WRTP54G Vonage router...lagging in page requests??

[NFS4]

I recently got vonage service and have a WRTP54G router now to replace our old Belkin 802.11g unit.

I've noticed now with the new router that it lags for 2-3 seconds before attempting to bring up a page when the Belkin would just do it instantly. We're all connected wirelessly, but nothing has really changed as far as the network goes. Even if I'm the only one connected to the router, it lags.

It never seems to have problems with downloading or reaching my download/upload cap, but the initial fetch for data is slow in both FireFox and IE. I've even noticed the lag in Thunderbird. I even get the lag when plugged directly into the router with a CAT5 cable. What gives?

Any explanations??

 

[Dennis Travis]

A week ago I purchased an Linksys WRT54g Wireless router to replace my aging Netgear. Every since I installed it I was getting LAG on some pages so bad I was blaming my new iMac G5, but then noticed every computer in my network was the same way. Tonight I went to the Linksys page and checked and there have been 4 Firmware updates for my router since it came out and one was to address that Lag and Pages stalling. I upgraded the firmware and now it's as fast as lightning on every page! Check your Firmware and be sure it's up to date.

Hope that helps you.

 

[NFS4]

Got it fixed thanks to the guys over at the Vonage Forums:

Yeah, the WRTP54G is a great Vonage device but isn't the worlds greatest router. DNS Proxy in the device is very poor and overloads/dies fairly easily. Kill it and have your client PCs do their DNS inquiries.

What should be in the standard setup directions for the WRTP54G:

1. Plug another router or a computer directly into your modem (powering down the modem, etc, in the process of course).

2. Connect said device to the Internet using your modem.

3. From a command line (if a PC), type "IPCONFIG /ALL" and note the results under DNS SERVERS (or get DNS server settings using whatever method you prefer). Should be two numbers there.

4. If you do not see two numbers, or you want to use public DNS servers, use two from the following set:
4.2.2.1 4.2.2.2 4.2.2.3 4.2.2.4 4.2.2.5 4.2.2.6
(note that your ISP's servers will probably be faster than these, but these can serve as a backup).

5. Go to the WRTP54G configuration screen. Under basic setup, change the following:

5A. DNS Proxy - Change to DISABLE

5B. DNS Servers - enter the DNS servers you gathered above. If you want, you can enter one of the 4.2.2.* addresses in the DNS Server #3, in case both of your ISP's servers are down some day.

6. Save settings, unplug everything, hook router to modem and PC to router, start modem first, then router, then PC.

Internet should now work. What this will do is make your PCs directly aware of the DNS servers on your network, rather than trying to use the WRTP54G as a DNS proxy. This saves memory on the WRTP54G for more important things, like Vonage calls.