Networking & wireless: Netgear WGT624 Locks Up
Netgear WGT624 Locks Up
by SmokieUK - 9/10/05 2:41 AMHi
I've been searching for a very long time for an answer to my problem. I'm hoping someone here may have that answer. =o)
I have a Netgear WGT624v2 108Mbps wireless router. 2 PCs are connected wirelessly with Netgear WG311T PCI cards and 1 PC is connected wired to the router.
The problem is this: When viewing certain websites/pages over wireless, the router will lock-up. The router lights perform normal, even Windows (XP Pro and Home) remains ''connected'' but there's no connection. Wired PC can't connect, can't connect to the router's configuration pages, can't browse local network, it completely shuts everything out. All caused by simply trying to load a web page.
When viewing these sites/pages over wired however, the problem doesn't occur. It's only over wireless, on any PC, that the problem can happen. There are various sites that can cause this, so when viewing Google results chances are one of them will lock-up the router requiring a router reboot. You can only imagine how frustrating that is!
What's interesting is if I reboot the router and view a page I know causes this straight away, sometimes the page will load fine. If however I view a few pages first before the ''culprit'' page, it will definitely lock-up. Also, it's not specific to a DNS name but more a URL/website area. For example, www.bbc.co.uk works fine as does 99% of its pages, but www.bbc.co.uk/weather does not. That section will kill my router 99.99% of the time. There are other sites such as reporter.mozilla.org that will do the same thing and countless others.
Netgear support have been fantastic. I have a support rep who calls me at home and we try various things (testing with encryption off, various other router settings) and I've even been sent a new version of the router. A WGT624v3, which is much improved, still has the same problem!
Could it be a compatibility issue with my cable modem? I've never seen an issue like this before, have you?
Regards,
Craig.
Try another brand of router.
by Michael Geist - 9/10/05 4:55 AM In reply to: Netgear WGT624 Locks Up by SmokieUKI might also clean out those Temporary Internet pages as well as those cookies and clear the History file.
The firmware version?
by R. Proffitt
- 9/10/05 5:08 AM
In reply to: Netgear WGT624 Locks Up by SmokieUK
While I consider it much like a car maker delivering a busted car and asking you to do the final fix, the FIRMWARE on your new router is often out of date.
The maker's website should have the update and how to install it.
Bob
RE:
by SmokieUK - 9/10/05 11:13 AM In reply to: The firmware version? by R. Proffitt
Thanks for both replies.
Trying a different brand isn't a solution I'm afraid. My router uses proprietary methods to delivery 108Mbps. Else I'll have 108Mbps cards running at 54Mbps.
Cookies are not stored, cache is emptied when Firefox is closed, History isn't even stored (0 days setting). Not that I don't appreciate your reply but that's too obvious a solution and of course I've already tried it. Besides, the problem doesn't happen on wired, even with a full cache.
I keep the firmware up-to-date. In fact, at one point it seemed to improve on a few updates.
The firmware with the v3 model is up-to-date. It's only just hit the stores.
As a gesture Netgear have replaced my v2 with a v3. I've still got to work out this problem though.
Thanks again.
Same Problem
by SimpleDesign - 9/27/05 7:37 AM In reply to: RE: by SmokieUKI have the same issue, running the same router, but with the original v1 model. It often locks up, and the only fix is to manually reset the power. I've tried the same maintenance as well - firmware upgrades, cleaning out temp, cache, and cookie files, etc. Though it could be a specific problem with the 108 Mbps function, I've yet to find a solution.
It's dissapointing, but the only solution (if you want to maintain 108 Mbps) may be to upgrade to a new model, though there's no guarantee that you won't run into the same problem.
RE:
by SmokieUK - 9/29/05 11:04 PM In reply to: Same Problem by SimpleDesignI've tried different modes (Auto 108, 108 only, standard G (54Mbps)), various encryption options on and off, and it makes no difference.
There must be thousands of people with Netgear routers on the same ISP as me. I'm going to try my router and card on a friend's PC who has the same ISP as me and see if it works there. If it does, I'll have to try and get a new cable modem from my ISP... =o)
firmware again
by linkit - 9/29/05 11:31 PM In reply to: RE: by SmokieUKEven though the WGT624 v3 model just hit the stores, it may have been boxed months ago. Take a look at the firmware on Netgear.com. It looks like there is a "version 1.0.128_1.0.1". It was published on 15-SEP-2005 and includes 12 bug fixes.
On the other end, download the latest driver for the wireless network adapter.
Hope this helps!
Using latest
by SmokieUK - 9/30/05 10:54 AM In reply to: firmware again by linkitFor the passed year, I've always used the latest firmware. Even releases that aren't public yet and still no joy.
With regards to the cards, they're using the latest drivers too.
Thanks for your reply.
You are one patient person.
by R. Proffitt - 9/30/05 10:58 AM
In reply to: Using latest by SmokieUK
I would have returned it as defective.
RE:
by SmokieUK - 9/30/05 11:05 AM In reply to: You are one patient person. by R. Proffitt
I have already had it replaced once (the company I bought it from said it sounds faulty) but I was disappointed to find the problem was still there.
2 months of waiting for Netgear support to reply (lol) I get a personal phone call from one support tech who's currently trying his best to solve the problem.
We were hoping the version 3 (I had version 2) would be the fix, but we were wrong. Still, I got a nicer (more expensive too!) looking router as a replacement. It's still frustrating though... =o(
Have you called this in?
by R. Proffitt - 9/30/05 4:56 AM
In reply to: RE: by SmokieUK
Here's why. Another C|NET member did and was told a specific version of firmware to use. It cured their issue.
Sometimes you must ask mother.
Bob
? =o)
by SmokieUK - 9/30/05 11:02 AM In reply to: Have you called this in? by R. Proffitt
Called in to who? (Dumb question? lol)
This is why I posted my problem here, hoping someone had the same issue and a fix for it. It's quite a unique case, otherwise it would be known by Netgear.
There were a few previous versions of firmware that seemed to perform better -- but the problem was still there. That suggests a flaw in the firmware, but there's thousands of people who use Netgear routers on the same ISP as me. It would be known straight away if there was such a problem.
When I test it at my friend's house on his connection, if the result is fine, I'll ask for a new cable modem from my ISP. My current one is around 5 years old and the modems they ship now are completely different.
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