Router on its last legs?

Philip · May 31, 2008, 22:11:56

My daughters lappy, my phone and my IPod Touch can't connect wirelessly to my router, I've hardwired the lappy so that's sorted.

I've rebooted the router, reset it to factory settings but it seems the wireless part is knackered, I'm borrowing a mates router on monday to confirm my fears, but is their anything anyone can think of that may breathe life into it?

Dangerjunkie · May 31, 2008, 22:30:46

Hi,

I have a few thoughts. Please will you answer the following:

1) Which router are you using?

2) Is this something that did work and now doesn't or have these things never worked with this router since you first tried them?

3) Do you see the name of the router when you search for networks on the devices but can't connect or don't you see it?

3) Is the SSID broadcast option or whatever it's called turned on? Does it say your network is hidden?

4) Which type of encryption are you using on the wireless?

5) How did you put the key in? String? Hex? 128 bit, 40 bit?

6) Have you tried temporarily turning the encryption off?

7) Have you checked the antenna(s) are firmly plugged in?

8) Have you tried changing the channel on the router in case there is interference?

9) Is there a setting for the "preamble" (long or short) on the router? If so try changing it. If not see if there is a setting for it in the driver on the lappy and change that. If the settings don't match (which can happen with different card/router brands) the devices will just ignore each other.

Cheers,
Paul.

Philip · May 31, 2008, 22:38:09

Quote from: Dangerjunkie on May 31, 2008, 22:30:46
Hi,

I have a few thoughts. Please will you answer the following:

1) Which router are you using? Belkin F5D7633-4

2) Is this something that did work and now doesn't or have these things never worked with this router since you first tried them?
All working fine till about 2 hours ago

3) Do you see the name of the router when you search for networks on the devices but can't connect or don't you see it?
Cant see router on any of them

3) Is the SSID broadcast option or whatever it's called turned on? Does it say your network is hidden?
On and no

4) Which type of encryption are you using on the wireless?
WPA

5) How did you put the key in? String? Hex? 128 bit, 40 bit?
Hex

6) Have you tried temporarily turning the encryption off?
Yes

7) Have you checked the antenna(s) are firmly plugged in?
Yes

8) Have you tried changing the channel on the router in case there is interference?
Yes

9) Is there a setting for the "preamble" (long or short) on the router? If so try changing it. If not see if there is a setting for it in the driver on the lappy and change that. If the settings don't match (which can happen with different card/router brands) the devices will just ignore each other.I'll try

thanks for your help

Dangerjunkie · May 31, 2008, 22:55:24

You're welcome.

What are the settings of the "wireless mode" and "turbo mode" please?

Philip · May 31, 2008, 23:02:34

wireless mode = 54g Auto
turbo mode = 125 High-Speed Mode

as daft as it sounds, the only way I can explain it is, it stopped working, no settings were changed

Baz · May 31, 2008, 23:05:59

just a shot in the dark can you back up your settings and then reset to factory settings and try that

Lance · May 31, 2008, 23:23:45

He says he has already tried that, Baz $:-\$

My opinion is that it is knackered

Baz · May 31, 2008, 23:28:18

ah yes, sorry Phil.

must read ALL of posts

Lance · May 31, 2008, 23:28:49

Dangerjunkie · May 31, 2008, 23:51:10

If setting it back to 11b, turbo-off, no encryption doesn't show any difference then I would say it was stuffed (technical term)

Do you have any devices that can see it?

You could try running Kismet on the laptop to see if it's giving out anything...

Cheers,
Paul.

Sebby · Jun 01, 2008, 01:36:37

I agree, Paul. I've found in the past that these modes (turbo, "N", etc) sometimes don't work well with standard b/g cards, but if changing the mode doesn't work, it must have had it.

Dangerjunkie · Jun 01, 2008, 02:03:42

If you're handy with a screwdriver and you're going to throw it out anyway it might be worth opening the case on the router up. Our old Linksys routers had laptop wireless mini-cards inside with a cable plugged on the end and then stuck down with a sticky pad. Wondering if yours has something similar and one of the cables may have come loose...

One last thought... Not trying to teach you how to suck eggs but did you do a power-off reset on the router after you did the factory reset?

Cheers,
Paul.

Philip · Jun 01, 2008, 10:25:35

thanks for all your help and input, much appreciated

but it now seems to be working again

Whether it is an intermittent fault , or something was causing interference I don't know, but we could pick up neighbours routers so whatever it was didn't affect them

Time to invest in a back up router methinks, I'm thinking of this Netgear any comments?

Thanks again for all your help

Rik · Jun 01, 2008, 10:29:12

I'd recommend the v4 instead, Philip, it has the Broadcom chipset so overcomes some of the issues with the v3 and the AR7 chipset.

Sebby · Jun 01, 2008, 10:43:44

I agree with Rik. If you want to go with a Netgear, get the v4. Another good one is the SpeedTouch 585 v6 (or the v7 is out now, but I've no experience of that one).

Philip · Jun 01, 2008, 14:01:41

I've gone for this one as the one in Riks link wasn't wireless

Rik · Jun 01, 2008, 15:50:50

Sorry about that, Philip, that's the right one though.

Philip · Jun 01, 2008, 19:27:52

ordered one from DSL Source

Rik · Jun 01, 2008, 19:31:10

Much better price, Philip. They didn't have them last time I checked, hence the link I gave.

Philip · Jun 01, 2008, 19:34:08

2 day delivery is good too

Sebby · Jun 01, 2008, 19:34:19

Good stuff, Philip. It's a good router.

Philip · Jun 03, 2008, 23:06:28

Router arrived today (superb service from DSL Source) and now up and running

Thanks for all your help

Simon · Jun 03, 2008, 23:08:28

Glad to hear that, Doc!

Sebby · Jun 04, 2008, 00:34:30

Good to hear.

How are the stats looking?

Philip · Jun 04, 2008, 16:59:15

Quote from: Sebby on Jun 04, 2008, 00:34:30
Good to hear.

How are the stats looking?

cheers Sebby, here's the stats, sorry, right click and view image makes it clearer

Philip · Jun 04, 2008, 17:05:51

MTU is set at 1458, is this OK?

Rik · Jun 04, 2008, 17:26:24

I use 1500, Philip, Miriam recommends 1458.

How do those stats compare to the old router?

Philip · Jun 04, 2008, 17:30:04

Quote from: Rik on Jun 04, 2008, 17:26:24
I use 1500, Philip, Miriam recommends 1458.

How do those stats compare to the old router?

a slightly higher sync on the Netgear, other than that, about the same.

Rik · Jun 04, 2008, 17:30:50

Thanks.

Sebby · Jun 04, 2008, 17:55:23

I would suggest you set the MTU to 1500 on the router, then do the ping test to determine the optimal MTU, which you can see on all computers using something like DrTCP.