Router problem.

[Soluzar]

Until recently, we were using a "no-name brand" combined ADSL Modem/router to access the internet, and it was giving us some trouble. It would frequently freeze up completely, and need to be reset before anyone could access the internet again. That would happen at least once a day.

So we got a new router. Since there's now a laptop (not mine) in the house, it seemed like time was right to go wireless, so we asked around our "technically inclined" friends for recommendations, and the name that kept coming up again and again was D-Link. We looked around online, and picked out a D-Link ADSL2+ modem/router combo. The model number is DLS-G624T if that helps at all.

Everything has connected up and configured without serious hassle, but the router has not been reliable. We keep losing the ability to connect to the internet, for no apparent reason

I've looked through the router's logs to find anythign that might resemble an error message, and here are some things I found.

Jan 1 20:27:38> bad diff in events, cl=880001 diff=3938700 now=3476963328 then=4294942720 j=3045874
Jan 1 21:01:45> Lost SIGCHLD, process iptables(20967) died
Jan 1 22:39:13> Lost SIGCHLD, process iptables(27683) died

The first of those two error messages is simply a representative sample of the millions of messages along those lines that occur in the log. I have no idea what it means. The numbers are different, but the message is the same. As you can see, the router will also not hold the system time properly. It also resets the WI-FI SSID to the default every time I have to reset it, which is distressingly frequent.

Help me out before I go insane, please? I'm begging here. I am entirely out of ideas, and I'm sick of resetting the connection every few hours.

[ryushe]

I honestly don't know anything about modem's and router's being a compuretard and all but try this Site (http://forum.theispguide.com/isp-ftopic236.html) out. It's isn't much help, but it worth a shot.

[HSaabedra]

Until recently, we were using a "no-name brand" combined ADSL Modem/router to access the internet, and it was giving us some trouble. It would frequently freeze up completely, and need to be reset before anyone could access the internet again. That would happen at least once a day.

So we got a new router. Since there's now a laptop (not mine) in the house, it seemed like time was right to go wireless, so we asked around our "technically inclined" friends for recommendations, and the name that kept coming up again and again was D-Link. We looked around online, and picked out a D-Link ADSL2+ modem/router combo. The model number is DLS-G624T if that helps at all.

Everything has connected up and configured without serious hassle, but the router has not been reliable. We keep losing the ability to connect to the internet, for no apparent reason

I've looked through the router's logs to find anythign that might resemble an error message, and here are some things I found.

Jan 1 20:27:38> bad diff in events, cl=880001 diff=3938700 now=3476963328 then=4294942720 j=3045874
Jan 1 21:01:45> Lost SIGCHLD, process iptables(20967) died
Jan 1 22:39:13> Lost SIGCHLD, process iptables(27683) died

The first of those two error messages is simply a representative sample of the millions of messages along those lines that occur in the log. I have no idea what it means. The numbers are different, but the message is the same. As you can see, the router will also not hold the system time properly. It also resets the WI-FI SSID to the default every time I have to reset it, which is distressingly frequent.

Help me out before I go insane, please? I'm begging here. I am entirely out of ideas, and I'm sick of resetting the connection every few hours.

The issue is with the router itself. If there is built in command prompt use it to manually config everything. It sounds like the unit itself has bad firmware from what you're saying about it not holding system time. If there is a firmware upgrade for it, apply it to the unit before anything else.

[Soluzar]

The issue is with the router itself. If there is built in command prompt use it to manually config everything. It sounds like the unit itself has bad firmware from what you're saying about it not holding system time. If there is a firmware upgrade for it, apply it to the unit before anything else.

Unfortunately, the firmware available from the net is the same version as the firmware that shipped with it, hence my complete and total lack of any concept of how to fix this. It seems to be a relatively new model. I don't thank them for making me a beta-tester. :(

[HSaabedra]

Unfortunately, the firmware available from the net is the same version as the firmware that shipped with it, hence my complete and total lack of any concept of how to fix this. It seems to be a relatively new model. I don't thank them for making me a beta-tester. :(
Damn, that sucks. Are you able to exchange the unit?

[Soluzar]

Damn, that sucks. Are you able to exchange the unit?
Probably. If memory serves, you were one of those who recommended D-Link. I don't blame anyone on that, if true, because I'm sure they make many excellent pieces of hardware. Are there other brands you'd recommend, or should I just look at a different model by D-Link?

[Danju]

Linksys routers are usually pretty good. I've gone through a couple different models and have never had any problems.

[Leader Desslock]

You might also contact your ISP and see if they have any known issues with that particular router. You can't be the first person who bought one and tried to connect to their service. If the problem is with the model of router and not a glitchy individual unit, they should know.

If it is a glitchy unit, you can just exchange it as 'defective'.

[HSaabedra]

Probably. If memory serves, you were one of those who recommended D-Link. I don't blame anyone on that, if true, because I'm sure they make many excellent pieces of hardware. Are there other brands you'd recommend, or should I just look at a different model by D-Link?
I personally would never recommend anyone use D-Link. I'm more of a Linksys person. See if you can find the WRT54GS Router, but if you need an all in one try a Linksys unit.

[Soluzar]

You might also contact your ISP and see if they have any known issues with that particular router. You can't be the first person who bought one and tried to connect to their service. If the problem is with the model of router and not a glitchy individual unit, they should know.
My ISP actually supply a very similar model to their new customers, if they choose to have a wireless router as part of the package. I'm reluctant to to bother contacting them, though, since they have farmed out all their tech support to foreign call centres who can't be relied upon to understand English, much less computers. They are a cheap ISP. Very.

If it is a glitchy unit, you can just exchange it as 'defective'.
Yeah, probably that is what I will have to do. I still have the previous router as a fallback.

I personally would never recommend anyone use D-Link. I'm more of a Linksys person. See if you can find the WRT54GS Router, but if you need an all in one try a Linksys unit.
Oh. Whoops. I really thought that the conversation we had in the IRC channel ended up as a unanimous deceision on D-Link. Perhaps I mistook the nature of the unanimity... >_<

[HSaabedra]

Hmm. At this point I would see if it could be exchanged. No worries, Soluzar. :)

[PaulR]

Hi

Router problem on D-link and disconnects.

Having exactly the same symptoms and bad diff message in my system. Dod you get a solution?

Paul

[VSh]

... picked out a D-Link ADSL2+ modem/router combo. The model number is DLS-G624T if that helps at all.

Isn't it DSL-G624T? Interesting animal... They don't sell it in America yet. With sources... Kernel version they used (2.4.17) is pretty old, but not bad. Though...

I've looked through the router's logs to find anythign that might resemble an error message, and here are some things I found.
Jan 1 20:27:38> bad diff in events, cl=880001 diff=3938700 now=3476963328 then=4294942720 j=3045874

There was such bug in kernel before 2.4.20.

They have some beta firmware on their support site (http://www.dlink.co.uk/?go=jN7uAYLx/oIJaWVTALoZU9f8nJUIKOZXTsyja/O31g24UoR/kP98f8p8PasSjUJRe0uKslItnv1+cM7k2KDlLUsY s+7f). Have you tried it?

Disable IPv6 on all computers in you local network. You don't need it yet, right? XP often installs it by default.

Don't bother about those "iptable died" messages - it's OK. iptable is user space tool to add rules into filter, nat, mangle tables.

As you can see, the router will also not hold the system time properly. It also resets the WI-FI SSID to the default every time I have to reset it, which is distressingly frequent.

It looks like some hardware problem (defective or absent battery or flash). Could be also software that write or read all those parameters back, but I think they tested it. Try to exchange the unit. If the 2nd has the same problems, get refund and try some another (Linksys?).

I personally would never recommend anyone use D-Link. I'm more of a Linksys person. See if you can find the WRT54GS Router, but if you need an all in one try a Linksys unit.

Modem/router is pretty complicated thing. They all have problems, and Linksys isn't exception either.

[Soluzar]

Isn't it DSL-G624T? Interesting animal... They don't sell it in America yet. With sources... Kernel version they used (2.4.17) is pretty old, but not bad. Though...
Yeah, you are quire correct. I made a typo in the router model number. It is in fact the DSL-G624T. How can you tell what kernel version they used? I must sound pretty stupid right now, but despite having knowledge of linux, I can't work out a way to discover that information.

There was such bug in kernel before 2.4.20.Would a firmware update include a kernel version upgrade?

They have some beta firmware on their support site (http://www.dlink.co.uk/?go=jN7uAYLx/oIJaWVTALoZU9f8nJUIKOZXTsyja/O31g24UoR/kP98f8p8PasSjUJRe0uKslItnv1+cM7k2KDlLUsY s+7f). Have you tried it?
Not yet, but I have managed to solve most of the problems. I found a tip on some tech support site that said the best way was to use a telnet script. I'd be lying if I said I even understand the script, but it solved everything.

192.168.0.1 23
WAIT "login:"
SEND "******\m"
WAIT "Password:"
SEND "******\m"
WAIT "#"
SEND "cd /proc/sys/net/ipv4/netfilter\m"
WAIT "#"
SEND "echo 2048 > ip_conntrack_max\m"
WAIT "#"
SEND "echo 50 > ip_conntrack_generic_timeout\m"
WAIT "#"
SEND "echo 5 > ip_conntrack_tcp_timeout_close\m"
WAIT "#"
SEND "echo 120 > ip_conntrack_tcp_timeout_close_wait\m"
WAIT "#"
SEND "echo 1200 > ip_conntrack_tcp_timeout_established\m"
WAIT "#"
SEND "echo 120 > ip_conntrack_tcp_timeout_fin_wait\m"
WAIT "#"
SEND "echo 60 > ip_conntrack_tcp_timeout_time_wait\m"
WAIT "#"
SEND "echo 10 > ip_conntrack_udp_timeout\m"
WAIT "#"
SEND "cd /\m"
WAIT "#"
SEND "exit\m"

It looks like some hardware problem (defective or absent battery or flash). Could be also software that write or read all those parameters back, but I think they tested it. Try to exchange the unit. If the 2nd has the same problems, get refund and try some another (Linksys?).
Since I've been able to make the problems pretty much go away, I've not been too concerned with replacing the unit. If I get another one, it will just have to be a straight purchase, not an exchange. I've had this router for like three months now.

Since it can now hold a connection pretty much indefinitely, I'm no longer concerned. :D

[The Million Dollar Prons]

Now you just need some SPEED.

[Samurai Drifter]

Return it. Get a Linksys router.

That is how to fix this problem.

[VSh]

How can you tell what kernel version they used?

There is sources. :)

Would a firmware update include a kernel version upgrade?

Who knows? But I don't think so.

Not yet, but I have managed to solve most of the problems. I found a tip on some tech support site that said the best way was to use a telnet script. I'd be lying if I said I even understand the script, but it solved everything.

192.168.0.1 23
WAIT "login:"
SEND "******\m"
WAIT "Password:"
SEND "******\m"
WAIT "#"
SEND "cd /proc/sys/net/ipv4/netfilter\m"
WAIT "#"
SEND "echo 2048 > ip_conntrack_max\m"
WAIT "#"
SEND "echo 50 > ip_conntrack_generic_timeout\m"
WAIT "#"
SEND "echo 5 > ip_conntrack_tcp_timeout_close\m"
WAIT "#"
SEND "echo 120 > ip_conntrack_tcp_timeout_close_wait\m"
WAIT "#"
SEND "echo 1200 > ip_conntrack_tcp_timeout_established\m"
WAIT "#"
SEND "echo 120 > ip_conntrack_tcp_timeout_fin_wait\m"
WAIT "#"
SEND "echo 60 > ip_conntrack_tcp_timeout_time_wait\m"
WAIT "#"
SEND "echo 10 > ip_conntrack_udp_timeout\m"
WAIT "#"
SEND "cd /\m"
WAIT "#"
SEND "exit\m"

Then ip_conntrack_max parameter looks as the main problem here. This is the maximum number of simultaneously opened connections. The device could run out of memory, if the number is too high. If you use P2P, 2048 could be too low also, in my opinion. If it so, try to find optimal number.

[VSh]

Return it. Get a Linksys router.

That is how to fix this problem.

They are also bad. Sometimes their routers have even more problems. There is no perfect criteria. Any is a little better than nothing. I liked this one (http://www.hdtv.engadget.com/2006/01/26/ask-engadget-whats-the-best-wireless-router/), for example:

My personal rule for buying computer stuff is: green is good, blue is bad. Linksys, Dell, Intel, etc. = blue logos. Averatec, AMD, Gateway, etc. = green logos. I've never had a problem with the green logo'd brands.
:naughty:

[HSaabedra]

They are also bad. Sometimes their routers have even more problems. There is no perfect criteria. Any is a little better than nothing. I liked this one (http://www.hdtv.engadget.com/2006/01/26/ask-engadget-whats-the-best-wireless-router/), for example:

My personal rule for buying computer stuff is: green is good, blue is bad. Linksys, Dell, Intel, etc. = blue logos. Averatec, AMD, Gateway, etc. = green logos. I've never had a problem with the green logo'd brands.
:naughty:

That's funny and true. :)