WRTP54G Issues

Posts: 6 · New Forum Member Joined: Jul 05, 2005 Posts: 6

Saying a router can't freeze a PC is like saying a web address can't crash a browse/PC. Without going into any tech detail, if every other brand/model (which I have 4 at home) works, and only this one doesn't, then something is not right. I am not saying it's the router's fault, but only saying 'something related to the router' caused the problem.

I am not a tech support, but I saw in many cases, a particular PC couldn't work with a particular wireless router.

Vonage tech support told me that this router couldn't work with Adelphia cable service to forward DNS info. In my opinion, this is really something incredible.

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Jul 12, 2005 Posts: 2

Are you using bittorrent? There is a know problem with bittorrent and Linksys routers. Some users have even report it causing the PC to blue screen.

Check out this thread.

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,7126909?hilite=linksys+bittorrent

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Mar 03, 2005 Posts: 4

cnegron wrote:

I can confirm those computer problems here.

What seems to be happening is either the router is feeding garbage DHCP responses or the NIC is having issues handling them. I haven't gone into deep troubleshooting mode as I'm so pissed at this crap WRTP54G router that I'm taking it back tomorrow.

(Have you tried setting a STATIC IP on this PC to see if the problem goes away? Personally I don't like DHCP, but either way, it should work. That NIC sounds like something may be conf. wrong? Try Static and see...)

To Dayeliu:
Saying a router can't freeze a PC is like saying a web address can't crash a browse/PC. (Um, Oranges and Apples friend Smile

) In short. that's like saying your Trailors tire is flat, so you can't drive your car. Bad analogy, but the point is there, In theory (Don't do this!) You could plug your PC directly to cable modem and do your work. You could drive your car to work without the trailor. Bah enough on that Smile

If every other brand/model (which I have 4 at home) works, and only this one doesn't, then something is not right. I am not saying it's the router's fault, but only saying 'something related to the router' caused the problem.
(Absolutely! Something is strange there. It sounds like it's a setting in the router not letting it get information from the cable modem?)

I am not a tech support, but I saw in many cases, a particular PC couldn't work with a particular wireless router. (It wouldn't be the PC, it would be the NIC card. some are built in, but you can always use a $10 3Com, however drivers should fix that problem.)

Vonage tech support told me that this router couldn't work with Adelphia cable service to forward DNS info. In my opinion, this is really something incredible. (This is very incredible. Expecially since this router has the ability to manually add the information your cable company would need to know about your router. personally if I were you I would call the Cable company and ask for the details you need to connect your router "Host Name, Domain Name, and MTU" As they are not populating it automatically to the Linksys MAYBE?)

I am only trying to help, this may not work, but worth a shot!
Good luck,
G.

Posts: 58 · Full Forum Member Joined: Jun 28, 2005 Posts: 58

Did it occur to you that perhaps the router is using a memory address that is already in use? Or perhaps there is an interrupt conflict? There are many possible causes for a PC to act strangely besides blaming it on the new hardware. That same router might work perfectly on another computer.

Posts: 646 · Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2005 10:18 am Post subject:

A router doesn't use a computer's memory, or interrupts.

Posts: 58 · Full Forum Member Joined: Jun 28, 2005 Posts: 58

Maybe a conflict in the registry? I have found that if something fails to work on one single computer, it doesn't necessarily mean that product is defective.

Posts: 6 · New Forum Member Joined: Jul 05, 2005 Posts: 6

I already returned the router to Circuit City, and cancelled Vonage service. Thanks for all suggestions above anyway. As someone pointed out, there is a difference between workarounds and fixes. Also I've passed the age to be exited on alpha testings.

When I buy a product, I usually go with the reputable brands, in this case the LinkSys, and expect to avoid excessive trouble-shooting. It must be a sin, but I've long lost the handyman mentality.

I did extensive product development in my earlier careers. There's nothing to celebrate when the product works in one setup, or even thousands setups, but that few setups that don't work need to be worked out before a product is rolled out. For consumer routers, if more than a fraction of one percent customers can't get a product work out of the box in a simple setup, then it's below the current industry standard.

LinkSys is not the only router maker, and Vonage is not the only VoIP supplier. Until then, I refuse to manually type in DNS info on 6 of my PCs and laptops at home, not to say that I have other network devices that's basically a black box.

Posts: 1389 · Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2005 11:36 am Post subject:

Well, at least you were given some ideas here...Sorry it did not work out for you...

Posts: 11 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jul 12, 2005 Posts: 11

Guardian wrote:

cnegron wrote:

I can confirm those computer problems here.

What seems to be happening is either the router is feeding garbage DHCP responses or the NIC is having issues handling them. I haven't gone into deep troubleshooting mode as I'm so pissed at this crap WRTP54G router that I'm taking it back tomorrow.

(Have you tried setting a STATIC IP on this PC to see if the problem goes away? Personally I don't like DHCP, but either way, it should work. That NIC sounds like something may be conf. wrong? Try Static and see...)

Yes, static IP would not halt it, but that's a hack in my book. I'm not sure why you don't like DHCP, but you should definitely elaborate on the reasons, if technical. Nothing is wrong with the NIC, configuration or hardware. Works perfectly with every other router and not this one. I should add though, that the 1.0037 FW stopped the problem on boot. So that aspect is fixed, the other router problems remain, unfortunately.

Posts: 11 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jul 12, 2005 Posts: 11

Regardless of whether I statically map DNS or it's auto-populated by adelphia, the router will only pass its own ip for the DHCP clients. There seems to be the problem, not in that it passes its own ip but that it fails to properly forward DNS requests. I haven't mucked around enough with it to see where it actually fails but to be quite honest, I'm probably not going to bother. This either gets fixed by them or goes back to the store. Its simply too much hacking for a brand-new product.