Internet gets idle

[aolj]

I just setup my home network with a 4 port router. It's a belkin 4 port gateway router. I'm connected to the internet through DSL with PPPOE(?) of the router. I can get online and all that. However, if I don't use my pc for like a few hours, the feels like it died or time-out. I checked the status on the router, it still says that it's connected. I would have to restart my pc to get the internet running again.

Is there a way to configure that I don't have to restart my pc? Is this normal that your pc is not connected to the internet if you don't use it for a long time? I didn't have that problem when my pc was connected to the internet directly using WinXP's PPPOE connection.

Please advice.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Nothinman]

It could be an idle timeout setting on your router.

 

[whalen]

Are you using DHCP to assign your IP Addresses? It could be that your lease is running out, and that you need to pull a new address down from the DHCP Server. There is probably a setting on the router that lets you set the lease time. Otherwise, you can open the command prompt and type in ipconfig /renew , and it should get a new IP address.

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

DHCP leases never run out on a properly working system. When the lease is 1/2 used, it's automatically renewed by the DHCP client. If this is a problem, he has a problem with the TCP/IP stack on the machine in question.

 

[whalen]

Originally posted by: gunrunnerjohn
DHCP leases never run out on a properly working system. When the lease is 1/2 used, it's automatically renewed by the DHCP client. If this is a problem, he has a problem with the TCP/IP stack on the machine in question.

Ok...but it still seems to me that is the problem. I would try assigning your machine a static IP address and see if the problem goes away.

Here is an article i found that talks about a similar problem.

http://www.geocrawler.com/archives/3/151/2001/9/0/6728396/

 

[Intelman07]

I just posted a problem with this with my SMC router....

 

[aolj]

How do I assign my machine to a specific IP? Does that mean turning off DHCP?

My DHCP lease is set to forever.

 

[Intelman07]

I set a static ip (i am seeing if it solves my problem).......you dont need to turn off DHCP though. Here is how in XP, go to your network adapter and go to properties. Highlight Internet protocal (TCP/IP) and say properties. Click the "use following ip address" bullet and then fill it all out.

 

[Intelman07]

I just set this......but i still get internet connectivity drop , this hurts inside.

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

If you really want a static IP address, which I'm about 100% certain won't solve any problems, here's the way to do it:

Set the IP address outside the range of the DHCP server in the router, but in the same subnet, i.e. 192.168.0.x, where x is not in the DHCP address pool.
Set the default gateway and DNS server addresses to point to the broadband router address.

 

[aolj]

I tried the ipconfig /renew and that didn't work. My ip is still 192.68.2.85. The default gateway is 192.68.2.1.

The connection still drops!

 

[whalen]

Originally posted by: ^aolj^
I tried the ipconfig /renew and that didn't work. My ip is still 192.68.2.85. The default gateway is 192.68.2.1.

The connection still drops!

Did you mean 192.168.2.x? Did you try to statically assign the addresses instead of obtaining them via DHCP? Also, what kind on NIC are you using? Is it a USB NIC?

 

[aolj]

I'm using a PCI NIC. I tried statically assigning the IP. It still didn't work. I feel like the router is still connected to my ISP. It's like the connection from my pc to the router lags out or something. Should I just try another port on the router perhaps? Or is it really a setting?

 

[Kadarin]

When the problem occurs, can you ping from your pc to the router? When you say you "feel like the router is still connected to my ISP", how do you know this? How are you testing your connection? Secondly, since you have a router, it's likely that you have another pc on the network. Is that other machine having any problems?

 

[aolj]

Originally posted by: Astaroth33
When the problem occurs, can you ping from your pc to the router?

No, I can't ping the router.

When you say you "feel like the router is still connected to my ISP", how do you know this? How are you testing your connection?

I just open up IE, and I type in 192.168.2.1 for the router setting page. It says connection OK on the top right.

Secondly, since you have a router, it's likely that you have another pc on the network. Is that other machine having any problems?

Only have 2 pcs on the network. Both are having the same problem. It's weird.

 

[Kadarin]

The problem isn't instability in the router's pppoe connection, as you say neither comp can ping the router when the problem occurs. I'm guessing the router's internal MAC table gets corrupted periodically.. Instead of restarting your PC, does rebooting the router work?

 

[aolj]

I shall try to reboot the router then.

 

[aolj]

Rebooting the router works. However, is it normal that I have internet that gets idle?