Windows 7: Connection Drops when other devices connect to home network

I'm at wits end, and if I had hair, I'd be pulling it out.

I'm running a home network with a new Netgear N600 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router. I have an external drive connected, and running WPA2-PSK (AES) security. My ISP is Shaw (Canada).

I'm running several devices off this network successfully.

-Win 7 hard wired
-PS3
-Wii
-Win XP Professional
-Win XP home
-three cell phones (two BB, android)
-Samsung Galaxy 10.1
-several ipods
-Win 7 wireless*

*this is the problem child. When the network is booted, connections are established with no problem. When other items enter the network (particularly the ipods), the Win 7 wireless loses connectivity. I get the little circle around the network icon, and 'limited connectivity', cycling through with "No Network Access". When crashed, ping gets no responses. No other devices have any issues connecting or staying connected.

I try turning off and on wireless on the computer, disconnecting and connecting to the network again, nothing works. The ONLY solution is to reboot the router and modem. This will gain me connectivity for a while, but often, as soon as another device enters the network, it crashes again. It's exceptionally frustrating.

I've tried to designate specific IP addresses via MAC addresses in the router settings. I've tried to disable the IPv6, nothing helps.



I've been reading and reading various guesses about what's happening. The latest try has me disabling "Computer Browser" from Services, but that also not helping.

Any advice, any thing else to look at, any other posts to point me to, anything is appreciated. I'm desperate for some stability. I'm not the most technological adept user, but I'm game to try to learn.

Anyone... anything???

Just to add a little more info.. I thought it was just when the ipods entered the network, but last night, a BB entered the network (pretty much everything else running smoothly) and it crashed the Windows 7 wireless again. Very frustrating.

please provide me any IP address, you get when its working, and the IP your device has when its not... curious if your getting APIPA, it sounds like a DHCP issue to me

When I connect, I get a valid IPv4 and a IPv6. When it crashes, ipconfig gives no IP address.

It does sound like a DHCP issue.

Is the Windows 7 device a laptop or a PC? Certain laptops may not like AES. Try setting a static IP address on the Windows 7 machine to see if it fixes the problem. If not, try changing the wireless security to TKIP (Take a backup of your routers config just in case).

List and Name all Anti-Virus, Security or Firewall Software installed.

Install and run Xirrus Wi-Fi Inspector.
Double click the Xirrus Icon on your Desktop, Tap the Printscreen key on your keyboard, open up Paint then choose Edit from the Menu and select Paste, then SAVE it. Upload and attached it here, click on Go Advanced and locate Manage Attachments Tab and attached the file.

Post an ipconfig /all of the computer in question for review.
Note: For Vista and Windows 7, you have to open up the command prompt in an elevated command:
Click on the Start Menu search box area type cmd, right click on cmd see at the top, and click on Run as Administrator.

Click on Start => in run or search box type cmd press enter (run as Admin for Vista and 7). From the black screen, type the word ipconfig /all and press enter. Right click on the black screen or Command prompt then choose Select All and Paste the results onto your Post.

You may also attach the ipconfig /all output if the computer is unable to connect to the Internet then use an external USB flash drive to transfer the .txt file.
Click on Start => in run or search box type cmd, press enter. From the command prompt (black screen), Copy and Paste these ipconfig /all >c:\ipconfig.txt . Please attach the .txt file to be found in your Local Disk 'C' on your next post.


Dave

Starting at the top... I have, on my router, assigned specific IP addresses for each MAC address for each device on the network, including the Win 7 problem laptop. It does connect to it, but I have done nothing on the laptop itself to designate a specified IP. Is that what you are referring to, or do I need to do something on the laptop too? If so, please point me to instructions.

What are the laptop's specs (make/model/etc)?

Dell Insprion

Is there not some security issues with posting my ipconfig for the world to see?

ipconfig will show your internal IP Address not external so should be fine.

Remove the MAC filtering from the router temp so you can see if it is causing an issue.

Is the routers firmware up to date?


Dave

There are a ton of Inspirons out there...