Loss of network connectivity...

[timmcat]

This one has be stumped, and its a tricky one to google....

Home network - router is a DG834N running in 'N' mode. WPA2-PSK security. We have around 7 machines which use the network on a daily basis with no trouble... except.... Mrs timmcats nice new Samsung NC-10 netbook keeps losing connectivity midway through a session for no reason. No internet, and it's unable to ping the router. Whats odd though is that the network status is still showing full connection, with excellent signal strength, and the correct ip information. Windows Zero config utility is stopped in favour of the built in software.

I've tried setting a static local ip address (made no difference). The fault can be remedied in two ways, either rebooting, or clicking the 'repair this connection' button in the wireless connection properties box. I've discounted channel interference, the router is set to auto and other machines in the same room dont have the problem.

The Samsung is running XP, Kaspersky Internet Security 2009, and the network is using OpenDNS.

Any ideas?

[Nightrider]

Are you able to re-connect always when using the "Repair connection" procedure or do you have to reboot also after being unsuccessful?

In this case you may want to check for a heat problem in the Samsung.
Since you have no history with this machine, can you try this on a different network at a different location?

Is it possible that your router kicks you out as you may have reached the max possible connections via W-LAN (4 at a time???)?

[AppleMacster]

Are you on O2 broadband? There's currently an issue affecting those of us using Netgear 834-based routers: Anyone regularly using routing? (http://forums.thinkbroadband.com/o2/3669186-anyone-regularly-losing-routing-2.html)

The quickest reset is to go the the "Basic Settings" on the Router and click "Apply". :ugh:

Applemacster

[green granite]

Timm can you hard wire it into the router? It would enable you to work out if it's a wireless associated fault or something in the networking area.


Also try to slow the connection down, selecting B instead of G will go from 54 to 11 mbps to see if that helps

[The late XV105]

I also have a DG834 router, and somewhere in this discussion forum is a thread I started to say that every device on the network connects reliable except the MX200i internet radio that we use in the garden; despite a strong signal the connection would drop with regular monotony.

The likely cause explained to me was a WiFi chipset incompatibility and having proven that the radio streamed perfectly from the primary wireless access point in the house (a BT Home Hub v1) I have done two things; (a) of no relevance here but for completeness, modified the radio to improve antenna performance. This has allowed us to use it in the garden from the Home Hub. (b) I have purchase a second BT Home Hub from ebay for a tenner that I will use to replace the DG834 and then stick the radio antenna back inside the case (the mod I made was to take it external).

[Saab Dastard]

Also try to slow the connection down, selecting B instead of G will go from 54 to 11 mbps to see if that help

Having your access point support both B and G is very poor practice - it will reduce the throughput for both.

By all means test with one or other (or both), but for normal use it should always be one or the other.

SD

[Ancient Observer]

My DG834G v2 is normally reliable. However, daughter's new laptop and the Netgear were not getting along very well, when daughter was using laptop in furthest room away from Netgear.
As ever, helpfully, I told her to use the laptop in a room closer to the Netgear. She did that for a couple of weeks, then decided it was far too close to where I hang out. Therefore she went back to the furthest room.
Since when, not a single problem. (Nothing else has changed)
Clearly the little people inside her laptop got used to the Netgear by being closer, and are now happy to talk to the Netgear even tho they are on the other side of the house.
I know these techie thingies aren't supposed to "learn" like that, but.........

PS - XV - if I were the antenna to that violently pink radio of yours, I think I'd want to go back inside it rather than be exposed to it on a daily basis.

[green granite]

By all means test with one or other (or both), but for normal use it should always be one or the other.


Indeed, I should have made it clearer that I was thinking in terms of "for testing purposes" sorry.

[srobarts]

It appears to be known issue with the Windows Wireless Zero config. Do you have the latest version of the Atheros Wireless Client Utility
</title> <META content="Product Support" name=title /> <META content="Product Support" name=kewords /> <META content="Find world class Product Support information here." name=description /> <META content="" name=date SHEME="ISO-8601" /> <META content (http://ars.samsung.com/customer/ctry/jsp/faqs/faqs_view.jsp?SITE_ID=31&isREL=Y&AT_ID=157341&&ARS_ID=10568789)
My son's NC-10 had some connectivity problems when he first got it which were cured with updating to latest driver and software.

[timmcat]

Thanks everyone.

I've taken srobarts suggestion first as, despite what I had thought, the machine was indeed using WZC. Atheros drivers and utility now installed and being tested as we speak. Incidentally, the Atheros link on the Samsung support page actually points to the Bluetooth driver package...

Applemacster, my ISP is Bethere (pretty much the same as O2) and I wasn't aware of that issue and dont seem to have been suffering from the problem. Thanks for pointing it out.

[Mike-Bracknell]

Also try to slow the connection down, selecting B instead of G will go from 54 to 11 mbps to see if that help Having your access point support both B and G is very poor practice - it will reduce the throughput for both.

By all means test with one or other (or both), but for normal use it should always be one or the other.

SD

Yes it reduces the throughput of both, and having 11b clients can reduce the number of effective supported 11g clients, but it's not as bad a practice as SD claims. If you have the requirement to support both 11b and g clients, it's acceptable practice.

(having worked for a wireless company with guys who wrote the standards from 2004-2006)