[OT] A tale of two firewalls

Joseph Gwinn · 2006-09-23T20:59:00+00:00

Over the last few months, I had been having sudden access losses while downloading files from the web. (Like long tracts from The symptom is that things are going OK, and suddenly all access to the internet is lost. It just stops. No error messages save timeout. If one walks away and comes back an hour later, access is found to have been restored.I called COMCAST Tech Support twice. The first time, they concluded that I had a bad cable modem, and had me replace it, although their remote diagnostics found no problem. The modem (a Motorola SB5100) is leased, so all this cost me was a trip to their office. However, problem not solved. The second time, I called while access was stalled. Remote diagnostics again found no problem. This time, tried connecting the computer direct to the modem, without the Linksys BEFSR81B firewall/router: Access restored.After a long wrangle about my use of static IP addresses in my local network (COMCAST only knows dynamic addresses), Tech Support came up with just one plausible and testable hypothesis, that the Linksys dropped the ball when a new DHCP address was provided by the modem. This was tested by manually requesting a new address, and proved not to be the case. However, I had some difficulty gaining admin access to the router, and the router had again forgotten its non-default password. Very odd.I decided that I needed another router, if only to have the ability to do A-vs-B tests, and bought a NetGear RP614v4 firewall/router. This worked right out of the box, with factory-default settings, and downloads were quite a lot faster than before. Hmm.What I think happened is that the Linksys router, installed in December 2000, was OK with the then download speeds, 1.5 mbits/sec max, but choked on today's speeds, at least 6 mbits/sec, with peaks to 12 or 15 if the ads are to be believed, and the jammed router was stumbling and getting confused.As for the wrangle about static addresses, in retrospect, I think I know the...

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Gunner 20 years ago

Linux has viruses?

Gunner

"A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences."

- Proverbs 22:3

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Gunner 20 years ago

Just a SWAG..but 25%

Gunner

"A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences."

- Proverbs 22:3

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Joseph Gwinn 20 years ago

Replacing the router has to have doubled the download speed, judging by eye. It was noticeable right from the start; no head-scratching needed.

Joe Gwinn

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Martin H. Eastburn 20 years ago

That is in poor taste. Linksys is made by a main line company. I have used them for years and they keep getting better and better. They were always to spec, but I got booster antenna for comm to the shop.

Remember these are built to a comm spec, the general stuff in it isn't. Martin Former IEEE EDS LIFE and COMM Society......

Martin H. Eastburn @ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net NRA LOH & Endowment Member NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member

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Gene Cash wrote:

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Michael A. Terrell 20 years ago

A division of Cisco.

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Martin H. Eastburn 20 years ago

Yes I know - long time part supplier and helped designs go better since I knew network stuff and terminations of transmission lines.

I also own stock. Martin

Martin H. Eastburn @ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net NRA LOH & Endowment Member NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member

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Michael A. Terrell wrote:

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Gene Cash 20 years ago

Uh, no... Linksys just got bought by Cisco, and they're still crap. I have to deal with various models of their garbage at work every day.

-gc

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Martin H. Eastburn 20 years ago

Sounds like you need better information or better computers that are connected. They use their stuff inside so would know if something is crap.

If building a large farm concept - they will take a building and make one and prove concept. None of this - believe me stuff.

Cisco has been the owner of Linksys for some time not - nothing new.

Martin

Martin H. Eastburn @ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net NRA LOH & Endowment Member NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member

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Gene Cash wrote:

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Abrasha 20 years ago

I have a Linksys router of about the same age, and my ISP is also Comcast.

I have experienced no problems at all, after I switched out my old cable modem for the newer Motorola one.

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Joseph Gwinn 20 years ago

Old router could have developed hardware problems as well. One symptom, perhaps indicative, is that it kept forgetting its password. And yet is mostly worked, so it couldn't be that badly broken.

Joe Gwinn

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