router lights on 24/7

Strange problem that maybe somebody has run into before or has a suggestion about. I have a LinkSys BEFSR41 router that has a LED light problem. With my XP system, the lights stay on all the time. Whether the system is off or on. The lights will blink off at shut down or restart, but come right back on. This just started a couple weeks ago. No new software or hardware has been added or removed for months. These are the things that I have tried. Some are obvious, but I listed them any ways.

A LinkSys tech suggested flashing the firmware, that did not help. If I pull the power cord from my system, the lights go off. If I unplug the router, obviously, the lights will go off. If I unplug the power cord form the modem, the lights stay on. If I turn the modem off, the lights stay on. If I switch port connections for the XP system, there is no change- the lights stay on. If I unplug the CAT5 cable from the router, the lights go off. If I unplug the CAT5 cable from the modem, the lights go off. If I unplug the CAT5 cable from the system, the lights go off. I have reset the router, with no change.

I'm at a loss here. Any suggestions?

Mike

 

Mike - based on what you've tried and the specific results, I'd say you almost have to be dealing with a bad patch cable from your PC to the Linksys device or possibly a bad connector on the NIC itself.

 

Where is the power shut off ?

At the Front panel of the PC. Or powered off at shutdown by Windows ?

Or at the Surge Supresser that feeds the PC.

Mine are one all the time as it and the modem are fed from and independent power source so all units can use it at any time.

BillyBob

 

That is standard procedure I believe. I can unplug any cable from any machine and the lights go out. Simply becasue the connection is broken. If you lok at the light on the NIC itself I think you see the same results when unplugging a cable

BillyBob

 

Newt,

I had wondered about the possibility of a bad cable, but was not sure what the chances were. May have to find me a new cable and try that.

Billy Bob,

I turn off the system from Windows. The only time I use the power button on the system is to start it up. I could try a different surge protector to see if that could be the cause. As I mentioned in my post, some of the things I listed were going to be obvious. I just wanted to list everything that I tried.

Thanks to both of you! I will try a couple things and get back to you.

Mike

 

I asked about the power to the Router because if if not powered there would be no lights. Bad cable or not.

Also the Nic has to be powered. Otherwise no lights.

I turn off the system from Windows

Is the power to the MB really being shut down or is it maybe going stadnby ?

As to the lights flickering at boot up.

That is normal also. If I have two machines on and then turn on the third all three connectins will flicker several times.

BillyBob

 

BillyBob,

This is a complete shut down. I do not use standby. Although I realize the lights will flicker, I just find it strange that they will not go off when the system is powered off. Thanks for helping.

Mike

 

I am not in anyway ruling out a bad cable.

This is what is puzzling me also.

But somehow, some way that NIC is maintaing power. And I think we need to find where it is coming from.

Bad cable. Bad PS. System is not doing as complete a shut down as you think. I don't know.

Do you have a switch on the PS itself that you could use to see if shutting it off after the system shut down turns the light out ?

BillyBob

 

Just testing I just hit the rest button and as long as I held the button the connection lights on the Router stayed out because the NIC was not Powered.

Actually I tested two things the lights and made sure that chkdsk ran after a bad shutdown.

BillyBob

 

BillyBob,

Unfortunately, no switch on the power supply. The best I can do is pull the cord. The lights will go off then. I'll probably get a cable tonight and try that.

If you have any other thoughts, fire away. I do appreciate them!

Mike

 

I am out of ideas at the moment.

But Friend suggested that I ask if the NIC was intergrated into the Motherboard or a plugin card ?

BillyBob

 

Okay, an update. The NIC card is a plugin card. It is what Charter installed when they set up the Internet. I tried a different cable and no luck.

Anything else to try?

Mike

Just tried updating the NIC card drivers from the SMC web site. Unfortunately, no difference. Would it help to enable XP's firewall?

 

OK. change cable does not fix.

On to the next question.

Where is the NIC getting power from ?

If it were not powered there would be no lights.

Why does the plug need to be pulled to kill the power to the NIC.

A thought;

If you use the power button on the front of the case to shut the machine down do the lights go out.

I have to hold mine in for 4-5 seconds before it shuts down.

BillyBob

 

BillyBob,

I used the button on the front of the system and it did not help. This is really wierd! As you say, the NIC card is getting power from somewhere. Do you think removing the card and reinstalling it would help?

Mike

 

I do not know if it would or not.

But If you do decide to try it make sure ALL power to the unit of OFF.

If you have it pluged into a surge supressor shut it off there. DO NOT just pull the power cable from the unit. You want the unit grounded while messing with it.

I am sorry to have to say this to you but, I AM out of ideas.

BillyBob

 

I just treid something.

I did a Start ~ Turn off Compter.

Select Shutdown from the resulting screen.

The Connection light on the Router for this machine went out for a few seconds and came right back on.

Then got the Ok to shut machine down. Shut Master switch off. Lights out.

So From this I am thinking that when you shut down Windows from within Windows it only shuts down Windows.

You might want to watch for this when you shut down.

BillyBob

 

BillyBob,

I will hold off on reinstalling the card for now. The way you shut down is the same as me. The only exception is that I don't get the option to hit the master switch. When I click Shutdown, I turn the monitor off and leave the room. I can hear the power go off before I get out of the room. I will have to watch it next time I shutdown. The only thing is that this is the way I have always shutdown the system and the lights went off before.

Thanks for the continued thoughts!

Mike

 

IF

You select Start~turn off Computer

Select shutdown

You show get various messages about Windows shutting down

Then a message saying it OK to turn off you Computer should come up.

If the message is not coming up then there may be something else wrong.

I don't think it should make any difference but are you shutting the monitor off too quickly ?

When the last message comes up I just shut the switch on the surge supresser off and it kills both the PC and the monitor.

The Modem and the Router are left on as one of the other PCs might need it.

I am finding out that you can not get in a hurry with XP. Gotta wait for it sometimes.

BillyBob

 

Well guys, I will jump in here with what happens to my system using a D-Link router. My main machine (98se) is off the light is on steady, my "new" laptop (xp) is off the light is on steady. My "old" laptop (98se) is off the light was off! I have a cable modem so the wan light is always blinking rapidly. Go figure!
Gene

 

Just my 2 cents.....

All my machines have Wake on Lan (WOL) capability - if I choose in the BIOS to allow that feature then when I shut down the machine my NIC light and the associated port light on the router remain lit. IF I disable the feature then the lights on both devices go out at shutdown.

I have read that if Wake on Lan is enabled the motherboard keeps the NIC in a 'sleeping' but energized state. This energized state allows it receive a 'wake up' packet from somewhere else on the network and start the computer up.

Essentially, unless the power swich (if present) on the PC power supply is turned OFF ATX motherboards have a 5 volt charge on the motherboard at all times they are plugged into an AC wall outlet. This allows remote tools such as WOL to work.

So even when Windows shuts the machine down - it is not truly off - a 5 Volt charge remains - unless you unplug or, as BillyBob does, use a surge protector to physically cut the power.

My question would be is Wake on PCI Card or something similar enabled in the BIOS of the offending machine?

Respectfully,

ICE