0

I've been having Internet connection problems with my desktop recently. They started after restarting for updates last week. Specifically, some websites resolve (slowly), while others (such as any Stack Exchange site) are utterly unreachable. It also seems like some Internet facing applications aren't having too much difficulty - I have a feed reader, Steam, and Skype apparently working (though the feed reader is rarely getting images, and Steam has some odd visual behavior such as missing buttons).

Network Topology: I have a single Linksys router (WRT160Nv3) with DD-WRT firmware connected to my modem. I then have my desktop (windows 7, 64-bit) plugged into said router. If I pull the cables and plug my desktop directly into the modem it connects fine.

There is a second (Ubuntu, 10.04 server edition) box able to connect to the Internet via cable to the router with no issue (we tried swapping ports to no avail), and multiple wireless devices are working with no problems (Ubuntu, Mac, and Windows laptops, as well as a variety of smartphones).

I've tried:

  1. Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Chrome. Each give the same behavior (with the same sites).
  2. Release, renew, and clearing my DNS cache via ipconfig.
  3. Flashing the router.
  4. Switching ports on the router.
  5. Connecting directly to sites (using ping to find their IP - some resolve the IP but never connect, others work fine).
  6. Restoring the computer to the save point on the last known operable day.
  7. Connecting directly to the modem (works, but not a real fix).
  8. Run Malwarebytes and Avast, with both reporting no issues.

What might be going on here, and how can I fix it (or even just diagnose the problem)? At this point it honestly feels like my router is just ignoring large amounts of traffic to/from my desktop...

Improve this question
1
  • Try swapping out the router with another one if you can, if restarting it didn't work (I assume you must have restarted if you were able to flash it). I suspect your Linksys may be the problem here.
    – user3463
    Commented Feb 24, 2012 at 0:04

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
0

With wireless devices and other wired device working with no issues I'd swap the NIC installed in your desktop computer, it sounds like it may be on its way out.

Improve this answer
6
  • Would the NIC be giving me connectivity when directly connected to the modem in that case?
    – thegrinner
    Commented Feb 23, 2012 at 22:03
  • @thegrinner Bah, I missed that part. I'd still try the NIC first since your other wired device is working in that same port on the router.
    – N_Lindz
    Commented Feb 24, 2012 at 13:50
  • I went ahead and ordered a cheap NIC in the hopes that it'll at least act as a workaround. I'm really hoping to figure out what went wrong in the first place though - any ideas for diagnosing the actual error?
    – thegrinner
    Commented Feb 24, 2012 at 16:17
  • Hope that takes care of it... if the new NIC does take care of it, I wouldn't have the foggiest about trying to figure out whats wrong with the old one. Could be drivers, could be bad hardware, could be a troublesome slot in your motherboard (unlikely). If the new NIC fixes it, I'd cut my losses and move on to the next project. :-)
    – N_Lindz
    Commented Feb 24, 2012 at 17:45
  • Looks like you were right, something was up with the on-mobo NIC. I guess I'll just run it off the new NIC until the next upgrade :|
    – thegrinner
    Commented Feb 27, 2012 at 21:32

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .