Router dropping inactive connections

blackwater · 09-01-2004, 08:33 PM

Hello all,

I am having a problem which is becoming an annoyance. For work, I have to stay logged into aim for most of the day. I also periodically connect to a linux box. If I am connecting directly to the cable modem, I have no problems and my aim account is never disconnected and I keep my connection to the linux box.....however, if I connect through the router, after a few minutes of inactivity, I lose the connection to the linux box and have to re-connect and loose my connection to aim. So far, I have tried two different linux routers and a netgear router all with the same result. It doesn't matter if I connect to the routers via wireless or wired. I need to keep my aim connection active all day even if I never use it.

How can I fix this?? I have seen settings on the routers for time outs but that was for PPPoE and other connections. I have a cable connection and just get an IP dynamically.

Thanks!

Capricorn · 09-01-2004, 10:51 PM

What make/model router we talking about?

blackwater · 09-02-2004, 06:40 AM

I have tried it with two Linksys WirelessB BEFW11S4 routers and a Netgear WGR614NA WirelessG router. I have one laptop that connects via wireless that runs XP and a desktop that connects via wired that runs ME, I see the problem on both machines with any of these routers.

Thanks!

Capricorn · 09-03-2004, 12:35 PM

That's interesting. I recently retired my Linksys BEFW11S4 and replaced it with a Netgear WGT624 (the 108 Mbps turbo version). I don't remotely connect to Linux boxes, but I stay on AIM sometimes for days at a time. I never experienced the problem you're having with either router. Since you have the same problem on both machines, I would guess the router or cable modem is the culprit. Since you also see it using different routers, I'd suspect the cable modem, personally. It's possibly not getting something from your router that your computer supplies.

Oooh! Oooh! Oooh! Here's a thought. You're getting a leased IP address from your cable provider (like most people). I wonder if the cable modem periodically pings back toward the router/computer to see if your system is still up. If it get's no reply, it might close your connection and give your IP address away. One thing that would probably be different is that your computer would respond to the ping by default, but by default, the router doesn't honor ping requests (at least my WGT624 doesn't). You have to set a checkbox to enable a response to pings from the Internet on the 614, I'll bet. It was called something odd on the Linksys. Anonymous requests or something like that. Also, set to not accept ping requests by default. (In general, you don't want to respond to pings since that lets the script kiddies know there's something there.)

The Linksys has some sort of idle timout and keep alive settings as well, but I think that would be off by default. You might try those as well.

blackwater · 09-03-2004, 04:44 PM

Hey, thanks. I am using the netgear and trying to find the checkbox you are talking about...can you remember where it is on your router?

Thanks!

Capricorn · 09-03-2004, 09:18 PM

From page 7-8 of the WGR614V5 manual, under Configuring the WAN Setup Options, it's the box labelled "Respond to Ping on Internet Port." That's under the Advanced heading in the left menu bar found in the main menu of the browser interface. (I downloaded the manual and guessed you have v5. They have five versions of this thing?!?)

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