TG585 v8 LAN nightmare

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spacerace

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#87070 19-Jul-2011 09:32

This post is about the Thomson TG585 v8 router supplied by Telecom.

I've looked long and hard for a way in which to fix the issues I'm having with this awful router, and have just about given up.

Connections between computers on a local network are intermittent and slow. I do not understand why I can see someone's shared files one moment, and not the next. Similarly, I can ping other computers (with static IPs set up) on my network and get responses sometimes, but not at other times.

I am not inexperienced when it comes to networking, but I'm at my wit's end in this case!

Is anyone else having these problems? Do you think they would warrant a router replacement from Telecom?

My only solution thus far has been to save up to buy a WRT54GL and finally put my issues to rest.

wreck90

780 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#495139 19-Jul-2011 09:43

spacerace: This post is about the Thomson TG585 v8 router supplied by Telecom.

I've looked long and hard for a way in which to fix the issues I'm having with this awful router, and have just about given up.

Connections between computers on a local network are intermittent and slow. I do not understand why I can see someone's shared files one moment, and not the next. Similarly, I can ping other computers (with static IPs set up) on my network and get responses sometimes, but not at other times.

I am not inexperienced when it comes to networking, but I'm at my wit's end in this case!

Is anyone else having these problems? Do you think they would warrant a router replacement from Telecom?

My only solution thus far has been to save up to buy a WRT54GL and finally put my issues to rest.

Just search for thomson on these forums. Terrible things, crash all the time and very poor UI.

I went through 4 of them and telecom said something must be wrong on my side. Telecom asked me to buy new network cards for all the devices on my network.

Bought a new modem, and all the problems went away.

My neighbours asked me how my broadband was the other day because theirs was absolute rubbish. Asked them what modem they had, and , it was a thomson so I told them to buy a new one. All their problems are fixed now also.

NonprayingMantis

6434 posts

Uber Geek

#495146 19-Jul-2011 09:55

are you using WiFi or Ethernet conections?

I was having similar problems until recently - my netbook and PSP often couldsn't find my LAnm at all, or couldn;t find shared files etc using WiFi (same model modem) when I read online about channel interference.

I switched the channel from the default (1) to channel 11 and suddenly my WiFi signal was excellent and has been excellent ever since
have you tried that?

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/inquisitor/2996

http://compnetworking.about.com/od/wifihomenetworking/qt/wifichannel.htm

spacerace

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#495148 19-Jul-2011 09:56

I'm glad it's not just me!

At some stage I was considering whether it would be possible to try and flash the router back to its original firmware (and get rid of Telecom's) - but I doubt that would change much.

The WRT54GL it is!

spacerace

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#495151 19-Jul-2011 09:58

NonprayingMantis: are you using WiFi or Ethernet conections?

I was having similar problems until recently using my WiFi (same model modem) when I read online about channel interference.

I switched the channel from the default (1) to channel 11 and suddenly my WiFi signal was excellent and has been excellent ever since
have you tried that?

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/inquisitor/2996

http://compnetworking.about.com/od/wifihomenetworking/qt/wifichannel.htm

I am using channel 11, and I have restricted the router to only broadcasting over b/g. I'm not really having any problems with broadband connection speed - just with local networking.

Thanks for affirming that switching to channel 11 was a good move though :)

NonprayingMantis

6434 posts

Uber Geek

#495152 19-Jul-2011 10:04

spacerace:
NonprayingMantis: are you using WiFi or Ethernet conections?

I was having similar problems until recently using my WiFi (same model modem) when I read online about channel interference.

I switched the channel from the default (1) to channel 11 and suddenly my WiFi signal was excellent and has been excellent ever since
have you tried that?

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/inquisitor/2996

http://compnetworking.about.com/od/wifihomenetworking/qt/wifichannel.htm

I am using channel 11, and I have restricted the router to only broadcasting over b/g. I'm not really having any problems with broadband connection speed - just with local networking.

Thanks for affirming that switching to channel 11 was a good move though :)

Whether it is a good move for you depends on what channel other people are using. If all your neighbours are doing the same, then it isn’t so good. You should try a few different ones to see which gives the best signal strength

spacerace

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#495198 19-Jul-2011 11:48

Whether it is a good move for you depends on what channel other people are using. If all your neighbours are doing the same, then it isn’t so good. You should try a few different ones to see which gives the best signal strength

Good point. I'll switch it now and report back if I notice a difference.

Ragnor

8219 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#495231 19-Jul-2011 12:38

spacerace:
The WRT54GL it is!

It's weird that you're having local networking issues, most issues with the Thomson's are wireless or internet related. Only way the Thomson would cause that is if the network switch in the unit was faulty.

Q: When you say local network issues do you mean between machines connected via lan cable or wireless?

If you want a cheap but solid all in one, the TP Link TD-W8960N is good
http://www.computerlounge.co.nz/components/componentview.asp?partid=12370

Note: The Linksys WRT54GL is a router/network switch/wireless access point, it does not contain an adsl modem. So you would need an adsl modem (you could re-use the Thomson) + router but you need to learn about networking concepts like half bridging.

Tradepub

Free professional, reference and technical white papers (affiliate link).

richms

28168 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#495291 19-Jul-2011 14:22

The switch in the thompson doesnt seem to like having multiple devices on several ports, at one place I help out with the only way to make it work was to get another switch where the router was and put everything on that and then one cable to the router. Otherwise devices on one switch at one end of the building would lose connectivity to the ones on the switch at the other end of the building, but could still ping the router and others on the same switch.

Richard rich.ms

spacerace

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#497072 23-Jul-2011 12:32

Still no luck with this router. I have tried changing the wireless channel and configuring the ports differently (I even connected everything by cable).

If you want a cheap but solid all in one, the TP Link TD-W8960N is good
http://www.computerlounge.co.nz/components/componentview.asp?partid=12370

Note: The Linksys WRT54GL is a router/network switch/wireless access point, it does not contain an adsl modem. So you would need an adsl modem (you could re-use the Thomson) + router but you need to learn about networking concepts like half bridging.

Thanks for that advice. The TP Link looks great!