Hi All,
I recently submitted this tech support case to Netgear, but I wouldn't
be surprised if somebody here was more knowledgeable, and could solve
this quicker than they can..
I've had this problem for years now. The summary is this:
-Network has a combination router/802.11 WAP sitting at the perimeter
of the network. In my case this is a Netgear FVG318, but I have had
the same problem with a WGT624, and a Linksys device (years ago; don't
remember the model).
-There is a wireless bridge/4 port switch that connects a machine (or
several) back to the webserver. In my case, WGPS606.
-Traffic flows fine when it is traveling in this direction:
computer -> bridge -> router -> internet
-Traffic usually (about 80% of the time) fails when it is attempting to
flow as described by either of these two linear chains:
internet -> router -> bridge -> computer
computer attached directly to router -> router -> bridge -> computer
It seems that unless the router currently has data flowing through it,
from the computer in question that sits on the far side of the wireless
bridge, it just drops packet destined for that computer on the floor.
It's like it doesn't want to broadcast packets over the wireless radio.
If I take the computer that's on the far side of the bridge and plug
it directly into the router (mine is also an 8 port switch), everything
is peachy. Both the internet, and other computers on the LAN, are able
to connect (assuming that the firewall rules are configured correctly,
of course).
Any thoughts? What's going on here? Suggestions on how to correct it?
If possible, I'd like to avoid:
-Being forced to hook the computer straight up to the router
-Having to get a wireless NIC to put in all the computers behind the
bridge. If I do this, it defeats the whole purpose of having bought
the bridge in the first place - which was to avoid having to get
wireless NICs for all the machines!
For whatever it's worth, here's the support case I submitted to
Netgear.
************************************************** *************
10/21/2006 10:49:00 PM
For months now, I've had trouble connecting to a linux webserver that
sits behind a wireless bridge, when I'm connecting to my router/WAP via
WiFi. Here's my network setup:
-FVG318 acts as router and 802.11g WAP.
-Laptop with wireless NIC connects to FVG318
-WGPS606 acts as bridge between FVG318 and 2 computers (one XP
workstation, one linux webserver).
The workstation and webserver, which are both plugged into the WGPS606
(which is also a 4 port switch), are always able to communicate
perfectly.
However, the laptop is often *now* able to communicate with the
webserver very well. Strangely, it will sometimes be able to initially
communicate with the webserver (pull up a few pages, etc.), and then
suddenly looses all connectivity with the webserver. It is still able
to access the internet, *and* connect to the XP workstation which is
connected to the bridge).
If I connect to the XP workstation, then shell to the linux webserver,
and initiate a continuous ping to the laptop, the laptop is then
suddenly able to connect again. Shortly after I terminate the
continuous ping, the laptop looses connectivity.
It seems to be a routing problem of some sort. For some reason, the
router has a tendency to drop packets that are received over it's
wireless link, and should be forwarded to the bridge, which will
forward them to the linux webserver.
This problem has recently become much more significant, as we purchased
2 FVG318s and setup a VPN between 2 remote offices.
>From across the VPN, we are now unable to access the linux webserver.
Before the FVG318, I had a WGT624v3 at the office with the linux
workstation. It exhibited identical behavior.
I assume this is for the same reason, that FVG318 receives the packets
for the linux webserver, but does not forward them to the WGPS606
bridge, for the bridge to them forward to the linux webserver.
Both FVG318s have firmware version V1.0.41NA
The WGPS606 has firmware version V1.0_025
It is very important that I resolve this issue. If I am not able to
connect to our linux webserver across the VPN, the entire VPN will be
virtually useless.
Problem with cable router not sending forwarding traffic to wireless bridge 
Linear Mode
