I think my WRT54G router kicks my iomega NAS off the network... (long)

[gocamping]

Hi folks,
New member and stumped as well. Not a super computer savvy guy but didn't just fall off the turnip truck either. Apologize if I should have put this question in the NAS section, but I'm starting to think it might be my router?

I'll start with my network "setup" at the moment:
Cable modem for internet, wired to router
Old WRT54G router, wired connection to old WinXP desktop and a 1TB Iomega Home Media Network Drive
LG BD590, wireless
new HP Pavilion g7 laptop, wireless
Acer WinXP netbook, wireless

I have had the iomega drive for at least a year. It is not a backup, but rather serves as main storage so the desktop and laptop(s) can access the same files. The drive has been quirky, sometimes the desktop would lose the connection and I have had to reboot the drive to get it back. I plan to add another drive to serve as backup for these files.

I started having lots of problems recently when I bought the new laptop and started playing with picture and video editing (I couldn't do this on the old desktop machine). It seemed I could get a few files to open and play, and then for whatever reason I'd lose the mapped drives on the laptop. Again, would not come back until I rebooted the NAS.

Started googling around and tried various things. Switched the NAS to a static IP. Tried changing the MTU settings lower than 1500 on the new laptop. Tried wired into the router vs wireless. At this point I realized I was having the problem on both the desktop and the laptop, and that what I'd seen before with the desktop was related. Maybe I hadn't noticed so much before with the desktop because I wasn't playing with the larger files on a regular basis. I also updated the NAS firmware and no such luck.

Then "magically" things started to work again. I realized that this time the BD player was off and not streaming music (it was on Pandora for just about the whole time around Christmas when family was here). I could transfer anything and play any video on either machine and not get dropped. No drops at all throughout the course of a day.

Then I turned on the BD player again and started Pandora. Tried viewing some files. Got through a couple and then *boom* lost the connection. Another thing to note is that even though the connection is "lost" to where I can't see the files on the drive anymore in explorer, I can still open a browser and login to the drive's setup page. Strange.

So I think I've somewhat isolated the problem but I don't know how to fix it. Is it conceivable that it's the router? I had planned to replace it anyway with a "n" router, and plan to go to Best Buy today to pick one up. I'm hoping that may "fix" the problem but as with many things I'd still like to know what's really happening.

I'm looking at the Asus RT-N65R or maybe the Netgear WNDR4500. I was going to go lesser like the WNDR3400 but decided I wanted gigabit connections and the ability to have a print server and USB drive connected to the router. Leaning Asus because it has USB 3.0, although some reviews say it runs hot and shuts down. The Netgear stories about power outages corrupting the firmware scare me a little (I do not have a backup power supply).

Hope someone can make sense of this. The only other thing I can think of for now to try is to run the LG BD590 wired and see what happens. I also haven't tried streaming through one of the laptops instead while accessing the NAS with another.

Thanks!

 

[thiggins]

You are running a few N devices on an OLD G router. So I suspect you are running into compatibility problems. So, yes, go try an N router. And go get a UPS!

 

[gocamping]

You are running a few N devices on an OLD G router. So I suspect you are running into compatibility problems. So, yes, go try an N router. And go get a UPS!

Just bought the ASUS. Will try that tonight...

You're right I need a UPS. Any budget recommendations?

 

[TonyH]

I see common mistakes made when people try to buy good audio gear. They spend most of the budget on amps, source devices, etc, but end up with cheap speakers, then complain the system does not sound good. Likewise. IMO, days of proven old work horse WRT54G is pretty well over.

 

[thiggins]

You're right I need a UPS. Any budget recommendations?

I have always used APCs. One large enough to power your NAS, router and modem isn't that expensive. I have an old BackUps 300 that my router, DSL modem, single-drive Synology NAS and switch run off and its way more than needed.

 

[stevech]

APC has the largest market share. I've owned several.
My current multi-room UPS is a CyberPower 1500W, got a great price from a Fry's sale/price-match. This UPS feeds all my network gear, cable modem, digital phone, PC in office and home automation PC.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16842102048
I paid less than the current newegg price and the equivalent APC was a lot more.

Has good software.

 

[gocamping]

I see common mistakes made when people try to buy good audio gear. They spend most of the budget on amps, source devices, etc, but end up with cheap speakers, then complain the system does not sound good. Likewise. IMO, days of proven old work horse WRT54G is pretty well over.

Boy that rings a bell. In my audiophile days I never understood why folks would go through so much trouble / expense focusing on one part of the system and neglect others. I guess I should have been taking my own advice, could have avoided all these problems ...

I connected the Asus last night and no joke it took less than 20min to get everything up and running. Was pleasantly surprised - I remember when I setup the old linksys and it was all sorts of menu clicks and troubleshooting.

I immediately got the BD player streaming Pandora and went to the new laptop and copied a folder of home videos from the NAS (~9GB). Went through without a hitch.

So I'm happy with the new router and that I don't have the problem anymore. Tonight I'm going to setup the print server (fingers crossed).