strange modem/router problem - help

help,

Windows xp, personal home computer with standard TW rca cable modem
and netgear wgr614 wireless router keeps going dead. All was fine when
the internet went out on my inlaws computer. His laptop also lost it's
internet connection to the netgear wireless router (though it still
saw the modem, it would not connect to the internet). Reset modem,
didn't help. Simply connected the modem and bypassed the router,
Didn't help. Called the isp who did a bunch of stuff through the line
and the modem worked. reconnected the router and all was fine... for
about an hour. Then all internet was lost again. I hooked up just the
modem and it worked for an hour and then it stopped again. I got a new
modem from his isp and did not hook up the router. It seemed to work
fine for 2 straight days. Rehooked up the router and in an hour or so
the internet was lost again. Replaced the router with the same model
and it works... for an hour and then dies again.

New modem and new router but the same problem. What's my next step? If
it's his ethernet card I would think that the wireless internet should
still work with a laptop... but the laptop dies right along with the
main computer. Usually resetting the router works for about an hour
but then it goes bad. This same setup was working perfect for over a
year. I'm far from an expert on these cable modem/router setups but
I've never had a problem before this. Can TW Cable be sending
something through the lines to mess us so we rent their wireless
router? Can cables be going bad? Could the ethernet card be sending
something out to the router to disable it that resetting temporarily
fixes?
This happens even with no security wep/wpa at all. Any suggestions
would be very welcome.

Thanks
yks

 

What is the OS? Do you have latest firmware for the router and new driver
for the NIC?

--
Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on
http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on
http://www.HowToNetworking.com

 

What version WGR614? Look on the serial number tag.
Did you update the firmware?
I've had hang and crash problems with the v6 models.

Then it's NOT the router. Take the router out of the mess and just
connect your XP computah to the cable modem modem. While you're at
it, kindly supply the model number of the RCA cable modem. Point your
browser to:
http://192.168.100.1/
to get to the modem diagnostics page. Grab the numbers and determine
if they are acceptable and that they do NOT change when you get
disconnected. Some modems don't have a built in web server, so you'll
need to use a tool such as:
<http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robin.d.h.walker/docsdiag/>
Since you didn't bother to supply the model number, I won't bother to
check if it works with all the various RCA models.

Nice mess. You need to do some monitoring and data logging to see
exactly what is causing the disconnects. If a continuous record of
the signal levels shows that all the levels in the modem are constant,
within the correct range, and with good margin, then it's probably not
the cable modem or the wiring. I've seen similar incomprehensible
problems caused by rotten connector crimps and ingres (RF interference
from outside the cable).

Well, think about it. Everything worked in the old location, but not
in the new. What changed? It's not the modem or the router. Look at
the wiring, installation, and RF environment at the new location. Look
for flakey line amplifiers, bad connections, rotten coax, defective
splitters, insufficient bandwidth splitters, direcional couplers
installed backwards, and staples in the coax. In other words, it
might be your installation.

Since you're always testing with one PC, it might be useful to try
testing with a different PC. It would be rather embarassing if the
problem were caused by your test PC going into standby or power save
mode after 1 hour.

Ah, a clue. It's Time Warner. There's no conspiracy because it
happens with just the cable modem in the line.

Oh yes.

Do your testing with the minimal setup of just the modem and computer.
Try disconnecting the TV's and Hi-Fi's also on the cable leaving just
the cable modem. Monitor the signal level statistics in the cable
modem.

 

original v6, new one is v9.

originally it was a different TW modem with no brand name. Now it's an
rca modem. I'll have to check the number later today. Remember this
problem happened with a wgr614v6 and unknown modem and now with new
wgr614v9 and rca modem. All was fine for over a year. The new wgr614v9
is going back to the store soon since this prob doesn't seem to be the
wgr614v6... they both do the same thing.

I never said I moved anything. The computer has been sitting in the
same local and working fine for years. This happened all of a sudden.

I can try that. However most of the time it goes bad the main computer
is off anyways. It's noticed when a laptop loses it's connection so we
turn on the main pc and see it also has no internet.

 

I had about the same problem. After changing out the modem and getting
me really mad they finally sent out a tech that knew what he was
doing. He found the level coming into the house was about 3db too low.
He went through all theire connections finding several corroded F
connectors and replaced them. No more problem. He also showed me how
to use my cable box to measure the levels. On mine it was hold down
the SEL button until the green light came on and then press the down
arrow. Also check around channel 160 and see how well those TV
channels work. If you have dropouts the cable is bad.


Jimmie

 

Sorry. I forgot to reply.

V6 sucks. No experience with v9. However, if they both act the same,
it's not a WGR614 problem.

Look at the serial number label and find the FCC ID number. Then, go
unto the FCC ID web page, and lookup the original manufacturer:

Ok. Then we agree. It's not the Netgear wireless router.

Sorry. I managed to mix your question with another one that I was
working on.

The problem is that there's no indication as to exactly *WHERE* the
"loss of connection" is happening. It's a long chain from the ISP
router, to the CMTS, to your cable modem, to your router, via
wireless, and finally to your computer. Each link along the chain has
to be either tested individually, replaced, or simply eliminated (as
in the case of the router and wireless).

Good luck. I'll bet on some kind of installation or CATV cabling
issue.

 

Sounds typical for a marginal/low signal.. They usually only guarantee a
good signal to the house, not necesarrily inside, and possibly not to where
you have your internet modem ie thru walls/cables/splitters/etc .. Got
something closer to where the signal comes in? Did you by any chance add
digital voice? (they put another splitter in the line and that makes it even
worse).... Bummer is the signal may be enuf for digital cable, but not good
enuf (where you locate the device at) for digital voice, internet, cable co
dvr's etc... Two other hassles, water leaks/corrosion on cables, and pesky
animals with teeth that like to naw on cables.

All I can say is good luck, took me 4 service calls and a few months to get
mine working reliably (just to give you an idea how absurd it can be, was a
cable end/connector that ONLY let water in a few hours after the rain
stopped, otherwise it tested fine.... arggggggh)