Dlink DI-624 router problem with firmware upgrade

[jmcoz]

I have been using the DI-624 router for 3 month connected to Net via broadband Cable. A few days ago, I upgraded the firmware to the latest version (1.29) and have had several problems.

My download speed have dropped significantly on my wired connection from the router to my desktop PC. It is now only around 68KB/sec. I have tried connecting the cable modem straight to the desktop PC and the download speed was 500+KB/sec. It is only when I connect through the router that the speed drops.

I have tried connecting my wired PC to port 2 to 4 and I don’t seem to be able to connect to the internet through the router. It only works through port 1.

My wireless connection to the router via my notebook with DLink DWL-G650 will not work with automatic IP assignment but the wired desktop PC does.

Please help. By the way, can I reinstall the previous firmware version? Thanks.

[cszeto]

It depends on the firmware. D-Link would have the final information on something like that. Have you contacted them?

There is also a chance that it is a hardware failure. It happens...

http://forums.practicallynetworked.com/showthread.php?threadid=2844

[jmcoz]

I have tried ringing DLink support (in Australia) and was on hold for over 30 minutes, so I gave up. I have email them with the problem but have not received a reply.

Is there a software to test the speed of my internet connection?

[cszeto]

Since no single entity controls the Internet, Internet speed is never constant. You can test the speed of the network, but as soon as you touch the Internet, all bets are off. You can take snapshots of Internet response, but that will also dynamically fluctuate.

There are a few utilities that can test network throughput, but that has next to nothing to do with the speed of the Internet. The Internet is dynamic and usage constantly changes its performance. There are some online tests too which also provide snapshots.

[Haydn]

Same router (Revision B) had previously run fine on 1.25 which itself was an upgrade to what came when supplied. Went to 1.29 (which is the latest for use in UK) and had problems similar to yours. It's perhaps worth noting that for US the standard release is 1.28 but I've not tried that.

I flashed back to 1.25 and now all OK. Do you have a copy still as is no longer available on D-Link website. If not, send me a private message and I'll e-mail to you.

Cheers

[jmcoz]

Thanks for the offer, Haydn.
Mine is a revision B and I had firmware 1.25 before the upgrade to 1.29. The problem is with the latest firmware but DLink is not acknowledging that it is a problem. I have swap back to the 1.25 firmware and it is now working fine. I guess we can't try out the Super G feature until they sort out the firmware problem.

[Haydn]

I just tried 1.29 again. Got SuperG apparently working with the DWL 520 equiped PC that was running latest drivers (at least it reported as connected at 108Mbs).

Because I normally need to run 802.11b as well on my wireless network, I'm not sure if all the SuperG features will work. When testing I had turned the router to 802.11g ONLY on a temporary basis.

However although the SuperG worked, the problems of slow internet speed previously experienced with 1.29 returned.

What I find is that it works OK for first few minutes of opening different Web pages etc, but then slows down rapidly until so slow that reports the sites as unavailable. I've tried using a spoof NIC MAC address (as well as actual router's) because a techie from Blueyonder (Broadband provider) had suggested the problem resulted from a corrupted IP address at their end (presumably resulting from upgrading the firmware) which can be overcome by either connecting direct to the NIC card (as you found) or spoofing the router with the NIC MAC address (in both of which cases it will use a new IP address at Blueyonder). That may be so but I have not had success with using the approach via the router when on firmware 1.29.

So I tend to agree that there is a fault with firmware 1.29. because both times I've tried it there were problems that could only be solved by going back to 1.25.

I actually wanted to see if with SuperG I could convert another PC
to an 802.11g PCI card that is currently just out of reliable range with standard 802.11g, so have to use an 802.11b USB adapter with a long USB lead to get ariel within range. Apparently the extra bandwidth of SuperG may assist in these circumstances.

[jmcoz]

Haydn,

When I was using firmware 1.29, the router will not connect to my ISP using the router MAC. I had to use the NIC MAC.
My wireless connection did show 108Mbp but it is pointless when the download speed was just above a dial-up connection. I have even tried the U.S. firmware 1.28 and it had the same problem. I will continue to use 1.25, less problem!