[Schmucster]

Hi everyone-long time listener, first time caller.

I have just set up my first network to share my connection with friends. My problem is that after a certain amount of time I cant connect to the internet, until that is, I go into the router and upload the config file which I saved when it did work.Then I close the browser, reopen and hey presto it works. Needless to say, I would rather not to have to do this. Any ideas?

Network

cable modem -------edimax BR-6204g wireless router------------wired connection to my desktop

------------wireless connection to 2 laptops.

ps- it behaves the same with our without security by the way

Thanks in advance.

[smax013]

Schmucster said:

Hi everyone-long time listener, first time caller.

I have just set up my first network to share my connection with friends. My problem is that after a certain amount of time I cant connect to the internet, until that is, I go into the router and upload the config file which I saved when it did work.Then I close the browser, reopen and hey presto it works. Needless to say, I would rather not to have to do this. Any ideas?


Network


cable modem -------edimax BR-6204g wireless router------------wired connection to my desktop


------------wireless connection to 2 laptops.


ps- it behaves the same with our without security by the way


Thanks in advance.

Greetings, first time caller! Welcome to the "show"! :-)



How old is the router? Is it brand new? Or have you had it a while?



Any odd things happen around the times that it loses the configuration...i.e. maybe loss of power? Do you turn the router and modem on and off (i.e. unplug when not actively using it)? Any other odd things that you have noticed?



What type of security are you running on it? WPA? WEP? Have you changed the default adminstrative password? Does the router setup have the ability to configure it from the Internet? Is that feature turned off?



Do you have any way to try a different router? I am guess not, but thought that I would ask.

[Schmucster]

ok-answers

1)The router was bought on Monday of last week.

2) I have a very steady power source. Nothing odd that I notice happens. But yes I turn It off when I am not using it, I think there's less intrusion risk that way? Am i wrong?

3) Security is WPA with a pre-shared passkey.

4)Yes I changed the default password.

5)No I can't configure from the internet and all the Edimax people did was resend me the manual pdf I got in the box!X-(

I have found an alternative way to fix it tho-power everything off, then switch on modem, router then pc.........so convenient.....

[smax013]

Schmucster said:

ok-answers

1)The router was bought on Monday of last week.


2) I have a very steady power source. Nothing odd that I notice happens. But yes I turn It off when I am not using it, I think there's less intrusion risk that way? Am i wrong?


3) Security is WPA with a pre-shared passkey.


4)Yes I changed the default password.


5)No I can't configure from the internet and all the Edimax people did was resend me the manual pdf I got in the box!X-(


I have found an alternative way to fix it tho-power everything off, then switch on modem, router then pc.........so convenient.....

When the problem happens does everyone lose the Internet connection (you said you got it to share your connection)? Or is just your computer? I would suggest looking at the IP settings for your computer (let us know if you don't know how to do that) when the problem happens and also log into the router and check its IP settings/status of the router. It kind of sounds like it is losing the dynamic IP address and needs to be reset to renew it.

[rgreen4]

Schmucster - actually your alternative is the proper way to start everything up if it is all shut down. First you turn on the "modem" (I use quotation marks, since a true modem in only on analog telephone lines, the box on DSL, Cable or Satellite is actually a receiver, but everyone calls it a modem), then the router since the "modem" has to be on for the router to see it. And, finally the computer since the router has to be on in order for the computer to see it.

As for intrusion, all you really need to do is turn off the computers. If the computer is off, there is nothing to intrude unless you also have an NAS which I doubt. (NAS is Network attached storage - ie: a single or multiple HD configuration which is connected directly to the network, allowing files to be shared over the network to all computer that are connected). Keep in mind that routers have a hardware firewall with is safer than the software firewalls used on the computers, and then even if you have an NAS, they generally have separate passwords.

All of this is a long way of saying, you don't need to turn it all off, just the computers - which is the way I do it. But, if you do turn it all off, then always turn it on in sequence. In the old days, if you turned the computer on first and it booted and then you turned on the printer, the computer thought no printer was connected. On boot, the older computers would turn off printer ports without printers attached. I still have the habit of turning on all the periphials, and then the computer, and I normally never turn off the router of my satellite "modem", since I may want to use the laptop in the living room to connect to all the equipment in the "office".