Next up - info on wireless routers

[Kev Williams]

for the past week, at around 5pm every day, I loose access to the internet with my win8 computer. And ONLY my win8. Every other computer has no problem. The weird thing is, accessing the router from the win8, it tells me it's connected. The wireless on the computer says it's connected, the troubleshoot can't find any problems. But trying to download updates or get online with either IE or firefox results in zilch.

I'm using a Netgear WNDR4300, and it's pretty overworked I think. It's just an $80 router, and at any given time, between all the computers, Ooma, TV's, DVD's, phones and tablets there's at least 11 devices connected to it, and when the grandkids show up with their phones during working hours, 20+ connections isn't unusual. I just don't understand why only the win8 computer drops, unless it's a win8 security thing. Also, the home network access is not affected, only internet access.

The one common thing when this happens is, but only sometimes, is I can't log onto my cable modem from ANY computer.

The fix to get the win8 back online is to reboot the router. Then all is well till 5pm the next day.

FWIW, my Netgear router has both 3ghz and 5ghz connection options, but everything's connected to the 3ghz side, because I'm not sure what can or can't be connected to the 5ghz side. The win8 is the newest computer I'm using... Can all the "passive" stuff like TV's and DVD's be connected to the 5 side? I'm thinking maybe not because when searching for connection points, the 3 side comes up in the lists, but not the 5 side. I don't think it shows up on the win8 either, but I'd have to check. Just wondering if moving some traffic to the 5 side would help. Other than this win8 thing, I've never had any trouble with it at all (other than maybe some slow moving data I'm not really noticing)...

My 'average' network connections includes 2 TV's, 2 DVR's, the WII, 2 cell phones, 2 tablets and 9 computers. It's probably time I spend a couple $hundred on a decent router.

Googled reviews online, results are too vague to do me any good.

Thanks in advance!

[Jerome Stanek]

Is that the time it releases and renews the ip address

[Kev Williams]

Not sure, but I've tried release/renew manually a couple of times, had no effect.

[Chuck Wintle]

I loose access to the internet with my win8 computer. And ONLY my win8. Every other computer has no problem. The weird thing is, accessing the router from the win8, it tells me it's connected. The wireless on the computer says it's connected, the troubleshoot can't find any problems. But trying to download updates or get online with either IE or firefox results in zilch.

That statement suggest the issue may be with your computer rather than the router? is the computer connecting with wifi or is it connected by a lan cable?

[Chuck Wintle]

this is from another website...

Re: WNDR 4300 Dropping internet connection daily!
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‎2014-02-14 09:14 AM
No and the trouble was isolated to the router, not the modem/gateway or any specific application. Here is the final fix after working diligently with Tier 2 support:

I was having this same issue, even had Netgear RMA me a new router. When that didn't help I was all but ready to head to the nearest store and purchase something else, but got to work with Tier 2 support. They sent me a Beta firmware WNDR4300-V1.0.1.50_DB_speed_problem_v2 and so far all problems have cleared. Again this fix is still under test, but my router has been up and running for over 24 hours which never was the case before. Remember, this is a fix for those experiencing the router locking up and dropping all connections (LAN/WAN/Internet) and only a power cycle would clear the trouble, with it to return only hours later.

Found here https://community.netgear(dot)com

[Curt Harms]

If the only device losing connectivity is a Windows 8 machine, I'd look at the Windows 8 machine rather than the router. If other devices had issues at the same time I'd look at the router. I know bupkus about Windows 8 so no help there.

[Kev Williams]

Well, I hate Win8, and it doesn't surprise me that it's the only one affected. When it happens, all other computers function normally, Ooma works fine, the router functions normally, and when accessing the router with the win8 it states 'good internet' connection. The win8 will do everything else normally, just not connect to the internet!

Forgot to mention that my Ooma is connected to the modem IN FRONT OF the router, not behind it, and it functions as a router itself. It's in front so that phone call bandwidth is prioritized, and all other traffic is secondary. (If you put it behind the router, you get some pretty boinky twangy poppy sounding phone calls sometimes!) BUT, there's nothing the Ooma is doing wrong either that I can tell...

The win8 is wireless. I've tried disconnecting and reconnecting, disabling and re-enabling, the only thing that works is rebooting the router...?

And funny thing, since I posted this, I haven't lost the internet since... go figure!