Network/DSL instability problems :(

Hi all,

I've got a number if issues with my network. They are driving me insane and
I do not know what is at fault, or how to deal with it.

I am using an Asus 802.11g Wireless LAN card to connect to a 3com Wireless
Router with ADSL modem. The router is within 10 metres of my PC, and is
through a door, but is often line of sight. I'm using Windows XP Pro, SP1,
with the Windows built in wireless stuff.

The problems are as follows:

a) Frequently, my PC will randomly announce that the wireless network is
unavailable. This is frustrating, as everything disconnects, and usually
causes great annoyance if I'm gaming at the time. Once it's done this it
almost always NEVER finds the network again of its own accord. I have to
manually disable the wireless network connection in Network Connections, and
then immediatly re-enable it. This always fixes the problem and it
immediatly finds the network it previously said didn't exist. This is most
annoying becuase I'll set a file to download or something, go to bed, and
wake up 8 hours later only to find I've got about 10mb on it and the machine
has spent the last 7 hours 50 minuites informing me that the wireless
network does not exist, when it does.

This is a recent problem. It has started happening only within the past week
or so.

b) About once, sometimes twice a day, the internet connection will stop
functioning. Of course, it won't stop functioning properly - ie disconnect,
it just stops doing anything. The first I know of this is web pages cease to
load any more, or I get disconnected from Teamspeak, or disconnected from
whatever game it is I'm currently playing. When this happens, I log into the
router, which proudly reports that the internet connection is fully
functional. It's not. The only remedy is to manually disconnect the internet
connection from the routers control panel, and then manually reconnect it.
Manually reconnecting takes 2-3 attempts - you click connect, the router
sits there doing not THAT much, and sometimes times out, or just returns to
the menu. Eventually, it'll reconnect and it'll be fine again, often for up
to 12 hours.

When this happens, the internet is down for all clients on the network. One
machine is connected to the internet via a cable into the router, this
machine is also affected.

This is driving me insane becuase I do not know what is wrong. I have
previously tried upgrading the firmware on the router which was a total
disaster. I used the latest firmware available and upgraded according to the
manufacturers instruction. The results were a DSL connection which a) Still
disconnected randomly and b) was unable to acheive anything over than 10kb/s
download speeds. Only when I 'upgraded' back to the default firmware (Dated
Feb 04), did that new problem stop.

Any ideas? I have heard of a few issues with p2p software and my router, but
as I do not use p2p software, this is not the problem so don't suggest it

Thanks!

"Michael Rodgers" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi all,
>
> I've got a number if issues with my network. They are driving me insane
> and
> I do not know what is at fault, or how to deal with it.
>
> I am using an Asus 802.11g Wireless LAN card to connect to a 3com Wireless
> Router with ADSL modem. The router is within 10 metres of my PC, and is
> through a door, but is often line of sight. I'm using Windows XP Pro, SP1,
> with the Windows built in wireless stuff.
>
> The problems are as follows:
>
> a) Frequently, my PC will randomly announce that the wireless network is
> unavailable. This is frustrating, as everything disconnects, and usually
> causes great annoyance if I'm gaming at the time. Once it's done this it
> almost always NEVER finds the network again of its own accord. I have to
> manually disable the wireless network connection in Network Connections,
> and
> then immediatly re-enable it. This always fixes the problem and it
> immediatly finds the network it previously said didn't exist. This is most
> annoying becuase I'll set a file to download or something, go to bed, and
> wake up 8 hours later only to find I've got about 10mb on it and the
> machine
> has spent the last 7 hours 50 minuites informing me that the wireless
> network does not exist, when it does.
>
> This is a recent problem. It has started happening only within the past
> week
> or so.
>
> b) About once, sometimes twice a day, the internet connection will stop
> functioning. Of course, it won't stop functioning properly - ie
> disconnect,
> it just stops doing anything. The first I know of this is web pages cease
> to
> load any more, or I get disconnected from Teamspeak, or disconnected from
> whatever game it is I'm currently playing. When this happens, I log into
> the
> router, which proudly reports that the internet connection is fully
> functional. It's not. The only remedy is to manually disconnect the
> internet
> connection from the routers control panel, and then manually reconnect it.
> Manually reconnecting takes 2-3 attempts - you click connect, the router
> sits there doing not THAT much, and sometimes times out, or just returns
> to
> the menu. Eventually, it'll reconnect and it'll be fine again, often for
> up
> to 12 hours.
>
> When this happens, the internet is down for all clients on the network.
> One
> machine is connected to the internet via a cable into the router, this
> machine is also affected.
>
> This is driving me insane becuase I do not know what is wrong. I have
> previously tried upgrading the firmware on the router which was a total
> disaster. I used the latest firmware available and upgraded according to
> the
> manufacturers instruction. The results were a DSL connection which a)
> Still
> disconnected randomly and b) was unable to acheive anything over than
> 10kb/s
> download speeds. Only when I 'upgraded' back to the default firmware
> (Dated
> Feb 04), did that new problem stop.
>
> Any ideas? I have heard of a few issues with p2p software and my router,
> but
> as I do not use p2p software, this is not the problem so don't suggest it
>
>
> Thanks!
>
>

Its not unknown that flashing Christmas lights can interfere with such
things - the timing appears to be right.

HTH

Nick

Michael Rodgers wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I've got a number if issues with my network. They are driving me insane and
> I do not know what is at fault, or how to deal with it.
>
> I am using an Asus 802.11g Wireless LAN card to connect to a 3com Wireless
> Router with ADSL modem. The router is within 10 metres of my PC, and is
> through a door, but is often line of sight. I'm using Windows XP Pro, SP1,
> with the Windows built in wireless stuff.
>
> The problems are as follows:
>
> a) Frequently, my PC will randomly announce that the wireless network is
> unavailable. This is frustrating, as everything disconnects, and usually
> causes great annoyance if I'm gaming at the time. Once it's done this it
> almost always NEVER finds the network again of its own accord. I have to
> manually disable the wireless network connection in Network Connections, and
> then immediatly re-enable it. This always fixes the problem and it
> immediatly finds the network it previously said didn't exist. This is most
> annoying becuase I'll set a file to download or something, go to bed, and
> wake up 8 hours later only to find I've got about 10mb on it and the machine
> has spent the last 7 hours 50 minuites informing me that the wireless
> network does not exist, when it does.
>
> This is a recent problem. It has started happening only within the past week
> or so.
>
> b) About once, sometimes twice a day, the internet connection will stop
> functioning. Of course, it won't stop functioning properly - ie disconnect,
> it just stops doing anything. The first I know of this is web pages cease to
> load any more, or I get disconnected from Teamspeak, or disconnected from
> whatever game it is I'm currently playing. When this happens, I log into the
> router, which proudly reports that the internet connection is fully
> functional. It's not. The only remedy is to manually disconnect the internet
> connection from the routers control panel, and then manually reconnect it.
> Manually reconnecting takes 2-3 attempts - you click connect, the router
> sits there doing not THAT much, and sometimes times out, or just returns to
> the menu. Eventually, it'll reconnect and it'll be fine again, often for up
> to 12 hours.
>
> When this happens, the internet is down for all clients on the network. One
> machine is connected to the internet via a cable into the router, this
> machine is also affected.
>
> This is driving me insane becuase I do not know what is wrong. I have
> previously tried upgrading the firmware on the router which was a total
> disaster. I used the latest firmware available and upgraded according to the
> manufacturers instruction. The results were a DSL connection which a) Still
> disconnected randomly and b) was unable to acheive anything over than 10kb/s
> download speeds. Only when I 'upgraded' back to the default firmware (Dated
> Feb 04), did that new problem stop.
>
> Any ideas? I have heard of a few issues with p2p software and my router, but
> as I do not use p2p software, this is not the problem so don't suggest it
>
> Thanks!
>
>


What make is your router. I had a linksys WAG54G which i sent back
because of this very same internet conectivity problem. All I can think
is that something on the link layer times out or goes wrong with certain
ISP's

In message <(E-Mail Removed)>, Michael Rodgers
<(E-Mail Removed)> writes
>a) Frequently, my PC will randomly announce that the wireless network
>is unavailable. This is frustrating, as everything disconnects, and
>usually causes great annoyance if I'm gaming at the time. Once it's
>done this it almost always NEVER finds the network again of its own
>accord.

I had this on a laptop. Cured by switching off wireless zero config in
control panel - admin tools - services. Depending on the drivers this
may not work but did for me. With or without 3rd party drivers. HTH
--
Pete Devlin
[{//////news03//////at\\\\\secondrow/////co\\\\\uk}]
"Mind the oranges Marlon!"