I have two computers that connect to a Linksys router. I unplug the power supply to the router when I am finished using the computers at night. When I start both computers in the morning and power the router both computers sync up fine. I occasionally have a problem with one particular computer syncing up if it is the only computer turned on. Sometimes the connection is established and sometimes it is not. If I unplug the router and wait several minutes, the computer will sometimes make a connection when the router is powered up again. Sometimes it takes several tries to get the connection established. I also learned that if the connection is not established it may help to repair the connection via Windows, even though it fails, before going through the process of repowering the router again. If anyone knows what may be causing this problem I'd appreciate any suggestions. My windows software (XP) is up to date, so I'm assuming it is probably the NIC. Also, this problem has not always occurred but started several months ago. Thanks.
why do you want to unplug the router? when you turn on the system in the morning, do you have a rountine? e.g. start up the router first, then start the pc when the router is ready?
There is no particular reason I turn off the power to the router. As far as a routine on starting the computer and router, it varies. Lately I power up the router and wait several minutes or more before I power up the PC. Sometimes a connection is made and sometimes it does not. Previously I powered up the computer first and would wait several minutes after all the software had loaded before powering up the router. Most of the time the connection failed the first try with this old routine. In general it appears that the initial attempt at making a connection happens more ofter if the router is powered up first, but neither approach is successful all the time, whereas the other computer makes a connection all the time regardless of the routine and with no regard to when the router is powered up. There is something with this particular machine.
ok, it helps if you know how things work... the router is not just a cable connection... there are handshakes involved, between the internet and the router, and between the router and you. 1. depends on the type of broadband you have, and the modem given to you, your bb userid and pwd might reside in the router. Turning off the router disconnects your from your bb login. When you turn on the router in the morning, it will need time to authentic itself with the internet server before you are allowed to connect to the internet. 2. the connection between your router and your computer is not a dumb connection. When you plug your computer to the router for the first time, your computer will ask the router for an IP address. An IP address is assigned to you, that is how "people" know where you are, and know where to deliver your emails, etc. (technically people do not see your final address because there are layers of IP, but we will not go into it here.) Usually the router remembers which IP address has been assigned to which computer. When you turn off your computer and turn it back on again, the router will give you the same address again. If you have turned off the router, the router might try give your computer a new address, while your computer is still holding dear to yesterday's address. Thus the disconnect you are experiencing.
Quit unplugging the router. They use flash memory and have only so many re writes. Also go to Linksys web site and see if there is a firmware update. I use to have problems with a Linksys router dropping the internet (which is not your issue) and after I updated the firmware it stopped. NIC is not the problem. John
It has been a month since I first posted this thread, and here is an update. I am leaving the router power on all the time but am still having the same problem with the same computer. The first few weeks the connection rate was about the same, but the second few weeks the connection rate has improved marginally. The other computer connects to the router every time just like before. When the computer in question does not make a connection to the router I just unplug the ethernet cable for this computer from the router and wait a few minutes before plugging it back in. Sometimes it takes more than one pass at this to get a connection. It is not the biggest problem in the world, but obviously something is causing it. If anyone has any other suggestions I'd appreciate hearing them. TIA.
Sorry but I don't know how it works. A friend of mine who does computer repair etc told me that. John
I would call Linksys's techincal support. I had to once a few years ago. While they are in India, the guy I spoke with had great english and was a big help. You can call them and get them to see if you have a router issue. John