[SOLVED] Random network changes, Win7 and Linux

[Rowan540]

Hi guys, I have been looking for a solution to this problem forever.

I run Win7 and Linux Mint. The problem pre-dates this dual system (before, I only had Win7).
The trouble is this: I live in shared housing and we have one common modem. The LAN cable runs from the modem (as far as I know) directly to an outlet in my studio.

It connects to the network and everything is fine. Three minutes later, it connects me to a different network (LAN). The second network has no connectivity (the network icon displays a little triangle with exclamation sign). What used to work, is going into the Network adapter settings, go into its properties, and change the network address to manual, inserting some random sequence. It would then revert to the first network. I'd have connectivity again, but only for a while, until it kicked me off and put me on the second network again.

When I check for issues, the response is different each time - sometimes it will say there are none, sometimes it says the modem may be experiencing DNS issues, but considering my experience I have not tried to alter those.

I thought perhaps the issue was a conflict of network addresses, and I wanted to know if it would also happen with WiFi. I purchased a powerline adapter, the type that you plug into a power socket next to the modem. The adapter works fine, however I am getting the same exact problem with LAN. In addition, when I connect to wireless in Linux, the connection only lasts for as long as I remain in that session. If I reboot the system and try to connect again, it refuses to connect. The only thing that helps is physically removing and reinserting the wireless network adapter.

It is worth mentioning that Win7 does not recognize the (wireless) adapter at all, while Linux does.

Rowan

 

[kanewolf]

Hi guys, I have been looking for a solution to this problem forever.

I run Win7 and Linux Mint. The problem pre-dates this dual system (before, I only had Win7).
The trouble is this: I live in shared housing and we have one common modem. The LAN cable runs from the modem (as far as I know) directly to an outlet in my studio.

It connects to the network and everything is fine. Three minutes later, it connects me to a different network (LAN). The second network has no connectivity (the network icon displays a little triangle with exclamation sign). What used to work, is going into the Network adapter settings, go into its properties, and change the network address to manual, inserting some random sequence. It would then revert to the first network. I'd have connectivity again, but only for a while, until it kicked me off and put me on the second network again.

When I check for issues, the response is different each time - sometimes it will say there are none, sometimes it says the modem may be experiencing DNS issues, but considering my experience I have not tried to alter those.

I thought perhaps the issue was a conflict of network addresses, and I wanted to know if it would also happen with WiFi. I purchased a powerline adapter, the type that you plug into a power socket next to the modem. The adapter works fine, however I am getting the same exact problem with LAN. In addition, when I connect to wireless in Linux, the connection only lasts for as long as I remain in that session. If I reboot the system and try to connect again, it refuses to connect. The only thing that helps is physically removing and reinserting the wireless network adapter.

It is worth mentioning that Win7 does not recognize the (wireless) adapter at all, while Linux does.

Rowan

The problem, I believe, is that some device besides the primary router is running a DHCP server. One of your housemates is not "playing nicely" with others.

 

[SamirD]

Or that there is no router at all and everyone is getting a public IP whenever they connect and is limited to the number of public IPs provided by the isp. Are you getting a private or a public IP when you connect?

 

[Grobe]

Or - maybe someone have used an old router (still with its own DHCP activated) as a switch ?

 

[Rowan540]

Thanks for the replies!

Update - this morning I logged in to Windows. The connection was fine, until I restarted, the problem was back.
Just now I uninstalled the network drivers and now the connection is back on. Wtf (?).

The problem, I believe, is that some device besides the primary router is running a DHCP server. One of your housemates is not "playing nicely" with others.

Do you still think this could be it?

Thanks again.

 

[Rowan540]

Or that there is no router at all and everyone is getting a public IP whenever they connect and is limited to the number of public IPs provided by the isp. Are you getting a private or a public IP when you connect?

How can I check this?

 

[kanewolf]

Thanks for the replies!

Update - this morning I logged in to Windows. The connection was fine, until I restarted, the problem was back.
Just now I uninstalled the network drivers and now the connection is back on. Wtf (?).



Do you still think this could be it?

Thanks again.

The way to check all these possibilities is to use a CMD.EXE window and run ipconfig.exe /all multiple times. You do it when it is working and save the results. You do it when it isn't working and share both sets here so that we can see what is happening.

 

[Rowan540]

This is in Windows;

LAN enabled but no connection.

LAN connected

In Linux the connection shows up as "connected" by default, there is no connectivity. I´m still a Linux newb so I haven´t tried to change the network address as I did in Win7.

WiFi: "activation of connection failed"

Removing the adapter and reinserting it changes the Wifi to connected.
Terminal

Uninstalling the drivers had no effect, a reboot made the issue show again.

 

[kanewolf]

The subnet (third set of numbers in the IP address) changes. When it doesn't work the third digit is zero. When it works it is one. That looks very much like what I though originally. Somewhere there is a second DHCP server that is messing with the network.
You are going to have to work with your housemates to figure out what is breaking the network.
It is interesting that you get public DNS servers when your network is working. That is a little unusual, but not necessarily a problem.

 

[Rowan540]

Thanks man, I appreciate it.
I´ll try to speak to the culprit. Do you know if there´s any settings on their server that would make my issue go away?

 

[kanewolf]

Thanks man, I appreciate it.
I´ll try to speak to the culprit. Do you know if there´s any settings on their server that would make my issue go away?

If it is breaking you, it is breaking other things. Since we don't know WHAT is causing the problem, there is no way to propose a fix.

 

[faalin]

when the network breaks type in 192.168.1.1 in any internet page and it should take you to the home page of whatever is handing out DHCP. You should at least know what device to look for to fix.

 

[kanewolf]

when the network breaks type in 192.168.1.1 in any internet page and it should take you to the home page of whatever is handing out DHCP. You should at least know what device to look for to fix.

BROKEN is 192.168.0.x. Type in 192.168.0.1 not 1.1 as listed above.

 

[Rowan540]

I´ll try that.

If changing network address helps sometimes, do you think it would make sense to set a static (user configured) IP address on the internet protocol tab? My method is just to try anything, if it´s a quick or temporary fix that´s fine too, as long as it works.

 

[kanewolf]

I´ll try that.

If changing network address helps sometimes, do you think it would make sense to set a static (user configured) IP address on the internet protocol tab? My method is just to try anything, if it´s a quick or temporary fix that´s fine too, as long as it works.

It could, but if you put a 192.168.1.x IP as a static, you could still get an address conflict. Will it work as a temporary fix? Probably. Could it still randomly break? Yes.

 

[Rowan540]

I looked it up, this is the offender;

TL-WR1043N
450Mbps Wireless N Gigabit Router

 

[kanewolf]

I looked it up, this is the offender;

TL-WR1043N
450Mbps Wireless N Gigabit Router

Whoever has that connected to your network has it configured incorrectly. If they are trying to use it as a WIFI access point they need to DISABLE DHCP.

 

[Rowan540]

I suposse that marks the answer for this thread...
Now to see if I can get them to work with me - the social part´s always the more challenging -.-

Thank you for the help!

 

[SamirD]

I suposse that marks the answer for this thread...
Now to see if I can get them to work with me - the social part´s always the more challenging -.-

Thank you for the help!

I would approach them like this--Hey, I can get you better wifi speeds--you just have to change a setting in your router. Do your homework in advance on exactly how to do the change on their router (read the manual), so when they let you do it or ask how to do it, you can talk like an expert. And technically you will be right since right now, their router is still probably routing too, and wasting efforts doing so when it just needs to be in access point mode.