Linksys WRT54G - constantly drops connection

[trexmgd]

I have a Linksys WRT54G ver 1.1 that is driving me nuts. I've been to Linksys.com and their forums but cannot find a solution.

Background: I have TimeWarner/RoadRunner Cable for my ISP and a Dynamic IP. My modem is a Motorola Surfboard 5100. I'm running WinXP w/SP2 and am using the built in network adapter on my MSI Diamond Plus Mobo.

I've never had any issues whle connecting directly to the modem (no router).

When I use the router, sometimes I can get on the internet, sometimes not. A quick unplug, replug usually fixes this, but only briefly. Also, when I cannot connect to the internet, I also cannot connect to the rounter (192.168.1.1 gives me a error message in the browser). When I do get on the net, I can get into the router.

DCHP is enabled and everything is set to auto. The only changes I made initially were to enable wireless security via WPA and remane the network from the linksys standard.

From linksys' fourm, I then went in and cloned my MAC but it didn't help (and I don't know why it would have anyway).

ideas?

 

[skyking]

A quick unplug, replug usually fixes this, but only briefly.

when you say briefly, how long are we talking after a router power cycle? 10 minutes, two hours, a day?

 

[trexmgd]

Originally posted by: skyking

A quick unplug, replug usually fixes this, but only briefly.

when you say briefly, how long are we talking after a router power cycle? 10 minutes, two hours, a day?

Sometimes as short as 2 minutes, but never as long as a day.

It's really frustrating because I would get all excited that it was working as my home page pop'd up and sometimes I'd be back down before I could even type in anandtech.com! I've been up for maybe an hour and by then I usually try to get the wireless going. When I try to get the laptop connected via wireless, it drops everything.

 

[trexmgd]

One thing I should state as perhaps it is a key - Whenever I try to attempt a wireless connection via my laptop I lose my internet connection. The laptop never connects (just keeps commincating w/router until it times out) and then I'm out of an internet connection at my tower which is direct linked via cat5 to the "1" port on the back of the router.

I've been up an running for a few hours now without interuption - but any attempt to get on via wireless drops everything.

 

[skyking]

It sounds like bad hardware. You can do a few things:

Do a hard reset of the router. Press the reset button and hold it in while plugging in the power. Hold it in till you see a series of flashes on the power light. Try connecting wirelessly. Next;

Flash the router's firmware to either the latest linksys or one of dd-wrt's firmwares. Try connecting wirelessly. Next;

Get a new router.

 

[WackyDan]

Try it without WPA... Try it wide open, braodcasting SSID. See how it goes, or try just a static WEP key... that will tell you if it's WPA scewing you up.

 

[Kalessian]

use DD-WRT

www.dd-wrt.com

 

[trexmgd]

Thanks for all the responses...

1) I can connect via wireless with all security settings off. Obviously, I don't want to stay that way. This has got to be central to the problem - what ever happens when the laptop tries to gain access drops everything. I'm going to try and look into the DELL end of this (Delll Inspiron 6000) and see if there are any issues w/their wireless cards.

EDIT: 1B) I'm going to go in and try WPE w/keys and see what happens, will report back.

2) I attempted a firmware update to 4.30x from linksys, but it failed and it scared the cr@p outta me. Why it failed, I don't know - I didn't lose power or anything like that, I assume it lost communication to the router like it does to me all the time. Also, It seems like the latest firmare is buggy, because there are many threads talking about how after the update, people's routers are crashing.

3) I've read good things about DD-WRT, but when I go there, the instructions say for V5 & V6 models - no mention of a V1.1 being OK to flash. If it is OK, I think I'd try it, because it seems to help so many people.