sudden loss of wired connection to router

[HelenBN]

(This doesn't seem to be a router problem. Original post in Linksys forum with no help.)

set up:
WRT54GS - G router
SURFBoard SB3100
XP home wired CPU
serveral wireless connections with WEP security, index key assignment, MAC list authorization
all ZoneAlarm free
IP configuration working correctly

Everything works fine for over a year.
Electrical power loss home wide for a minute or less.
Boot up Modem
Boot up Router
Wireless connections re-established
CPU doesn't think cable is connected
Router doesn't light up port showing connection

changed cables - not working
changed ports - not working
remove router and connect to modem - working
restored cpu to day prior to event - not working
turn off ZoneAlarm - not working
(turn ZoneAlarm back on)
replace WRT54GS with old BEFW11S4 v. 2 (B router)- working
reset WRT54GS to defaults through reset button - not working
replaced WRT54GS with brand new one same model - not working
connect/wired different CPU through brand new WRT54GS - working
connect/wired different CPU through original WRT54GS - working
(rebox brand new model to return to store)
(reprogrammed original WRT54GS through second cpu)
updated driver for ethernet card - not working
reconnect original cpu to modem - working

could ethernet card functionality be spotty and need replacing? would this ONLY show up on G router? could the NIC port/slot be faulty...?

I am baffled!

 

[franklin97355]

You are changing too many things. Why not stop when it was working?

The answer has always been 42

 

[HelenBN]

um, the reason this began was because it stopped working...

CPU suddenly lost it's ability to connect to the router.

 

[BaudKarma]

Franklin, after the original outage, the system was never working with the original CPU and a WRT54GS router. Every other configuration was working, just not that one. Actually, it looks to me like a pretty thorough troubleshooting process.

Helen, you might try getting the latest version of the firmware for your router from the Linksys website and reflashing. You'll need a different CPU to do the reflashing, of course.

If that doesn't work, see if you can swap out the NIC in the bad machine with a different one.

 

[PRPhx]

Helen:
Opena command prompt (start->run-> type: cmd and press the enter key.

Once you have a command prompt, type the following: ping 127.0.0.1 -t This is a loop back test and will continue until you stop it. You are looking for data loss in the pings. If you get them, then I would suspect your NIC is going bad.

 

[HelenBN]

PRPhx - tried that for about 20 min. No loss packets.

BaudKarma - I need to stop long enough to run a wire across the room and check the firmware version. Will get back and let you know.

 

[franklin97355]

Sorry, too much information...my head hurts. I saw the working combos and did not fully comprehend the equipment being used.

The answer has always been 42

 

[HelenBN]

Your head hurts! I'm banging mine on the wall!

 

[ceh4702]

First call the cable company and ask them if they can connect to your cable modem. The problem may be on their end. Work backwards from there.

If you do not like my post feel free to point out your opinion or my errors.

 

[HelenBN]

modem works fine, ceh4702. reread the steps I took.

 

[firewolfrl]

Hmmm! have you tried a static IP and assigned the router IP as the gateway?

Have you tried ipconfig /release ipconfig /renew ???

sounds like the computer that won't connect as some issues unrelated to the router. What antivirus are you using?

uninstall the network card....reboot....reinstall (try a different PCI slot) or try a different network card.
you quoted "updated driver for ethernet card - not working"

that may be your issue. or it may not be....LOL

Here is something to look at. What is the IP address of the BEFW11S4 v. 2 (B router) and is it the same IP range as the WRT54GS - G router (example: 192.168.0.1 for BEFW11S4 and 192.168.1.1 for WRT54GS)
the computer could be not resetting the DHCP IP and not referring to the WRT54GS router's IP range
do you get a limited connectivity error?


Run CMD then ipconfig /all |more
that will list all the connections


The zonealarm firewall ...Do you have the IP range setup for the WRT54GS router's range that is listed?
this may stop you even with the program disabled.
Do you have a hub or switch between the router and the computer?

The no network with the WRT54GS and working with the Modem and the BEFW11S4 is a complex issue and that I don't have an answer for. and this in a nutshell may be your main and only issue for connectivity


good luck

 

[firewolfrl]

Here is a great link:
How to reset Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;299357

 

[LawnBoy]

I would replace the NIC in that pc.

 

[HelenBN]

firewolfrl - Did all that! ALL that! Everything a couple of times. Best to note that it works with the modem and the B router and not the G router even after I did all that. Routers are set up correctly. IP addresses are configured correctly on both the routers and the cpu. Renewed, assigned, it doesn't matter. Firewall and anti-virus are up-to-date. No viruses. No adware. No spyware.

I need to stop working and move that NIC to another port; replace the NIC with a new one; test another port with the new NIC if needed.

Will report back today, I hope.

 

[firewolfrl]

Here is an Idea....
uninstall the firewall and the antivirus (I know! I know!...for testing only)
don't just disable do a total uninstall
disable everything in the startup using msconfig and/or do a clean boot
re-enable everything one at a time
after that if it does connect reinstall the antivirus first then the firewall.
you never answered what antivirus you are using?
the reason I ask is because some of the new antivirus interact with explorer and route (thru software)Internet proxy protocols through 127.0.0.1 and filter the content of the connection internally. then connect indirectly to the web. that is why I said disable is not good enough. when disabled the connection is not indirectly routed and just goes to 127.0.0.1 and gives you a "page cannot be displayed error"

AVAST anti virus does this through the Web shield settings
and Norton & McAfee have similar settings.


also check your HOST file

or

if you have an old hard drive laying around (you sound like a tinkerer...so I suspect that you do).
install windows clean on that drive and see if you are getting the same error. if you do then you know for sure this is a hardware issue on this machine.

 

[cdogg]

Helen,
I know you've tried all combinations most of us can think of, but please try things in this order. I understand one, or perhaps all, of the steps are ones you've tried before.

1) Power the PC and WRT54GS router down.
2) Reset the router (this should disable built-in Zonealarm by default if it's on the router).
3) Don't enable the wireless portion of the router, and connect the PC over ethernet.
4) Boot up the PC and disable any firewalls (XP and ZA) or anti-spyware apps you have running.
5) Check to see what IP address your NIC is getting.

If these steps don't produce an IP address in the 192.168.x.x range, then there is some kind of serious conflict with your NIC's MAC address that the router doesn't like. We know it will work fine with another PC, so the router isn't the issue. We know the trouble PC works fine when directly hooked into the modem, so the NIC isn't really the only issue either.

Therefore, it must be a MAC address conflict. Make sure the reset of the WRT54GS router is done right (reset button held down for 10 secs). Also, remove any other routers from the picture during your troubleshooting. The cable modem should be directly connected to the WRT54GS.

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884

 

[cdogg]

After reading firewolf's last post, I would also suggest throwing a spare hard drive in your system, format it and do a clean install of XP with this drive as the primary drive (without installing one 3rd-party application, except the drivers needed to run your NIC, Video Card, and motherboard).

Just a test that will tell you for sure that the problem is likely hardware related.

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884

 

[LawnBoy]

Router doesn't light up port showing connection

I still think the problem is purely hardware related. Those lights are an indication of a terminating resistor at the other end of the connection. You could remove the processor from that pc and those lights should still work. Cdogg is probably right when he says it's a MAC issue, but until those lights come on no software changes will make any difference.

By chance, does the B-router have a 10Mbit connection and the G-router a 100Mbit connection? 100Mbit is much touchier about it's cabling/connectors/terminators than 10Mbit ever was. I have had pc's that would talk just fine on 10Mbit but were useless at 100Mbit; replacing those NICs fixed the problems (and yes, the original NICs were rated at 100Mbit).

 

[electronicsfreak]

I tried to be sure ive read this and seen all possible combinations that have been tried so if I happen to post something you already tried and its listed I apologize. Anyways due to past experience , try uninstalling zone alarm temporarely and restart and see if you can get the connection as ive had it block things before on networks. May not worth but at this point its worth a try. Turning it off doesnt stop it blocking. It stays in the background.

 

[HelenBN]

BEFW11S4:
IEEE 802.3 (10BaseT), IEEE 802.3u (100BaseTX),
IEEE 802.11b (Wireless)
Four 10/100 RJ-45 Switched Ports

WRT54GS:
4-port full-duplex 10/100 Switch

quoted from manu.

another difference I read about somewhere: when daisey chaining these linsys, the B has an uplink port while the G can handle the connection from any port.

Lawnboy, does this answer your question?