Internet drop

[dilyan]

Hi all,
i have network in my company with BSD based router(with dhcp). In the network there are around 60 pc's. Most of them are on XP, and few are using Windows 7. The XP machines are working with no network problems, except these with 7. The problem exists when connected no matters LAN or wireless. One of the PCs had no problems till an windows update(few days ago. Not updated before). After updating windows the problem appear.
When the internet drops all have local network. Can not ping gateway and everything outside. And this is periodically with no any logic.
I checked for the bonjour service and for the gateway. Tried disable IPv6. Computers are clean of viruses and etc. And have no specific software that can cause the problem.
Any suggestions?

Thanks in advice!

 

[Johnathan Lyman]

First thing I would look at is making sure your Wireless drivers are up to date. Since you probably have multiple types of mobile machines, I can't post "one link to rule them all" (lol).

And to clarify, did ALL of the machines exhibit this problem after the Windows update? Do you know what update it was? If you un-installed the update, does normal functionality return?

 

[dilyan]

The mobile machines are 15 all others are desktop. The problem exist on the LAN network too. I think there is something in the win 7. There is no logical explination to be somwhere else.
Three of the machines are updating periodically, but this one, that i updated few days ago. After updating windows installed all of the released updates. Only my Windows is Home Premium, the others 4 are Ultimate.

 

[Johnathan Lyman]

I'm sorry, I didn't understand all of that.

Have you in fact updated your wireless (and LAN) drivers for the machines in question?

 

[dilyan]

Yes, they are up to date. The problem is not in the drivers. 5 different laptops with different LAN and wireless cards.


Sorry for the english, i'm bulgarian.

 

[chev65]

The facts are that your router is the most likely culprit, most every router, especially older ones will require a firmware update in order to work properly with Windows 7.

Unless you actually think that every last one of your machines isn't compatible with Windows 7?

 

[dilyan]

The router is a server machine with Free BSD OS it's updating automaticly too. The config for the two networks is OK(i have second DHCP pool for guests). I think the problem is somwhere in the middle. May be there is a new service in windows 7 that the BSD do not like, and when the service is checking(or running) router cuts the connection.
I can't just like that reinstall the router. The company is working 24/7 every day, and on that machine there is samba, network monitoring interface(samba, zenoss), mail notificator, two dhcp pools, and many other things, without who the company must stop working. I must just find where is the exact problem.

 

[Johnathan Lyman]

The router is a server machine with Free BSD OS it's updating automaticly too. The config for the two networks is OK(i have second DHCP pool for guests). I think the problem is somwhere in the middle. May be there is a new service in windows 7 that the BSD do not like, and when the service is checking(or running) router cuts the connection.
I can't just like that reinstall the router. The company is working 24/7 every day, and on that machine there is samba, network monitoring interface(samba, zenoss), mail notificator, two dhcp pools, and many other things, without who the company must stop working. I must just find where is the exact problem.

So the router really isn't a router, it's a server...

My suggestion is invest in a dedicated router, something business-class to handle network routing and management specifically. That's it.

 

[dilyan]

Do you really think that the problem is in the router?

 

[Johnathan Lyman]

Do you really think that the problem is in the router?

I REALLY think the only way to know is to try. From how you described the setup, I'm not seeing an actual router (by definition) but a server doing routing functions, which that in itself confuses me on how that can be done.

Having a dedicated router that has powerful features behind it will actually make life much easier for you or whomever works on it.

One of these: Cisco 800 Series Routers - Products & Services - Cisco Systems

With one of these: Cisco Catalyst 2960 Series Switches - Products & Services - Cisco Systems

would open up crazy doors when it comes to network management that no server with some routing OS on it could do.

----------------------------

BUT, if the router ISN'T the problem, we can also say the wireless cards inside the machines may not be fully Windows 7-compatible, they are faulting in some way or the Windows 7 Drivers for them are faulty.

 

[dilyan]

My last job was in the biggest internet provider in Bulgaria. I think BSD and Linux have a great routing functions. Well in this case i'll agree with you and will test some Juniper product(i have more expirience with them).

 

[chev65]

Using a server for a router wouldn't be my choice either, especially one that is probably made to route XP machines only. The network stack on Windows 7 was changed considerably since the XP days so there are some changes required in the routing to work with Win 7.

From what the dilyan is saying this almost has to be a router or routing problem, it also sounds like the tcp/ip stack or winsock is getting hosed when this problem occurs.

You should never disable Ipv6 in order to fix a problem, If that actually did fix a problem then most likely the router can't handle the IPv6 protocol anyway and should be replaced.

 

[Johnathan Lyman]

My last job was in the biggest internet provider in Bulgaria. I think BSD and Linux have a great routing functions. Well in this case i'll agree with you and will test some Juniper product(i have more expirience with them).

Juniper makes good tech, too, and is less expensive.