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I have been fighting with this router for years. It's a Linksys BEFW11S4 with the latest firmware I can find. I'll try to be brief but the problem is long and complex so that might be difficult.
I have had many problems with this router in the past, mostly my fault because I configured something incorrectly. However, this configuration (which used to work relatively well with a ~90% walk-in-and-log-on reliability) has not changed yet it has become more and more annoying to maintain.
Am I correct in assuming that one should be able to walk into the house with a laptop computer, turn it on and immediately get an IP address from the router, and seconds later be able to access the internet? If this is (supposed to be) true then my router is not living up to what we paid for.
The problem: both myself and my father have laptops with B/G adapters. The router is B. My laptop runs Windows Vista Ultimate and my father's runs Windows XP Professional SP2. For example, when I arrive home from school, I unpack my laptop and turn it on. Sometimes, my dad is home and sometimes not. Regardless, usually I receive the "Local Access Only" message from Windows, with options to "repair" by getting a new IP address or resetting the adapter. However, neither option ever works. I've tried ipconfig/ renew and release at the command line. The only way to solve the problem is usually either to reboot my laptop or run into the other room where the router is located and unplug its power cord, wait about ten seconds, and power it up again.
My dad can be right in front of it and sometimes it won't give him an IP. We are often frustrated with the "169 IPs of doom" because once the router hands you one of those, you practically must reboot to have any hope of restoring your internet.
In summary:
- The usual upon arriving at the house is to get a 169 IP with no connectivity or a "normal" 192.168.1.10x IP but be unable to access the internet.
- Updating to the latest drivers does not help
- The router itself has the latest firmware and is properly configured
- The modem is in UHP Bridge Mode, which is what I was told to do with it (otherwise it acts as a DHCP server and hands out one IP, the router tries to hand out more IPs and problems ensue)
- Often I will lose the ability to browse the Web via Firefox but my AIM and BitTorrent connections remain operational
- The problem does not seem to relate to how many people are using the connection, although when my dad and I both are on it, the chances of one or both of us getting "kicked" are much higher
Is my router incompatible with Vista or something? I have a friend who upgraded to Vista Ultimate x64 and could not get online. He was stuck with local access only even though I was plugged into the same switch and had no problems at all. I upgraded his router's firmware and all was well after that. Am I asking too much of this router? Should I replace it?
Note that when hardwired connections are used, there are virtually no problems, it's only when wireless is needed that major headaches begin.
I have had many problems with this router in the past, mostly my fault because I configured something incorrectly. However, this configuration (which used to work relatively well with a ~90% walk-in-and-log-on reliability) has not changed yet it has become more and more annoying to maintain.
Am I correct in assuming that one should be able to walk into the house with a laptop computer, turn it on and immediately get an IP address from the router, and seconds later be able to access the internet? If this is (supposed to be) true then my router is not living up to what we paid for.
The problem: both myself and my father have laptops with B/G adapters. The router is B. My laptop runs Windows Vista Ultimate and my father's runs Windows XP Professional SP2. For example, when I arrive home from school, I unpack my laptop and turn it on. Sometimes, my dad is home and sometimes not. Regardless, usually I receive the "Local Access Only" message from Windows, with options to "repair" by getting a new IP address or resetting the adapter. However, neither option ever works. I've tried ipconfig/ renew and release at the command line. The only way to solve the problem is usually either to reboot my laptop or run into the other room where the router is located and unplug its power cord, wait about ten seconds, and power it up again.
My dad can be right in front of it and sometimes it won't give him an IP. We are often frustrated with the "169 IPs of doom" because once the router hands you one of those, you practically must reboot to have any hope of restoring your internet.
In summary:
- The usual upon arriving at the house is to get a 169 IP with no connectivity or a "normal" 192.168.1.10x IP but be unable to access the internet.
- Updating to the latest drivers does not help
- The router itself has the latest firmware and is properly configured
- The modem is in UHP Bridge Mode, which is what I was told to do with it (otherwise it acts as a DHCP server and hands out one IP, the router tries to hand out more IPs and problems ensue)
- Often I will lose the ability to browse the Web via Firefox but my AIM and BitTorrent connections remain operational
- The problem does not seem to relate to how many people are using the connection, although when my dad and I both are on it, the chances of one or both of us getting "kicked" are much higher
Is my router incompatible with Vista or something? I have a friend who upgraded to Vista Ultimate x64 and could not get online. He was stuck with local access only even though I was plugged into the same switch and had no problems at all. I upgraded his router's firmware and all was well after that. Am I asking too much of this router? Should I replace it?
Note that when hardwired connections are used, there are virtually no problems, it's only when wireless is needed that major headaches begin.