Sometimes a reboot is good

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So today as I’m taking a slight break from technology … well kinda (*)…. and baking Christmas spritz cookies I am reminded of a reboot I had to do
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Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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abbodi86, ve2mrx, Myst, TechTango, woody

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My reboot is Campbell’s Green Pea Soup with fried bologna sandwich (OK I may be weird) or I make a boudin and crayfish king cake!

Never Say Never

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SueW, Myst, Susan Bradley

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I’m old-fashioned when it comes to electrical appliances and things like fire risk, stability, clearing memory, energy saving and other things. I have two desktop PCs and always have one, and sometimes both, on each day for assorted things like emails, browsing and gaming. They get switched off including the modem and router both at night and if I go out during the day for more than say half an hour. Incidentally, that accords with the current advice from the fire service in the UK.

I see a lot of gamers complaining on forums about memory leaks slowing down a game when they play it for more than an hour or two and they always blame the developer’s coding, and it never occurs to most of them to reboot their machines every day – they just say that isn’t necessary nowadays and complain some more.

Obviously if you’re running computers for business, let alone a server, then circumstances will be different.

As for Susan’s other points, I don’t use wifi at all, and if I have a lost connection to a site then I check that other sites are accessible, and I also use one of the down detector sites to check if it’s just me. Initially I will have glanced at the signal light on the modem and the connection icon on the taskbar but I’ve learnt not to trust them too much!

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I’m on wireless (a receiver on the roof that connects to an AP and goes through a small modem in the house which connects to my router). I unplug the router every night after shutting down computers. I usually reboot the small modem about twice a week.

If I have problems, I reboot the modem and router first and call the ISP and they almost always say that it’s my router. So I unplug the router and plug my computer directly into the modem. That usually proves that it’s them and not me. Generally they are too lazy to see if it is actually their side.

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does 🙂
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

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I have Spectrum, which reboots both modem AND router on the average of twice a month-it’s called a “service outage”!  🙂

Seriously, even though I have both plugged into a UPS…they still send some sort of reset for both down the line after a service outage…it’s one of the only advantages of poor service!

Win7 Pro SP1 64-bit, Dell Latitude E6330, Intel CORE i5 "Ivy Bridge", 12GB RAM, Group "0Patch", Multiple Air-Gapped backup drives in different locations. Linux Mint Greenhorn
--
"Nine out of 10 doctors say Acid Reflux is mainly caused by computers."

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Yep, been there done that, every now & then same thing happens here when poking around the internet on the PC/laptop or face timing on the iPhone/iPad.

In the past, I used to spend 15-20 minutes trying to determine if it’s the PC/laptop, iPhone/iPad, GCI cable modem, my router or ISP and found that both the GCI modem or my router has a tendency to loose internet connectivity usually after several months of normal operation.

So in my case, I connected both my GCI modem & personal router to a separate power strip so I could simply simulate a utility “power loss” (we often have these living in Alaska especially during this time of year) by switching the power strip momentarily OFF (10-15 sec) then ON again which simultaneously reboots both and so far this has resolved the issue every time. 🤞

My question for Susan is … why did it seem to only effect your access to AskWoody while other sites came up OK? 🤔

Win7 - PRO & Ultimate, x64 & x86
Win8.1 - PRO, x64 & x86
Groups A, B & ABS

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ve2mrx, OscarCP

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RDRGuy: “My question for Susan is … why did it seem to only effect your access to AskWoody while other sites came up OK?”

My question too: when I have to reboot the router that is because the WiFi connection with the router is out and there is no way to access the Internet at all. Oh well, strange things happen now and then when using computers. Good to know that rebooting the router was the appropriate magic trick.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

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It looks, reading the preceding comments, like I might be unusual in leaving my one and only router on all the time, except when I go away for one or more days (something I am not doing so much in these days of wearing masks, social distancing and staying home as much as possible.) Maybe it helps that the only thing that the modem connects to over the air is my laptop, and that this is invariable switched off when I do not expect to use it for several hours — for example at night, while I am either reading in bed or sleeping.

For everything else, I use cables.

Very occasionally the modem goes on strike and I have to persuade it to keep going with a motivational reboot.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

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cyberSAR

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My stuff all stays on 24/7. Computers, modems, routers, switches – everything. They get a reboot when something is acting wonky or a substantial change or update is applied.

Never Say Never

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OscarCP

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I use a simple batch file that quickly pings all the pieces of my connectivity, from an access point to the router to the cablemodem to local Comcast hops to DNS 4 and 6.  If all is ok, it completes in a fraction of a second. If something is weird this usually tells me what it is.

@echo off
:top
cls
echo LR access point:
ping -n 1 192.168.1.200|find “Reply”
echo .
echo upstairs router
ping -n 1 192.168.1.1|find “Reply”
echo .
echo cablemodem
ping -n 1 192.168.100.1|find “Reply”
echo .
echo comcast first hop ip#
ping -n 1 96.120.64.193|find “Reply”
echo .

echo comcast dns ipv6
ping -n 1 -6 cdns01.comcast.net|find “Reply”
rem ping -n 1 75.75.75.75|find “Reply”
echo .
echo google dns ipv4
ping -n 1 -4 dns.google|find “Reply”
echo .
echo google dns ipv6
ping -n 1 -6 dns.google|find “Reply”
echo .

pause
goto top

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Since we have FIOS television, we need to have a Verizon router as well.  We have had a G3100 router for a couple of years now and it’s performed flawlessly.  Our house is of modest size and we get good wireless signals throughout.  My workstation is the only one that is hardwired and phones, tablets and two other PCs work over wifi.  Streaming is never a problem even when multiple devices are used simultaneously.  this is the first router I can remember that hasn’t required a periodic reboot (knock on wood) and it updates the firmware automatically.

The only downside is it was more expensive than a comparable top brand router without the coax connection.

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Susan Bradley wrote:

I am reminded of a reboot I had to do

Anytime I get a single site that cannot be reached, and is apparently not down, I suspect that it is DNS related.

Are you using the Comcast DNS servers? Maybe rebooting the modem forced a reset of the DNS connection?

Anyway, you can quickly set alternate DNS server assignments in your PC or router to test this theory. I usually use Google DNS instead of my ISP’s DNS anyway. OpenDNS is another reliable alternate DNS option that I have used.

Windows 10 Pro 22H2

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Had a maybe april update for 1809 borke dns randomly that was fixed by subsequent updates.

Rebooting only if needed once a month or so.

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I routinely configure my routers for a reboot on Mondays at 4:30am. That takes care of mine, but the ISP stuff is rebooted as needed. Same with Windows 10 PCs and Raspberry Pis.

I too “stack” my own router on top of the ISP’s one. Luckily, it supports PPPoE passthrough and the ISP allows for two logins!

Aa for troubleshooting my networks, ping inside, ping outside, reboot anything suspicious. I have no critical loads, so there’s no real consequence.

Martin

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What are you doing to reset or reboot your technology and yourself these days?

I turn off all my tech if I am not using it. My router and computer are shut off each day. The router has issues since phone line longer is power by line so I loose phone service until I turn it back online.

Do you regularly reboot your modem/router and any other wifi devices?

Yes. I reboot router each day. My Wifi devices are turn off and disabled. Wifi is too dangerous to use since easy to steal info off it.

What steps do you use to troubleshoot connectivity issues? What do you do to narrow down that it’s you and not them?

1. Ping the site.
2. Reboot laptop and computer.
3. Use offsite connection
4. If all fails, check online.

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anonymous wrote:

Wifi is too dangerous to use since easy to steal info off it.

That is just not true. Running WPA2, which is the default on modern wifi units, is secure and can’t be hacked.
Even if you use an insecure protocol, like WEP, as long as you browse to https sites and have your email on secure protocols like TLS, your data is still secure.

cheers, Paul

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ve2mrx

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I agree about the difficulty in stealing data or pirating a Wi-Fi signal.  Maybe if you live in an apartment building Wi-Fi signals are discoverable but in a single family house that’s highly unlikely.  If I go more than 20 feet from my house the Wi-Fi drops out.  When I try to scan for Wi-Fi signals from neighbors I can’t find anything at all.

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Give someone a pringles can and random items …This will allow to pick up a weak wifi  single from 30 feet away in a van or car or two houses away

Here is a simple guide:

https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-make-a-wifi-antenna-out-of-a-pringles-can-nb/

 

Or go high tech equipment and can get more distance.

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There are ways for exploits in WPA2 since 2017. This is why WiFi is not secure.
Read this article for info how one of 5 current ways to bypass WPA2 since 2018. The other four ways have not been public post at the moment.
New Wi-Fi attack cracks WPA2 passwords with ease

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If you are referring to the “KRACK” vulnerability, it’s been fixed by a combination of  device drivers and router firmware. If you kept your devices up to date and they got an update in 2018 or newer, it’s protected against KRACK.

Maybe there is a newer one?

Martin

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Kirsty

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This was many years ago, but I had a client with a pair manufacturing properties connected to the Internet with Comcast Business Internet service (Internet) modems, and about a mile between them – they even had the same Internet CO, so 3 hops between sites.  The firewalls on each side had a couple of VPN tunnels through them for data and telecom system connections between the sites.  We discovered quickly that every week, on Friday afternoon, we had to reboot the modems.  If we didn’t reboot the modems, the Internet would slow, and eventually the tunnels would go down – sometime over the weekend – and affect business on Monday morning.  One side (the larger/busier side) would usually go down first.

Let’s say I don’t have this kind of problem with ‘real’ Business or Enterprise class service providers.

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Hi Susan,

After reading the article I was intrigued that you have a router in front of your Comcast modem (I have ATT).

I was wondering what you have in front of your router and why.

Thanks,
Lance O

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I run my own router after my ISP supplied unit. This allows me to isolate my equipment from ISP supplied bits and have a guest network for IoT things. It’s all about security and control for me.

cheers, Paul

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