Network bridge troubles

[coldmeat]

I've had to set up a few network bridges lately. I had to install software on a new computer out of range of a router, and connect my Xbox 360 to Xbox Live through my pc. My problem is not that the network bridge doesn't work, but that it only works for about 10 minutes, then I get disconnected from the internet, and can not reconnect.

My pc is connected to the router downstairs by this Edimax card. I've always had problems with this card/the router downstairs. Almost every time I turn my computer on I have to go downstairs to restart the router because I can't renew my IP.

What could cause the network bridge to just suddenly stop working? Is it my network card? It seems to be highly recommended. Maybe it is my router? (a cheap D-Link)

Restarting the router usually fixes the problem, sometimes I need to restart the modem.

 

[JackMDS]

Network Bridge is a broad term, can you explain what exactly you are doing?

 

[coldmeat]

Originally posted by: JackMDS
Network Bridge is a broad term, can you explain what exactly you are doing?

sorry

I'm connecting my Xbox to my pc using an ethernet cable by plugging it into one of my empty local area connections. Then I am selecting both my wireless connection and the local area connection and clicking bridge connections.

It works, but only for about 10 minutes.

 

[JackMDS]

When it is stop working does the Computer still maintaining connetion with the Wireless Router.

If you use Vista some of the old D-Link Routers are Not compatible with Vista.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928233

 

[coldmeat]

No, it's still connected with the router, the internet just doesn't work. It says that I have good signal strength and the wireless is connected. When I take the wireless connection out of the bridge, it won't connect and when I hit repair it gets stuck on "acquiring net address".

And no, I'm using XP SP3.

 

[theblaznee]

Sounds to me like you don't have a proper internet router, but rather some sort of modem only.. The reason it stops working is probably because your ISP only allows you to have 1 ip assigned, but only checks it like every 30 mins or so..

Please tell us if you have a real router setup, and how your ip's on your lan look..

 

[coldmeat]

I have this router and the ips are 192.168.0.101, 192.168.0.102, etc. My computer and my laptop are connected wirelessly, and the pc downstairs is connected directly.

 

[JackMDS]

Try to use ICS instead of Bridging and see if it makes a difference.

 

[coldmeat]

Ok, well I set up my wireless connection to share the internet, then enabled it and repaired the local area connection that was connected to my xbox. My pc internet works fine, and they both say connected, but when I try to test the Xbox Live connection on my Xbox, it says that the network is set up fine, but can't access the internet because of a DNS error. Then when I go back to my pc, the internet doesn't work on it anymore either but they still both say connected.

When I get my internet working on my pc, it doesn't work on my xbox and then stops working on my pc when I try it on my xbox. The only way to get it working again is to disable the local area connection and repair my wireless connection.

Ok, after typing that all up I managed to get the Xbox internet going by manually entering the DNS server settings on my Xbox, but it still took a few tries after that to get it to finally work. Am I supposed to be able to use the internet on my pc while the Xbox is using it? As soon as I turned my Xbox off my pc internet started working again.

 

[JackMDS]

That is why you should try ICS coz it seems that you have a Routing problem.

 

[coldmeat]

Originally posted by: JackMDS
That is why you should try ICS coz it seems that you have a Routing problem.

Am I not going to be able to use the internet on my pc at the same time? Isn't that what sharing is?

 

[JackMDS]

ICS is software Routing that specifically built for Internet Sharing.

Usually when there is already a Router Bridging should be good, I so not know why it does not work in your case. I do not have, and I am not familiar with X-Box, so I do not know what is its contribution to Bad Bridging.

 

[coldmeat]

Ok well thanks for your help. Maybe I'll just look into running a cable from my router downstairs to my Xbox. There's already a hole in my floor and the ceiling isn't finished in the basement. I just don't have a cable long enough.

I think my network card is the weak link here. It is what seems to be causing the problem because the laptop never has any problems with it's wireless.

 

[Paperlantern]

Try setting your PC up with a static address and dns settings prior to bridging the connection.

 

[coldmeat]

Originally posted by: Paperlantern
Try setting your PC up with a static address and dns settings prior to bridging the connection.

Ok I tried that and this is what I set it to:

IP address: 192.168.0.101 (thats what it was before)
subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
default gateway: 192.168.0.1 (not sure about this)

preferred DNS: 216.168.96.10
alternate: 216.168.96.13

Then I created the bridge and I couldn't connect to the network anymore. The configuration utility kept changing from connected to disconnected. The actual wireless connection said connected but it wouldn't do anything.

When I deleted the bridge, I couldn't get the wireless connection to connect again. I had to go downstairs and restart the router. Neither repairing it or disabling and enabling it worked.

 

[coldmeat]

OK I set it back to automatic and after a couple of tries, I got the network bridge to work. Now I just have to wait to see how long it lasts.

edit: ok that wasn't long. All I did was post this reply then my wireless got disconnected.

 

[Engineer]

Could this be a problem with neither lan port (on PC and XBox) being auto mdi/mdx (auto uplink) and simply needing a crossover cable to fully function properly? (a question and a guess but I'm curious).

 

[coldmeat]

I was thinking that I might need a cross over cable, but I couldn't see it listed as a requirement anywhere.

Anyways, I finally got the ICS up and running. Both the pc and the Xbox have internet, for now at least. I set the IP and DNS and stuff to manual/static and it seems to have worked.

 

[Engineer]

Originally posted by: coldmeat
I was thinking that I might need a cross over cable, but I couldn't see it listed as a requirement anywhere.

Anyways, I finally got the ICS up and running. Both the pc and the Xbox have internet, for now at least. I set the IP and DNS and stuff to manual/static and it seems to have worked.

Good news. Obviously, if it's working, you don't need a crossover cable, lol!

 

[coldmeat]

It only lasted about 10 minutes, then I got signed out of Xbox Live and couldn't get back on and my internet stopped working. I had to disable both connections, disable ICS, and repair my wireless connection to get internet back on my pc.

edit: I just tried a crossover cable and it didn't do any better.

edit2: I'm going to make the hole in the floor bigger tomorrow so I can fit the cable through it. This isn't working and I'm getting tired of trying to make it work, so I'll just do it the easy way.

Thanks for your help guys.