[Ham-Computers] Router Question

[Philip]

Hi Joe,

Others here are far more knowledgeable than I am, but here's what I know 
about it.

My ISP is SBC Global and I got their DSL modem when I subscribed.  Later I 
added the LinkSys router (NOT wireless) so I could network both of our 
computers and have Internet access on both.  I had no problems configuring 
the router to work and had it up and running in very little time.  It ran 
like that for quite awhile with the SBC modem handling all the Internet 
"handshaking" (User ID, Password etc).  However, somewhat later I ran into 
problems in that I couldn't stay "logged on" to the Internet, and finally 
couldn't log on at all.

At first I thought it was ISP problems, so called customer service.  The 
woman seemed to be quite knowledgeable and ran me through some tests, 
determining that the Modem was doing it's thing, had me connect the computer 
directly to the modem, at which time the computer came "on line".  This 
showed that it was a Router/modem problem.

After that, the next thing she had me do was do a router "reset", reboot the 
modem and computer and set it up again.  This didn't seem to work.

At this point, even though it wasn't an SBC provided router, and she told me 
that they weren't responsible for setting it up, she took the time to walk 
me through setting the whole system up.  The first thing we did was to 
reconfigure the modem to be just a straight modem, NO user ID, "password 
Log-on" etc.  Then we set the router up for PPOe (if I recall correctly) 
with the User ID and Password, "Keep Alive" and so forth.  By the way, the 
"Keep a-live" function "pings" the system at regular intervals to keep the 
ISP from dropping the circuit.  If it's NOT activated, when you first try to 
log onto the Internet after an inactive period the computer won't be 
immediately on-line and may time out your email.  With it turned on the 
Modem/router is on the Internet 24/7 even if the computer is turned off.

One other thing that may cause a router to require a reset.  I did some 
"Bit-Torrent" downloads of large OTR files (Old Time radio).  Bittorent, 
with it's continuous activity sometimes overheated the router and required 
me to reset it and set it back up for PPOe etc.  (Most home routers can't 
handle the work-load well).  Now if I do a very large Bittorrent I have the 
room fan blowing across that area of the room and that seems to have "cured" 
it.

So, the up-shot is that you may "not" have an actual router failure, but 
rather something not set up properly.

73 de Phil  KO6BB

>I am using a D-Link DI-524 wireless router. (802.11g/2.4GHZ). Someone else 
>installed
> my local network as I know very little about networks. Recently the router 
> has had to
> be "reset" to continue internet service. My ISP says if this occurs often 
> I will need to replace my router. My question: If I purchase a new router 
> and plug all the cables into it will it start functioning on its own or do 
> I have to know how to "program" (for lack of a better word) it to make it 
> function properly? Thank for any help and 73 de Joe/W6RLL.
>
> s