Random Disconnects from Internet

I have a desktop PC in one room connected to the modem by Ethernet and a
laptop in another room connected to the modem by wireless. Deskop is running
XP SP3 and laptop is running Windows 7 Pro, both fully updated.

I mostly work on the laptop but keep a Remote Desktop link open to the PC so
I can swap backwards and forwards between the laptop and the PC.

At random intervals, the PC loses its connection to the Internet and I have
to run repair on the local connection to get it back.

I know it's not a modem/ISP issue because the Internet connection is still
live on the laptop; it's also not an IP address issue as the PC is holding
its IP address because the Remote Desktop link is still working, also I can
see the IP address when I run IPconfig on the PC. The IP address is set
manually on the local connector, by the way, not DHCP.

Any ideas, anyone?

 

What exactly is this 'modem'? It must be also a router, some kind of
gateway device. I presume it is giving out translated IP addresses to
both the DT and LT, or what?

When you say the DT is keeping its IP address, you must mean it is
keeping its translated IP address from the gateway device but it isn't
getting on the internet.

I think we should start with the brand name and modelno of this modem
(and networking device) so that we can get a picture of the topology of
the network.

 

Hi K-Man!

 

It's a Netopia 3347NWG router.

All my PC's have manually assigned IP's in the tange 192.168.1.xxx with
Gateway set to 192.168.1.254, the address of the router.

It's getting on the Internet, it just drops the connection to the router at
random intervals.

 

So it's a problem with one computer then. Try these on both computers:
1. right click my computer, left click properties and then click on the tab
marked performance. What are the numbers for system resources on both
computers? Do this with *nothing* running - no browser, wordprocessor or
anything else.

2. right click network and left click properties. Post a listing of or what
is different between the entries there. You should have only your internet
device and tcp/ip. Nothing else.

 

That is the default configuration of the 3000 series.

http://www.netopia.com/support/hardware/technotes/CQG_121.html - Browse
into the Netopia's web interface at http://192.168.1.254 (if using the
default IP setting)

No, I meant, you said...

But then you also said:

So, I was saying that you had said that (under the condition of losing
its connection to the internet as you said) that you could see on
IPconfig that the DT had its 192.xx address. But you are also saying
that you have it configured for/ to be/ that address, which is different
from getting (being assigned by the router) that IP address - getting
any 192.xx assigned to it from the router.

I think we need to talk about how you have the router configured to deal
with giving the DT (desktop) a specific IP based on its MAC address, and
I also think we have to talk about how you are dealing with the VPN
(which your remote desktop setup is) inside the router.

We can't see the router's configuration pages from here, so you will
have to describe all (some of) that.

 

Another consideration to think about is that when routers are 'acting
up' unpredictably and it is determined to not be due such as your own
configuration errors or such as having the LAN arranged/wired 'stupidly'
such as having disconnected/unterminated ethernet wires hanging off LAN
ports, or some other undiagnosed factor which is not the router's fault,
that is 'outside' the router's responsibility -- then sometimes it is
necessary to flash a router's firmware to fix it.

Firmware flashing is not a decision to be taken lightly, especially the
way Netopia handles the firmware issue. From what I'm reading, they
make that subject complicated.

 

Subject: Why you hard boot your DSL modem
Date: Sat, 11 Mar 2006 02:42:16 -0500
From: "Steve" <>
Organization: Smell Sympattycake

There's been some questions and confusion in a previous post in regards to
why you "hard boot" (or "power drains" as chuck likes to call it) your DSL
modem. I'm compiling a website for these NG's to cut down on the utter
bullshit that's been posted in here by some posters (*caugh* chuck). So
lets clear out the bullshit and get back to business. This took me 30 mins
to compile and write. This is for those who wanted to know exactly why you
turn your modem on and off, and why this works.

Power cycling your modem or hard booting your modem, by completely
unplugging it for about 30 - 40 seconds then turn it back on again, can fix
some internet connection problems. Here is a more in-depth response to this
issue as to why this is done.

This clears out your modems buffers which can get over filled due to Packet
Loss; and this intern can cause your modem to loose sync with the
connection. This is the most common problem that causes loss of sync with
your connection and power cycling your modem is used to re-sync it. However
this is a quick fix to this problem. In most cases this can be prevented by
having the appropriate network tweaks and settings in place, which is
something that the tech turnips at Sympatico should be informing us on.

Supportive Research:

http://www.dslreports.com/speed - Explains Packet Loss and other speed
related issues, plus links to tweaks page. For those of you who notice a
decrease in speed during certain times of the day, might want to check out
Enemy #3 on this page.

http://www.pcworld.com/howto/article/0,aid,111644,pg,2,00.asp# - Excellent
Article.

http://cable-dsl.home.att.net/ - Listed in PC World Article

After you have ruled out all possibly for connection problems i.e.. Routers,
adware, viruses, browser cache etc..and if after you are still having Sync
Problems with the tweaks you have done, visit section 5.3 : Sync Problems on
the following site:

http://www.docmirror.net/en/linux/howto/networking/DSL-HOWTO/tuning.html

--
Steve

--
The Grandmaster of the CyberFROG

Come get your ticket to CyberFROG city

Nay, Art thou decideth playeth ye simpleton games. *Some* of us know proper
manners

Very few. I used to take calls from *rank* noobs but got fired the first day on
the job for potty mouth,

Hamster isn't a newsreader it's a mistake!

El-Gonzo Jackson FROGS both me and Chuckcar

Master Juba was a black man imitating a white man imitating a black man

Using my technical prowess and computer abilities to answer questions beyond
the realm of understandability

Regards Tony... Making usenet better for everyone everyday