Computer experts: router advice

[vene-nemesis]

Hey, its been i while since i last posted in OT...

I finally got a router, a wired one, but i cant seem to make it work properly... its a zyxell prestige 334 and my problem is that it makes the internet connection crappy and every 20 minutes or so it stops providing internet connection to my comp. It also makes me unable to surf the internet if a download is hapening, specially through p2p programs, regardless of the download speed... Whenever i start my comp it gives me 2 minutes of internet connection then takes 5 minutes in wich it will refuse to give me access to internet...

I know it is a problem related to the router since none of that happened before i had it.

I have updated its firmware to the latest one, it didnt fix anything. I also limited the amount of connections on the p2p programs to a maximum of 300 and still nothing. Disabled the routers firewall and still nothing changed.

Any advice, idea, or suggestion?

[Bocete]

300 connections is still very high for some routers. My start blocking web access at 50. Try limiting the number of connections in your p2p program to a very low point, like 20, and gradually increase until you can both surf and leech. Try it: if it works, you've found the problem.

Also, although unlikely, maybe you've got a loop in your network.

[vene-nemesis]

What kind of loop? phisical? how do i fix that?

[Bocete]

I've seen it happen only once. In my college library there's this old router, and somebody made a loop by connecting a crossover ethernet cable to the router on both sides. Packets that entered the router, because the router was old and stupid, recognised a router on the other side of that ethernet cable and sent packets through it over and over again, only to overload itself. It became a black hole for network traffic, draining our entire network speed to a halt. A few days later the problems was found and a new, smarter router was put instead of the old one.

I don't think that's your problem, unless you also have a wireless router that is connected to the regular router in the same address space. But even then it's highly unlikely, both routers would have to be very stupid.

[TrooperFarva]

What did you have before the router? What kind of internet connection do you have?

If you had your computer directly connected to a DSL or Cable modem, what were the settings on your computer? Is your router set up the same way? How is your computer setup now? Does the router cause problems for every computer, or just this one?

[vene-nemesis]

Originally Posted by TrooperFarva

What did you have before the router? What kind of internet connection do you have?

If you had your computer directly connected to a DSL or Cable modem, what were the settings on your computer? Is your router set up the same way? How is your computer setup now? Does the router cause problems for every computer, or just this one?

Same settings, used to have cable modem, and the problems happend in both the computers plugged into the router.

[vene-nemesis]

Originally Posted by Bocete

I've seen it happen only once. In my college library there's this old router, and somebody made a loop by connecting a crossover ethernet cable to the router on both sides. Packets that entered the router, because the router was old and stupid, recognised a router on the other side of that ethernet cable and sent packets through it over and over again, only to overload itself. It became a black hole for network traffic, draining our entire network speed to a halt. A few days later the problems was found and a new, smarter router was put instead of the old one.

I don't think that's your problem, unless you also have a wireless router that is connected to the regular router in the same address space. But even then it's highly unlikely, both routers would have to be very stupid.

Nope none of that is hapening here.

[Bocete]

If you haven't, you really should try lovering the number of connections in your p2p program to 20 or so, if only for diagnostic purposes. If it gets normal, you've found the problem and just need to find a way to fix it/deal with it. If not, than too many connections is not the (sole) culprit.

[vene-nemesis]

Originally Posted by Bocete

If you haven't, you really should try lovering the number of connections in your p2p program to 20 or so, if only for diagnostic purposes. If it gets normal, you've found the problem and just need to find a way to fix it/deal with it. If not, than too many connections is not the (sole) culprit.

ok! ill be trying that in a few minutes.

[TrooperFarva]

When you had just the cable modem, how were multiple computers connected, one at a time?

How are you obtaining IP addresses? DHCP, or are you manually assigning them?

Is the cable modem connected to the router through the WAN or the LAN?

[vene-nemesis]

Originally Posted by TrooperFarva

When you had just the cable modem, how were multiple computers connected, one at a time?

How are you obtaining IP addresses? DHCP, or are you manually assigning them?

Is the cable modem connected to the router through the WAN or the LAN?

-One at a time.
-DHCP.
-WAN.

[vene-nemesis]

News: My ISP changed my router, so far everything seems solved.

Thank you all guys!