Cable woes - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Prince · 12-17-2004, 02:32 PM

I'm using Earthlink's High Speed Cable access. The cable is attached to the cable modem, which is then attached to a router. Then, two computers are attached to the router. Well, normally...currently only one.

For a while the connection was working brilliantly, but for a couple of months now it's been 'cutting off' now and again, several times a day. I don't think this is a problem with the actual cable connection, that is, not something Time Warner can fix, because all I have to do in order to regain access is one of two methods:

1) I unplug the power to the router, plug it back in and then select the LAN and Repair. This usually fixes the connection.

2) I unplug the cable modem and plug it back in, then Repair as above.

Perhaps the machine is letting go of its lease of the IP as is rented out (dhcp) by the router? The max lease time with the Linksys is 1 day. But how can I have the computer do this automatically, and why am I forced to unplug the router to get it done? Besides sometimes I hafta do this more than once per a 24 hr period, suggesting it's not that the IP has expired from the dhcp.

iflyadash8 · 12-17-2004, 05:01 PM

Is it a wireless router? Are you using a cordless phone next to the router? I was and I had the same problem. Try changing the wireless channel.

sashime76 · 12-23-2004, 11:21 AM

See if there are firmware updates to you NIC, router and/or even cable modem. Run your spyware checker and antivirus for a full system scan. If you have a CRT screen, put your hardware as far away as you can.

soccerchamp76 · 12-23-2004, 11:32 AM

This might be related, but I have been having trouble with my Cable access (I high Charter Communications High-Speed Cable). I am in St. Louis but for the past couple days the internet has been spotty. It is something on their part though and I have no idea if the problems we are having are related.

cyrnel · 12-23-2004, 11:39 AM

Prince, running any P2P apps? If so, it could contribute. The nature of them is to make loads of connections which tends to tax the capability of comsumer-grade routers. Common symptoms are progressive slowdowns, losing the ability to open new connections, or lots of DNS resolution failures - all of which may be "fixed" temporarily by a reset of the router. Update to the latest firmware as sashime suggested, and if that doesn't help, try reducing the max connections in your P2P app(s).

If no P2p, nevermind.

Rawb · 12-23-2004, 06:00 PM

Hrm.. this sounds like a problem with your router.

But to rule out the cable modem, you'll have to watch the lights on the cable modem, if they go off, or start blinking in a pattern, odds are your cable connection is going out. If that is the case, you can typically call Time Warner and ask for a truck roll because you will need some techs out to fix your cable line.

If your connection goes out, and your cable modem is still solid, then odds are it's your router, so follow cyrnel's instructions to get that fixed.

12-17-2004, 02:32 PM	#1 (permalink)
Prince /nɑndəsˈkrɪpt/ Location: LV-426	Cable woes I'm using Earthlink's High Speed Cable access. The cable is attached to the cable modem, which is then attached to a router. Then, two computers are attached to the router. Well, normally...currently only one. For a while the connection was working brilliantly, but for a couple of months now it's been 'cutting off' now and again, several times a day. I don't think this is a problem with the actual cable connection, that is, not something Time Warner can fix, because all I have to do in order to regain access is one of two methods: 1) I unplug the power to the router, plug it back in and then select the LAN and Repair. This usually fixes the connection. 2) I unplug the cable modem and plug it back in, then Repair as above. Perhaps the machine is letting go of its lease of the IP as is rented out (dhcp) by the router? The max lease time with the Linksys is 1 day. But how can I have the computer do this automatically, and why am I forced to unplug the router to get it done? Besides sometimes I hafta do this more than once per a 24 hr period, suggesting it's not that the IP has expired from the dhcp. __________________ Who is John Galt?

12-23-2004, 11:32 AM	#4 (permalink)
soccerchamp76 Go Cardinals Location: St. Louis/Cincinnati	This might be related, but I have been having trouble with my Cable access (I high Charter Communications High-Speed Cable). I am in St. Louis but for the past couple days the internet has been spotty. It is something on their part though and I have no idea if the problems we are having are related. __________________ Brian Griffin: Ah, if my memory serves me, this is the physics department. Chris Griffin: That would explain all the gravity.

12-17-2004, 05:01 PM	#2 (permalink)
iflyadash8 Upright	Is it a wireless router? Are you using a cordless phone next to the router? I was and I had the same problem. Try changing the wireless channel.

12-23-2004, 11:21 AM	#3 (permalink)
sashime76 Addict Location: Hoosier State	See if there are firmware updates to you NIC, router and/or even cable modem. Run your spyware checker and antivirus for a full system scan. If you have a CRT screen, put your hardware as far away as you can.

12-23-2004, 11:39 AM	#5 (permalink)
cyrnel Adequate Location: In my angry-dome.	Prince, running any P2P apps? If so, it could contribute. The nature of them is to make loads of connections which tends to tax the capability of comsumer-grade routers. Common symptoms are progressive slowdowns, losing the ability to open new connections, or lots of DNS resolution failures - all of which may be "fixed" temporarily by a reset of the router. Update to the latest firmware as sashime suggested, and if that doesn't help, try reducing the max connections in your P2P app(s). If no P2p, nevermind.

12-23-2004, 06:00 PM	#6 (permalink)
Rawb Crazy Location: Salt Town, UT	Hrm.. this sounds like a problem with your router. But to rule out the cable modem, you'll have to watch the lights on the cable modem, if they go off, or start blinking in a pattern, odds are your cable connection is going out. If that is the case, you can typically call Time Warner and ask for a truck roll because you will need some techs out to fix your cable line. If your connection goes out, and your cable modem is still solid, then odds are it's your router, so follow cyrnel's instructions to get that fixed.