Problems with router channels

Greenlizard0 · 3 Jan 2009 at 18:58

Essentially I'm finding that everynow and again our internet connection drops. I then get 503 errors and the message that says "A page on the public Internet requests data from your private intranet. For security reasons, automatic access is blocked." :confused:

The only way that these problems subside is to change the channel the router broadcasts. I'm having to change it every hour or so. Inbetween however, the net functions fine at full speed with no other issues I can find.

I'm aware that sometimes router channels clash (e.g. from neighbours' equipment) but I've tried 5 other channels and the same thing keeps reoccuring. Have I been looking at this problem the wrong way by any chance?

wonko · 3 Jan 2009 at 21:41

Could you let us know a bit more about your setup? what sort of modem/router, how is it setup, what displays the message, are there any other PCs connected and are they affected, how do you know that the internet connection drops?
Initial guess is that it may be a firewall blocking traffic in response to a threat. I can't see how wireless channel and interference with neighbours could cause this, but maybe changing channel resets things and allows traffic through again.

Type_R · 3 Jan 2009 at 21:45

I have had issues where the channel has dictated whether the connection is strong enough to prevent being dropped and certainly interference from phones and the like can cause certain channels to work better in certain locations.

I would use netstumbler or kismac (MAC) to check what channels the neighbours are on and try and use a channel furthest away from those.

Greenlizard0 · 4 Jan 2009 at 20:56

Actually I think the problem may be a router issue. The lights for e.g. DSL etc., never stay on for longer than a few minutes. Chances are it's on its way out.

Tomc@T · 5 Jan 2009 at 07:29

Greenlizard0 said:
Actually I think the problem may be a router issue. The lights for e.g. DSL etc., never stay on for longer than a few minutes. Chances are it's on its way out.

Have you tried re-flashing the router to the latest firmware?

That *may* clear the issue, I did this to a mates Belkin router over Christmas, it did not want to play ball with the wireless security not accepting a security key and it worked out.

Greenlizard0 · 5 Jan 2009 at 17:00

I let the router cool down a little bit and it seems to work now. It wasn't overly hot but as a last resort I gave it a crack and left it for a half hour. It seems to be working fine akin to what it was before these problems arose. Very odd, but I'm going to flash it to the latest firmware anyway.