G41 losing Internet connection when idle for 2-3 hours

[secretcodebreaker]

I did a search and got two pages of posts in the ThinkPad R, A, G and Z Series section. None seemed to address my particular situation. I might not be looking in the right place and I apologize if the answer to my problem is posted in a different thread.

I recently installed DSL and created a LAN with a modem/router. I have three PCs (all running Widows XP) in the network. Two are Wi-Fi connected and the IBM ThinkPad G41 is ethernet cable connected.

The IBM ThinkPad (Model G41 - Windows XP Pro Version 2002 Service Pack 2) is giving me 'a problem.'

Never really used it as a portable laptop, it's always connected to a power source.

When the ThinkPad is idle for a few hours it loses the Internet connection.

That 'loss of connection' occurs about 2 - 3 hours after using a browser (Firefox) or an e-mail client (tried both Thunderbird & Outlook Express). It doesn't seem to be a problem with either of those programs. I've closed them and not used the ThinkPad for hours and this 'loss of connection' still occurs.

I refer to this 'loss of connection' since the only way you know that it has occurred is by trying to surf the Internet with a browser or use the e-mail client. I get an error message.

The little icon in the system tray is still there and if you put the mouse on it it indicates it is connected.

Checking the Control Panel Internet Connection screen says that it is connected and if you 'disconnect' it and then 'connect' it, it acts normally, but (ah...the big but) it really isn't connected (working). The modem/router even flashes it's lights as it does when surfing the Internet or using the e-mail client.

Yet the browser still says it can't find the Internet and the e-mail client still reports an error that it can't find the 'inbox' POP server.

The other two PCs in the LAN never do this.

Turning off the modem/router and then turning it back appears to cause Windows to enact a connection but everything above stays the same. Says it's connected, acts like it's connected, but it isn't.

I checked the Ethernet cable. The little green light next to the port goes off when I remove the cable and comes back on when I connect the cable. I assume this is an indication that the cable is functioning properly.

Also, when I disable and then enable the LAN connection, the modem/router light blinks and as before the Status window indicates 'connected' - speed 100 Mb.

I removed the LAN connection completely and slipped a Wireless G USB adapter into one of the USB ports. Windows sensed it immediately and activated the wireless network connection. Worked fine. Went away and in a couple of hours I encountered the same situation as above. All indications were that I was still connected, including flashing lights on the modem/router and the small blue computer screens in the system tray. I brought up the browser (from minimized) and it tried to access the Internet. Couldn't find the web page. Same for the e-mail client that had been closed and I started it up. Neither could actually connect to the Internet.

After re-booting, I brought up the browser and it surfed the Internet with no problem. Then I closed the browser and went to Control Panel - Network Connections and 'disconnected' the LAN connection. Again I waited a few hours and then 'connected' the LAN connection. Everything looked normal, said it was connected and when it was connecting the lights were flashing on the modem/router. Same result when I started up the browser. Lights flashed, the system tray icon (two little blue screens) blinked. But, the browser said it couldn't find the web page. Then I started the e-mail client. It paused for a few seconds and then gave me an error message (no server connection).

The only thing that I have been able to do to get the connection working again is to re-boot the ThinkPad (laptop).

I realize that because it's a laptop it has energy saving options such as 'hibernate', stand-by and screen saver stuff which are defaults. I have tried to go the Control Panel/Energy Saving options screens and remove the check marks and set the timers to 'never' in the hope that they were causing the problem. I've done this on the Systems settings (device manager network adapters), Internet Connections and the two programs.

I don't know if I got them all but I do know that turning those energy saving options off didn't do any good. BTW, the Windows XP screen saver still kicks in after a period of inactivity (black screen with Windows icon rolling around).

Another thing I tried was listing all the programs that were shown to be running (Task Manager List). There were 59. Then the next time the 'loss of connection' problem occurred I checked the Task List hoping to find a change, either a program that had stopped running or one that had started. No luck. The same 59 programs were listed.

I've been 'working' on this problem for about a week with no success. Last night instead of turning off the ThinkPad I put it in hibernation. This morning it came up (out of hibernation) and appeared to be in the same state as before. When I tried to send an e-mail, I got the 'can't connect to the POP server message. As before, a re-boot solved the problem.

Can anyone identify what might be causing this strange 'lost connection' problem and maybe some suggestions as to how I might fix it?

[RealBlackStuff]

Welcome to the forum.

Almost the only thing I can think off, that you did not mention, is the refreshing cycle for the IP address.
run "ipconfig /?" in a DOS box to see more details.
Another possibility: if are you using fixed IPs, try automatically get IP/DNS or v.v.

[secretcodebreaker]

I ran that program and it listed the various options associated with that command line instruction (ipconfig /) including Refresh and Release. I didn't see the word Cycle anywhere on that page. I got the impression that the options listed were executable instructions that would change something rather than present me with information about how things were set.

I'm sorry but I think I'm into an area that goes beyond my ability and understanding. I remember being stepped through (by the AT&T support technician) the use of ipconfig to initially set up (configure) the modem/router, etc. so I could begin using DSL.

Messing around with that information is a bit scary for me. I know just enough to get into trouble and not enough to know how to get out.

I don't think I'm using fixed IPs. I recall something about Dynamically Assigned IPs in the information about the DSL service.

I'm assuming that your reply is an indication that this 'losing connection' situation is not a common occurrence nor a built-in function (in all ThinkPads) that can't be changed.

I'm thinking about just getting another ThinkPad (from the IBM Employee Purchase Plan) if that would 'solve' the problem. This G41 is getting old and I've got my money's worth. Paying myself $10/hour for the number of hours I've been working on this problem will more than pay for another ThinkPad.

Thanks for trying to help me out.

[RealBlackStuff]

How were you connecting to the internet, before you got DSL?
What router make/model now?
If you got a Westell 327W router, this is not an uncommon problem.
I had something similar, replaced the crappy Westell with an Asus WL-520GU router, and never looked back.

[secretcodebreaker]

For years I used Dial-Up (internal modem).

That connection continued to work (co-existed) with DSL. A couple of days ago I deleted it, hoping that it might solve the problem. The telephone line remains unconnected.

I'm using a Netopia 3000 Model 3347W, which is the modem/router that AT&T sends in their Start-Up kit when you first sign-up for DSL service. That is one of only three that they will support and the only one they sell. I didn't buy it from AT&T (for $75). I got it from DSL Depot here in Jacksonville.

I never really suspected it might be the modem/router since the other two PCs on the LAN never exhibited this problem. To confirm that it wasn't the way the ThinkPad was connected (LAN cable) I removed the cable and used a Wi-Fi connection (via the USB port) and the problem remained. One of the other PCs is Wi-Fi connected via a PCI adapter card and the other via a Wi-Fi G adapter inserted in the USB port.

Also, re-setting the modem/router (power off - power on) doesn't 'fix' it but re-booting the ThinkPad does. If I re-boot the ThinkPad and then don't use either the browser or the e-mail client, then the problem does not arise. Only after using either Internet connection programs and then closing them does the problem occur about 2 - 3 hours later. Less than that time, I can re-start either and they will connect.

So, my current procedure is to re-boot the ThinkPad when I'm finished using it and expect it to be idle for the next couple of hours. Then whenever I come back to use it it will connect without 'the problem.' I never turn off the modem/router, even when I shut-down all the PCs for the night on the advice of the AT&T support technician.

I've been posting my problem on MajorGeeks.com (been a member for years) and a post to the thread this morning read as follows

...does the laptop have any 'energy savings' settings in the BIOS? I remember working on a friends IBM [lenovo?] T40 and think it had some settings in its BIOS. They could over-ride the settings within XP...

I assume this forum would be aware of that if such were the case. Also, I don't know how to check or change the settings in the BIOS.

[RealBlackStuff]

I don't know the G40 or G41, but to get into the BIOS, at bootup hit F1. Then look there for any networking settings that might influence it.
Switch off WOL (wake-on-Lan).
Your Netopia router should be fine, it's not the latest or greatest, but a solid starter unit.

[secretcodebreaker]

Got to the BIOS. Wake On Lan was at the top of the list. I disabled it.

The others listed were-

Flash Over LAN, Internal Network, Option ROM, Hard Drive DMA, Internal Network Device and Internal Wireless Device. ALL were enabled.

As I moved down the list (curiosity) a short explanation appeared to the right of each item. Funny (sadly actually) I couldn't really understand exactly what each one was telling me.

Anyway, WOL is disabled. Now we'll see (in a couple of hours) whether that solved 'the problem.'

Thanks for the help.

[secretcodebreaker]

Disabling Wake On LAN did not solve 'the problem.'

Been testing all the previous conditions and they remain the same. Once the the browser or e-mail client is used and then remains idle for 2-3 hours, neither can get back to the Internet.

Once the connection is 'lost' none of these actions bring it back.

1. Disabling/enabling the Connector.
2. Clicking Repair. Windows goes through the repair routine, claims it is fixed, but it is not.
3. Turning off the modem/router and 5 seconds later turning it back on. It takes some time for it to re-establish the DSL connection and during that time the other 2 PCs in the LAN indicate that they have lost the connection. Once the modem/router completes its re-connect, those two PCs can once again surf the Net. The ThinkPad indicates that it is connected but alas, not to be.

Restarting the ThinkPad is the only way I've found to be able to re-connect to the Internet.

[secretcodebreaker]

Two thoughts about this problem.

1. Instead of being power management related, could it be security related? Whatever is causing the disconnect does not seem to be shutting off any power consuming components. The little system tray icon is still blinking as are all the lights on the modem/router.

2. Are there any files (like an event log) that can be accessed after the problem occurs that would indicate what the ThinkPad as been doing during this 2-3 hours of idle time? Or are there any freeware programs that can be installed that would accomplish this?

Thanks for your interest in my problem and for any suggestions.

[secretcodebreaker]

Discovered the cause of the problem (I think).

I got another ThinkPad (Model T42) and it ran like a champ all the time I was converting. Then today I finally got around to installing a firewall program. One that I have been using on all the PCs in the LAN since I switched to DSL. P C Tools Firewall Plus.

The 'problem' re-appeared! As soon as I removed that program the problem went away. Didn't even have to re-boot.

I don't know if the 'problem' is specific to this particular firewall program or if it's a general condition. It isn't a problem for the other PCs in the LAN, only for the ThinkPad.