Router dropping connection, problem with router or something else?

[Dan White]

Hi,

I'm getting grief with my US Robotics 808054 Wireless router, connected to
my Telewest cable modem. It drops the connection several times a day, and
it's really beginning to piss me off. It's like the cable has been pulled
out, then put back in. Problem is, it shags up ftp connections, file
sharing, messenger etc, and I have to reconnect all the time.

Looking at the event log, it seems like theres a problem with the router
allocating DHCP... err, or something. I thought it might have been the
onboard network port on the motherboard, but it kills my Xbox live
connection and laptop too.

Problem is, I don't really know what I'm talking about :-(

The Windows XP Event log entries are pasted below for two times that it
dropped the
connection. Any ideas at all?


Event Type: Information
Event Source: Tcpip
Event Category: None
Event ID: 4201
Date: 29/01/2004
Time: 17:40:19
User: N/A
Computer: MILLIGAN
Description:
The system detected that network adapter 3Com 3C920B-EMB Integrated Fast
Ethernet Controller was connected to the network, and has initiated normal
operation over the network adapter.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 00 00 00 00 02 00 50 00 ......P.
0008: 00 00 00 00 69 10 00 40 ....i..@
0010: 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0018: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0020: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........




Event Type: Warning
Event Source: Dhcp
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1003
Date: 29/01/2004
Time: 17:40:50
User: N/A
Computer: MILLIGAN
Description:
Your computer was not able to renew its address from the network (from the
DHCP Server) for the Network Card with network address 00265411CE41. The
following error occurred:
The semaphore timeout period has expired. . Your computer will continue to
try and obtain an address on its own from the network address (DHCP) server.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 79 00 00 00 y...


Event Type: Information
Event Source: BROWSER
Event Category: None
Event ID: 8033
Date: 29/01/2004
Time: 17:40:50
User: N/A
Computer: MILLIGAN
Description:
The browser has forced an election on network
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{3F4C6D63-EF1D-4232-AA0E-79D91FAE6043} because a master
browser was stopped.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.


Event Type: Warning
Event Source: Dhcp
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1007
Date: 29/01/2004
Time: 17:40:53
User: N/A
Computer: MILLIGAN
Description:
Your computer has automatically configured the IP address for the Network
Card with network address 00265411CE41. The IP address being used is
169.254.170.37.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 00 00 00 00 ....


Event Type: Information
Event Source: Tcpip
Event Category: None
Event ID: 4201
Date: 29/01/2004
Time: 18:25:57
User: N/A
Computer: MILLIGAN
Description:
The system detected that network adapter 3Com 3C920B-EMB Integrated Fast
Ethernet Controller was connected to the network, and has initiated normal
operation over the network adapter.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 00 00 00 00 02 00 50 00 ......P.
0008: 00 00 00 00 69 10 00 40 ....i..@
0010: 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0018: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0020: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........


Event Type: Warning
Event Source: Dhcp
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1003
Date: 29/01/2004
Time: 18:26:28
User: N/A
Computer: MILLIGAN
Description:
Your computer was not able to renew its address from the network (from the
DHCP Server) for the Network Card with network address 00265411CE41. The
following error occurred:
The semaphore timeout period has expired. . Your computer will continue to
try and obtain an address on its own from the network address (DHCP) server.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 79 00 00 00 y...



Event Type: Information
Event Source: BROWSER
Event Category: None
Event ID: 8033
Date: 29/01/2004
Time: 18:26:28
User: N/A
Computer: MILLIGAN
Description:
The browser has forced an election on network
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{3F4C6D63-EF1D-4232-AA0E-79D91FAE6043} because a master
browser was stopped.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.



Event Type: Warning
Event Source: Dhcp
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1007
Date: 29/01/2004
Time: 18:26:30
User: N/A
Computer: MILLIGAN
Description:
Your computer has automatically configured the IP address for the Network
Card with network address 00265411CE41. The IP address being used is
169.254.170.37.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 00 00 00 00 ....

 

[daytripper]

Hi,

I'm getting grief with my US Robotics 808054 Wireless router, connected to
my Telewest cable modem. It drops the connection several times a day, and
it's really beginning to piss me off. It's like the cable has been pulled
out, then put back in. Problem is, it shags up ftp connections, file
sharing, messenger etc, and I have to reconnect all the time.

Looking at the event log, it seems like theres a problem with the router
allocating DHCP... err, or something. I thought it might have been the
onboard network port on the motherboard, but it kills my Xbox live
connection and laptop too.

Problem is, I don't really know what I'm talking about :-(

The Windows XP Event log entries are pasted below for two times that it
dropped the
connection. Any ideas at all?

Not much there - it describes a system initializing a network adapter, then
timing out trying to reach a DHCP server and thus giving itself an APIPA
address (the 169... address in this snip from your log

"Your computer has automatically configured the IP address for the Network
Card with network address 00265411CE41. The IP address being used is
169.254.170.37"

The browser election is normal when a system fails to keep in touch with
Master Browser.

From the log it never re-establishes connection with the router. Did you have
to reboot Windows to reconnect?

/daytripper

 

[Dan White]

From the log it never re-establishes connection with the router. Did you have
to reboot Windows to reconnect?

No, the connection reappears within about 5-20 seconds, that's what seems so
odd. The problem is, that's enough time to knock over things like Trillian,
ftp clients etc, and make them sit there waiting for a manual reconnection.

 

[daytripper]

No, the connection reappears within about 5-20 seconds, that's what seems so
odd. The problem is, that's enough time to knock over things like Trillian,
ftp clients etc, and make them sit there waiting for a manual reconnection.

Is this a wireless B or G system? If signal strength and throughput look good,
perhaps you're getting splashed by someone's portable phone - or someone's
wap.

Try using the different channels on the router first...

/daytripper

 

[Dan White]

Is this a wireless B or G system? If signal strength and throughput look good,
perhaps you're getting splashed by someone's portable phone - or someone's
wap.

Try using the different channels on the router first...

It's supposedly wireless G, but I'm not actually using the wireless
connections at all. The desktop is Cat5 cabled into the router, as is the
Xbox

Hmmm... I do actually have a cordless phone in the room, as well as a
mobile, but there's no link between my phone usage and dropped connections.
I would have spotted that since if I'm on the phone it's usually to discuss
something I'm looking at on the computer!

Is it possible that wireless interference could cause the router to reset
perhaps?

Thanks for all the suggestions, this is good stuff.

 

[daytripper]

It's supposedly wireless G, but I'm not actually using the wireless
connections at all. The desktop is Cat5 cabled into the router, as is the
Xbox

Hmmm... I do actually have a cordless phone in the room, as well as a
mobile, but there's no link between my phone usage and dropped connections.
I would have spotted that since if I'm on the phone it's usually to discuss
something I'm looking at on the computer!

Is it possible that wireless interference could cause the router to reset
perhaps?

Thanks for all the suggestions, this is good stuff.

Aw, rats...I missed that you were using just wired clients.
Offhand I'd say it's unlikely spurious interference would reset a router, but
I reckon I could be wrong about that.

Does the xbox experience the same issues? If not, try swapping cables and then
ports, see if the problem moves...

/daytripper

 

[Dan White]

Aw, rats...I missed that you were using just wired clients.
Offhand I'd say it's unlikely spurious interference would reset a router, but
I reckon I could be wrong about that.

Does the xbox experience the same issues? If not, try swapping cables and then
ports, see if the problem moves...

Yes, the Xbox drops connections too.

US Robotics mailed me back today with a new firmware version for the router
which is not on the website. So far, so good, but they did say they had not
heard of my problem before.

 

[Ralf G]

Someone else reported a similar symptom as you but with a different brand of
router. I suggested the possibility that the crashes might be due to
attacks. I see many attempts at such in my router logs. Before I had the
router I was subject to some similar disconnections, but usually when
someone was using IRC chat on the ICS shared internet connection. Blocking
the attacks there solved it.

As for the ethernet card, you can avoid the addressing problem by setting an
'alternate' address in the same subnet using TCP/IP. For example, I have the
router assigning addresses (static in my case) via DHCP. In case of DHCP
problems I also have TCP/IP on the ehternet adapter set to assign the same
address in the alternate configuration. Normally this is ignored, but if
DHCP cannot assign an address for any reason the ethernet adapter will
configure itself to the one I preset rather than some random address in a
different subnet.

The 'alternate configuration' setting is in TCP/IP Properties for the
ethernet adapter in question.

 

[daytripper]

Someone else reported a similar symptom as you but with a different brand of
router. I suggested the possibility that the crashes might be due to
attacks. I see many attempts at such in my router logs. Before I had the
router I was subject to some similar disconnections, but usually when
someone was using IRC chat on the ICS shared internet connection. Blocking
the attacks there solved it.

As for the ethernet card, you can avoid the addressing problem by setting an
'alternate' address in the same subnet using TCP/IP. For example, I have the
router assigning addresses (static in my case) via DHCP. In case of DHCP
problems I also have TCP/IP on the ehternet adapter set to assign the same
address in the alternate configuration. Normally this is ignored, but if
DHCP cannot assign an address for any reason the ethernet adapter will
configure itself to the one I preset rather than some random address in a
different subnet.

The 'alternate configuration' setting is in TCP/IP Properties for the
ethernet adapter in question.

Care to share why one would use such a goofy practice?

 

[Ralf G]

Because the APIPA addressing that Windows will use for the adapter otherwise
is useless in the existing network.

 

[daytripper]

Because the APIPA addressing that Windows will use for the adapter otherwise
is useless in the existing network.

lol you swung right through that one ;-)

I'll spell it out for you: if your "alternate configuration" purports to
assign the exact same ip addresses that would be handed out by DHCP in your
"normal configuration", why not just use static addresses for your "normal
configuration" in the first place?

It really doesn't make much sense to do what you're doing...

 

[Ralf G]

ROTFL! I suppose it does seem that way to you. It came about as the simplest
solution to a small practical problem ... The network was setup with a new
router using DHCP addressing.. Worked very well, but then we wanted to run
an internet game server on one client. That was also easy enough to set up
in the router but the configuration settings require the LAN IP of the
machine running the server. I could have gone to fixed addressing as you
said, but setting fixed DHCP addressing was the simpler alternative. A
matter of ticking one check-box and entering the desired IP for the adapter
in question. Dynamic DHCP still functions for any other computers connected
to the router.

The alternate address does not have to be the same, but there's no reason
for it to be different either. As long as it is within the 192.168.0.x
range it provides a configuration free fall-back for when DHCP may not be
available.. such as a direct connect to the DSL modem.