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[DIR657]

I have three media devices that can stream from two PC servers, all connected to the DIR-657 via Ethernet cables and a switch.  All devices experienced the same issue with the original DIR-657 firmware 1.01 and now 1.02 beta.  I tried a factory reset, which was a nuisance because it cleared all my reserved DHCP addresses, and even then it did not solve the problem.  I tried toggling UPnP, SPI, and so on, all with no effect.  All devices connect successfully to the Internet; the issue affects only streaming across the LAN.  I asked D-Link tech support (web, e-mail, and phone) but they could not resolve this issue.

The problem did not occur with my old D-Link DI-524, only with the new DIR-657.

The problem is, if I turn off a media device, and later turn it back on, it does not find the PC servers until I reboot the DIR-657.  Switching the DIR-657 off and then on, or unplugging it and plugging it in again, does not solve the problem.  When I reboot the DIR-657, the media devices can see the PC servers and stream continuously for days, until I turn off a media device, then I'm back to the problem.

My first hypothesis was, the DIR-657 power-saving features might power down ethernet ports when the connected devices are switched off, but I don't know why power off&on would not solve that.  My next hypothesis is, the Tools->System->Reboot process causes the DIR-657 to send some information that the media devices need, and that the DIR-657 does not send otherwise.

[FurryNutz]

Link>Welcome!

I believe that the router needs a soft reboot after MS is enabled before the feature will work and is how it's designed on these routers.

[DIR657]

Thanks for replying, but I'm trying to find a way to avoid having to reboot the DIR-657 every time I switch on a media device.  I have rebooted hundreds of times, and each time the process requires me to (1) navigate and log into the DIR-657 settings, (2) click Tools->System->Reboot, (3) wait a minute for the reboot to complete.  I've spent literally hours doing that, but media devices consume too many Watts to be left on all the time.  If daily rebooting is a DIR-657 design requirement, it isn't an improvement compared to my old router that didn't have that "feature".

[FurryNutz]

One thing you could try, Install a external Gb network switch between the router and ALL other wired devices. Connect the media device and the PC servers to this switch. Test. Do the devices see the servers with out having to reboot the router?

[DIR657]

Yes, when I remove the DIR-657 from the circuit path as you describe, media devices can see the server across the switch.  Media devices can be switched off and on again, without losing the ability to find the server.

The experiment confirms the issue is within the DIR-657, not the cables or switches.  I even tried re-arranging switches and unfortunately snapped the tab off a cable, so this particular experiment ended up being somewhat costly, all to confirm what I already knew from the fact that rebooting the DIR-657 restored connectivity while powering the DIR-657 off & on didn't.

Bottom line, this issue results from the DIR-657 firmware.  The DIR-657 fails to route across the LAN media devices that have been switched off and then on since the last DIR-657 reboot.  Whatever information they need, they can find across a dumb switch, just as they could find it across the old router, but it is suppressed by the "smart" DIR-657.  That suppression might be a DIR-657 firewall issue, but toggling the firewall checkboxes has no effect, and the other rules seem related to Internet access not LAN.

[FurryNutz]

Was a factory reset performed before and after the beta FW update?

I agree that this should not be happening.
What region are you located?

And you have phone contacted D-Link support? Did you get a case number? If you did, please PM me the number.

[DIR657]

Yes, factory reset, which cleared all the reserved addresses and was a real nuisance as I wrote earlier.  iIt didn't help, but it did waste a lot of time.

USA

I did phone repeatedly, got cut off more than once, and was given two case ID's.  The representatives seemed to be in the Philippines, though I can't be sure of that.  The last representative said I should call back if the beta firmware didn't help, and they would forward the matter to engineering for the next firmware.  I was hoping to solve the problem without having to await the next firmware.

I appreciate that you've replied - no one else did.  I'll phone tech support again and ask them to forward the matter as they said they would.  The case ID would give you only the information I've described, plus my personal contact information, which I don't see why you'd need.

[FurryNutz]

I've forwarded this onto my contact at D-Link. Having a case number will help them review the situation. Please PM me the case number and I'll get it to them.

[DIR657]

Through trial and error, I found a simpler workaround for this issue, and am posting it here because it might help others.  The issue resulted from the interaction of the DIR-657 with certain software, and might even be called a "feature" rather than a defect.  It applies equally to Windows XP, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1.

When the PC is running Cisco VPN Client to connect to the Internet, this issue may occur.  The simplest solution involves two parts:
1) Make sure the connection allows local LAN access: in the Cisco VPN Client, select the connection entry, click Modify, Transport, Allow Local LAN Access.  You can set it once and it will remain until the next time Windows corrupts your settings, at which point the Cisco VPN Client will say it has no settings and you'll need to set it again.
2) When a media device is about to search for the PC's IP address, prepare the Cisco VPN Client by clicking Disconnect.  That will enable the media device to find the PC via the DIR-657, and establish a connection.  After the media device has established its connection, if you click Connect in the VPN Client, then both connections will coexist.
This workaround is faster and more convenient than rebooting the DIR657.  It may also apply to other routers and other software, if they interact in such a way as to produce the same symptoms.

[FurryNutz]

Seems like this issue surrounds your VPN application and configuration.

You may want to find a better VPN application solution to avoid this kind of problem. If Windows is corrupting settings then there is other problems related to your system that should be resolved.

Thank you for posting our experiences. We'll presume that his a system mis-configuration with your environment.