Is my router too slow?

[Fat_N_Furry]

I have a D-Link DI-604 Ethernet Broadband Router, and the broadband I'm running through it is cable internet at 1.5Mb Down / 128Kb Up.

It is distributing that connection to 4 computers, and after some amount of time, the connection seems to slow down greatly. When I turn the router off and then back on, it speeds back up. Why does it do this? Do I need a faster router? What can I do to speed it up?

Also - what is the difference between a router and a hub? I know you can get more connections with a router because it all goes through one IP address, but does that slow it down as well? I am allowed 3 IP addresses to connect computers through. Thus, to fix my speed problem, I recently tried reconfiguring my hardware connections to look like the figure below:



As opposed to connecting the cable modem directly into the router and from the router to the computers. The hub's uplink port was connected to one of the router's ports. The two computers connected to the hub could communicate with the modem, but the two computers connected to the router could not. What am I doing wrong?


Thankyou for your time, and for reading my very long thread.
Rick

[mastermind94]

hook your modem to your router's Uplink

then plug the hub uplink to a port on your router.

[Fat_N_Furry]

Thanks, Mastermind! It worked like a charm.


Rick

[Admiral Michael]

Not the uplink port the WAN port. This will put all your computers behind the router's firewall.

[Fat_N_Furry]

You mean the way I have it set up right now, the router's firewall isn't protecting me?

[mastermind94]

Uplink or WAN same thing me believes. Uplink ois to add more router or hubs to expend your LAN or plug it to a WAN. my router doesnt have WAN, just Uplink. Depensing on the companies i guess...

[Admiral Michael]

No uplink and WAN isn't the same. The uplink port is to cvonnect to another hub or switch, you cam only usly the uplink port once (do not hook two uplink ports together). The WAN port is a special port for the modem, it watches all activity and such, only this port has the firewall. If you dont use the WAN port then your not behind the router's firewall.

If your router doesn't have a WAN port then you couldnt really call it a router, they have that port specifiaclly for the modem.

[Bloit]

i believe the admiral is right. my router has both an uplink and a WAN port.

[Admiral Michael]

WAN, in case some people dont kno stands for Wide Area Network aka. the Internet.

Uplink, links other network devices together.

[mastermind94]

upling can plug other network devices such as hubs, routers, switch and of course, modems

[Admiral Michael]

Yes, but on a router the WAN port is specifcally added for the modem, this is the port with the firewall.

[Kasracer]

Originally posted by Admiral Michael
Yes, but on a router the WAN port is specifcally added for the modem, this is the port with the firewall.

Very few routers actaully have firewalls, and those routers cost well over $800.

Do not confuse NAT with a firewall. While it's very good protection, it is NOT a firewall.

To the poster, if you can, take the router back. D-Link is a horrible company. Everyone of my friends including me has had very bad luck with them, when I took mine back I seen 3 others taking there products back. It has very few holes for heat to escape so the possibility for overheating is very good, and it's HTTP configuration screen leaves much to be desired (it would never let me telnet into it)

I had a linksys router for 8 months, it ran solid and had an uptime of about 4 months, then I took it off cause of a lightning storm and then it had another 4 months of uptime. NEVER had any problems and it was VERY reliable.

I now have an 802.11g router (linksys) and it's been over a month and zero problems.

I'd suggest going with linksys or netgear, D-Link seems to have many problems and form what I can tell, it's luck when someone doesn't have problems.

[Admiral Michael]

ok, the WAN prot has the NAT, the uplink does not!

[Bloit]

My linksys router has wan port an uplink port and 4 10/100 ports. it also has a firewall and i bought it for the grand sum of £42.50 from ebuyer.com

So saying routers with firewalls cost over $800 is absolute balls.

[Fat_N_Furry]

Mine also has a firewall, and it only cost $30.00. What planet do you live on?

[Kasracer]

Originally posted by Fat_N_Furry
Mine also has a firewall, and it only cost $30.00. What planet do you live on?

Doubtful. I've had D-Link (****ING POS) and I regularlly use Linksys. None of those have a firewall, however, linksys can integrate with certain software firewalls, but they are not actually hardware firewalls.

A hardware firewalls are like the pix. Expencive out the ass

[Admiral Michael]

So is DLINK not too good? I currently have a Linksys 4 port router with switch. Im thinking of gettng the wireless version cuz I got a laptop. Should I stick with Linksys?

[Kasracer]

Originally posted by Admiral Michael
So is DLINK not too good? I currently have a Linksys 4 port router with switch. Im thinking of gettng the wireless version cuz I got a laptop. Should I stick with Linksys?

Linksys or Netgear. I've seen forums with tons of people complaining about D-Link.

Worst Products Ever

[<ABX]

you should change the router and the hub around like this so all your computers are protected by the routers firewall

make sure you plug the modem into the WAN port and the HUB into the uplink port. if you want certain computers to have thier own public IP you can configure it though the router (at least you can with mine)

---

Anyone had problems with SMC Baricade Routers, It slowed down my net connection and reset it self randomly. I finaly got them to replace it after talking with tech support for 2h, they sent it snail mail from some the southern part of california (that only took a week and a 1/2) and this one still resets radomly (not as bad but still anoying) I dont recommend them and I think that I might get a linksys router

[Sastraxi]

*guffaw* D-Link is definately one of the better of the companies. I've had POS linksys, and EVERY SINGLE ****ING one of my netgear products has failed. My network cards kind of synchronized dying on my laptop and PC, and I got new D-Link ones -- have been going for a year with the same cards, nothing wrong with the setup at all. Now am behind a BFSR41 and all is well.

[Kasracer]

Originally posted by Sastraxi
*guffaw* D-Link is definately one of the better of the companies. I've had POS linksys, and EVERY SINGLE ****ING one of my netgear products has failed. My network cards kind of synchronized dying on my laptop and PC, and I got new D-Link ones -- have been going for a year with the same cards, nothing wrong with the setup at all. Now am behind a BFSR41 and all is well.

No, D-Link is 1 of the worst companies.

I am not going only by personal experiences, I am going by the numbers.

Do some google searching, There are atleast 2 times more people having problems with D-Link than linksys or netgear.

I also seen an artical mentioning about D-Link had 1 of the highest return rates.

I'll see if I can find it again if you guys want.

[Sastraxi]

Nah, we have (I think) around 16 D-Link products altogether, my friends all have'em, etc. It *could* be because there are seperate manufacturing plants for Canada and the US, so if there's a problem with the US one, well, it's not my problem

I've had most of D-Link's DFEs since their 100 line and none has ever let me down. Other than the fact that you need to install their drivers (most don't work with OS drivers, as the OS drivers have *issues* with the APIC), there's nothing wrong with D-Link whatsoever (D-Link Canada anyway).

Anyway, kas, you notice that only you and I are playing the brand war... so I advise everyone else to make their own opinions before listening to any kinds of arguments like these =/

[Pc_Madness]

Got two DLink nics and never had any trouble with 'em.