Wife's work laptop cutting router connection

[smarty156]

I've been having problems with the router (7800N) intermittently losing connection with my home Windows 7 HP laptop.
It seems to occur when my wife is also connected to the network, usually by cable and I'm using wifi. Tonight I kept losing the connection until she unplugged then after that it seemed to be fine. When I did lose connection I just removed the usb wifi adapter I'm using and plug it back in again and it reconnects. If I'm using a cable it also does it and I just unplug the cable and plug back in again to restore it.
Signal strength on wireless is very good. Everything on home laptop has latest drivers and I'm now using the latest version of the firmware for the router.
Any ideas what could be causing it and how to stop it disconnecting? It's getting really annoying. Thought it was the router bht all settings fine, signal good and I get a nice fast 17mb internet connection with TalkTalk (we're just round the corner from an exchange).
Help please!

[Tomken]

Check the DHCP Table and System Log for any IP conflict.

[smarty156]

Ok. I'll check later.
Assuming it's an IP issue, would I be right in thinking I'll have to try fixed IP addresses?

Could it be that something in the security of my wife's laptop causes the router to think it's being "attacked" and so it shuts the connections to the network down? (Not sure if it works like that?)

[Tomken]

Depending on what is shown in the DHCP Table or System Log, then it could be an IP conflict and you may have to assign a static IP to one of the machines.

Even though you will have factory reset the router when you upgraded the firmware, a power cycle with everything switched off and unplugged for a couple of mins may help.

Switch the router back on and allow it to initialize with all lights on then connect and switch just your wife's computer on and then your own, to see if there's still a conflict.

When your wife's computer is switched on, does she disconnect the WiFi at the System Tray when running wired ?

[smarty156]

OK. Here's the DHCP table:
Leased Table
IP Address MAC Address Client Host Name Register Information
192.168.1.108 ec:1a:59:63:8e:d1 Laptop-HP Remains 23:45:09
192.168.1.110 f0f1:45:ae:e8 L110862 Remains 22:25:31
192.168.1.106 cc:7e:e7:2f:ae:7d COM-MID1 Remains 21:44:29
192.168.1.104 5c:0a:5b:d5:b9:70 android-e0e105cc6f2ed5d5 Remains 21:28:02
192.168.1.103 00:19:fb:43:1c:ba Remains 20:02:02
192.168.1.100 00:10:75:28:74:02 Remains 19:47:48
192.168.1.102 20:02:af:02:18:2e android-730a025409360665 Remains 19:19:36
192.168.1.109 18:3d:a2:19:63:7c L110862 Remains 17:56:51
192.168.1.107 e0:b9:ba:02:2e:75 iPad Remains 15:02:53
192.168.1.105 00:0e:58:a5:f5:da SonosZP Remains 12:32:42
192.168.1.101 2c:41:38:5d:a0:37 Laptop-HP Expired

Here's the SYSLOG from last night when things were disconnecting all the time:
May 10 20:12:09 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.110
May 10 20:12:12 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.110
May 10 20:16:36 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.108
May 10 20:16:39 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.108
May 10 20:18:49 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.108
May 10 20:18:52 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.108
May 10 20:20:04 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.108
May 10 20:20:07 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.108
May 10 20:31:33 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP request from ec:1a:59:63:8e:d1
May 10 20:31:33 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP ack to ec:1a:59:63:8e:d1
May 10 20:36:38 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP request from ec:1a:59:63:8e:d1
May 10 20:36:38 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP ack to ec:1a:59:63:8e:d1
May 10 20:40:10 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP request from ec:1a:59:63:8e:d1
May 10 20:40:10 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP ack to ec:1a:59:63:8e:d1
May 10 20:40:19 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.108
May 10 20:40:20 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.108
May 10 20:40:35 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.110
May 10 20:40:38 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.110
May 10 21:05:55 syslog -- MARK --
May 10 21:17:22 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP request from 00:10:75:28:74:02
May 10 21:17:22 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP ack to 00:10:75:28:74:02
May 10 21:22:04 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP request from 18:3d:a2:19:63:7c
May 10 21:22:04 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP ack to 18:3d:a2:19:63:7c
May 10 21:22:04 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.109
May 10 21:22:04 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP request from 18:3d:a2:19:63:7c
May 10 21:22:04 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP ack to 18:3d:a2:19:63:7c
May 10 21:24:37 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.109
May 10 21:24:40 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.109
May 10 21:27:37 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.109
May 10 21:27:41 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.109
May 10 21:39:08 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP request from ec:1a:59:63:8e:d1
May 10 21:39:08 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP ack to ec:1a:59:63:8e:d1
May 10 22:05:55 syslog -- MARK --
May 10 22:55:26 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP request from 00:0e:58:a5:f5:da
May 10 22:55:26 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP ack to 00:0e:58:a5:f5:da
May 10 23:05:55 syslog -- MARK --
May 10 23:39:33 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP request from 5c:0a:5b:d5:b9:70
May 10 23:39:33 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP ack to 5c:0a:5b:d5:b9:70
May 10 23:49:56 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP request from 00:19:fb:43:1c:ba
May 10 23:49:56 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP ack to 00:19:fb:43:1c:ba
May 11 00:05:55 syslog -- MARK --


And here's from tonight when it disconnected me on wireless:
May 11 21:05:55 syslog -- MARK --
May 11 21:17:57 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.110
May 11 21:18:00 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.110
May 11 21:19:13 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.110
May 11 21:19:16 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.110
May 11 21:46:33 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPDISCOVER from ec:1a:59:63:8e:d1 via br0
May 11 21:46:34 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP offer to ec:1a:59:63:8e:d1
May 11 21:46:34 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP request from ec:1a:59:63:8e:d1
May 11 21:46:34 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP ack to ec:1a:59:63:8e:d1
May 11 21:46:56 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.108
May 11 21:46:59 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.108
May 11 21:48:20 user syslog: web: ::ffff:192.168.1.108 login
May 11 21:50:06 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.108
May 11 21:50:09 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.108
May 11 21:51:08 user syslog: ethctl eth0 vport query 2>/var/vcfgerr
May 11 21:51:08 user syslog: rm /var/vcfgerr
May 11 21:51:08 user syslog: ethctl eth1 vport query 2>/var/vcfgerr
May 11 21:51:08 user syslog: rm /var/vcfgerr
May 11 21:54:27 user syslog: ethctl eth0 vport query 2>/var/vcfgerr
May 11 21:54:27 user syslog: rm /var/vcfgerr
May 11 21:54:27 user syslog: ethctl eth1 vport query 2>/var/vcfgerr
May 11 21:54:27 user syslog: rm /var/vcfgerr
May 11 21:54:33 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.108
May 11 21:54:36 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.108
May 11 21:56:56 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.108
May 11 21:56:59 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.108
May 11 22:01:29 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP request from ec:1a:59:63:8e:d1
May 11 22:01:29 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP ack to ec:1a:59:63:8e:d1
May 11 22:01:31 user syslog: web: logout (timeout)
May 11 22:01:34 user syslog: web: ::ffff:192.168.1.108 login
May 11 22:05:55 syslog -- MARK --

My wife is using her work (Lenovo) laptop now on a cable via a homeplug. When she connects the cable it doesn't connect the wireless (or automatically disconnects the wireless) whereas with our home laptop, it automatically connects to the wireless and plugging the cable in doesn't switch the wireless off. You have to manually disconnect the wireless at which point it connects the cable.

I have no idea what the DHCP table or SYSLOG are showing and any help will be gratefully received before I give up and buy a new (different make) router.

When I woke up this morning my phone had also lost the wireless and I had to manually connect that again. We both have Samsung Galaxy S3s (android) always connected via wireless and an iPad always connected via wireless.
As I was typing this I lost the wireless again, firstly it said no network access and then next time I hovered over the exclamation mark on the wireless signal it said no internet access. I just checked the lights on the router and all are still green. My wife is also still connected fine on the homeplug. Maybe it's our home computer and not her work one causing it?

This is the SYSLOG at the time I lost connection:
May 11 22:22:38 user syslog: web: logout (timeout)
May 11 22:22:39 user syslog: web: ::ffff:192.168.1.108 login
May 11 22:32:32 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP request from ec:1a:59:63:8e:d1
May 11 22:32:32 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP ack to ec:1a:59:63:8e:d1
May 11 22:34:27 user syslog: web: logout (timeout)
May 11 22:34:29 user syslog: web: ::ffff:192.168.1.108 login

In case it helps, here's my ADSL stats:
Parameters
DSP Firmware Version A2pB025f.d22k
DMT Status No Defect
Operational Mode ADSL2+
Upstream 1020
Downstream 17764
SNR Margin(Upstream) 12.7
SNR Margin(Downstream) 6.0
Line Attenuation(Upstream) 9.3
Line Attenuation(Downstream) 18.0

[Tomken]

The DHCP Table and System log look fine as far as I can tell (billion_fan will be able to better advise on Monday) but you seem to have a mixture of faults with your home computer when it is disconnecting both wired and wireless while your wife's laptop and the other devices maintain their connections on the whole.

Is there any particular reason why you are using an USB Wireless adapter rather than the on board wireless adapter in your HP and have you disabled that one ?

Not sure if these cmds from the cmd prompt as an administrator would help, but you could wire up and try them - pressing Enter after each.

netsh winsock reset catalog
netsh int ipv4 reset reset.log
netsh int ipv6 reset reset.log
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /registerdns
ipconfig /renew
exit

Then reboot.

[smarty156]

Thanks for the response.
The trouble is, it seems a bit hit and miss as to whether all connected devices have an issue or just the home laptop on wireless. Certainly over the last few days the wireless disconnections have got a LOT worse. Strangely, on Wednesday or Thursday night, I was using the home laptop on wireless the whole evening surfing and backing up CDs etc and didn't have a disconnection at all. Since then it's been really bad and I haven't changed a thing! Not changed any settings whatsoever.

When it does lose the connection on wireless it still shows that I have a wireless connection to the AP with excellent signal strength but I can't access the Internet or my NAS. The Internet remains connected from the router.
I have had times when it does the same on our phones too and each time just disconnecting and reconnecting fixes it, sometimes for hours sometimes for a few seconds.

The reason for using the USB wireless adapter is that the built in one is an Intel Centrino 1030 N which wasn't getting a very good signal and nothing at all using n, only g. Whenever I tried to get it connecting using n it either couldn't find a signal or it wouldn't connect (authentication issues). I looked online and saw it wasn't a very good adapter so to resolve my problems I bought an N300 USB adapter. The signal is now much better and I can connect faster, every time. I have disabled the on board one.

I do think there are some wireless interference issues here as well as if I select channel 1 I can't see any signal or it drops in and out, even if I'm sat by the router. I used InSSIDer and WifiAnalyzer and found channel 11 pretty free so I'm using that. Strangely it also shows channel 1 pretty free too.

It seems all the devices are connecting ok to the router but it suddenly decides to block them connecting to other devices attached to the router (the NAS) and the Internet. Maybe the router bit itself (I.e. not the modem or the wireless) is faulty?
Any way to test that theory?

After running those cmds you say to reboot, is that the router or the laptop (or both)?

[smarty156]

UPDATE:
My wife was just doing some work using her work laptop conncted by cable to a homeplug. She was just disconnected from the network but then her laptop automatically reconnected.
I wasn't using our home laptop at all at the time and it was switched off.
Here's a copy of the SYSLOG at the time of the disconnection:
May 12 20:22:45 syslog -- MARK --
May 12 20:27:58 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.110
May 12 20:28:01 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.110
May 12 20:35:05 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP request from ac:72:89:a2:6c:0f
May 12 20:35:05 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP ack to ac:72:89:a2:6c:0f
May 12 20:35:08 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.111
May 12 20:35:11 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.111
May 12 20:35:12 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPDISCOVER from cc:7e:e7:2f:ae:7d via br0
May 12 20:35:13 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP offer to cc:7e:e7:2f:ae:7d
May 12 20:35:13 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP request from cc:7e:e7:2f:ae:7d
May 12 20:35:13 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCP ack to cc:7e:e7:2f:ae:7d
May 12 20:36:28 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.111
May 12 20:36:31 daemon DHCP SERVER: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.1.111
May 12 20:36:49 user syslog: web: ::ffff:192.168.1.111 login

[Tomken]

It's just the computer the cmds were done on that you reboot as the responses to the cmds gave for them to effect, but rather than do it after each one, you just reboot after entering all of them.

billion_fan will be better able to address any queries as to the serviceability of the router.

If the 7800N is connected to a separate modem, then connecting a computer directly to that to see if the DCs continue and if so, would point to either that or an intermittent line fault as your wife is experiencing DCs now, but if the connection remains stable - then that would make the router suspect.

Have you tried a power cycle of the router (and modem ?) with all of the cables disconnected ?

[smarty156]

There is no separate modem, it's all in the router.
No, I haven't tried a power cycle with all the cables disconnected. Do you mean all the LAN cables or the ADSL cable too? I assume just LAN.
I'll try in a minute.
I'm currently using the home laptop's internal wifi adapter and there have been no disconnects at all (although I had none last week using the USB adapter either) BUT it's very slow.