1.8.1.7-3 Progressive Connection Issues ?

[tomilius]

1.8.1.7-3 was working great for me for a while with WPA-PSK and TKIP. For a long while, actually. Then, earlier today, I started to notice a disturbance in the system tray. I didn't completely realize what it was until I had a process using up high cpu which slowed things down and allowed me to determine the wireless connection was having issues--again. Different than the 1.9.2.7 issue at first. Looking in the event viewer I can see evidence of the connection doing this...

Event Type: Information
Event Source: Tcpip
Event Category: None
Event ID: 4201
Description:
The system detected that network adapter <LOTS OF ADAPTER STUFF> was connected to the network, and has initiated normal operation over the network adapter.

Earlier today around 8 I noticed the same thing had occured in the event viewer and it appears my connection was dead for 20 minutes based on when it said it was disconnected and connected. Actually, the problem I just recently observed didn't show a disconnection until its finale, it just showed it disappear and reappear (the network icon in the system tray). At the finale, it had the typical 1.9.2.7 problem that I've mentioned before (Windows could not connect...). I wonder why this decided to happen? I've already rebooted it (unnecessarily I suppose) but any way I can troubleshoot it next time it happens? Any way I can see how many connections the router is tracking or something...

Also, I have a lot of custom iptables rules but I don't think that has anything to do with it (I could be wrong). I allow DHCP and all. I don't allow IGMP however...

I'm just at my wit's end here--it definitely lasts much longer than 1.9.2.7. I wonder if it's the WAN die thing.

I should probably also mention that throughout all of this the other wireless computer which, aside from being separated by a wall, is only separated by a meter or so, hasn't seemed to have as frequent of problems ... The main computer can't be more than 6 meters away and has a pretty clear shot, though. Signal strength is always great.

[Oleg]

Juest a guess - someone near you uses the same channel. Also, powering off device for ten minutes could help you as well.

[tomilius]

Thanks Oleg... I've been using channel 11, but channel 5 and 6 are in use next door. Again, everything was working quite perfectly for a long time. It was a sudden issue.

And thanks for the other advice--it has helped me before in a strange circumstance in which it seemed that I could only get a packet to the router once a second. At first I thought I set an iptables rule for it but.. eh.. it was just being weird. But all I had to do was repair my wireless connection (as with the old problem I've had) or just disable and re-enable it to get connectivity again. I'm not sure if that completely solved the problem because for some reason which I can't remember I felt the need to reboot the router. After that, at least, everything has been fine.

I just hope it doesn't happen again. I increased the number of connections to track to 8192, just in case.

And again, with 1.9.2.7(-3c), it would happen much, much more frequently. That's the first time it's ever happened to me with 1.8.1.7-3, the time I just mentioned.

UPDATE: Again, a loss of wireless connectivity. Nothing in the syslog pertaining to the issue (other than dhcp stuff which I believe occured AFTER the problem did, of course) and nothing special in the router log itself. This time I saw it disconnect and reconnect, but it only says in Event Viewer the same thing I mentioned before, that it had connected and resumed normal operation... this was after nearly 17 hours of uptime. Gee, it's just not stable with wireless, is it--no matter what firmware? I refuse to use anything but wireless as I bought the router for that reason alone.

For the record, the router is not rebooting--the wireless connection is reset at random times per wireless computer. In fact, the computer which now uses the ASUS WL-138g (mine has been using the Microsoft Wireless G USB 2.0 Adapter which freezes/reboots the other computer *cough*--I should report that I bought two and both exhibit the problem so I consider it to be the computer's problem for its USB 2.0 implementation) does not exhibit the problems as often--wait, actually, it's random. The other computer, according to its event log, had the problem twice, with approximately but not exactly a 30-minute duration between the problems. My computer did not have the problem at either of those times or at all for the that near-17 hours I mentioned.

I tried the latest 1.7.x.x custom firmware as well but it was unsuitable for my uses of the router and iptables; plus it had a few other problems. I think it may (I don't remember) have even had the same problem !

[tomilius]

Oh yeah... I ruled out WAN die by the way. I have the speed manually-set now and working well but the problem still occurs...

Once more, I plea for more suggestions from anyone who had and solved this problem (I've searched all over this forum and Google so please don't give me that anyone )

UPDATE: Hehe... great. Perfect. Now I'm forced to use cables because the cheap little plastic antenna unexpectedly broke. I'll try to get a new one tomorrow if they have any in this town.

[max2950]

Oh yeah... I ruled out WAN die by the way. I have the speed manually-set now and working well but the problem still occurs...

Once more, I plea for more suggestions from anyone who had and solved this problem (I've searched all over this forum and Google so please don't give me that anyone )

UPDATE: Hehe... great. Perfect. Now I'm forced to use cables because the cheap little plastic antenna unexpectedly broke. I'll try to get a new one tomorrow if they have any in this town.

Sounds like a stupid question, but maybe all your problems are caused by your broken antenna.....

[tomilius]

I sort of agree with that actually, max--not because the antenna is broken but because it's WEAK. I think that could be true. I always got a 5-bar signal strength, but I've read things about weak antennas having problems. It wasn't broken before, trust me . Anyway, I'm thinking maybe when I get a 6dBi antenna my previous problems will go away. It could happen! Perhaps the reason that other computer has fewer problems is because it's closer.

I'll know in probably a little over a week whether or not that's the case.

They did say they lowered the strength of something in the 1.9.2.7 changes... maybe that along with the antenna stinking could have caused it, because I think WEP may have had problems as well.

[max2950]

I'll know in probably a little over a week whether or not that's the case.

They did say they lowered the strength of something in the 1.9.2.7 changes... maybe that along with the antenna stinking could have caused it, because I think WEP may have had problems as well.

I was wondering why they lowered the power on 1.9.2.7 and this is going to affect forthcoming firmwares.....

[tomilius]

The new antenna is excellent--a great signal strength all the way.

It didn't solve anything.

So I'll be posting more in the other thread: "Windows could not connect to this network"...