VERY Strange --> New Computer Issue -- Possibly the router?

[fuzelogic]

All,

I built a brand new computer because their old one Dell was random freezing with the mouse when browsing the internet etc.. It was OLD anyways!

After hooking up the "brand" new computer and using it at my place for a day roughly (NO ISSUES), the person goes to use the computer and guess what the ***** locked up AGAIN. This would have happened to me because it doesn't take them long to have this issue occur.

Today, I started to try to narrow down the issue because it was at my place and I did not experience the random lock up.

So, I replaced the power strip, the power cord to the new PSU, keyobard, mouse, and the wireless network adapter. It STILL LOCKS UP.

The only other thing to replace in the configuration is the Linksys WRT54G router....Has anyone else had a router to wireless adapter issue that would cause the computer to freeze?

[Serra]

Just so I understand this correctly, the PC itself is locking up right... not just the Internet freezing? If that is the case the router shouldn't be a problem. Even if it's throwing out complete garbage 24/7 the computer should be able to deal with that.

For a lock up I would be looking at OS/drivers/CPU myself. Could be something like errors being corrected from a bad SATA cable/drive too I suppose. Maybe do a stress test on the box and check the SMART status on the drive to verify the hardware is fine?

[fuzelogic]

BTW, this is a Windows 7 Home Edition

I updated the router firmware to the latest version. In the past at a different location, I have seen a Linksys 4 port router operate with a degradated performance where the internet connection issue was not fixed until the router was replaced and it fixed all the issues that the location was having with streaming video, etc.

I'm using the computer in question now to type this message to see if it freezes at my place while using the internet.

In short, the computer appears to be working at my place and not my friends. The only thing that is different between his place and mine are these 2 items:

1. The Linksys WRT54G router
2. The electrical outlet

I purchased a battery backup today to minimize electrical noise / issues that might possible cause problems.

I was thinking that somehow the router was sending a corrupt packet causing an issue with the network stack hence freezing the computer.

The reason why I feel it's not the new computer is because it works at my place and the fact that he seemed to be having the same type of mouse lockup when using the old computer.

The computer was idle tonight when we went out to eat and when we came back the computer was frozen....So the only device that has updates when no one is using the computer is the wireless internet connection.

Also, when the computer freezes, I've run scan disk to make sure no issues with the filesystem on a 1 TB drive and it doesn't freeze leading me to think the wireless device is some how involved.

[fuzelogic]

I replaced the old Linkysys WRT54G router with a Linksys N E1000. With the old router it looked like the bars on the wireless device were constantly moving between a full bars / 2 - 3 bars.

The new N router seems to stay at a constant 3 -4 bars.

If this doesn't work, I'm going to run an Ethernet connection to the computer to remove the wireless portion and to eliminate that potential issue.

[little_scrapper]

Have you measured his wall voltage? Or tried a UPS at his house.

[Kal-EL]

Is there an apple product on his wi-fi network?

[fuzelogic]

Have you measured his wall voltage? Or tried a UPS at his house.

No, have not measured the wall voltage, but I did purchase a APC UPS thinking that it being a older house maybe the current was not constant going thru the wall outlet

[fuzelogic]

Is there an apple product on his wi-fi network?

Nope, just a PC with no Apple products

[fuzelogic]

After replacing the router with a new Linksys router, the computer has not locked up!

Not sure what was going on with it, but it appears it must have been crashing the network stack causing the computer to freeze. :shrug:

[Kal-EL]

Happens to me when my wife's i-phone connects and checks e-mail. Least your not crashing anymore :)

[fuzelogic]

How long did it take you to narrow down to the iphone or was it pretty obvious?

[Kal-EL]

I heard the phone beep that new e-mail had arrived at the same time the router and my pc shat the bed. From there I manually triggered the e-mail apps refresh/connect and sure as sugars it crashed the router 1 outa 4 attempts and pc only when pc loaded with traffic (gaming). Removed the iphones from wireless access and no crashes for a week. Allowed iphones back on the wireless network and badda bing badda boom, router/pc shat the bed. I have 3 laptops and 2 desktops also on my wireless network (non-gaming) and they all live in peace with each other when accessing the interwebs.

[fuzelogic]

I have a iphone 3GS setup with my Wifi information using a Linksys N router.

I believe the iphone will connect to the router for the internet and I have not had any lockups. I have not tried to access my email yet via the iphone.