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Solved: Daily disconnects with linksys wrt54g2

6K views 21 replies 2 participants last post by  TerryNet 
#1 ·
A friend has cable, with a linksys wrt54g2 router and Motorola SB5101 cable modem.

At 16:12 every day both their pc's connections drop.

We have set their pc clocks forward an hour and rebooted the pc's at different times, it didnt change the disconnect time so it doesnt look like theres anything running on the pc's causing it.

I can still access their router when they disconnect so the cable seems to be fine.

ipconfig shows their lease does not expire or renew at that time.

Any ideas what to check next please?
 
#2 ·
Please show for one PC both with a good connection and for the dropped time ...

Start, Run, CMD, OK to open a command prompt:
(For Vista or 7 type CMD in the Search box after Start)

Type the following command:

IPCONFIG /ALL

[Note that there is no space between the slash and ALL.]

Right click in the command window and choose Select All, then hit Enter.
Paste the results in a message here.

If necessary use a text file and removable media to copy the results to a computer with internet access.

If either PC is using wireless please also for both times attach a screen shot of the Networks page of the Xirrus Wi-Fi Inspector.
 
#3 ·
Thanks for the reply TerryNet,

I'll post them as soon as I can catch them at home at the right time :)
 
#4 · (Edited by Moderator)
Here you go TerryNet

Online
Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : JO-PC [edited by mod to obscure name at request of Paladinz]
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) 82566DC-2 Gigabit Network Connection
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1E-37-25-2B-B6
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::a88e:db3e:d41f:3343%11(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.100(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, January 08, 2012 10:07:06 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, January 12, 2012 11:07:01 PM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 251665975
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-13-F5-D2-3B-00-1E-37-25-2B-B6
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 208.67.222.222
208.67.220.220
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter isatap.{71CC608E-A8BA-46EC-B14C-BCB6EFB360D0}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 11:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft Teredo Tunneling Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:4137:9e76:839:1543:e786:e85f(Preferred)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::839:1543:e786:e85f%10(Preferred)
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled
Offline
Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : JO-PC [edited by mod to obscure name at request of Paladinz]
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) 82566DC-2 Gigabit Network Connection
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1E-37-25-2B-B6
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::a88e:db3e:d41f:3343%11(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.100(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, January 12, 2012 4:27:08 AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, January 14, 2012 4:27:08 AM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 251665975
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-13-F5-D2-3B-00-1E-37-25-2B-B6
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 208.67.222.222
208.67.220.220
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter isatap.{71CC608E-A8BA-46EC-B14C-BCB6EFB360D0}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 11:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft Teredo Tunneling Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:4137:9e76:839:1543:e786:e85f(Preferred)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::839:1543:e786:e85f%10(Preferred)
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled
Their connection to irc, games etc drops at 16:12 every day.

[EDIT]
May be barking up the wrong tree, they are now saying both PC's lock up, where as before they said they were offline. Looking at the IPCONFIG results they were still online.
 
#5 ·
Their connection to irc, games etc drops at 16:12 every day.

[EDIT]
May be barking up the wrong tree, they are now saying both PC's lock up, where as before they said they were offline. Looking at the IPCONFIG results they were still online.
Agreed; still looks like a good connection to the router.

It's really difficult for me to believe that a computer "locks up" at exactly the same time each day, much less that two do so at exactly the same time. Have you asked them how they know that "Their connection to irc, games etc drops" if both their computers are locked up? I'm assuming that "lock up" means "freeze," that it does not respond to keyboard or mouse or any stimulus. For that matter, how did they or you get the ipconfig /all with the computer locked up?
 
#6 ·
Agreed, it is odd. However I have had both their PC's on IRC several days at this time, the irc clients on both PC's disconnect from the network at this time and reconnect.

I've asked them further, the pc that ipconfig was ran on doesnt freeze, the other pc does lol :confused:

Sorry for any confusion but they are seniors and I don't have physical access to the pc's so can only go on what they tell me.
 
#7 ·
but they are seniors
Ya sure you wanna be caught in the middle between them and me? :)

Except for the "lock up" or "freeze" part it sounds to me more like the router losing communication with the modem, or the modem with the ISP.

That modem (I have the same model) should have four solid green lights and the fifth one down ("activity") should be blinking amber. Have them watch those LEDs at the witching hour. Also, the router probably has a WAN (or Internet or Modem) LED that may change at the magic time.
 
#8 ·
Ya sure you wanna be caught in the middle between them and me? :)
lol, I'll tell you how bad it can be! They bought a new pc in a nice black case and called me because it wouldnt work. They were all set to send it back after arguing with the supplier when I asked for a photo of the case.....

The power button was black on a black case and they hadnt turned it on!
 
#9 ·
Well the lights on neither the modem nor the router change, looks like a continuous connection.
 
#10 ·
You said the lease does not expire or renew at that time. Is that the lease the router's WAN gets from the ISP?

My current and previous routers do not show the lease period, so that question may not be answerable directly.

They probably won't care for this, but I think it's time to try a computer connected directly to the modem to see if the daily disconnect still occurs. Remember to remind them to power cycle the modem when switching the device connected to it.
 
#11 ·
I'm assuming its the lease from the ISP, not sure how I'd tell. Their IP seems to be static though.

I'll get them to connect directly to the modem and see what happens, thanks.
 
#12 ·
When connecting directly to the modem there is no disconnect, so does look like the router being the issue.

I've checked the settings on it and cant find anything that would cause this at a set time.

Any ideas what I could have missed? I cant see the router being faulty only at a set time each day.

Thanks
Palz
 
#13 ·
Disable the wireless on the router (set the wireless mode to 'none' or 'off'). If it still disconnects I think I'm stumped. If it does not disconnect then we (probably) have an interesting wireless interference issue.
 
#14 ·
Thanks TerryNet,

You were dead on, no problems at all with the wireless turned off.

Will change it back to manual settings instead of WiFi Protected Setup and try some different channels over the next few days.

[EDIT] They had a disconnect 4 minute later than usual, not sure if its related to the issue or not, will check it tomorrow if they are about.
 
#15 ·
If it's wireless interference happening exactly once a day at the same time I'm guessing it's something on a timer or somebody who is very punctual and regular. For example, a 2.4 GHz baby monitor that is turned on by timer for the night or somebody who gets home at the same time every day and whose garage door opener remote is using the exact "right" frequency.
 
#16 ·
Changing the frequency seems to have solved the problem :)

Still not sure what caused it as they are in a rural area with no neighbours really close, but the problems gone.

Many thanks TerryNet
 
#18 ·
May have spoke too soon :(

Just been told that they have had the same problem but at 04:26pm since I changed the router frequency :eek:

The odds of that frequency conflicting with some local equipment would seem to be very slim!

Going to go through the frequency options for a few days and see what happens :confused:
 
#19 ·
Perhaps it actually has something to do with the lease from the ISP expiring or being renewed half way through the period, but recovering quickly. They don't do anything to regain connectivity, do they? When they switched from the router to a computer connected to the modem they would have gotten a new lease. Then when they switched back to the router it would have received a new lease, and the bewitching hour would have changed.

If the router's WAN section shows the lease obtained and expires times (mine doesn't) see if the new disconnect time coincides with the expires time or is half way through the period.
 
#20 ·
They do not have to do anything to regain connectivity and the downtime is very small.

There router doesnt show any information regarding the lease times, tho IPCONFIG shows
Code:
   Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, January 19, 2012 7:58:30 AM
   Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, January 21, 2012 7:58:30 PM
 
#21 ·
Since the short disconnect was bothering them I've replaced their router and everythings fine.
Thanks again for your help TerryNet.
 
#22 ·
You're welcome, and many thanks for reporting back with the solution. Guess we'll never know what kind of goblin got into that router, but it sure was strange. Those folks are very fortunate to have you looking out for them. :)
 
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