Ok, I'm a pretty tech savvy guy. I've spent enough time around computers to have at least picked up the intermediates, if not most of the advanced stuff.
Here's the setup I have goin on. Linksys BEF router and like a 10 port Linksys Hub. Some sort of crappy DSL modem, but it does the job.
I'm not gonna worry about throwing out exact model numbers and the like because I've narrowed down the issue to the point where that crap does not matter any more.
Ok, the issue is definitely a mixture of problems between the router and one of the computers on our network. The computer in question has an ASUS A7N8X-E (Deluxe) mobo. This mobo has two onboard NIC's. One is an nVidia, and the other is a Marvell Yukon.
Recently I started connecting this computer to the Linksys router. During the day I have to disconnect the computer from the network (it is only connected to the network from around 6pm - 3 AM), and generally only on weekdays.
At first I was using the nVidia NIC as it is the one intended to be used for Internet access (according to Asus). I play Unreal Tournament and WoW. I started having major issues with my connection on the first day.
Firmware = upgraded.
Resets = a million times. Cycling whole nine yards, etc, etc.
Problems occur one of two ways-
1.) Lesser Of Two Evils: I'll lose connection, but then it will pop back on 2 minutes later. All computers on the network drop connection at same time. It will stay connected for ~10-15 minutes, and then the problem repeats.
2.) THE HUGE MEGA EVIL of EVILS: Ok, this sh** blows my mind.
I'll lose connection.
Connection does not come back. Only way to get it back is a complete power cycle.
Now for the information that might help you help me:
Ok, so I was using the nVidia NIC like I said... but the problem started repeating every 2-3 minutes after a while. Like literally the connections started dropping for the entire network faster and faster. Finally, I narrowed the issues down to my NIC, and I just stopped using it (resorting to the Marvell).
No issues with Marvell Gigabyte NIC for at least a week, then all of a sudden it starts dropping. Can't get connect back. Tried releasing DHCP, everything, get no results. (power cycle will work, but I'm not gonne do this every 1- minutes till eternity).
Anyway, when I go into my router and check settings (during an outage), I see several important pts of information:
1.) No "Time of Day" shown from cable modem (Not Available) instead.. so my router has dropped the connection? (You would think, but I'm not entirely convinced.
2.) Expired Client Lease Times and / or missing clients on the DHCP list (and when I mean expired, I mean it sets the expiration date at 2003).
Trying to fix problem #2 is like hell on earth... Client Lease Time was set to (0) - default - means one day. I recently changed it to 9999 (heard this helps, but not from experts). I wanna know why its bugging out in the first place.
I've talked to Linksys - they're all about firmware and power cycling, and as much fun as those two things are, I've got better things to do than power cycle 100x / day.
I have connected directly to DSL modem and never had issues (even during times when router is "dropping" connection or corrupting the network info). The DSL modem does not drop connection (according to lights).
I have a static IP address.
Another issue I've thought might be causing my issue is lag updating the DNS? Maybe the router is just dumb?
Anyway, so that's one issue ^^ All of that is one issue... but the main question I want answered is "why is my computer's client lease time being set to 2003?", and why/how is this possible? Course I just had a thought. I bet the router is just about 3 years old.. so maybe the default exp date is Jan 6 , 2003 or whatever... that would explain the date, but not why it happened in the first place, HELP!?
Other big issue (and possibly related). The biggest reason I stopped using the nVidia NIC on the network was that it's MAC addy got set to 00-00-00-00-.... all 0's... wtf? why? corrupted bad NIC? Router caused it? Virus? Anyway, it still actually works with this addy but not very well =) ie - the connection resets every couple mins (sometimes longer than 10 mins - sometimes less than 5 mins to drop connection).
No idea why. Havent found a thourough description of this kind of issue anywhere as of yet. Still searching. Anyway, I hope someone out there knows what I'm talking about, even if the post is so long and jumbled it would take a phrase-skipper to understand it. Pls ignore all my excess storyline but the semantics seem fairly important to me on this problem.
Honestly I'm trying to find out if my computer and its two onboard NIC's are the problem or if the router is the problem.
I will say that there have never been very good working drivers for my NIC's under win2k professional OS (which I use).
I'm about to go to WinXP Professional and see how the drivers work for those NIC's there, but I'm pretty sure the issues will be the same..
ANy love will be <3'ed 2teh3nd.
:twisted: :twisted: :twisted:
