Network Issues

[theocpcguru]

I just installed a speedstream router for a customer of mine. They just told me that since I installed it, their internet works intermittently. I had no problems while I was on site. Escentially, It's a speedstream router (don't remember the model) hooked up to 2 pc's. I'm using Cat5 E cable going to a pair of 586B's (modular network jack) and a patch cable from the jack to the router / pc). They are telling me that intermittently, they get the error message (network cable unplugged) on one of those stupid windows XP balloons. I haven't been to site to troubleshoot yet, but I wanted to get some input. The router is sitting on a desk (semi-stable) and they claim that nobody is touching it when it happens. In order for them to "clear" the problem, they have to go and unplug/replug the network cables from the router. What could be causing this? I've never seen anything like it, with the exception of my personal network when my ISP changes the IP address on me, my router flips for a minute or so, but last I hear, ISP's don't change your address twice in 20 minutes. Sounds like either end user error or a faulty router, but I would appreciate someone elses input.

[sKiT]

getting back to basics........I know they said intermittently, but it almost sounds like a "keep alive" setting in the router. I don't know if the speedstream routers have those functions but, I'm assuming in some way they might. If anything, that will give you something to check for.

[theocpcguru]

When you say "keep alive" are you speaking of the feature that fakes data transfer to trick the ISP into not disconnecting you? I don't think that this could cause the LAN to go down. I'm thinking it might be a firmware issue.

[sKiT]

Correct. Thats what I'm talking about. Even though the cables are not physically dis-connected as WinXP would suggest, if the modem drops the connection or if your router is power cycling for some reason, I would think you would see the same error from WinXP although I could be wrong.

I think I would attempt the firmware update again and send an email to thier tech support guys to see if they have heard of these symptoms for that model modem/router

[theocpcguru]

But, if the router loses the connection to the ISP, that won't cause it to power cycle. It will just reconnect. Furthermore, this wouldn't cause the LAN to quit functioning which is what would cause the error.

[sKiT]

Sorry, I'm unfamiliar with this model. I am assuming its a modem/router all in one? The reason I suggested power cycling is because if it is functtioning as your router, a power cycle would drop everything including the LAN. I wasn't trying to suggest the router was power cycling because it lost ISP connex.

[theocpcguru]

Sorry that I didn't relay the information correctly. The router and modem are independant. I'm just going to have to look at it, but I read the spec's for the router and there is a known flaw with the firmware that causes intermittent / frequent lock-ups, which I guess that is what this is.

Thanks for the info, and sorry if I sounded hostile... my wife is pregant and giving me **** .



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[sKiT]

No problem, good luck.

[theocpcguru]

I got it fixed.... finally... in a round-a-bout way. They recently had an add-on and paid someone to extend a line from the MPOE to a surface mount jack (RJ11 Z Modular jack). From there, a splitter was connected to send the DSL to one end, and filter it out for a phone. When I left site after installing the network, both the phone and the DSL worked (coming from the same RJ11Z). Last night, only the DSL worked. The phone would not. I swapped phones, cables, handsets, bypassed the filter/spliter. I could not get dialtone on the phone, but the DSL worked. Intermittently, it would lose the DSL connection, but after 30 seconds or so it would reconnect. I called my phone tech extrordinaire friend and he told me something about a dead leg and to cut out some of the cable and re-terminate it on the RJ11Z. I did. After that, I could not get ANY signal on the DSL or telephone. After they had the add-on done, they had lots of problems with the jack (it wasn't terminated very good and the jack was beat to hell). Escentially, I had to reverse the network and install the router and modem in another room that has a computer. Anway. it works, but I still can't figure out exactly WHY I COULD GET DSL BUT NOT TELEPHONE.

Anyone have a clue what it could be? I'm not all that up on telephony. I know enough to be dangerous or to annoy peeps by resetting ports and such, but that's about the extent of my knowledge.