MrPete7
join:2005-05-08
Colorado Springs, CO | **Several** ActionTec GT-701WG issues resolved!As noted in another thread (»Actiontec 701-WG anyone still have problems?), some good info was found on a relatively new web page. I'm now confident that following the instructions below resolves several GT701 issues!
1) The modem will no longer lock up (due to what turns out to be traffic-related issues)
2) Data transfer speeds improve
3) The built-in web server is more responsive
4) The modem now serves ice cream. Your choice of vanilla or choc.
WHY is there such an improvement? Because (tested empirically), keeping the ip_conntrack table mostly-empty...
* allows the cpu to handle each packet much faster
* leaves a LOT more RAM free for other things (on my modem, I went from a hundred KB free to 5MB free!)
WHAT TO DO (for now, you must do this EVERY time the modem is reset):
Summary: reboot, quickly enter new parameters via telnet
1) Copy the following commands into your clipboard:
echo 8192 > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/netfilter/ip_conntrack_max
echo 3600 > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/netfilter/ip_conntrack_tcp_timeout_established
echo 60 > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/netfilter/ip_conntrack_tcp_timeout_close_wait
3) Login using your ActionTec WebAdmin id/pw (default: admin, admin)
4) type
reboot
and press enter
5) telnet again to 192.168.0.1 ASAP after the reboot
6) login again
7) Paste the previously copied commands into place
8) (To verify: type
cat /proc/net/ip_conntrack
...and press enter. You should get a very short list of connections, probably less than a dozen.
9) type
exit
...and press enter
[Why the reboot? This is one way to reset the modem, and can be done without physically touching it. You want those parameter adjustments to go in ASAP after a reboot. If you wait, some connections will be "stuck" in place, using up space and cpu time, for FIVE days!] |
|
 PixelFreakInnocent Until Proven Guilty
join:2001-02-21
Bremerton, WA | Bah, I refuse to use this firmware upgrade because option #4 (above) is not robust enough for my use.
I want vanilla/chocolate swirl and will accept no substitutes. Until then, you can keep your ActionTec. 
PixelFreak |
|
MrPete7
join:2005-05-08
Colorado Springs, CO | reply to MrPete7
Re: **Several** ActionTec GT-701WG issues resolved PixelFreak  I want vanilla/chocolate swirl and will accept no substitutes. Yeah... and I wanted Strawberry! 
Well, we're heading toward 24 hours with these parameters. The modem is working like a champ. No more stepping lightly around here, no sir!
Running multiple P2P apps wide open... each one with 50+ active connections...
Running (no good reason other than to beat on it) multiple simultaneous network monitoring tools...
Multiple in-house web servers...
Static IP's plus NAT'd private IP's...
It's all working just fine. This is on the 5.5 firmware, NOT the new soon-to-be-released firmware.
(Note: in »New firmware gt701-wg-qw04-3.60.2.0.6.3!!! it's been shown that the bugfix described above is NOT incorporated into the upcoming firmware. Unless they fix this before final release, you will still have to insert the above commands manually...)
Anyone found either:
* A situation where the modem falls over while running with these parameters
or
* A situation where you see a significant improvement from using the above parameters (other than lack-of-lockup)?
Thanks,
MrPete |
|
ssego
join:2002-01-06
Villisca, IA | reply to MrPete7
I have never experienced a lock up with my actiontec, and I have transfered over 400GB of data over bittorrent, 200 Down and 200 up. I also game frequently. And all the while my FreeBSD box hums away in the background handling email and ftp servers, and my gf browses and chats to her heart's content.
I'm not saying they are good modems... quite contrary.. BUT I have never had these problems some of you are facing. |
|
MrPete7
join:2005-05-08
Colorado Springs, CO | reply to MrPete7
I never had trouble either, until last week. Our modem was rock solid, no resets, from mid-February until then.
The difference? A process started accessing a blocked web server. Each access added another entry to the ip_conntrack table. Six accesses every five minutes. Add that up... in 14 hours, the table overflowed and the modem would die. |
|
|
|
| Just curious:
What is the ip_conntrack table? Does this fill up only if you have sites blocked in the modem? |
|
MrPete7
join:2005-05-08
Colorado Springs, CO | said by natureboy1:What is the ip_conntrack table? Does this fill up only if you have sites blocked in the modem? What is ip_conntrack?:
It is a table that tracks all current connections (thus allowing "stateful inspection".) You can see part of it (the not-stuck connections) from your modem's status pages.
Does it fill up based on sites blocked in my modem?
Sorry, I should have been more clear. NO, not blocked in YOUR modem. It fills up when connections get "stuck." Right now, the default is to maintain "stuck" connections for FIVE DAYS before dropping them. (That's the Linux default, and it's a really bad idea when you only have 16k of RAM total ;).)
The solution adjusts the tracking parameters so that "stuck" connections are only maintained for a very short time. This way even if your IP is attacked, your connection will be maintained.
What causes "stuck" connections?
That's a $65,536 question :). Please help add to the list of verified issues caused/solved by this! See below for simple instructions.
* One very reliable way to create them is to attempt a connection to an IP that's not responding at the far end. So far, I've seen it happen for outgoing HTTP (port 80), SSH (port 22) and SMTP (port 25) connections.
How do I discover what's causing the trouble on my network?
You need to have good basic Linux skills to do this (i.e. know how to use "telnet" and "cat", and understand about TCP/IP addresses and ports.) Just use the instructions at the top of this thread but substitute timeouts that can act as markers for "stuck" connections. One easy way to do that: use these commands instead of the last two shown above:
echo 999999 > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/netfilter/ip_conntrack_tcp_timeout_established
echo 999999 > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/netfilter/ip_conntrack_tcp_timeout_close_wait
cat /proc/net/ip_conntrack|grep \ 99
(This finds all connections with a timeout starting with 99)
Look for timeouts MUCH less than 999999 (i.e. 999800 or less.) Anything showing up is a connection that:
* Is either a supposedly-good connection or a connection waiting to close
* Has been in that state for more than 200 seconds
Now, some IP connections ARE maintained for more than a few minutes, such as SSH links. But based on your activity, you will know which ones are ok and which are bad.
(Remember to set back to good parameters when you are done testing!) |
|
| reply to MrPete7
Re: **Several** ActionTec GT-701WG issues resolved! My apologies for this question.
What/how do I "telnet"? |
|
dynodbPremium,VIP
join:2004-04-21
Minneapolis, MN | said by momgeek:
My apologies for this question.
What/how do I "telnet"?
How DARE you ask that question!
ha ha, just joking. Open a command prompt (DOS) window and type: telnet 192.168.0.1 |
|
MrPete7
join:2005-05-08
Colorado Springs, CO | reply to MrPete7
Re: **Several** ActionTec GT-701WG issues resolved An update: we've been running for over a week with these new settings in our GT-701 (and NOT new firmware.)
Everything has been 100% rock-solid the whole time. That means:
* Go through the process at the top of this page ONCE
* Keep your modem turned on 
* ... and you should be in good shape for a long time to come
Again, until further notice, this fix is necessary for many users no matter what rev level of the firmware you are running. |
|
 AthlGrondPremium,MVM
join:2002-04-25
Aurora, CO
 ·Comcast
| reply to dynodb
said by dynodb:Open a command prompt (DOS) window and type: telnet 192.168.0.1 Welcome to the wonderful world of the user friendly command prompt!
--
Save the whales. Collect the whole set. |
|
MrPete7
join:2005-05-08
Colorado Springs, CO | reply to dynodb
said by dynodb: Open a command prompt (DOS) window and type: telnet 192.168.0.1 I apologize for not having made that part clear. Since lots of folks have never heard of a "command prompt (DOS) window", let's make is SUPER easy.
The easiest way to telnet to your modem (if you use Windows) is:
a) Hold down the Windows key (has windows icon, is near your left Ctrl and Alt keys)
b) press 'R' (for Run). A small window will pop up
c) type "cmd" (without the quotes) and press enter
d) now you should see a new text window, with that infamous "C:\>" prompt.
e) follow dynodb's instruction: type "telnet 192.168.0.1" and press enter. You should now be prompted for a login id by your modem.
f) (after you are done with the modem, close the DOS window by clicking on the window-close X at the top right.) |
|
| LOL - actually if someone had said "command prompt" or DOS window I'd know exactly what you're talking about. Alas I still have a few old DOS commands rattling around in my old mom brain
Thanks for the replies!!  |
|
mmace1
join:2005-05-28
Springfield, OR | reply to MrPete7
Hi, sorry to ask this...but once I'm on the DOS prompt & logged in via Telnet, do I copy all those lines in at once and hit enter one by one? Or do I type run before each line, or do I just paste them all in at once? I ask because I've been having some trouble getting this to work, thanks! |
|
MrPete7
join:2005-05-08
Colorado Springs, CO | Hmmm...
Once you've successfully logged in via Telnet, you don't need to use "run" at all. Your "DOS prompt" window is connected to the modem. (Maybe think of it as a text mode browser window??!! )
So everything you type there is going straight into the modem.
Before pasting in the commands, you can press enter a few times to be sure the modem gives you its "command prompt".
Then, YES, you can copy all three lines and paste them at once. No need for extra "enter" or whatever.
When done, you should have the modem's command line prompt back. So then you type 'exit' (to the modem), press and you're out of the telnet software and back to the "DOS prompt."
Type 'exit' (and enter) again to leave the DOS prompt box. |
|
MrPete7
join:2005-05-08
Colorado Springs, CO | reply to MrPete7
Update:
We're closing in on a month of rock-solid uptime, no glitches of any kind when this patch is in place.
This bug/fix has now been reported to Qwest and escalated to ActionTec engineering. There was real interest (particularly among tech support folks who admitted they've been handling a lot of "why is it flaky" calls.)
Pete |
|
mmace1
join:2005-05-28
Springfield, OR | modem command prompt = "#" ...? Thanks:) |
|
mmace1
join:2005-05-28
Springfield, OR | reply to mmace1
modem command prompt = "#" ....? Thanks |
|
MrPete7
join:2005-05-08
Colorado Springs, CO | reply to mmace1
>...modem prompt...?
Yes. Mine looks like this:
BusyBox on dslmodem login: admin
Password:
BusyBox v0.61.pre (2004.07.16-20:31+0000) Built-in shell (ash)
Enter 'help' for a list of built-in commands.
# |
|
Brisk
join:2003-07-11
Colorado Springs, CO
2 edits | reply to MrPete7
I know of a problem that still isn't fixed.
The modem loses sync, and when it returns to sync it won't login. Not even a red light. Yes, auto-login is turned on.
The only remedy is to power cycle it, and when I do the modem loses all of this special linux programming.
On a seperate note, is there a way to put all of this into a script? |
|
