Blank Default Gateway = Lost connection

[Anandtechiscool]

My wireless connection drops randomly as far as I can tell. Whenever it disconnects I check ipconfig and the default gateway line is blank. Eventually the connection will come back online and the default gateway will be restored to normal if I wait long enough. Not sure how long it takes, seems random. The only way I've found to speed the reconnection is to go to services.msc and enable then disable Wireless Zero Config.

One thing that I should note is that I've had a very weird setup for awhile now concerning my wireless adapter. When I first set up my wireless network adapter (Linksys usb wireless adapter, 802.11b) it would disconnect for a few seconds every 60 seconds exactly. After some fishing around I found that if I used the linksys software that came with the wireless adapter I wouldn't have this 60 second disconnect interval so I could enjoy my games in peace. However, if my connection is dropped for any reason or when I first turn on my computer, I need to enable Wireless Zero Config to connect to my wireless connection first then disable it and switch over to the linksys software. The linksys software gives me a stable connection but can't get the initial connection, Window's Wireless Zero Config can make the initial connection but drops every 60 seconds. Weird, but I live with it. If anyone has a solution to that, I'm all ears too.

Whether WZC is on or off, I still get random disconnects nowadays and every time I disconnect the default gateway is blank. I'm not sure if that tells you anything, but it's the only thing that I've noticed that is different between when I have a connection and when I don't. The act of enabling or disabling WZC seems to bring the connection back almost immediately though. Edit: ipconfig /release and /renew seems to work as well. As far as I can tell, the other computers connected to my router don't experience the same problem.

Setup Info:
- Windows XP SP2
- Linksys wireless g "WRT54G" router
- Linksys "WUSB11" usb wireless adapter

If there is something else besides ipconfig /all that I should be checking that could give more pertinent information, please tell me and I'll post that information as soon as I can. Thank you in advance!

 

[TheKub]

I would probably say just replace the adapter, they are cheap enough now a days. Some are or become flaky over time. If you have the ability I would recommend a PCI\PCMCIA card vs USB just to help ensure reliability.

Toggling the WZC does the release\renew process thats why both of those work. The only other recommendation I can give you at this point is to try and statically assign your IP\Subnet\Gateway\DNS info and see what happens. If its a flaky card you will still drop connection but your settings will be intact (no toggling needed).

 

[xSauronx]

the gateway disappears because via wifi youre getting an IP/gateway/dns via DHCP

instead of using WZC to enable/disable your adapter you can do it under network connections, but you have a bigger problem than that if you have to reconnect often, probably some interference.

if you have access to your wifi router, try changing the broadcast channels to 1,6 or 11 and see which works best

 

[TheKub]

Originally posted by: xSauronx
...but you have a bigger problem than that if you have to reconnect often, probably some interference.

Interference crossed my mind but the fact he says that it was happening every 60 seconds and that if he fiddled with WZC and the Linksys driver made it behave for a file through that off for me.

The channel is a good idea another would be to see what happens if you force the WRT54G to be wireless B only (assuming that is an option)