Linksys Router

[mairving]

I have a Linksys 4-port Cable/DSL router. I have been having problems with it, mostly on the local network side. I have a 3 or 4 computers networked together. One has ME on it, the other has 2000 and the other Linux. I use the Linux box as an Apache Web Server. Develop my sites and then upload them. Here is what happens, I either can't access the local network or it is extemely slow. The same is true if I try and ping the router, it either doesn't respond or is extremely slow to respond. Usually turning off the router, will fix it but it seems to be getting worse. Any ideas?

Here is what I have done so far?

Changed cables.
Turned on DHCP / Turned Off DHCP.
Upgraded Router Firmware.
Updated programs with known networking woes, i.e. Photoshop 6.0 to 6.01.
Turned On/Off ZoneAlarm.


Still the problem persists. I am thinking that the router is going bad. I have an old P100 computer that I am considering making into a router.

[HAL9000]

I dunno dude, I have a similar strange problem at work with a Linksys router that we just installed to replace our 10 base hub. Everything ran fine until the router was installed. Now the front counter machine that we do our invoicing with is painfully slow (it accesses the accounting program from the server), but the other 2 machines access the server fine. As a temporary patch, I connected the server to the front counter machine with the 10 base hub, then linked the hub to the router. Now everyone gets internet, everyone accesses everyone else at the same speed they did before. Maybe one of us can get insight to one of the problems and cure both in one shot.

[mairving]

I may take the roll your own router approach.

[Xayd]

Can't beat it, and a P100 is actually overkill ;).

I had very few issues (thankfully) with my last DSL router, but there were still two or three, mainly limitations on the NAT config that was unacceptable considering I play various games on various machines and change port forwarding rules regularly. Finally said 'screw waiting for firmware, I want a router that's actually configurable and fixable by me'.

I'll never go back to a true router.

[mairving]

Well, actually it is a P166, instead of a 100. I have seen where people have setup routers using an old computer with no hard drives, just booting off the floppy. The only disadvantage in using an old computer as a router is that it is bigger and gobbles more watts.

[racerbrownn]

i just installed a linksys 4 port cable router to split my internet access to my 2 pc's and i can't get access to my network either. the 2 pc's show up in network neighborhood but when i click on either one, no contents are displayed. thankfully, the internet access works fine which is why i bought the darn thing but do i maybe have a problem with mine also??? i have a post on my problem already and installing netbeui didn't help.

[HAL9000]

Racerbrownn, did you remember to share your drives and are they in the same workgroup?

BTW Mairving, we solved our problem at work. We sold the Linksys and put in a SMC Barricade. Seems that something with the two machines just didn't want to work with the Linksys. I installed the Linksys on a home network and it's working fine.

[azscary]

I have done some contracting work for a marketing company that uses a LinkSys router. The have 30 computers networked together using four different network hubs. They are having NO problems with the LinkSys router. Here are some of the possible reasons. They use CAT5 enhanced cable and network jacks. They have taken all of the steps to ensure speeds of 100MB. Even though they do have several 50 - 75 foot cable runs there is very little performance slowdown. They are running NT, Win98, Win 2K, and Win2K Server. The type of OS you use for your server is VITAL to a network/router situation. Windows 2K Server was designed with Networking and Internet in mind. Win NT server does not cut it. I have no experience with Linux, and we know that Win98 is not server material. I would check my network speeds and eliminate all bottlenecks to bandwith restrictions INTERNALLY before they reach the router. The quality of service after your data leaves the router and leaves your server room into the netherworld is also determines your performance. The above office has DSL with several T-1's providing connectivity. Also, LinkSys works much more efficiently if all machines are patched into a hub and then uplinked to the router. Hope this helps.

[mairving]

All my cabling is fairly short using CAT5 and networking jacks. It is really not a cabling/OS problem since I get the same thing with Windows 2000/Mac OS9/Windows ME/Linux. I have also changed the cables and also stretched cables around the room to the box. It still gives me the same problems, so it has to be a flaky router. The problem is really twofold. I either lose the connection to the Internet or I lose the connection to my local net. They don't seem to occur together which is weird. It is only recent that this started happening and I have had this router for about a year.

I have built me a new Linux box using E-smith. Now I need to work on setting up a nice Firewall, which should be fairly easy since I will eliminate most services from running.

[azscary]

What about the quality of service AFTER it leaves the building? It could also be a provider problem, or as you say a bad router. It does happen even to the best.

[mairving]

Originally posted by azscary
What about the quality of service AFTER it leaves the building? It could also be a provider problem, or as you say a bad router. It does happen even to the best. Most of the time the quality is pretty good after it leaves the building (cable-roadrunner) which only applies to Internet Access, since the local network never leaves the building. Actually local never really leaves the room, as all the computers are in the same room.

[azscary]

Most of the time the quality is pretty good after it leaves the building (cable-roadrunner) which only applies to Internet Access, since the local network never leaves the building. Actually local never really leaves the room, as all the computers are in the same room.

I understand, however if my understanding is correct, the router is used to deliver your data OUTSIDE to the Internet. Your network switch handles the inside stuff. Therefore quality of service OUTSIDE the building will effect the router. If I am wrong please clear me up.

[mairving]

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<td>Originally posted by azscary


I understand, however if my understanding is correct, the router is used to deliver your data OUTSIDE to the Internet. Your network switch handles the inside stuff. Therefore quality of service OUTSIDE the building will effect the router. If I am wrong please clear me up. In normal cases, this is true but this is a cable/DSL router, which is a specialized 4-port router/switch combo like so:
<a href="http://www.linksys.com/products/product.asp?grid=23&prid=20" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.linksys.com/products/imagelib2/befsr41.jpg" border="0">
<br><small>Click for more info.</small></a>
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[azscary]

Configurable as a DHCP server for your existing network
How is this option set?


the Linksys EtherFast® Cable/DSL with 4-Port Switch Router channels this connection through the blazing, full duplex speed of its built-in EtherFast® 10/100 4-Port Switch.

Are all of your NIC cards configured to Full Duplex or better still Auto Detect?



QUOTE]Configurable as a DHCP server for your existing network, the EtherFast® Cable/DSL Router with 4-Port Switch acts as the only externally recognized Internet device on your local area network (LAN). [/QUOTE]

In TCP/IP do you have it set to DHCP from the router or the server? Do you have all of your machines assigned internal IP's 10.0.0.3, 10.0.0.4 etc.?

[theENiGMA]

I have had a lot of trouble with Windows Me and network filesharing. It would often take forever to connect to the computers on the network, or sometimes not at all. I have a system amde up entirely of linksys products. Maybe it's a problem like yours. I just don't use Me anymore. I either use Xp or 98se.
-KEiTH

[HAL9000]

Me doesn't like NETBEUI. I took it off my network and run only TCP/IP with my Linksys router and now everything runs smoothly.

[BFD Deadeye]

I have similar problems with my Link Sys BEFSR41. Usually, my internal network works OK, my problem lies in my DSL connection. About once a day, I have to unplug the power cable for my router to reset my DSL connection. Worked fine for the first few months, but it is now becoming quite a hassle.

[azscary]

About once a day, I have to unplug the power cable for my router to reset my DSL connection. Worked fine for the first few months, but it is now becoming quite a hassle.

Do you by any chance have an external modem affected by Code Red? My Cisco 675 did that until I downloaded the CMOS update to prevent the virus and fix the damage.

[BFD Deadeye]

I do have an external modem (SpeedStream), but I never got code red. I am blaming our dry climate lately and static electricity. I live in Montana, and we are semi arid, but the last few years have been drier than a popcorn fart in Afghanistan :P I am having similar problems with clients' printers, meaning, usually unplugging a cable or two fixes everything (for a while). Appreciate the suggestion, though. I am new here and find these forums exceptional. Plum full of smart guys willing to lend their knowledge...and for free too! Thanks again.