Router drops modem/internet every few minutes

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acspock

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Oct 22, 2011
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Hi, my thread title is misleading because the router is fine. Here's the problem:

Internet = ADSL2 line connected to a COMTREND CT-5072T Modem.
Router = Linksys E900 about with about 5 to 6 wireless connections

The issue is only noticeable when gaming (battlefield 3 / counter-strike GO) and when browsing or clicking a lot. Every couple of minutes, it appears the routers drops the internet/modem for about 10-20 seconds and anyone playing freezes (or webpages stop loading) and sometimes disconnects and has to reconnect.

The router is not the problem, I think. Tried two routers: A Belkin F5D8236-4v1 and a linksys E900. Same problem on both. The odd thing is when I connect my computer straight into the modem without a router it works fine.

We recently switched to a local service here in Santa Cruz, CA called Cruzio because AT&T speeds were too slow. We didn't get a dropped connection when using AT&T's modem/router (we can't use that modem/router because Cruzio can't reconfigure it) so we have this COMTREND CT-5072T.

It doesn't make sense to me why when we go through a router the internet gets dropped for a moments every couple min. I checked DHCP release time and it's set to one day.

Last thing, when I called Cruzio, they said that the lines to the house are fine and the problem has to be on our end (the wiring or the modem right?)

Any suggestions?

 
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The router should have some sort of statistics, where you can see the activity. Open that page in a browser. The first thing you will see is, if that local traffic stops as well. The router log should also tell you if the router had to re-login over and over again.
 
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I have a Linksys E900

On the router page there's a DHCP client log, a security log (which just tells me who logged in to the router page, and incoming and outgoing log. The DHCP log is the only one with timestamps, and it looks like this.

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:42:32 received REQUEST from 54:26:96:19:ea:6f
Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:42:32 sending ACK to 192.168.1.116
Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:42:39 received REQUEST from 1c:e6:2b:21:e8:77
Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:42:39 sending ACK to 192.168.1.118
Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:44:33 received REQUEST from 54:26:96:19:ea:6f
Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:44:33 sending ACK to 192.168.1.116
Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:46:12 received REQUEST from 54:26:96:19:ea:6f
Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:46:12 sending ACK to 192.168.1.116
Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:46:33 received REQUEST from 1c:e6:2b:21:e8:77
Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:46:33 sending ACK to 192.168.1.118
Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:49:00 received REQUEST from 54:26:96:19:ea:6f
Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:49:00 sending ACK to 192.168.1.116
Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:49:50 received REQUEST from 5c:95:ae:90:05:2b
Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:49:50 sending ACK to 192.168.1.107
 
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They already troubleshooted the line, all the lines are fine they said.

Edit: as of right now there's something weird with my DHCP LEase time. In the router setup page I have it set for 1440 minutes, but in the router status page under ipv4 it says 5 minutes (that it's supposedly set to.) I'm going to see if this could be the problem.
 
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If your DHCP lease is actually set to 5m, that would cause all kinds of issues with your system. Most certainly it would hose online gaming, and youtube streaming.

If you have problems getting the IPv4 settings to change, you can always setup static IP's for the time being.
 
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That also explains, why we see a range from 192.168.1.107 to 192.168.1.118 in the log file.
 
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just swapped routers which has a better log file. Here it is

System Log
04/30/2013 13:48:35 sending ACK to 192.168.2.9
04/30/2013 13:48:30 DHCP Client: [WAN]Receive Ack from 50.1.98.1,Lease time=300
04/30/2013 13:48:30 DHCP Client: [WAN]Send Request, Request IP=50.1.98.97
04/30/2013 13:48:30 DHCP Client: [WAN]Receive Offer from 50.1.98.1
04/30/2013 13:48:30 DHCP Client: [WAN]Send Discover
04/30/2013 13:48:10 DHCP Client: [WAN]Could not find DHCP daemon to get information
04/30/2013 13:48:08 DHCP Client: [WAN]Send Request, Request IP=50.1.98.97
04/30/2013 13:48:06 DHCP Client: [WAN]Send Request, Request IP=50.1.98.97
04/30/2013 13:48:04 DHCP Client: [WAN]Send Request, Request IP=50.1.98.97
04/30/2013 13:48:02 DHCP Client: [WAN]Send Request, Request IP=50.1.98.97
04/30/2013 13:48:02 DHCP Client: [WAN]Receive Offer from 50.1.98.1
04/30/2013 13:48:02 DHCP Client: [WAN]Send Discover
04/30/2013 13:48:02 Can not find NTP time.
04/30/2013 13:47:42 DHCP Client: [WAN]Could not find DHCP daemon to get information
04/30/2013 13:47:40 DHCP Client: [WAN]Send Request, Request IP=50.1.98.97
04/30/2013 13:47:38 DHCP Client: [WAN]Send Request, Request IP=50.1.98.97
04/30/2013 13:47:36 DHCP Client: [WAN]Send Request, Request IP=50.1.98.97
04/30/2013 13:47:34 DHCP Client: [WAN]Send Request, Request IP=50.1.98.97
04/30/2013 13:47:32 Can not find NTP time.
04/30/2013 13:47:14 DHCP Client: [WAN]Could not find DHCP daemon to get information
04/30/2013 13:47:12 DHCP Client: [WAN]Send Request, Request IP=50.1.98.97
04/30/2013 13:47:10 DHCP Client: [WAN]Send Request, Request IP=50.1.98.97
04/30/2013 13:47:08 DHCP Client: [WAN]Send Request, Request IP=50.1.98.97
04/30/2013 13:47:06 DHCP Client: [WAN]Send Request, Request IP=50.1.98.97
04/30/2013 13:47:02 Can not find NTP time.
04/30/2013 13:46:46 DHCP Client: [WAN]Could not find DHCP daemon to get information
04/30/2013 13:46:44 DHCP Client: [WAN]Send Request, Request IP=50.1.98.97
04/30/2013 13:46:42 DHCP Client: [WAN]Send Request, Request IP=50.1.98.97
04/30/2013 13:46:40 DHCP Client: [WAN]Send Request, Request IP=50.1.98.97
04/30/2013 13:46:38 DHCP Client: [WAN]Send Request, Request IP=50.1.98.97
04/30/2013 13:46:32 Can not find NTP time.
04/30/2013 13:46:18 DHCP Client: [WAN]Could not find DHCP daemon to get information
04/30/2013 13:46:16 DHCP Client: [WAN]Send Request, Request IP=50.1.98.97
04/30/2013 13:46:14 DHCP Client: [WAN]Send Request, Request IP=50.1.98.97
04/30/2013 13:46:12 DHCP Client: [WAN]Send Request, Request IP=50.1.98.97
04/30/2013 13:46:10 DHCP Client: [WAN]Send Request, Request IP=50.1.98.97
04/30/2013 13:46:02 Can not find NTP time.
04/30/2013 13:45:32 Can not find NTP time.
04/30/2013 13:45:02 Can not find NTP time.
04/30/2013 13:44:53 192.168.2.2 login success
04/30/2013 13:44:41 sending ACK to 192.168.2.19
04/30/2013 13:44:38 sending ACK to 192.168.2.19
04/30/2013 13:44:34 sending ACK to 192.168.2.2
04/30/2013 13:44:33 sending OFFER to 192.168.2.2
04/30/2013 13:44:32 Can not find NTP time.
04/30/2013 13:44:02 Can not find NTP time.
04/30/2013 13:43:37 Can not find NTP time.
04/30/2013 13:43:30 DHCP Client: [WAN]Receive Ack from 50.1.98.1,Lease time=300
04/30/2013 13:43:30 DHCP Client: [WAN]Send Request, Request IP=50.1.98.97
04/30/2013 13:43:30 DHCP Client: [WAN]Receive Offer from 50.1.98.1
04/30/2013 13:43:30 DHCP Client: [WAN]Send Discover
04/30/2013 13:43:28 DHCP Client: [WAN]Send Discover
 
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If you swapped routers and the issue persists, then it has nothing to do with your ipv4 settings in your old router. Does this issuer persist if you directly connect to your dsl modem? Are you using a wireless router and wireless network connection?
 
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No it does not persist if I connect directly to modem. And yes I'm using a wireless router and wireless network connection. But we have people hardwired into it as well
 
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Start from the inside and work your way out.

1) Download a wireless analyzer.
2) See what other wireless activity is in your area and on your channel.
3) Don't set the wireless channel to auto pick one that isn't noisey
4) Run the analyzer for a while and see if there are any drops.
5) Ping your router's gateway address using the -t switch and let it run to see how many dropped packets you get. If any.
6) Next look in the status section and get the WAN IP, I see 50.1.98.97 , try the ping 50.1.98.97 -t command and see what drops you get.
7) Next try ping 8.8.8.8 -t let that run for a while, what are your drops?
8) Next try ping www.google.com -t let it run, any drops.
9) Now start pinging the LAN gateway ping 192.168.2.1 -t, minimize the command prompt and start playing your game, Any drops?
10) Now start pinging the WAN IP and do the same.
What happens?

 
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1-4) turned off wireless for the sake of these tests.

5) Ping your router's gateway address using the -t switch and let it run to see how many dropped packets you get. If any.

No drops here

6) Next look in the status section and get the WAN IP, I see 50.1.98.97 , try the ping 50.1.98.97 -t command and see what drops you get.

Ping statistics for 50.1.98.97:
Packets: Sent = 262, Received = 256, Lost = 6 (2% loss) The 6 lost packets were when the orange light on the modem came on and the internet light was off.

7) Next try ping 8.8.8.8 -t let that run for a while, what are your drops?

Ping statistics for 8.8.8.8:
Packets: Sent = 179, Received = 173, Lost = 6 (3% loss),

8) Next try ping www.google.com -t let it run, any drops.

Ping statistics for 74.125.224.83:
Packets: Sent = 236, Received = 230, Lost = 6 (2% loss),

9) Now start pinging the LAN gateway ping 192.168.2.1 -t, minimize the command prompt and start playing your game, Any drops?

No Drops

10) Now start pinging the WAN IP and do the same.

same thing as before Lost = 6
 
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If the computer is plugged in directly to the modemand no packets drop then the modem is good.

That's the demark and that is how the ISP technicials test, to the LAN, that is it! You are responsible for your LAN not the ISP but there are circumstances that can cause this.

First, are both of these routers brand new?

Plug your computer into the modem and go to http://www.whatismyip.com/ to see what your public IP address is.
In your router, what does it say on the status page it public or private?


If it is public, try ping in it. Are there any drops?
(all tests assume, I know, you have a public IP address)
If YES, then it is something on your machine.

If NO plug your router back in to the modem then plug your computer into the built in switch on the router, shut off all wireless activity and make sure only your computer is the only device connected.
Try pinging the WAN IP. Any drops? Yes- download the latest firmware set
Try again
No? Then try ping 8.8.8.8 -t Ans add devices one by one till you see packets drop. You might get lucky and find the culprit if that is the issue.

Also you should call your ISP and find out what the bridge timeout entry is for your modem. Go to your router and set it lower than the modem. Or have them changi it on the modem, this can cause problems BIG time. MikroTic routers have more granular control and you can easily od it there, not sure on the Linksys, some yes some no.

Set your MTU size to 1400
 
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