Routers & problems with same.

Over the years I have had some problems with my Router. Or rather Router vs User problems. More the latter.

A couple of times I have had to go to the Router setup-Status-Local Net- Client Table and DELETE all. Then restart each machine.

Cause of need for this I believe was ( or may have been ) right at our Finger tips. And starting two machines at the SAME time. My wife hit her on button at the same time I did. Apparently the two may have been fighting over the same address. This is AFTER we have a power outage. Normally it is not problem because we very seldom turn both on so close together. And the addresss are already asigned anyway.

I have also had to do this ( at least once ) when we just had a short power dip ) but it did not go low enough to shute the machines down.

Also I have found that getting in a HURRY after starting a machine. And not giving the system(s) enough time to settle down after startup may add/cause problems.

I really never paid any attention till one day for some odd reason I was watching the Router lights. ( I usually turn the machine on and keep going on my way to my first cup of coffee )

By watching the little green lights I see that they blink for at least a minute ( if not more ) before they settle down. And doing anything before they settle down my well lead to problems. Maybe with the LAN and the WAN and even maybe confuse the OS.

One machine on two light blink. 2nd machine turned on 3rd light blink. 3 machine turned on 4 lights blink. 4th machine ( printer ) turned on 5 lights blink.

Now. I believe that what is being done is that all connection between the machines on the LAN and the WAN are being checked.

I have found that just because the Desktop shows up, the machine as a whole MAY NOT be ready to go. I think blinking lights say that also.

I have also found that if the Internet green light on the Router does not blink constantly there are problems somewhere. Mine was a LOOSE connection. It was not CLICKED in.

BillyBob

 

I really don't understand the problem but I will say a couple of things. This is probably not what you want to hear on how to solve your problem but here it goes. The lights on the router mean something and I'm sure this is covered in better details in the manual for the make and model of the router you have.

Usually if the LED is continusly lit it means it is properly connect to the device. It just means that the router is successfully connected to the corrosponding ports 1, 2, 3, and 4. If it is flickering then it is send and receiving packets.

You also mention about you beleived the two machines may have been fighting over the same address. This isn't a issue with DHCP. It is usually a problem when you assign a static ip address, and another machine uses the same ip. If that is the case, you'll know that. It will even tell you. Windows XP will even alert you in the taskbar saying so.

 

ecross

Thanks very much for the input. That is what I am after.

I mentioned that because it only happened when we turned two PC on approximately the same time. And I also had to shut one down and restart the other before things would work right. This may be odd and/or not supposed to be but, it did happen.

Agree.

Just for the giggles of it, I shutdown and restarted this machine. One other PC and the Printer were on. The lights sat here blinking for a bit. Stopped for a few seconds and then blinked more for a few seconds.

Would that be as you say them sending packets back and forth just checking things out ?

BillyBob

 

I just noticed something else that i had not seen ( or paid attention to ).

When I subbmitted my Reply I of course expected the lights for the machine and the Intenet to Blink

Why did the PRINTER light blink also ?

BillyBob

 

There are some LEDs that are constantly lit while others flicker. I assume the Intenet is constantly lit. If so, that is normal because it just means there is a proper connection to and from the cable modem and router. There is just a few of them that lit. Don't know why the PRINTER light came on, it is probably caused by something else but not your network connection.

 

You assume correctly. The only time the Internet blinks is when I am ( or someone else is ) actually on line.

Now I think that I have some CHECKING to do. I just noticed light activity when I was not actually on line ( like being here or the web in general )

Looks like I have something working in the background. As a wild guess I suspect either Windows Update or my AV program. They are the only two that are supposed to do that.

In the past I have learned and fixed a lot by watching the little green lights. That is how I caught some of my mistakes of allowing things to go online.

Watching the lights can also tell me if I have a good connection or not.

BillyBob