phenry
join:2003-06-05
Redmond, WA | [general] BEFW11S4 v4 - stalled connections I have had identical connection problems with two separate BEFW11S4 v4 routers, one of which was shipped to me by Linksys to replace the first one. Sometimes a connection with a site will simply stall, as if the site stops sending packets and doesn't try to resend them. This is most obvious with big downloads (HTTP or FTP): data traffic will stop, and the progress box in IE or Mozilla will just stop updating but not disappear. Sometimes the progress box will sit there for several minutes saying that 15 seconds remain in the download. I have also experienced this with streaming media and keep-alive type programs like AIM.
It doesn't kill my Internet connection; when something stalls I can instantly load a Web page or do anything else on the Internet. I just have a hard time staying connected to individual Internet sites for more than a few seconds at a time.
I've experienced the same problem with four(!) different computers running two different versions of Windows. It occurs on both wired and wireless connections. I've swapped out literally every conceivable link in the networking chain: different network adapters, different Ethernet cables, different power supplies, even two different DSL modems. I've talked with Linksys techs more than half a dozen times and done all the usual stuff with MTU settings, port triggering, hard resets, long resets, cycling the power, Block WAN Request, etc. Both routers came with the factory with the latest (and only) v4 firmware, 1.44.2 of April 16, 2003; nonetheless, I've flashed the firmware several times with no luck. Everything I've tried either doesn't work, or it appears to work for a while before the problem comes back.
Eventually the last Linksys tech I spoke to gave up and said to wait for the next firmware revision. But he also said he wasn't aware of this being an issue with other customers, so I'm not confident that the next firmware rev will even try to address this problem.
Right now my main computer is set up to bypass the router and connect to the DSL modem through an old hub, which really irritates me because I spent good money on the router and I don't feel I should have to bypass it just to get work done. I'm trying to decide if I should tough it out until the firmware rev comes out or just tell Linksys to send me a v3.2.
Has anyone else experienced this problem, and if so, have you found a solution? |
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| I was experiencing this exact problem on my Mac via the wireless connection to the BEFW11S4 v.4. However I changed wireless channels recently and did some test downloads and I haven't had it stall since then. I guess time will tell. |
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| i have exactly the same problem, with three computers using hard lines.
it works fine all three, but it stalls in long downloads. that problem seems to have gotten better, but more troubling is that i lose all three computers about once very 24 hours. turning the router off and on again fixes the problem for another day.
i notice that although two computers are now running fine, neither of them shows up in the DHCP clients table...
any comments?
andrew spence
ajs54@cornell.edu |
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yubi2
join:2003-05-22
Irvine, CA
| reply to phenry
I had the same problem on my Version 4. All downloads over a few MB and some web pages would stall. Downloads would usually stall after 300KB-1.5MB. I tried downloading files from different sites and it made no difference. I tried this on three different computers each running different versions of Windows -- XP Pro, W2K, and 98SE.
The problem occurred on both wired and wireless connection.
I spent quite a bit time troubleshooting the problem. I worked with Linksys quite a bit. They tried different things, but mostly had me playing with different MTU settings. Sometimes it seemed to help a little bit and I might go longer before stalling, but the problem never went away. They also had me re-flash the firmware with the same rev. since it is the only one released for version 4. Linksys said that they had no other reports of similar problems.
I did figure out something pretty interesting. If I cycled the power on the BEFW11S4, the first attempted download after coming back up would always be successful. I tried this many times, including some files over 100MB in size. However, after the first successful download, all subsequent downloads failed.
Linksys couldn't figure out the problem and recommended that I return the BEFW11S4 to the retailer. They felt that the unit was defective, although I think that it is more likely a bug in the firmware. I drive by their office nearly every day, and I offered to drop it off for them to check it out, but they weren't interested. Last week, I purchased a D-Link DI-614+ for $39 (after $20 rebate), and I returned the BEFW11S4.
I liked the BEFW11S4 otherwise. I thought it was really cool that I got one of the new version 4 units until I started to realize that I had a problem that was not going to be easily resolved. A friend of mine got a version 2 a few days earlier, and he's had no problems whatsoever.
[text was edited by author 2003-06-05 22:02:56] |
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| I have been having the same problems along with others, this is just unacceptable.
»BEFW11S4 v4 aim problems |
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| reply to phenry
I had the same experience with a befw11s4 v4 that I recently bought. The only solution I could find was to return it for a v3 (the store had both v3 and v4 versions on the shelf). |
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 smann
join:2001-02-04
Midlothian, VA | I have the same issue with the BEFW11S4 v4. I only seem to have the problem on the wireless portion of the router. Do you guys have the problem in general or just wireless? |
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| For mine, both connections would stall when I try to download any files. Both http and ftp protocols end up with unexpected hangup. Streaming video shows the same problem but the Windows Media Player automatically tries to reconnect the server and recovers the connection. |
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| reply to phenry
I also have the BEFW11S4 v4 and am getting the same issue on both wired and wireless. And have done just about the same as phenry to no avail, I even tried 2 seperate routers just like him... The only thing I have found to help a little is setting the MTU on the router between 1350 & 1390. This just elongates the time before the download/page hangs start.
I hope the Linksys is looking to find a solution to this quickly... but even their site has almost no info on the version 4, not even a picture. »www.linksys.com/products/product···44&grid= |
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| reply to phenry
I had the exact same problems. Returned the linksys and got a netgear. No problems now.
mike |
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| reply to phenry
I had the same problem with my V4. I found an old V2 model, and the problems went away.
Bill |
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 tklown
join:2000-09-17
Sayreville, NJ | reply to phenry
Same thing here with the v4, it's very annoying  Any fixes yet? |
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| reply to phenry
I got the same problem...no luck in getting FTP clients to work. |
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| reply to phenry
Just another comfirmation fo the same problems with the BEFW11S4 v4 router everyone seems to be having.
I've been through just about every MTU number possible and still the same ol stalling.
Even if Linksys comes out with a fix for this I dont think I'll be able to download it. LOL. |
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| reply to phenry
"it appears to work for a while before the problem comes back."
Thats a big ditto from me. All you posted I am getting also.
You think you its fixed and BAM back again. Spent 3-4 days on it....No longer.
Kurt |
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| oops, didn't see this post...please ignore my new post on this very same topic.
sorries
Yes! the same problem...and linksys techs are clueless on how to fix it. I don't know what to do. I don't want to return this for an earlier version.
Please, linksys, can't you fix this???
Geoff |
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| reply to phenry
try the new firmware posted here that should solve most of the problems, it did for me.
[text was edited by author 2003-06-29 16:33:20] |
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| reply to phenry
Go to the Linksys website, and update you firmware that just came out on 7-1-03. All of you stalled downloads will go away. |
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| Not only the problems did not go away, they became more frquent ;-( Now instead of stalling every 30 min., it does it every 2 min. ;-( I am getting ver. 3.2 from Linksys next week. If it does the same no more Linksys product ever for me.  |
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| i have v3.2 it does the same thing.
web pages hault
downloads do not finish
have tried mtu changes and firmware flashes
could not fix the prob
returned the router for my money back |
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