Router goes walkabout

I have a Linksys BEFW11S4 router. Occasionally when my wife tries to
use her laptop, she can't connect the router (or obviously the
Internet). My computer, which is tied directly into the router by the
ethernet cable, works perfectly. Doing the site survey on the laptop
shows nothing is available. When I unplug the router and plug it back
in, everything works perfectly again for awhile.
It seems to do this overnight most of the time and happens 3-4 times
a week. Any suggestions as to what is causing and how to fix it?

Kurt Ullman <(E-Mail Removed)> hath wroth:

> I have a Linksys BEFW11S4 router. Occasionally when my wife tries to
>use her laptop, she can't connect the router (or obviously the
>Internet). My computer, which is tied directly into the router by the
>ethernet cable, works perfectly. Doing the site survey on the laptop
>shows nothing is available. When I unplug the router and plug it back
>in, everything works perfectly again for awhile.
> It seems to do this overnight most of the time and happens 3-4 times
>a week. Any suggestions as to what is causing and how to fix it?

I have a BEFW11S4 v4. It does something similar. It goes comatose
for new connections every few days. It's also susceptible to hanging
on peer-to-peer traffic (large number of simultaneous streams) and
from exploits from the internet:
http://www.pcflank.com/exploits.htm
Usually, it's one of the wireless connections that does comatose, but
ocassionally it's also a wired connection. What's odd is that it's
usually just one connection, not all of them.

I don't have a fix. I use an AC lamp timer attached to the BEFW11S4
v4 that power cycles the unit twice per day. I should replace the
router with something better, but I haven't found anything with a
better RF section.

--
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

I have about six LinkSys devices and their functioning is
a mystery to me. They connect whenever and whereever
they please. But, they look good!!

Kurt Ullman wrote:
> I have a Linksys BEFW11S4 router. Occasionally when my wife tries to
> use her laptop, she can't connect the router (or obviously the
> Internet). My computer, which is tied directly into the router by the
> ethernet cable, works perfectly. Doing the site survey on the laptop
> shows nothing is available. When I unplug the router and plug it back
> in, everything works perfectly again for awhile.
> It seems to do this overnight most of the time and happens 3-4 times
> a week. Any suggestions as to what is causing and how to fix it?

I've had a variety of Linksys networking products over the years and my
opinion is when they start doing this kind of thing, they are broken.
Make sure that your router is separated from any sources of RF or
electrical interference and that it is not stacked on another hot piece
of equipment. If you have this powered from a surge protector or
multiple outlet, place it on it's own circuit if you have one available.
Check the AC adapter and if it is too hot to hold, it could be the
problem, perhaps from an overloaded circuit. You might see the Linksys
forum at www.dslreports.com for additional ideas.

Q

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>,
Quaoar <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>
> I've had a variety of Linksys networking products over the years and my
> opinion is when they start doing this kind of thing, they are broken.
> Make sure that your router is separated from any sources of RF or
> electrical interference and that it is not stacked on another hot piece
> of equipment. If you have this powered from a surge protector or
> multiple outlet, place it on it's own circuit if you have one available.
> Check the AC adapter and if it is too hot to hold, it could be the
> problem, perhaps from an overloaded circuit. You might see the Linksys
> forum at www.dslreports.com for additional ideas.
>
> Q

Thanks for the reply. None of these would be in play. I am leaning
toward getting a new one. Especially since the "g"s are getting so dog
gone reasonable.

Before convicting a router, first, verify connection indicators on
each ethernet port (each end of cable) illuminate and stay illuminated
(to indicate a connection). Some ethernet cables are not constructed
properly; wires inside that clear plastic connector go intermittent.
But this intermittent connection loss would be made apparent as cable
is shaken; connection indicator lights at this or other end of cable
extinguish.

Is your computer 100 Mhz (most likely) or only 10 Mhz ethernet? Then
your's might work fine while her 100 Mhz connection is intermittent.
This either due to an intermittent inside the router or a miswire
inside cable. This second type miswire would not be made obvious by
the connection indicator lights and may cause 100 Mhz ethernet to fail
intermittently when 10 Mhz ethernet might work.

Kurt Ullman wrote:
> I have a Linksys BEFW11S4 router. Occasionally when my wife tries to
> use her laptop, she can't connect the router (or obviously the
> Internet). My computer, which is tied directly into the router by the
> ethernet cable, works perfectly. Doing the site survey on the laptop
> shows nothing is available. When I unplug the router and plug it back
> in, everything works perfectly again for awhile.
> It seems to do this overnight most of the time and happens 3-4 times
> a week. Any suggestions as to what is causing and how to fix it?

On 2006-07-16, Kurt Ullman <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> I have a Linksys BEFW11S4 router. Occasionally when my wife tries to
> use her laptop, she can't connect the router (or obviously the
> Internet). My computer, which is tied directly into the router by the
> ethernet cable, works perfectly. Doing the site survey on the laptop

If possible, I would also try to get hold of another wireless client
and see if it is affected in the same way. I have an IBM T42 that
just drops its connection to a Linksys WAP11 for no reason. I have
another IBM laptop, A21 with an Orinoco Gold ABG card in it and it
never drops, and will continue on when my laptop is not working.
Power cycling the WAP11 almost always works. Sometimes, stopping and
restaring the wireless card on my laptop works.

I blame the IBM drivers, because I have similar problems at public &
school sites where others are not experiencing problems. IIRC, when I
had Linux on the laptop, I did not experience this problem, but that
may not be the case.

K

On Mon, 17 Jul 2006 11:41:15 -0500, "Kevin T. Neely"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
<(E-Mail Removed) >:

>On 2006-07-16, Kurt Ullman <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>> I have a Linksys BEFW11S4 router. Occasionally when my wife tries to
>> use her laptop, she can't connect the router (or obviously the
>> Internet). My computer, which is tied directly into the router by the
>> ethernet cable, works perfectly. Doing the site survey on the laptop
>
>If possible, I would also try to get hold of another wireless client
>and see if it is affected in the same way. I have an IBM T42 that
>just drops its connection to a Linksys WAP11 for no reason. I have
>another IBM laptop, A21 with an Orinoco Gold ABG card in it and it
>never drops, and will continue on when my laptop is not working.
>Power cycling the WAP11 almost always works. Sometimes, stopping and
>restaring the wireless card on my laptop works.
>
>I blame the IBM drivers, because I have similar problems at public &
>school sites where others are not experiencing problems. IIRC, when I
>had Linux on the laptop, I did not experience this problem, but that
>may not be the case.

IBM drivers? If it's an Intel wireless card, then they would be Intel
drivers. If it's an Atheros wireless card, then they would be Atheros
drivers. etc. IBM just tests and packages them.

--
Best regards, FAQ for Wireless Internet: <http://Wireless.wikia.com>
John Navas FAQ for Wi-Fi: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi>
Wi-Fi How To: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_How_To>
Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>