USB 2.0 to Ethernet adapter keeps disconnecting from the Internet

[Wrichik Basu]

Recently I installed a https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NVN1WQK/?tag=pfamazon01-20 on our PC running Windows 7 Professional 32-bit. The driver software that I installed is RD9700 USB to ethernet adapter driver.

The problem: Every time the computer boots, the internet is accessible. I wait for some time, say around half an hour, and then I am disconnected all of a sudden. Troubleshooter cannot find any problem. The IP settings are correct. If I restart the PC, it is again connected for the first 30 mins, and then gets disconnected.

Windows says the adapter is working fine. I tried reinstalling the driver software, but the problem is not solved. The ISP says everything is fine on their end.

Any idea how to fix this?

 

[Tom.G]

This is for Win XP and is probably somewhat different on current versions.

It does not allow you to change the setting but does report the times of 'Lease Obtained' and 'Lease Expires', which is the lifetime of the connection. I have always seen a one day lifetime on my machines. If yours shows 30 minutes an Internet search for the similar wording may help.

Start -> Settings -> Network Connections -> [see * below] -> Support -> Details

* may be 'Local Area Connection' or <name-of-device>

Let us know what you find, I've always been curious about it, but not curious enough to track it down.

Hope it helps.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[Wrichik Basu]

It does not allow you to change the setting but does report the times of 'Lease Obtained' and 'Lease Expires', which is the lifetime of the connection. I have always seen a one day lifetime on my machines. If yours shows 30 minutes an Internet search for the similar wording may help.

I checked the Internet; the "lease" option can be viewed easily by typing ipconfig /all in command prompt. In our desktop, it is not there.

 

[Tom.G]

If you are connecting directly to the Internet and Not going thru a router, you will have to contact and work with your internet provider for resolution. Perhaps they can assign you a permanent address or use the unique address in the ethernet adapter, as opposed to using DHCP as usual.

If you have a router, rather than connecting the computer directly to the internet, there are a couple approaches.

Method 1:
Here is a link that shows how to change the Lease Time in your router.

About half way down the page at:
https://www.digitalcitizen.life/change-dhcp-lease-time-windows-10
Find the heading:
How to change the DHCP lease time in Windows 10

As you are changing a setting in the router, it is not specific to Win10.

The article assumes the router address is 192.168..., which is the most common default. If that doesn't get to the router, the other local address for routers starts with 10.0...

Method 2:
Set the router to recognize your computer at a fixed address, the one built into the ethernet adapter for instance. Then in the computer turn off DHCP. I haven't tried it and don't have any further details about this approach so I probably missed some details.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[robphy]

possibly useful:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...power-management-setting-on-a-network-adapter

 

[MikeeMiracle]

Yes I was also going to say this seems like Windows USB power management, it turns off the ports if they are not used for some time.

 

[Wrichik Basu]

Yes I was also going to say this seems like Windows USB power management, it turns off the ports if they are not used for some time.

I haven't yet tried editing the registry as advised by @robphy, but I would like to mention that in our desktop, there is no power management option for USB ports. I checked this by going to Device manager -> scroll down to USB ports -> Right click -> Properties. The "Power Management" tab is not there, unlike my laptop.

 

[MikeeMiracle]

It's more likely to be under the general Power Management section in the Control Panel. But basically you need to turn off power management on the USB ports somehow. Alternati vely keeping it plugged into the mains may help as the more aggressive power management settings are turned on when on battery power to extend the run time while they become less aggressive when pluged into the mains.

 

[Wrichik Basu]

Alternati vely keeping it plugged into the mains may help as the more aggressive power management settings are turned on when on battery power to extend the run time while they become less aggressive when pluged into the mains.

I believe I have forgotten to explicitly mention in the OP that this issue is with a desktop.

 

[MikeeMiracle]

It still has power policies, you could try turning off all power management features. Being a desktop you should probably go into the BIOS and check there as it's likely to have similar power management features.

 

[MikeeMiracle]

What's up with the built in network card? If you have issues with it you are far better off buying a PCI card to put into your computer, you can pick them up for £10 on Amazon / Ebay. The network card is a core part of your ocmputer, USB shoudl just be used for peripherals.

 

[Wrichik Basu]

What's up with the built in network card?

Damaged twice: The first time, the second time.

I bought an external adapter this time because the internal LAN cards available on Amazon (within our budget) did not have a good rating.

 

[Vanadium 50]

So if you have had two PCI-based ethernet cards damaged by bad electricity, why do you think a USB-based car would be immune?

 

[MikeeMiracle]

It sound like you need to buy power strip with Surge protection as a first priority before the next lightning strike takes out the rest of the computer. If you get a good one you can plug the phone line through it also to prevent any surges down that path.

You need to address the root of the problem instead of trying to work around it before you buy any new computer kit.

 

[Wrichik Basu]

So if you have had two PCI-based ethernet cards damaged by bad electricity, why do you think a USB-based car would be immune?

When did I say I think they would be immune? In fact, I know for sure that this too will be damaged a few years from today.

 

[Wrichik Basu]

It sound like you need to buy power strip with Surge protection as a first priority before the next lightning strike takes out the rest of the computer.

The computer is well-protected. Every time the only component affected is the LAN card.

In the second thread linked in post #12, I was asked this question:

Is it only the LAN card that is getting damaged?

to which I had answered,

Yes.