My home internet connection via Optus cable has been suffering from intermittent disconnections in recent weeks.
The set up here is that the cable modem (a Nortel Cable Modem 100) connects to a Linksys WRT54G router via an ethernet cable and the router in turn feeds this computer and a laser printer via ethernet cables. The router is running v3.03.6, Dec 29, 2004 software. Under normal operation the router picks up an address and DNS information from the cable modem as it boots up. The computer in turn picks up an address from the router when it boots up. I usually realise that the connection has failed when browsing the internet and I cannot follow a link or when I try to fetch the mail. In the failed state the indicator leds on the cable modem behave strangely with ever changing combinations. Sometimes it looks like the modem is going through some form of self test or boot sequence. In the past the fault could sometimes be cleared by de-powering al the hardware for half an hour and bringing up the cable modem, router and computer in that order. Sometimes the fault would clear apparently spontaneously. Today I contacted Optus technical support but the fault cleared just as I got to speak to a real person. During the call the support person mentioned that some customers had been having trouble with routers and to try connecting the computer straight to the cable modem if the problem returned. A short while later the problem reappeared and I restarted without the router. The computer ran all day with no problem so I thought I would see if the fault would return if I reinstated the router. Inserting the router now fails 100% of the time but I can still get to the setup program in the router from the computer using the browser. Have any slugger´s seen anything like this? Any ideas on testing the router? cheers, Ken -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
