Hopefully this is the right forum to post my question in.
I have a Windows XP Home PC connected to the internet via Verizon FiOS. About 2 months ago it started losing it's internet connection several times a day. I don't know if the problem is with the PC or the router. This PC has a wired Ethernet connection to the router. Other wireless devices continue to be able to access the internet when the PC has lost it's connection.
The router is the Actiontec MI424WR with firmware version 4.0.16.1.56.0.10.14.4
The PC in question was set up with a static DHCP lease because I always want it to get the same IP address. It's the only device on my network using a static lease.
I've tried moving the cable to a different port on the router but it didn't help.
I've also tried reinstalling the latest network driver on the PC and that didn't help either.
Some observations...
In the router's configuration, if I look at the list of DHCP connections, I see the PC's MAC address appearing multiple times with different IP addresses. On the PC itself "ipconfig" shows it has the address that was assigned with static DHCP. The other addresses are all listed in the router as dynamic. Those addresses don't ping. This makes me wonder if there's a bug in the router's static DHCP address assignment logic. Is it normal for the same MAC address to show up with multiple IPs in DHCP connection table?
When the internet connectivity drops, if I go to the Network Connections on that PC; the Internet Gateway (or perhaps it's called Internet Connection) has disappeared. If I run "ipconfig /release & ipconfig /renew" it comes back and everything works fine for a few more hours. Then it drops again.
I've also noticed that my remote administration access to the router seems to be flakey at times. Sometimes a remoe admin connection drops even though I'm actively using it and there's no chance it's timed out. Other times I'll get the login page, enter my credentials, and the next page partially appears then the connection drops.
I'm at a loss as to what to do to permanently fix the problem. Continually having to release/renew the lease isn't a good solution. Especially when I'm the only techie in the family.
Does this sound like a problem with the router or the PC?
Does this router have problems with static DHCP? If so can I just manually assign an address on the PC that's outside of the range that DHCP assigns?
I just came here to post about the same issue. Having intermentant problems pulling up web pages. All the of PC's in my house are doing this.
Right now, I've changed the settings on my laptop to use OpenDNS's server. So far, it has corrected the problem. But it's been only one day, so too soon to tell.
If that seems to fix the issue, and Verizon is having trouble with their DNS server, I'll go into the router and set it up to use the OpenDNS settings.
Does anybody know if VZ is having trouble with their DNS server?
I've also noticed that my WAN IP address has been changing a lot lately. It used to be I'd have the same IP for days or even weeks. Lately it's been changing at least once a day.
I believe I've gotten to the bottom of this problem and solved it.
I tried assigning a fixed IP address to the interface on the PC in question. IOW instead of using DHCP to assign the address, subnet mask, etc. I did it all manually. I left the static lease in the router figuring that would prevent any other device from getting that address.
After a day or two the problem reappeared.
I tried doing a "repair" on the interface and for the first time got a useful error message - something about not being able to clear the ARP cache. This whole problem, which I've been struggling with for probably 2 months, is being caused by ARP cache corruption.
I found a blog post saying that ARP cache corruption is a know bug in Windows XP and to fix it - disable the "Routing and Remote Access" service. After doing that, the problem has competely gone away.
For those not familiar with how to disable a service - click start, run, type "services,msc" and press ENTER. Scroll down to "Routing and Remote Access", double click it, and in the "startup type" drop down list select "Disabled". Finally, click OK.
I've had the same issue even pre FIOS install, and it is an error 105...and it continues heavily now, I did what your last post suggested but it was disabled....not sure what the issue is, but see ALOT of people having the same issue. I'm wondering how so many people are affected at once and why.
I'd appreciate any help to resolve this as it is annoying, at 1st just a restart was all that was needed, now I have to disconnect my wireless connection, restart it and that seems to be fine.....
I'm not really techy, so any explanations, please put in 'laymans' terms LOL...
Thanks,
kelley
When you loose your connection, put your hand on the part of the modem with the verizon logo printed on it.
You will find that it is very warm, now put it near your nose and smell that same spot. That smell of electrical
wiring burning up, is actually the modem burning up. You see you don't smell it unless you get close to the modem.
And this is the whole problem. Look at it's design, Its virtually impossible for air to flow through this modem.
Those slits in the top that you are looking at are not slits at all. try stickingf a credit card through one of those slits.
It want go through. The design of this modem lets no air flow throug to help keep the board and circuitry cool, at the
same time holding the heat inside. Thus this modem overeheats, when it gets to hot you loose the connection.
So then you go to fiddling around with it, turning it on and off checking your system etc.... until it start to work again.
What is actually happening is it is getting time to cool down. Once it get cool from inactivity it connects. To sum it up,
you have a faulty piece of electrical equiptment, that over heats and shuts down. It will soon shut down and stop working
as the heat is taking its toll each time it heats up. These Actiontec GT784WNV modems,
are the result of verizon being cheap and greedy. They've given us the cheapest thing on the market and charged us
the prime rate for it. Send that piece of junk back to them and demand a westel modem or some brand that you know
has some quality put into its manufacturing. Trust me I feel you, cause i have the exact same problem and they are gonna
correct, are loose me as a customer.
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