Random connections drops

[finalcloud13]

Hello, I have 2 computers on my LAN, my old computer wired and my new computer wireless. Both the old and new computer get random connection drops, though it happens much more frequently on the old computer.

However, the internet connection is not totally dropped. What I'm trying to say is, web pages stop loading (IE7 says the page cannot be displayed), however other internet-required applications, such as AIM, Windows Live Messenger or any online games all work perfectly. I can also ping any address just fine. To get webpages to work again, I have to restart my router.

On a side note, how is the bandwidth of an internet connection distributed to the computers on the network by a router? Do all computers on the network receive an equal amount of bandwidth always, regardless of if they're putting it to use or not? I ask this because even while no one is using the other computer, my internet connection is severely slower on my computer.

Furthermore, this is a strange question, but why does my Winamp media player go erratic when my connection drops? It repeats a segment of the song I'm listening to and if I pause and/or stop it and play again it skips around my playlist without end. I just keep it stopped for a while and then it starts working normally again.

Thank you in advance.

[ghost2003]

For how long has this happend.
So only your web browsers seems to stop working? What if your other applications restart (AIM, MSN, ...), what happens then?
What kind of router do you use? Is there an other one you could install to test?
Could you connect a pc directly to the modem (I assume cable or DSL) and see what happens?

As for the bandwidth: the distribution of bandwidth would depend on your router. It should not reserve bandwidth for a computer that is not using it (It's possibe but a regular router should not do that by default)

[moviemaggot]

Originally Posted by ghost2003 For how long has this happend. So only your web browsers seems to stop working? What if your other applications restart (AIM, MSN, ...), what happens then? What kind of router do you use? Is there an other one you could install to test? Could you connect a pc directly to the modem (I assume cable or DSL) and see what happens? As for the bandwidth: the distribution of bandwidth would depend on your router. It should not reserve bandwidth for a computer that is not using it (It's possibe but a regular router should not do that by default)

This has happened before then stopped when I put in a new network card somewhat. But now its back. Anything that uses internet will go out, internet(doesnt matter the browser), msn messenger, aim, etc. The internet will say page cant be found, and msn will timout/log out say i was disconnected. My router works fine because all other computers work amazing, its just this one that has the problem. I have a Linksys WRT54GS. I just tried hooking it directly to the modem recently and my internet still goes out. Maybe a mean virus or spyware. I do know I have quite a bit or spyware and crap but removed some with free stuff. but I just dont have the money to fork out to buy good removal software.

[finalcloud13]

Originally Posted by ghost2003 For how long has this happend. So only your web browsers seems to stop working? What if your other applications restart (AIM, MSN, ...), what happens then? What kind of router do you use? Is there an other one you could install to test? Could you connect a pc directly to the modem (I assume cable or DSL) and see what happens? As for the bandwidth: the distribution of bandwidth would depend on your router. It should not reserve bandwidth for a computer that is not using it (It's possibe but a regular router should not do that by default)

This has happened pretty much near the beginning of the use of the router.

Yes, only my web browser stops working. I can restart Bittorrent, AIM, MSN, or any other online game and it'll work without a problem.

The router I use is the Belkin Pre-N Wireless Router, model #F5D8230-4. I currently have no other that I can put to the test.

The internet works great without a connection drop ever when a PC is directly connected to the modem.

I am wondering if there are some kind of router settings that I may need to tinker with, like these QoS and ACK options. What are they?

Edit: I noticed that my internet connection is constantly sending and receiving a load of packets, even when both computers on the network are not using it. So I went and unplugged the wired computer from the router, and now there are next to no packets going back and forth and my connection is super fast, like it should be. What is this? What's going on between the 2 computers on my network that's taking up all my bandwidth?

[glc]

Sounds like your wired computer may have some malware on it. You using peer to peer sharing applications, by chance?

[finalcloud13]

Originally Posted by glc Sounds like your wired computer may have some malware on it. You using peer to peer sharing applications, by chance?

I have Limewire on the wired computer and Frostwire on the wireless computer, but I haven't run either app for about a week at least.

On my wired computer, which is my old computer, I ran scans with Adaware, Spybot, AVG Antispyware, and SUPERAntispyware, and deleted everything that showed up. On my wireless computer I only ran scans with Adaware, which found nothing. The bandwidth symptom I had was present before and after the scans.

[finalcloud13]

The connection drop problem no longer happens, but my internet connection is still slow.

I noticed that it always happens when my bittorrent client is running. On a 2 MB cable connection, my BT client can be downloading at 60 KB/sec and uploading 30 KB/sec and that slows my internet connection down to a ridiculous crawl. I know this isn't right because before I ever created a network I remember torrents downloading at a combined 300+ KB/sec while the speed of browsing web pages or playing games were practically unaffected.

[mojo]

It's probably your bittorrent upload that is killing you. I you have 256 kbps up on your internet connection as many people do, that's a theoretical max of 32 KB/s which you are maxing out with the 30 KB/s upload you mentioned. Your internet is crawling because you have no bandwidth left to request web pages. Limit your upload in your bittorrent client to 10 Kb/s max and I bet the problem will go away.

[finalcloud13]

Originally Posted by mojo It's probably your bittorrent upload that is killing you. I you have 256 kbps up on your internet connection as many people do, that's a theoretical max of 32 KB/s which you are maxing out with the 30 KB/s upload you mentioned. Your internet is crawling because you have no bandwidth left to request web pages. Limit your upload in your bittorrent client to 10 Kb/s max and I bet the problem will go away.

But my internet connection slows to a crawl, even when my Bittorrent is not uploading very much (~10 KB/sec)
I must have a max of over 32 KB/s, because I have had combined uploads of 60+ KB/s. I will try capping my upload to 10 KB/s but I still do not understand why I never experienced this before because in the past when I only had one computer directly connected to the modem the internet never slowed down like this in the years I remember, save the times when I was really really heavily downloading.

[mojo]

What is the advertised speed of your cable connection, specifically the upload? If you only have a 2 Mbps download speed, I doubt that you have more than 256 Kbps upload. What is the other computer on your network doing, also running bittorrent?

[finalcloud13]

I can't find out what my upload cap is. Is there any way to find out, like something similar to those bandwidth meters that rate your download speed?

[mojo]

They usually rate your upload speed too, and it will usually be a multiple of 256k. Just make sure you're not uploading anything while performing the test.

[rave]

Originally Posted by finalcloud13 But my internet connection slows to a crawl, even when my Bittorrent is not uploading very much (~10 KB/sec) I must have a max of over 32 KB/s, because I have had combined uploads of 60+ KB/s. I will try capping my upload to 10 KB/s but I still do not understand why I never experienced this before because in the past when I only had one computer directly connected to the modem the internet never slowed down like this in the years I remember, save the times when I was really really heavily downloading.

hi, just wondering if you played with your bittorrent settings? though upload speed is capped and so on, you could be flooding your router with a lot of connections thus stressing the router. try limiting the global number of peer connections. this can be done is most torrent clients. or try not running your torrent client at all and see if it helps