[JamesLeslie33]

I have a recently-purchased NetGear N300 wireless router. This router supports 4 wireless connections (2 desktop PCs, 1 laptop and one iPad2). The wireless router will drop internet connection on a daily basis require a reset. Interestingly, when MY internet connection (meaning all the PC supported on my wireless LAN) is dropped, the router can still see other wireless LANs...just no longer mine.

I reset the router on a daily basis and thereafter it runs fine for about a day...then another reset is required. I did do a firmware update and probably shouldn't have. I called the NetGear support people and their position is that it is NOT wise to do a firmware update. It appears that the routers are manufactured with a specific hardware/firmware combination and, unless instructed by NetGear, the firmware should be left alone. This is pretty much contrary to firmware updates on other products but they are very clear that in the case of their routers that this is the case.

The router was doing this before the firmware update so I'm not convinced that the firmware update is the culprit.

Anyway, if any other people have experienced similar circumstances to mine I'd certainly appreciate their comments. I like the N300 and it runs great...when it runs. It's just annoying to have to reset it on a daily basis.

Jim

[etaf]

can we see an xirrus screen shot when its working and when dropped - or leave it running until it drops so we can see the graph

does a wired connection stay connected all the time ?

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Run Xirrus Wi-Fi Inspector
Download and install
If you cannot access the internet with this PC, then you will need to copy the program across to the faulty PC
Save the file to a USB flash drive or other removable media. Plug it into the working computer with internet access and copy the file and paste here.


http://www.xirrus.com/Products/Wi-Fi-Inspector.aspx
Direct link to the program is here http://wpc.475a.edgecastcdn.net/0047...etup.1.2.0.exe

{If the above link does not work heres another link http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_download/fid,77196-order,4/download.html}

Then run and install the program - on a wireless enabled PC/Laptop
if you get an error - You need NET Framework installed for the WiFi Inspector to function.

Run the program

A user guide is available here http://www.xirrus.com/Products/Wi-Fi...uide1-2-0.aspx

post a screen shot of the program running - if there are a lot of networks showing can you click on "networks" top lefthand area - so we can see all the network information, and also post which network "Adapter Name" (1st column) is yours on the list

To post a screen shot of the active window, hold the Alt key and press the PrtScn key. Open the Windows PAINT application and Paste the screen shot. You can then use PAINT to trim to suit, and save it as a JPG format file.
To upload it to the forum, open the full reply window and use the Manage Attachments button to upload it here.
Full details are here http://library.techguy.org/wiki/TSG_...g_a_Screenshot

Note:
For a reliable (or robust as the Xirrus user guide says) wireless connection you need a signal of about -70 dBm or better.

If you are using the Mac OS then use http://www.istumbler.net/
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[JamesLeslie33]

Thanks for your reply. However, I don't have any wired connections to this router. I get a yellow sun-shaped symbol over the wireless connection internet access icon in Windows 7 showing that the internet connection is lost.

[etaf]

can we see an xirrrus screen shot please

[JamesLeslie33]

I downloaded Wi-Fi Inspector and finally figured out how to get a screen shot and will post it shortly. What basically happens is that my N300 router stops broadcasting. It seems to lose its own internet connection to the cable modem. It can see other wireless networks but not the cable modem it's connected to. The router's wired connections seem to be fine. So when this occurs, I power off/power on the N300 router all is well. Very strange. I'm beginning to wonder if the cable modem is the culprit. Have you or anyone else experienced this?

[etaf]

make and model of the cable modem - does that wireless available ?

The router's wired connections seem to be fine.

which would imply the connection to the modem is fine

can we see an xirrrus screen shot please

[JamesLeslie33]

Hi Etaf:

I think that the problem is solved. I simply forced the router to operate on one channel instead of selecting "auto". I noticed a lot of neighborhood networks were operating on the same channel (in this case, channel 11) so I made the switch. Result: no failures since doing that.

In addition, I was incorrect when I stated that the wired connections seemed to be unaffected. They went down too as soon as the wireless connections lost their internet connection.

I'll watch it for a while but it's been up long past when it was failing prior to the change.

Thanks much for your interest and if anything changes I'll post again.

Jim

[etaf]

ok - you can mark solved when you are happy its all working


You can mark your own threads solved using the button at the top of the page of the thread in the upper left corner.

[RKORR1]

I had the exact same issue. Called tech support at netgear. No issues until the last firmware upgrade! Tech support had me go back to wep and g transmissions. They were blaming everything bit the firmware. I feel better knowing someone else had the same issue. I feel like i didn't gain anything by going back to "g" technology, however i haven't lost the transmission since. I want to go back to "n" but unsure if the proplems will come back. I asked about going back to previous firmware but they didn't help. I am thinking about reseting if that will bring me back to the original firmware.

[JamesLeslie33]

Unfortunately, the problem is not resolved. It was good for a while but it has since returned...not quite as bad as it was previously but I have to reset at lease every other day. This is very annoying and I'm thinking I'm going to change router brands.

I will provide a post with those results as well.

Jim