Slow/spotty response configuring Linksys BEFSR41 v3 via web browser

We just purchased a Linksys EtherFast Cable/DSL Router (BEFSR41 v3) in
anticipation of having a cable modem installed today. I'm having
trouble with the configuration.

It seems to work okay from one fixed-IP PC running Win98SE and
Netscape 7.02. When I try to configure it from a much more
conveniently located Win98SE PC with Netscape 7.1, Mozilla 1.4, 1.6,
or 1.7, or Firefox 0.8 or 0.9, and a DHCP-provided IP it seems to work
at first, but quickly bogs down, seemingly unable to communicate. When
I try to reload the page I often get snippets from the middle of the
page or other associated files, as if it's still trying to send what I
had originally requested. It does the same on a Win95 PC with Netscape
4.79, 6.2, and 7.02, and IE 5.5 and a DHCP-provided IP. The PC that
did work only worked with the one version of Netscape: 4.79 didn't
work, though granted the box does say it requires IE5 or NS6.

I've tried reconfiguring the PCs' NICs for 10mbs & 100mbs, full and
half-duplex, and physically connecting just one PC to the router, all
to no avail.

Does the router have a known problem with configuration? Even the PC
that works with it doesn't always.

Thanks for any insight.
JA

 

Okay, I think I have it licked.

After having the cable modem installed I found the speed to be rather
on the slow side. I suddenly recalled that I had tuned my MaxMTU, etc.
for dial-up, so I looked up more appropriate settings for the cable
modem.

As a result, My speed went from ~350kbps to around 1800 to 2650. The
router configuration pages seem to work now with no problem.
Apparently when serving the configuration pages the router is not so
tolerant of non-optimal Windows TCP/IP settings. I suppose it's to be
expected that some corners would be cut when embedding a web server in
a router, though.

JA