A home router usually consists of four parts: 1: router/firewall 2: DHCP server 3: wireless access point 4: switch
The first three are programs running on a small computer (its frequently actually linux running on the computer). The switch is a separate chip independant of the computer, but the computer talks to one of the ports on the switch. Since those first three are programs on a computer they can sometimes go off and do strange things and can sometimes run slower and slower due to bugs in the programs. Rebooting every so often can really help this. When you run the VortexBox to a Touch with ethernet cable you are just going through the switch, it is bypassing the computer, so issues with rebooting software don't really apply. The only service from the computer part you would be using is the DHCP server, but if that is not working you don't get anything, not a slowdown etc. Now it certainly is possible for the switch itself to go bad (ANY hardware can go bad!) but its much less likely than having an issue with the software running on the computer part of the router. If you are concerned about the router being bad you can try a friends router, it doesn't have to be hooked up to the internet, it doesn't matter what the wifi settings are etc, just plug the VortexBox and the Touch into the ports on the back and see if it works any better. Even if the router is working all right, there are a few things that have occassionally caused problems. One is ethernet speed, the Touch is a 10/100 device and most computers are gigahertz, this is SUPPOSED to be completely transparent, but it has been known to cause problems. If the router is a 10/100 router and the VB is 1gig that might be an issue. Alternatively if the router is 1gig (the touch is 10/100) that side might be the problem. Cables have also been known to cause problems. Sometimes the connector on the end of a cable just doesn't make good contact, or the cable itself might have been compromised (someone bent it with a very tight radius etc), these can usually be fixed by trying another cable. Thats about all I can think of. John S. -- JohnSwenson ------------------------------------------------------------------------ JohnSwenson's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=5974 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=91135 _______________________________________________ Touch mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/touch
