Windows 8 + network connectivity

[Tom Fischer]

I have a Cycso Linksys E1500 wireless router. On the network I have three desktops and two notebooks. Four of those five are wireless connections. Those 4 wireless connections have either Windows Vista or Win 7. These wireless connections work OK, with varying download speeds.

The last one is Windows 8 but is not wireless, has an ethernet connection. This is the one I am having a problem with . The connection gets dropped at least a few times per day. To re-establish the connection I either have to restart the desktop (the Win 8) or use the Cicso router utility software to re-establish the connection.

So, I have four wireless connections that connect and stay connected (all earlier than Win 8), and one Win 8 hard wire connection that will not stay connected.

Is this actually a Win 8 defect, or am I missing something? Any ideas?

[Jerome Stanek]

I had a router that would drop the wired connection but not the wireless. I still use it in the shop as an access point.

[Darius Ferlas]

try to assign a static ip to the desktop and see if this helps

[Tom Fischer]

Jerome - thanks, seems counter-intuitive, but I will try the wireless for a while. Wireless connection right now.
Darius, thanks for that, might well work, but I think that is above my paygrade.
Just to add, this Win 8 machine has been here for just a few months, but so is the Linksys 1500 router. Both are new.
Not sure which is responsible for this problem.

[Robert LaPlaca]

Might want to check to see if there is a newer version of the driver for the Ethernet adapter in your Win8 system, sometimes the as delivered drivers are of questionable quality.. Also a check of the firmware version on the Linksys switch/router wouldn't be a bad idea either.. One other question to ask, have you successfully used the cabling that the Win8 PC is plugged into before? Cannot tell you how many network issues root due are bad cabling..

[Tom Fischer]

Robert, OK changed the cable. Put a new one on, still had the twistie from the factory.
Actually the old one I took off doesn't look that great.
It's yellow, don't know where that came from. Seems Cisco ships blue ones. Ends are tight.
Doesn't windows download latest drivers? The machine was setup by Dell 2 months ago.
see what happens.
thanks

[Robert LaPlaca]

Tom, yes Windows updates it's drivers, but typically the updates for LAN and disk type drivers comes from the OEM (aka. Dell)..

[Larry Browning]

I am more suspicious of the router being the problem than the computer. Have you been using the wired ports on the router prior to the windows 8 computer? Is it possible to hook up one of you other computers to the wired ports? Plus, it is always a good idea to make sure the router firmware is the most current as well as the drivers for the win8 computer. I think I would also consider switching the router to DD-WRT firmware, which is a pretty extreme move, but it is also a very good way to learn all about your router and it's capabilities.
When my current router needs replacing, I am going to get me one that can be flashed to DD-WRT mostly as a learning experience and also for fun, and it doesn't hurt that DD-WRT is supposed to be a huge upgrade to just about any router.

[Curt Harms]

I am more suspicious of the router being the problem than the computer. Have you been using the wired ports on the router prior to the windows 8 computer? Is it possible to hook up one of you other computers to the wired ports? Plus, it is always a good idea to make sure the router firmware is the most current as well as the drivers for the win8 computer. I think I would also consider switching the router to DD-WRT firmware, which is a pretty extreme move, but it is also a very good way to learn all about your router and it's capabilities.
When my current router needs replacing, I am going to get me one that can be flashed to DD-WRT mostly as a learning experience and also for fun, and it doesn't hurt that DD-WRT is supposed to be a huge upgrade to just about any router.

Re DD-WRT it seems to be a significant upgrade. There are different versions for very similar model routers so be sure to verify model and version on the router. I did my first DD-WRT install about a week ago. I bought a used Linksys WRT-300N. It was an early N speed router that wouldn't connect at N speeds using WPA2, G speeds only and there were no current firmware downloads on Cisco/Linksys site. I downloaded the appropriate firmware, studied the directions, took a deep breath and went to work. 5 minutes later 150 Mbps/sec. WPA2 connection. DD-WRT also added Radius Server, VPN passthru and a bunch of other stuff that I barely understand. I think it'll also convert a wireless router into a wireless ethernet bridge with a few clicks. I've had situations where that could be handy.

[Larry Browning]

Re DD-WRT it seems to be a significant upgrade. There are different versions for very similar model routers so be sure to verify model and version on the router. I did my first DD-WRT install about a week ago. I bought a used Linksys WRT-300N. It was an early N speed router that wouldn't connect at N speeds using WPA2, G speeds only and there were no current firmware downloads on Cisco/Linksys site. I downloaded the appropriate firmware, studied the directions, took a deep breath and went to work. 5 minutes later 150 Mbps/sec. WPA2 connection. DD-WRT also added Radius Server, VPN passthru and a bunch of other stuff that I barely understand. I think it'll also convert a wireless router into a wireless ethernet bridge with a few clicks. I've had situations where that could be handy.

Curt,
I actually have one experience with DD-WRT. I had an old Linksys WRT-160N that was just sitting in the bottom of the closet. I turned it into a wireless access point in the shop using DD-WRT. Now I can connect my iphone to pandora in the shop for some great tunes. It took me a whole Saturday afternoon to get that setup. That included research, downloading the software, flashing the router, configuring it as an access point and connecting it in the shop. I want to redo the one in the house too, but that one isn't compatible with DD-WRT and I can't justify in my mind buying a whole new router to replace a perfectly good working one just because it sounds like fun to try

[Curt Harms]

Curt,
I actually have one experience with DD-WRT. I had an old Linksys WRT-160N that was just sitting in the bottom of the closet. I turned it into a wireless access point in the shop using DD-WRT. Now I can connect my iphone to pandora in the shop for some great tunes. It took me a whole Saturday afternoon to get that setup. That included research, downloading the software, flashing the router, configuring it as an access point and connecting it in the shop. I want to redo the one in the house too, but that one isn't compatible with DD-WRT and I can't justify in my mind buying a whole new router to replace a perfectly good working one just because it sounds like fun to try

What, you don't buy the "If it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is?" . I doubt I'd have tried either if the one box had worked as advertised.