Problem with LInsys BEFSR41 router

[Canadian_Bacon]

I'm connected to a cable modem and both computers are running WinXP. I can get the router to work; both computer connected to the internet, but then after a couple of minutes, the router will stop responding and I must hit the restart button on the router for it to work again, but the connection only lasts a couple of minutes again.

My cable company is of very little help and the tech support line for linksys I got was for sales. Can anyone help me with my porblem.


THanks

 

[rook]

You could try a firmware update on the router, just make sure you download for the right version of router you have. I think they are upto ver.3 on the 41's. <A HREF="http://linksys.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/linksys.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=832&p_created=1086294093&p_sid=Aahb7chh&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9MTImcF9zZWFyY2hfdHlwZT1zZWFyY2hfbmwmcF9wcm9kX2x2bDE9MTc2JnBfcHJvZF9sdmwyPTE4MSZwX2NhdF9sdmwxPTc2JnBfY2F0X2x2bDI9ODUmcF9wYWdlPTE*&p_li=" target="_new">Here</A> is the easiest link I've found to get all 3 versions.

<A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?id=23900" target="_new">System</A>
<A HREF="http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k3=2072215" target="_new">3DMark03</A>

 

[Codesmith]

Is one of your computers running any p2p software.?

I have the same router and find that it simply can't handle the number of connections when I have several hundred connections going at once. All internet traffic suddenly stops until I reset the router.

I have resorted to setting the PC running emule to DMZ (all ports wide open).

I have since updated the firmware, but I have been too lazy to see if it sovled anything.

 

[sparky853]

I concur...upgrade your firmware first.

Also, check your DHCP lease time, it could be that your router DHCP lease only lasts for a short duration. Log onto your router (usually 192.168.1.1) and go to your DHCP tab. Make sure the client lease time is set to 0.

Spec:
Intel P4 2.4B
MSI 645E Max-U Mobo
1GB DDR333
R9600XT 128MB
SB Live 5.1
Samsung 120GB
Maxtor 120GB
LG DVD+-R/RW
WIN2K PRO SP4

 

[Flagg7771234]

my money is on a defective unit... or the cables are poorly terminated. Does your linklight go out? when your router stops routing can you pull up the configuration page?

Flagg CNE MCSE CCNA
YAHOO IM @ flagg7771234

 

[Flagg7771234]

I just rebounded your problem of a peer of mine and he had an interesting take on it, actualy was sure of the problem.

He said that your AC adapter most definatly got shocked and is failing. I guess he has seen this on another linksys, the linksys would have the powerled on but would intermitantly reboot, when it reboots the lights still flash and the power stay lit so it would follow with what your seeing.

Just FYI, hope this helped
Kevin

Flagg CNE MCSE CCNA
YAHOO IM @ flagg7771234

 

[rghoul]

For what it's worth...

I used to pick up a lot of Linksys BEFSR41's for friends and clients, but I stopped early this year because maybe a third of them (like 6 or 7 out of the 20 or so) ended up with problems like Canadian Bacon is describing. (That is... they'll be working along, and then they'll stop routing traffic, or the router's DNS will break.)

Common symptom... Traffic to the outside world ceases, you can still use http to hit the router's administrative functions... Do a DHCP release and get all those pretty 0.0.0.0's, but then try a DHCP renew... and the router goes off into the weeds and leaves you sitting there watching your browser's activity indicator spin around. Then when you get tired of waiting for nothing to happen, you can power cycle and everything'll be ok for a little while.

Running a p2p application may or may not cause it to barf more quickly (but if you don't limit your connections, chances are you'll have more problems). Running a hell of a lot of UDP packets (many games, xbox live) may or may not cause it to malfunction more quickly. Firmware upgrades don't seem to matter.

I've had access to a lot of BEFSR41's and my experience is if your system is behaving like this, chances are it's not a power supply (transformer) issue. (Multiple power supplies tested on both misbehaving and righteous BEFSR41's.) fwiw, I've seen fewer problems on v2 models, but they still have 'em.

As for what to do about this...

Can't hurt to upgrade the firmware, but I doubt this will fix anything.

If your BEFSR41 is just losing its ability to provide dns (symptom: currently existing connections are maintained, new connections specified to a dotted quad can be made, but new addresses can't be resolved), you can set your computer's DNS to the outside address instead of to the router (192.168.1.1 by default).

However, if your BEFSR41 simply stops routing traffic... If you're running a p2p app, you can cut down on the number of total connections to just a couple hundred to see if it helps. Otherwise if it keeps hanging every so often, I'd replace it.

My choice of replacements has been to either use a spare computer for a router (see freshmeat.net) or go with the DLink DI604. I'm not crazy about DLink, and lord knows the older DLink's had some f'd up non-working firmware, but for what most people do, they work ok now and they're cheap ($40-$50). I'm not sure how well the DI604 works with P2P though...