leave it out of this test. If it does, include it.

The Zyxel 660HW-61 appears to be a Eurpean only model (not sure). Do
you have the country properly selected?

The 660HW-61 supports 125Mbit/sec wireless. Turn OFF this feature for
now and stay with standard 802.11b/g. If there are any other added
wireless or RF related features, also turn them OFF for now.

Are you 100% sure that the "disconnect" problem is wireless related?
The various connectivity tools that are part of the wireless client
and drivers will show a loss of connection. The "Limited or No
Connectivity" message is sufficient. I just want to be sure you're
not dropping the ADSL connection.

Do you have any 802.11b devices or are they all 802.11g? If there are
no 802.11b devices in your network, turn off 802.11b compatibilty in
the 660HW-61.

>I've been told that there are probably interference problems, but I
>just don't buy it!! The problem is just too frequent and seems to have
>some sort of pattern to be interference. Can anyone suggest anything I
>can modify/check/troubleshoot in the router? The firmware is the most
>recent and all the other settings seem OK. Please help,

It might be interference but your description is insufficient to offer
more than a guess. Does it disconnect EVERY time 20-30 minutes after
connecting? Or, is it just coincidence? Have you tried moving the
wireless devices fairly close to the 660HW-61 so that the effects of
interference are somewhat less? It takes a substantial amount of
interference to produce a disconnect with a strong signal.

>I'm about the
>chuck this thing out of the window!!!! Thanks.......Dan

The correct term is "defenestration".

My guess(tm) is that turning off the 125Mbit/sec turbo afterburner
speedboost fire belching wiz bang enhanced plus feature should fix the
problem.

--
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

Jeff Liebermann wrote:

>
> The Zyxel 660HW-61 appears to be a Eurpean only model (not sure). Do
> you have the country properly selected?
>
There is this this little oddity on the Whirlpool forum.
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum...s.cfm?t=434461

Frank

On Thu, 05 Jan 2006 19:15:08 +0000, Frank <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>Jeff Liebermann wrote:
>> The Zyxel 660HW-61 appears to be a Eurpean only model (not sure). Do
>> you have the country properly selected?

>There is this this little oddity on the Whirlpool forum.
>http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum...s.cfm?t=434461
>Frank

The default rekey interval is usually 3600 seconds or 60 minutes. If
it disconnects every 20-30 minutes, it's not the rekey interval unless
he uses WPA-PSK and had been tinkering with the settings.

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