I've been having to reset my wireless Linksys Router (though I'm using it mostly in wired mode) frequently. You know, stopping everything, pulling the plug out, putting it back in... it's a total pain in my ass.

I have no idea why it happens. It doesn't seem to be the MTU settings, because when I ping anything at 1500, I don't get fragmented packets. But it's like I'll be browsing and suddenly my internet connection fails. The only thing that brings it back is to unplug the friggin' router.

I never had to do this with the last router more than once a month, or when changing cables. It seems now I have to do it once a day at least.

What the hell could be wrong? This router is patched into a gigabit switch, and the switch seems to be working fine. I never have to unplug it. The cable modem also doesn't appear to be the problem. It's the router, definitely. What could cause it to keep shutting down?

The symptom is, I'll be browsing along nicely, and suddenly beachball. Everything internet dependent will start spinning its wheels, like Mac Mail. I'll check the network control panel, and the router IP address gets swapped for a local Mac address, meaning the connection has dropped. But a call to my provider confirms no outages.

I get my DSL piped in off of the guys down the hall who have a computer shop. The guy who owns it is a very good networking guru. He's told me about some techniques he said he invented (but that Microsoft says are impossible) to fix some network problems. There is the manual and then there is the real world. So I think it's reasonable to assume that whatever hardware and software he has managing the whole DSL connection is in good operating order. But hell, I'm constantly running back there unplugging the DSL modem, waiting about 10 seconds, and then plugging it back in again. This Monday I had to do that three times within an hour. And then sometimes it won't give me a problem for a week. Maybe two weeks.

I don't think anyone really knows what's going on, not even Qwest. In your case it may be a specific known issue, but I think there's a fair amount of ooga booga to it. What's normal and working for a DSL modem and network? Similar to how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop, the world may never know.

I think it is a problem with Dashboard.

But seriously no one has the modem or router on a microwave oven do they?

Brad DSL drops could be your local phone companies fault outside your DSL provider. I am using Verizon for both my DSL and local phone service.

Thalo what Linksys model number? Firmware updates might help. I have not ventured into wireless at all yet. The attempts I have made were failures to connect PC's wireless.

Brad DSL drops could be your local phone companies fault outside your DSL provider. I am using Verizon for both my DSL and local phone service.

I wouldn't doubt it a bit, although I'm nowhere near familiar enough with the technology to suppose why resetting the DSL modem would fix something that is a problem with the phone company. Once that DSL modem stops working, I don't remember the internet connection ever coming on all by itself which you might expect would happen if it's the phone company's problem somewhere – unless whatever problem they have hangs the modem in some way.. Obviously it's not voodoo, it just seems life voodoo. There must be a logical explanation.

I'll check again to see if the modem is on or near a microwave oven, but I don't think so.

I would love it to be a problem with Dashboard. I don't use it all that often. I've just turned off all the widgets.

Router is in the same place it's always been, and the firmware is up to date. I have the WRT546. The only microwaves would be those of my cell phone, but it dowsn't seem like that's the cause. The cell phone could be in the next room and it happens, or on my desk right next to the router and it DOESN'T happen.

I use the wireless network with the laptop, and every so often that drops too. To "cure" that, I also unplug and replug the router, and/or restart the Mac. But there's a free network in my neighborhood that I pick up that's always on.

Thalo do you have any 2.4GHz cordless phones? If so change the router to channel 11.

Is it just the laptop wirelessly losing connection or is it the router itself for even the wired connections?

Brad DSL is over the phone wires. As you may know DSL performance relies on how close you are to the phone exchange which is like a local hub for the phone lines. I have been lucky as I am really close to a Verizon depot around the corner. I get drop outs like you describe every great while. It usually comes in spurts that last a week or two when it does.

As I am using Verizon it was odd receiving mail from them asking me if i want to get DSL. In the flyer they quoted higher speeds at less than what I am paying them for the slower speeds. I still have not gotten around to getting the higher speeds at less the cost. You would think I would get an email from Verizon saying my bill will be less and we increased your speed too.

Nope.

In the flyer they quoted higher speeds at less than what I am paying them for the slower speeds. I still have not gotten around to getting the higher speeds at less the cost. You would think I would get an email from Verizon saying my bill will be less and we increased your speed too.

It seems there is no easy way to say, "Opps. We're overcharging you now." And that's been my experience too with DSL, Rico. It goes out in spurts.

Brother Rico, I have 5.whatever GHz wireless phones. You think those could be screwing with it?

The radiator is hooked up to the router with Ethernet cables, through the switch, and so when it happens I'm not sure if the wireless connection is also bailing. All I know is that I have to unplug and replug the router. Something about the router is pooching. When I lose the connection, the lights don't do what they normally do, either. You can tell when you're getting data, you get that fast staccato blinking on the far right green LED "Internet". Power is solid on. WAN is usually solid on, and "Ethernet" is lit for the ports I have computers plugged into. The radiator is "1". WAN and "1" flicker every so often, in time with some flicker on the gigabit switch.

I'll have to look again and see what the lights are doing when I lose the connection. I forget. I think "Internet" goes off, but the WAN and "1" stay on.

The wireless connection sometimes goes down too... but can also be cured with a router unplugging and replugging (and usually a restart).

Did/can you enable it's version of "Interference Robustness" (like Airport has), if it exists on Linksys routers?

You mean interface robustness? LOL (I always call it that now ).

I don't see anything like that on the router settings. There are plenty of advanced settings I have no idea what they are, like Frame Burst, Beacon Interval, DTIM Interval, RTS Threshold, etc.)

The first Google search I came across for your router there was a thread that said 2.4Ghz phones caused problems. Other phones were okay. One post stated switch the router to channel 11.

Does it seem like the router itself is rebooting causing the lose of connection? When you do loose connection what does the router interface say is going on with the status page such as "connectiong".

What I am getting at is maybe you have flakey router. It is relatively new no?

Here is another suggestion:

quote:

I had the same problem with a wireless Linksys that started suddenly after 3 months of flawless use. Drops would occur after 5 to 45 minutes of connection - variable for no reason. The fix, once found, was easy. Going to the Linksys router setup page (192.168.1.1), then at the top click to MAC cloning, select Enable Cloning, then click clone. Then go back to the Basic Setup page, and in the Internet Setup section near the top of the page Enable MTU and set size to 1400. This fixed everything for me.