DI604 router: DHCP keeps mysteriously being disabled

[ScottM]

Hello, first post, can't find descriptions of similar problem in other topics, so here goes...

My setup: Virgin Media cable broadband, DLink DI 604 router, wired connection to two PCs. Router is DHCP server for the two PCs, and in turn gets its IP address from Virgin's DHCP.

The problem: every so often (typically a few days), the router seems to stop being a DHCP server, and starts acting as just a pass-through switch. The first PC I turn on gets an 82... IP address, direct from the Virgin modem (the router's DHCP would issue 192.168... addresses). The second PC obviously then can't connect at all, as the modem only gives out one IP address.

Once this has happened, the router also stops answering to its "http://192.168.0.1/" config page (even if I disconnect the modem and just connect the PC to the router, giving the PC a hard-coded 192.168.0.2 IP address, subnet 255.255.255.0 and gateway 192.168.0.1, to remove the possibility of any strange routing). So it's impossible to diagnose what's going on in the router (unless anyone can suggest another way to connect to it?) The only solution is a hard reset of the router, then everything starts working properly again.

I've set an admin password on the router, disabled remote management, etc, etc, so this shouldn't be a result of an external attack. All other router settings are the defaults.

I've had the router for several years, it has always worked faultlessly. It's a 'B' hardware rev but with the latest firmware for that rev. I can't be certain, but it seems this problem first started happening a few months ago when Virgin sent me a new (small, black, Virgin-branded) cable modem, to replace my older NTL-branded one.

So: is there any possibility that this new modem is somehow modifying my router settings (deliberately or otherwise)? Or could it be that the router is just reaching that age where an intermittent hardware problem is causing it to misbehave? Or could it be an external attack that can somehow bypass the disabled remote management and password? Or could it be Vista on the PC doing something weird?

Has anyone seen anything like this at all, and what solution were you able to find?

(I can buy a new router if necessary, but I'd rather wait a few more months until the N-wireless standard is finalised and prices fall a bit more. So anything to help keep my DI604 going a bit longer is much appreciated!).

Many thanks,
Scott

[Stuart]

It is likely that the router is failing. The modem should not be able to alter the settings, and, TBH, if the router if functioning properly, the modem should not even be able to detect that it is a router it is communicating with.

I'd recommend buying a new router. Technically, the N standard still hasn't been ratified, but, tbh, it has not really changed since about 2006, so I don't think it's going to change now. Certainly I'd be suprised if any router you buy now isn't either fully compliant with the N standard by default, or able to accept a firmware upgrade to enable full compliancy.