Internet Connection Becomming Slower Overtime

[kilukily]

Hi,

I have a DI-524 wireless router, firmware vesion 3.02. The ISP provider is Charter Communications 3 MMB connection.

Network Layout: THE Cable modem ( motorola SB5120) is connected to the wall and the DI-524 is directly connected to the cable modem. My home PC ( Windows XP, P-III, 512MB ram ) is connected to the DI-524 at port 1. I also have a linksys router for Vonage connection, which is alos connected to the DI-524 in port 2. I have a laptop that connects to it wireless using Data Link g wireless card.

Problem: I have two problems that I am having right now.

1.0 My internet connection starts getting slower progresively and eventually dies. The connection comes back either when I restart the DI-524 or by itself in an hour or so. I can't understand why the throughput through the router is decreasing so much. If you look at the error log of the router there are a lot of messages saying "UDN packets dropped" or "TCP/IP packets dropped". ALso if I connect my PC directly to the cable modem bypassing the DI-524 I do not have any problems.
2.0Second problem is, that whenever there is any activity on Port 2, my connection at port 1 dies completely and comes back on right after the activity on port 2 stops. Remember port 1 is connected to my PC and port 2 to Vonnage phone adapter.

Any or all the help in these two matters will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Regards
kilukily

[wobbles]

Dropped packets could be a sign of interference. Could be bad wiring in the house, might be right outside the house as well. Used to happen to me and the cable guy showed me squirrel chipmonk bites and scratches up on the utility pole.

[Variable]

Sounds like you have no bandwidth. A person with a similar problem a week ago had the issue fixed by changing the channel that the wireless connection was using. You have tu understand how computers send and receive packets to understand how your connection could get progressively worse over time. Your wireless connection will try and resend packets that did not go through. If they are failing because bandwidth is exceeded you can see how it could snowball because you are constantly streaming new packets. The machine may not be able to catch up. You know you have a problem with the wireless connection because the problem dissapeares if you conenct it via a cable.

[kilukily]

Thanks guys, is there a way to test if I am loosing bandwidth and if packets are being dropped and by how much. The bigger question is what can I do about it?
Really appreciate all the help