Linksys Router losing connnectivity (BEFW11s4 V4)

[musikid2480]

hi,

First let me describe my problem:

Every so often the router will lose connectivity with the modem, therefore leaving the computers off of the internet. this is a problem that varies, sometimes the router becomes invisable to the computers, and some other times, it just stays connected to the network and not connected to the internet. I can fix this problem by powercycling the router and the modem, but i know in my mind that this should not be happening. I have tried so many things, from changing all of the amounts in the router's configuration page all with no avail.

My enviroment is

Internet-Cable (comcast)

Wireless Router-(linksys BEFW11S4 V4)

Desktop (Win xp home sp2)-Wired

Laptop (win xp pro sp2)-wireless

laptop (win xp pro sp2)-wired

Laptop (win xp home sp2)-wireless

Laptop (win 2k sp4)-wireless

(sorry for the long list, but i felt its better being detailed then having to post again)

I am sure that the computers are causing no problems, but if there are any settings i have to change, i will.

I hope that there is someone out there that can help me with my problem, i am a semi-experienced comp user.


Regards,

Andrew

[M/Q]

Great information and itis the best thing to tell it all. I am not sure, but maybe you know is that the latest version of firmware for the router? Has this problem just recently started or has it been like this from the start? Also the problem occurs either with the wired or wireless or both types of clients?

There are many instances of this, and it can be a real problem to resolve it and in most cases it is therouter hardware that is at fault. What kind of Internet access are you using? You may want to ask the ISP if the router's WAN connection and advanced settings are correct for the type of access you have. That is about it, except if you can get another router and see if the problem goes away or not. I do not bet, but I suspect the hardware.

[musikid2480]

The problem has been occuring from the start, and it affects everything, my internet settings are right, but i did notice someting when i was in the configuration page, that the only MAC address that is able to get on the internet is the router's, but when i connect the modem via usb, and have properly installed the drivers, i cannot get on the internet, so maybe it is the router that is screwed up or comcast has the wrong MAC address registered. Before i came here, i was considering getting a new modem free from comcast, but i think the router is to blame. this router is a fairly old model, and i have seen in the linksys forums that the older models seem to be prone to dropping connections. so maybe getting a new router would fix the problem. but the first thing i will try doing is calling up comcast and try to get them to register the modem's MAC address, and then clone it with the router.

Thanks,

Andrew

[musikid2480]

and also, the win 2k laptop connects to a vpn through the router, which may cause the disconnecting, but it usually disconnects when it is not on, but there has been times when that has happened. Today i have reset the router as the lady from linksys told me to do and i will put that laptop on DMZ to see what results that will give.

[musikid2480]

AGAIN, this problem has arose, after three days of being problem free from resetting the router as the people from linksys told me to do. I have heard rumours that the older router models have been prone to dropping connections, and if i am true please tell me, i will definately get a new router, and it will be linksys again, since most of the wireless equpment i have is linksys. Thanks for all of your support. Andrew

[ritesh_7972]

Hi
you can try these steps before you go an buy a new router.
1. go to linksys.com/downloads and downlaod the firmware. upgrade the firmware on the router.
2. after the firmware is upgraded, remeber to hard reset the router. you have to push the reset button, unplug the power cable after 15 secs keeping the reset button pressed all the time, plug the power cable back after 15 secs and hold the reset button for 15 more secs.
3. enter the router configuration page and reduce the MTU size to 1350.

this should work!!!

[musikid2480]

Thank you.

I will try this out later, i already have the latest firmware version, and i have reset it, but i will reset it again to assure that i did it right. I will report back if it works or not.

[spiderbite]

Hey gang,

If you have DSL, this seems to be normal...Mine did it for no reason all the time and had to get back into the linksys to refresh the DHCP even when it said it had an address to the WAN.


My new cable connection doesn't do this....I dunno, maybe the DSL???

[musikid2480]

I have a cable connection, and have always, so maybe the modems are to blame, but right now its working, maybe the 15 second reset did it. but that is for now, the last time i reset it, it worked for 3 days straight without a problem, so if this happens again to me, then i will definatly get either a new modem, which i can exchange for free at comcast, or i can get a new router.

[musikid2480]

and also....DSL is not a devoted connection so it drops just like dial up did back in the days, lol

[musikid2480]

after reseting the router as ritesh_7972 told me to do, the problem is gone, but he also told me to adjust the MTU which has slowed down my downloads drastically, since the lights have been blinking in different patterns after the reset and has been working, so im going to bring the MTU back to 1500

[musikid2480]

I give up.

Its just not working out, i have done everything. as of now i have been looking at new routers, the one i have got my eye on is the Linksys WRT54G. I have read several reviews on it and all of them have given it a thumbs up. I have also seen that it works the best out of other routers when both Wireless B and Wireless G clients are connected.

If anyone has this router, tell me if i am making a good choice, or tell me of another router to get.

[Franklin_L]

Just like you and the others I had the failed ftp and the dropped connectivity problem with my BEFW11S4 V4 router, and I was plugging and unplugging power every 5-45 minutes to reconnect.

I upgraded the firmware, pressed reset button on the back of the router for 15 seconds, pulled the power plug, powered back up. Still dropped out.

Then I http://192.168.1.1 and DISABLED UPNP in router firmware setup!

The last step is key! Try it before you trash your router. I have had an XP box,
win95 box, and win98se box running off the BEFW11S4 V4 router for 24 hours now since I disabled UPNP in the router firmware with no dropouts!!

[marlehole]

Hello Musikid2480,

Follow your thoughts and change the router! it's a vintage one and never supported VPN properly. The issue is in your VPN support settings; and the change you make has to be made with VPN support as your HIGHEST priorty.

The Linksys (WRT54GS) has that capability with excellent coverage as a wireless access device.

Good Luck,

Don