Belkin Router Vista Problem (a real mystery)

[lhassi]

Hey,

I have a netwroking issue, which is driving me crazy, and I have no idea what is causing the problem. Just wrote a long message to belking online support, but their server crashed and it was all lost...a curse at work here?

Anyway, on to the issue itself. I have at home a Belking G+ Router (F5D7231-4 v.2001uk). The router works fine for my housemates, all who have XP, they are connected both through wireless and cable. However, I have an HP laptop with Vista (Home Premium, 32bit) and there seems to be a compatability issue between these two, it does not recognise the router. The connection does not show at all on the "available wireless connections" window (even when I am right next to the router) and when you connect using an ethernet cable, there is nothing but an "unidentified" conenction, just local.

When I connect straight to the modem (with the same cable) it connects to the internet. As soon as you put this router between the two, nothing seems to happen.

My wireless and cable connection works fine everywhere else, so there is definitely something wrong with this particular coming together of the Belkin router and my computer. Yes? Do you guys know what the issue could be?

The Belkin/Vista Support table ( http://www.belkin.com/support/vista/ )
lists two routers that "do not work" with vista. Now, my router model F5D7231-4 v.2001uk is very close to the one that does not work, but it is not quite that one. IS this still the issue? This is what I tried to ask Belkin, but as I said I did not get through!

Help would be appreciated...I can not figure this out at all, and I am not that skilled in networking.

Thank you everyone,

Lauri

[johnwill]

First off, I'd upgrade the router's firmware to the latest version. There are issues with older routers and Vista.

Next, see if this fix helps you: Vista Can't obtain IP address from some DHCP Servers

[amandaash]

I had a similar problem and could find no reasonable solution. However, I believe I tried a Trendnet router and it worked fine. Later when fiddling with the issue I found that I could log on when I changed the security from WEP to WPA. I do not know for sure why it worked but it did. In my case a direct network connection worked. HP was unable to help otherwise. Hope this may work for you.

[lhassi]

Thanks both of you for the help...

However, something has happened that probably brings new light into the whole conundrum I am having.

I connected straight to the modem last night and got connected to internet. Then afterwards I connected the modem to the router again, and this time, the Wifi worked for my vista computer...very strange, BUT it did not work for very long.

The only thing that I did that could have caused any change is that I restored the factory settings for the belkin router. i also tried to change the MTU to 1400 (using CMD), but i think i managed only to change the bluetooth MTU and not the wireless MTU...eh? During the time I was connected I also updated the firmware on the router (the new pre-release version from Belkin), so that should be fine now.

The connection does not work now, for some reason. It gets connected for a very short time, during which it is extremely slow, even loading the router setup page is very very slow. Then it disconnects and the connection is only "Local".

The wireless connection is unsecured, so amandaash's points do no really apply here. Have you any idea what could be causing this problem? Could I give more infromation to paint a clearer picture of the scenario? could this be a MTU issue...the connection is set to Dynamic. Could this be a problem with the Broadcast flag, as johnwill suggests? i did not try that fix yet, should I? It did get the IP, as I was connected for a little while.

Thank you people,

Lauri

[BMR777]

1. When you put the router between the PC and the modem and you go to Start > Run , type "cmd" w/o the quotes and then type "ipconfig" w/o the quotes, what do you get? Please post that here.

2. Does the router's wireless have acceleration or anything else enabled? Most of these G+ routers have something that tries to boost the signal or speed the connection up but this can cause connection issues for older wireless hardware or wireless hardware from another manufacturer w/o speed boosting technology. From a working PC log in to the router's admin panel and make sure that any acceleration is off.

BMR777

[lhassi]

Hello anf thank you for the help,

i am now once again connected to the internet through the router and computer which are giving me the trouble! It seems like it connects pretty much randomly, or atleast I can not come up with a solution or idea why it is acting like it is.

It will probably disconnect anytime now, and only be seen as "local" connection, but wiht no internet. The wireless signal itself if strong at all times.

The router is using a "turbo mode" of 125 G Plus mode. Should I get rid of that?

HERE is the ipconfig log (as i said the computer is connected to the internet using the the Belkin at this time):

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Belkin
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::b05e:bfff:ef54:2b2%11
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.4
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1

Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 6:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 7:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 10:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 11:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 12:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:4136:e390:3ca8:31f0:3f57:fdfb
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::3ca8:31f0:3f57:fdfb%12
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 13:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Belkin
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::5efe:192.168.2.4%22
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

[johnwill]

I would most certainly disable everything but plain 802.11g and see if that helps. This is a pretty common issue with various "turbo" modes.

[lhassi]

Alright, i have now disabled the turbo functions on the router, and as off still i am connected throught the router and the computer that were giving me serious issues before.

I hope this has now solved my problem, if the same problems (random disconnecting and only local connection) still arise I will post further details here, in asking more help.

Thank you for all the help I have been given, good to know such a forum is out here!

Thanks!!

Lauri

[johnwill]

Let us know if this does the trick for you.

[lhassi]

Ok, I am back.

That did not do the trick, unfortunately. The problems are still there. What is happening now is that I can not even see the wireless connection available most of the time (when I do the signal in strong), and when the connection is visible and available to the Belkin router, my vista computer does not connect to it. It says unable to connect, and that is it. A few times it has connected for a short while, but only to have "limited connectivity". Such random behaviour really has me lost here...

Also, and this is new now , this message has appeared next to the wireless connection when it has been visible, once or twice now:
“The capability of your network adapter does not meet the requirements of this network”

This is what the ipconfig looks like when connected with “Limited connectivity”

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::b05e:bfff:ef54:2b2%11
Autoconfiguration IPv4 Address. . : 169.254.2.178
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 6:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 7:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 10:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 11:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 12:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 13:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

I'm lost here. I think I might have to get a new router, just to be rid of this here cursed one. I can pick up a neighborough's wi-fi (unsecured) and I can connect to that just fine, when I do happen to pick it up.

[johnwill]

I think the Belkin router has some issues, this problem keeps coming back.

[lhassi]

Ok, Yeah I think I have to get a new router.

Anyway, here are still the ip config lists the first one is for "Local" and the second is for when it is actually connected to the internet (rare and for about 3 minutes)

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Belkin
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::b05e:bfff:ef54:2b2%11
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.4
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1

Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 6:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 10:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 11:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 12:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 13:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

C:\Users\Lar>ipconfig

Windows IP Configuration


Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Belkin
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::b05e:bfff:ef54:2b2%11
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.4
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1

Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 6:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 7:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Belkin
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::5efe:192.168.2.4%16
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 10:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 11:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 12:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:4136:e388:1c54:c0b:3f57:fdfb
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::1c54:c0b:3f57:fdfb%12
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 13:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :


Any suggestions? Other than getting a new router?

[johnwill]

None that spring to mind. :)

[johnwill]

Changes that may help to increase the compatibility of Vista with older networking devices:



Disable the IP Helper service:

1. Go to Start and type in "services.msc" (without the quotes) and press Enter
2. Scroll down to the IP Helper service, right click on it and select Properties
3. In the dropdown box that says "Automatic" or "Manual", set it to Disabled and then click on "Apply"
4. Then click on "Stop" to stop the service from running in the current session
5. Click OK to exit the dialog



Disable IPv6:

1. Go to Start and type in "ncpa.cpl" (without the quotes) and press Enter
2. Right click on each network connection and select "Properties"
3. Remove the checkmark from the box next to "Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)
4. Click OK to exit the dialog

NOTE: You should do this for each network connection.



Disable the DHCP Broadcast Flag:

Link: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/928233

1. Go to Start and type in "regedit" (without the quotes) and press Enter.
2. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\Interfaces\{GUID}
In this registry path, click the (GUID) subkey that corresponds to the network adapter that is connected to the network.
3. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD (32-bit) Value.
4. In the New Value #1 box, type DhcpConnDisableBcastFlagToggle, and then press ENTER.
5. Right-click DhcpConnDisableBcastFlagToggle, and then click Modify.
6. In the Value data box, type 1, and then click OK.
7. Close Registry Editor.

NOTE: You should do this for each and every GUID subkey.



The only program I'm aware of that currently relies on IPv6 is the new Windows Meeting Space. The first 2 changes will cause that program not to work - but will leave all of your normal (IPv4) connections unaffected. If it causes problems that you can't overcome, simply revert back to the original settings.