Computer Problem

[ledzepp8]

Just wondering if anyone might be able to help me with this problem.

Why would me starting up my laptop cause my girlfriend's laptop to be kicked off the internet for a couple of minutes?

It just started doing it recently but seems to do it without fail.

Thanks...

[RShack]

Just wondering if anyone might be able to help me with this problem.

Why would me starting up my laptop cause my girlfriend's laptop to be kicked off the internet for a couple of minutes?

It just started doing it recently but seems to do it without fail.

Thanks...
Beats me... unless your laptop is being assigned the same local IP address that hers had, and then it takes hers a few minutes to get another one. What's assigning the local IP's? A wireless router that her modem plugs into, or the provider's modem? Do either of your machines have a particular IP specified for the wireless adaptor? Or are they both waiting for the local DNS server to give them one? Do you show up with a local IP left over from wherever you last connected someplace else? Might it be the same one that her machine had when you showed up?

If it was me, I'd (1) see what her local IP address is before you open your machine, then (2) see what your local IP address is after you connect, and then (3) see what local IP address she ends up having after all the dust settles and you're both connected at the same time...

[ledzepp8]

Beats me... unless your laptop is being assigned the same local IP address that hers had, and then it takes hers a few minutes to get another one. What's assigning the local IP's? A wireless router that her modem plugs into, or the provider's modem? Do either of your machines have a particular IP specified for the wireless adaptor? Or are they both waiting for the local DNS server to give them one? Do you show up with a local IP left over from wherever you last connected someplace else? Might it be the same one that her machine had when you showed up?

If it was me, I'd (1) see what her local IP address is before you open your machine, then (2) see what your local IP address is after you connect, and then (3) see what local IP address she ends up having after all the dust settles and you're both connected at the same time...

Well there's a wireless router and modem in the living room. Both laptops connect to the wireless router. I don't think either laptop has a particular IP specified for the wireless adapter. My laptop has only been in this apartment for the last few months and so it hasn't been connecting elsewhere.

As for the other stuff, I can't check what her IP address is right now because I'm unable to log onto it.

[padave44]

Reboot and check the firmware of the router. I've had similar problems with Linksys G routers. What kind is this?

I know it just does't make alot of sense. I thought my wife was crazy, saying she gets knocked off every time I get on.

dbh

[TyCobb]

I with rshack on this. I believe for whatever reason your wireless modem is putting your computer at the 1st local IP address even if another computer is on the network.

[RShack]

I with rshack on this. I believe for whatever reason your wireless modem is putting your computer at the 1st local IP address even if another computer is on the network.
If one of the computers never goes anywhere, you could assign its wireless adaptor an IP within whatever range the router is set to. Pick one at the upper end of the range. Then, the other one can get assigned one at the lower end. If it's IP stuff, that should fix it.

What confuses me is the part where hers gets knocked off for several minutes, not seconds. It it was the router doing it, I'd think it would be a lot faster than that. Which is what made me wonder if the IP's were coming from the provider through the router, and not from the router. I've got daisy-chained routers, with DNS turned off except at the first one. If I turn off DNS for all of them, I can make that happen here. Sometimes it will take the provider's mechanism a few minutes to give me a new one. It appears that they will assign me 4 IP's but no more...

[TyCobb]

If one of the computers never goes anywhere, you could assign its wireless adaptor an IP within whatever range the router is set to. Pick one at the upper end of the range. Then, the other one can get assigned one at the lower end. If it's IP stuff, that should fix it.

What confuses me is the part where hers gets knocked off for several minutes, not seconds. It it was the router doing it, I'd think it would be a lot faster than that. Which is what made me wonder if the IP's were coming from the provider through the router, and not from the router. I've got daisy-chained routers, with DNS turned off except at the first one. If I turn off DNS for all of them, I can make that happen here. Sometimes it will take the provider's mechanism a few minutes to give me a new one. It appears that they will assign me 4 IP's but no more...

The timing is odd.

[scOtt]

Reboot and check the firmware of the router. I've had similar problems with Linksys G routers. What kind is this?

I know it just does't make alot of sense. I thought my wife was crazy, saying she gets knocked off every time I get on.

dbh
This may be something. 5 or 6 years ago I bought a brand new Linksys router. But the firmware was about 3 years old. Don't ask me how to do it, I had a guy help me out.

[ledzepp8]

Reboot and check the firmware of the router. I've had similar problems with Linksys G routers. What kind is this?

I know it just does't make alot of sense. I thought my wife was crazy, saying she gets knocked off every time I get on.

dbhI'm not able to look right now but I'm pretty sure it's a DLink.


I with rshack on this. I believe for whatever reason your wireless modem is putting your computer at the 1st local IP address even if another computer is on the network.

Yeah that definitely makes sense. How do you go about fixing that?

[ledzepp8]

If one of the computers never goes anywhere, you could assign its wireless adaptor an IP within whatever range the router is set to. Pick one at the upper end of the range. Then, the other one can get assigned one at the lower end. If it's IP stuff, that should fix it.

What confuses me is the part where hers gets knocked off for several minutes, not seconds. It it was the router doing it, I'd think it would be a lot faster than that. Which is what made me wonder if the IP's were coming from the provider through the router, and not from the router. I've got daisy-chained routers, with DNS turned off except at the first one. If I turn off DNS for all of them, I can make that happen here. Sometimes it will take the provider's mechanism a few minutes to give me a new one. It appears that they will assign me 4 IP's but no more...

I may have overstated how long she gets kicked off. It's just enough time for her to realize she's been kicked off and reconnect it manually (or sometimes the PC does it automatically).

[TyCobb]

I'm not able to look right now but I'm pretty sure it's a DLink.



Yeah that definitely makes sense. How do you go about fixing that?

In network properties go to Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties. Make sure it Obtain an IP address automatically and Obtain DNS server address automatically. In Alternate Configuration make sure it has Automatic private IP address. Do that on both computers.

[ledzepp8]

In network properties go to Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties. Make sure it Obtain an IP address automatically and Obtain DNS server address automatically. In Alternate Configuration make sure it has Automatic private IP address. Do that on both computers.

That didn't seem to remedy the situation. Got any other tips Ty?

[RShack]

If it was me, I'd (1) see what her local IP address is before you open your machine, then (2) see what your local IP address is after you connect, and then (3) see what local IP address she ends up having after all the dust settles and you're both connected at the same time...
Did you do this to see what's what?

[ledzepp8]

Did you do this to see what's what?

I did but all I can find when I do it is the IP address for the router, so they both say the same thing. I suppose I'm lost...

[RShack]

I did but all I can find when I do it is the IP address for the router, so they both say the same thing. I suppose I'm lost...
If you can find your "Wireless Network Connection" in with Network stuff, a right-click should give you choices that include "Status", and clicking on that should show you a little window with various things in it (like Bytes received and Bytes sent). Once you're there, there ought to be a "Details" button, and clicking on it will show you more stuff, including the IP's addresses for each of: (a) the computer's local IP address, (b) the default gateway, (c) the DHCP server, and (d) a couple DNS servers.

If it was me, I'd make a note of all that stuff for (1) her computer when it's working fine before yours screws things up and knocks hers off, then (2) yours after you get on and knocks hers off, and (3) hers again after it's been knocked off and gotten back on. I'd be looking to see what the computer's local IP address is for each of those 3, especially to see if hers was any different before and after yours got on. (I'd also wanna make sure that all the rest of them (b, c, d) were identical for all 3 samples. They probably are, but it's free to check and make sure ;-)

[TyCobb]

That didn't seem to remedy the situation. Got any other tips Ty?

Try what rshack is telling you and report those local IPs.