Network Computers Disconnecting

[Bhaal]

I just got back from college and plugged my computer into our home network via usb receiver. It initially worked fine. However, 12 hours or so later I noticed that my computer, and the other computer on the wireless network were both disconnected. I reset the router and it seemed to fix the problem. Though the two computers in the network were working they listed that there was an IP address conflict. I repaired and it seemed to fix that. Then after a day or so later the computers disconnected from the LAN and wouldn't reconnect for any apparent reason. Again, I reset the router and it fixed the problem. Is there anything I can do to fix this permanently? I have a Netgear router.. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks..

[Variable]

Sounds like DHCP lease is expiring and giving an ip address that is used by one machine not set to DHCP. If you are using DHCP then the network cards for each machine should be set to obtain IP address automatically. If you can not change the other machines simply exclude that address from the DHCP scope in the router or hard code your ip address to a unused IP in the range outside of the DHCP scope.

[Bhaal]

I am using DHCP and obtaining IP addresses automatically. I'm not sure how to exclude the address from the DHCP scope and can't figure out how to even get into the router right now. I know when I first set it up I could access it with 192.168.0.1 or something like that, but now, no combination is working. Thanks so much for your reply Variable, I really appreciate it. I'm gonna try to get working on figuring out exactly how to do what you're describing.

[Variable]

If you can connect to the router and surf you could try this.
Start/Run and type cmd and hit enter
type Ipconfig /all

The important numbers are your IP address, Subnet mask, Default gateway and DNS servers. Write them down or leave the window open so you can look at them throguh the rest of the instructions.

If you are getting an IP address from the router it will likely say something like 192.168.x.x

The last number is important, lets say it is 100 i.e. 192.168.1.100 what you could try and do is increment this number beyond the range of the DHCP leased addresses. Maybe 200 so you could change your IP address to 192.168.1.200. all the other settings would stay the same.

Now if you right click My Network Places, go to Properties, you will see an icon for Local Area Connection, right click that and go to Properties. Left click on Internet Protocol TCP/IP under "This connection uses the following items:" (may have to scroll down) and then click Properties

here is where you set your addressing up. Input the numbers from the Ipconfig /all that your router gave you (that you wrote down or from the window still open) with the last number in the IP address changed, as per above.

V

[Bhaal]

That didn't seem to work.. I then was able to finally access the router using the other computer in the network. After isolating a few programs that seemed to disconnect the network, I opened the ports they used and that didn't work either.

I then called Netgear for some help and they weren't too great. He ended with instructing me to lessen the packet size from 1500 to 1300. This seemed at first to fix the problem but it didn't. Finally, after 2 weeks of this I couldn't take it anymore and went out to the store and bought a linksys wireless g router. I set it up in about 5 minutes with no trouble. I installed it last night and so far no disconnects. I'm going to guess that my trouble isn't going to continue. If it does I'll post =P.

Thanks for replying and giving me some suggestions Variable.