Desktop connection dropping

[gwai lo]

hey everyone, tried searching but I'm having trouble finding someone with an issue that displays the same symptoms as mine does. Maybe my google is weak today.

Anyway, my desktop's connection is being flaky, dropping every 5 or less minutes for about 5ish minutes at a time before reconnecting.

Board is a Asus P5E-VM HDMI with an Atheros L1 gigabit ethernet NIC running XP patched up. Router is a netgear wpn824v2, firmware version: V2.0.26_1.2.17NA.

So to outline the context:

1) My computer is connected via ethernet, I have switched ports and cables already.
2) My brother's computer next door is also connected via ethernet and he has no problems.
3) None of the wireless devices have issues.

When it drops, the desktop has no internet connectivity, pinging the router results in nothing happening. However, pinging my laptop does get me a response..likewise when I ping the desktop from my laptop i also get a response. Also, in the router interface, my desktop is still shown as being an "attached device".

My friend suggested I look for layer two connectivity through wireshark and seeing if ARP traffic is being responded to. However, even after some googling...there are more words I don't understand than I do and looking at the capture isn't shedding too much light right now.

If it relates any, we have been forced to power cycle the router every week or two because none of our wireless devices can connect to it. At this point, I'm somewhat inclined to believe the issue may be on my desktop's end and not my router...but I don't really know anything about networking.

I think I covered all of the details...

Thanks for reading and for any help anyone can offer.

edit: Also I'm doing a virus scan now fwiw.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Dunno if that version firmware you posted in up to date, but I'd try ensuring that
Latest drivers for that NIC?
Latest BIOS for your mobo? (I've actually seen that cure a few NIC related issues)
Disable "allow windows to power down this NIC..." in device properties
Different patch cable

If all else fails, try a decent NIC.. (sorry..I hate atheros network cards due to kajillions of wonky issues like this with them over the years with clients)

 

[gwai lo]

Was in the process of working through the updates (got to updating the BIOS) when I had to leave. Came back 12 hours later and everything was fixed (at least I can maintain a connection again).

ugh oh well. Thanks anyway

I'd replace the NIC cuz I've heard bad things about it, but it's an SFF board..so I don't have any open PCI slots. :|