Consistently Inconsistent Network Issue..?
 

My home network has four computers hooked up to it (using a Linksys BEFSR41 v2 switch) which consistently have network connectivity issues. I'm baffled as to what the cause would be, since I have switched around cables and router ports with no success. It seems to be a software issue but I can't determine what:

Box #1: Windows XP SP1 - This computer, the one that I'm typing on right now, has no connectivity issues.

Box #2: Windows 98 - This computer constantly has network problems. I will be using it and suddenly *poof* I can't access the internet anymore. I reboot it, and it works for about 20 seconds before it poofs again.

Box #3: Windows XP SP1 - This computer has the same issue as the 98 box, but it has the same network setup as the other XP box.

Box #4: Mac OSX 10.1 - This computer has no problem at all accessing the network at all times. This is a laptop which is parked right next to the 98 box -- when the 98 one poofs, I can still access the network / internet just fine on this box and the first XP one.

Aside from cables and defective router ports (which I've determined to not be the cause), I am at a loss to think of what could be causing such consistently inconsistent network connectivity problems. Anyone have an idea?

Well my first guess would be the router configuration conflicting with the computers.
Assuming you haven't done so already, try having the router assign IPs based on MAC addresses.

On a side note, I've never been able to get a win98 box to work for more than a week when it's on the same network as one with XP.

I use static addresses behind the router, and that seems to erase all of the connectivity issues.

Yeah, I'm assuming it's a problem with your router configuration and DHCP. Do you ever get any popups in XP saying something has the same IP address as you?

Scorpion, On a different note I use win98, winME, XP, freebsd, and linux all on the same network with zero problems. Well there's lots of problems from freaking 98 and ME, but zero connectivity problems.

Nope -- all computers have static assigned IPs (192.168.1.3 to 192.168.1.6). :(

Just installed Panther (OSX 10.4) on the laptop and even using DHCP it has absolutely no problem with network connectivity.

Is there perhaps some way that my primary XP box is "hi-jacking" the connection from the other 98 and XP boxes?

One advantage you have in XP is that you can check the event logs to try to get a handle on what's happening.

At the times when you cannot access the internet, are your machines able to see each other on your local network ?

I'm guessing you are on cable, so are you using the mac address cloning feature ?

I'd try taking your primary box offline. Just unplug the damn thing.

The fact that your BSD box can stay online should be enough to prove that it's not a router/ISP thing.

Interesting problem, I'm curious to know your results.

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Oh, and I'd also make sure I had the most recent firmware on the router too. Just a thought ;)

Not sure what you mean by "hi-jacking". It shouldn't be able to take up all the bandwidth for extended amounts of time. Is it just the internet or networking as a whole?

Can you ping www.yahoo.com when this happens? If so how long does it take?

Also, when this happens, can you nslookup a site that you haven't been to before on that computer?