Belkin Router Woes

[Beetle B.]

Hi,

My roommate and I got DSL a week ago.

We installed a 4-Port DSL router from Belkin (F5D5231-4) so that both of us could surf the Internet.

My roommate uses Windows XP. I have a dual boot - Windows '98 and Linux.

Now the problem: My roommate has no problems with the net - he can browse, play streaming media, etc. I, on the other hand, can browse the net, but not play streaming media. Another program I use doesn't work either, and it suggests a firewall is in place.

However, there is no firewall installed on any of the OS's, and the router's firewall has been disabled.

It gets weirder.

Now if I just bypass the router and connect my computer directly to the DSL - everything works perfectly, using both OS's.

My network card is a BroadCom one, which came with my Asus P4PE motherboard. I installed a D-Link DFE-530TX+ ethernet card which gave the same problems - so I'm fairly certain the problem is with the router.

The only difference between my PC and my roommate's one is that his network card (3Com 3C900B) is 10 Mbps whereas both the ones I tried are 10/100 Mbps.

It does sound crazy for that to cause trouble. However, the router does actually note the difference. The status lights actually indicate that the port he's using is 10 Mbps whereas the port I use is 100 Mbps (different color for each).

(We also tried changing cables and ports - no difference).

Any ideas? Any way to set my card to run only at 10 Mbps (in both '98 and Linux)? Changing the router may be a little expensive. I may just try buying a 10Mbps network card and trying that.

DSL is Yahoo! SBC DSL.

Many thanks.

[azscary]

Is the router set to DHCP and no hardcoded IP in the NIC?

Linux can't help you with but in Win98 to change to 10MB right click on network neighborhood icon on the desktop and go to properties. Double click on the NIC adapter and click the advanced tab at the top. Various cards will be a little different but they should have something that says Netwrok Media or Media speed or something along those lines. By default most cards are set to aauto sense. Change it there to either 10MB half duplex or just 10MB.

[glc]

The router's firewall may be disabled (BAD idea, by the way) but it's still using Network Address Translation. You may need to forward some ports or put your machine in the router's DMZ.

[azscary]

I have two computers on my LAN. One of those is Win 2K and the other is a dual boot Win 98 / 2K. I also use a NAT router. Awhile back the dual boot was having intermittant no browse trouble, or problems with streaming media and when that occured, I also could not access the other computer. The only fix was to disable and re-enable the NIC or reboot the computer. I tried uninstalling the NIC and reinstalling the updated drivers and that did not work. Finally I broke out the tools and made a new patch cable and the problem was solved. My old patch cable was a store bought and used stranded cable. The new one I made is CAT5e solid cable and that seems to have solved the problem. Don't know if that is your issue but it may be worth looking into.

[babylon5guy]

Hi,
I have installed 3 Belkin routers and had trouble with every one. Two I finally got to work properly one I had to take back. The two that are working don't seem to work as well as the Linksys, D-Link and SMC routers I've installed. From personal experience I avoid Belkin routers.

[Beetle B.]

Thanks for the help - I just gave in and bought another router - works perfectly.

[gunrunnerjohn]

Belkin is a repackager, they don't actually build anything. One year their router might be a Linksys, the next year a Chinese clone. :D

[babylon5guy]

I must have got the Chinese clones! :D