[BoostJr]

Hi....
I have a problem that has been affecting my house network for quite a while now..

The Problem
When we (anyone in the house) connects our home external hard drive (USB connection - require power by plug) to any computer in the house the router seem to loose it connection to the internet.. (says.. PPDown.. or something).

Experiments tried
We have tried some experiments to find out what is causing the problem but I doesn't make sense.
Test1: We disable the network card before inserting USB.. Inserting it.. Internet crashes...
Test2: We unplugged the network cable from the computer then inserted the USB and .. still the internet crashes...

Test2 shows that for some odd reason... it seems as if the power cord is affecting the internet, so we decided to do more tests..

Test3: Just plug in power without turning on device (just to let you know the external hard drive has a power switch which in this case is closed).. internet works fine. (not connected to any computer in anyway)

Test4: Plug in power .. turn on device.. internet crashes... (not connected to any computer in anyway)

This test4 gives me an impression that some file in the hard drive is somehow sending some signal or something through the power network in the house.. affecting the router.

Is it possible that a file can affect from power cord?
Is there a way to fix this without reformatting device?

Thank you for reviewing my problem and hope to be able to fix the problem.
Peter Hsieh

EDIT: I wasn't quit sure which category this was classified.

Edited by BoostJr, 25 March 2008 - 03:13 AM.

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Electrical interference most likely. Or a power lead that isn't shielded.

[Neil Jones]

Electrical interference most likely. Or a power lead that isn't shielded.

[The Admiral]

This is a way cool problem. While I don't have the answers, be assured I'll be watching this topic.
Maybe plugging the external device / router into a surge protector or UPS?

[BoostJr]

This is a way cool problem. While I don't have the answers, be assured I'll be watching this topic.
Maybe plugging the external device / router into a surge protector or UPS?

I believe that my father has done this.. but the internet is still affected by the external hard drive.. [I'll confirm that]

EDIT: Yes my father has done this.. still same result.. [CONFIRMED]

Edited by BoostJr, 26 March 2008 - 12:52 AM.

[hfcg]

Is it possible that the router sees the external hard drive as an unauthorized user and shuts off for security reasons?
Go in to the linksys utility and add the external hard drive.
The "on screen" instructions should guide you through this.
(My Linksys router is set to shut down when any unauthorized user tries to access my network.)

[The Admiral]

(My Linksys router is set to shut down when any unauthorized user tries to access my network.)

No way!! Where is that setting? What router do you have? Definitely an interesting thought...
Hmmmm... Is the HDD on the same circuit as the router? Try a different circuit. How close are the HDD and the router?

[hfcg]

It is in the software that controls the router.
It is a Linksys, and the software is called Linksys wireless monitor easylink advisor.
It controls the security, the only way another user can access my network is if I add the device.

Edited by hfcg, 25 March 2008 - 07:38 PM.

[Tyger]

Another way to find the password, just before you go to bed concentrate on trying to remember the password. You are basically programing your sub-conscious to find it for you. Then you may wake up at three in the morning with the password. Be sure to write it down.

[BoostJr]

Thank you all for helping.. still trying to figure out what is wrong XD...

I don't believe its a router problem... or maybe.. not sure but my router is Asus WL-600G.. I also tested with a Netgear.. something but same result all the time..

I have always suspected some virus that maybe affecting the power or something in the HDD...

As for the circuit... we have a router which has a network cable connected to 3 computers in the house... when we insert the HDD in one of the computers (USB) .. Internet crashes .. all computers loose access to internet...

Then we must reboot the router again for the internet connects to reconnect..

Also when we do reconnect and the USB is still in the computer (turned on) the internet works fine.. but as soon as we turn the HDD off then back on it cuts the internet again..

It really confuses me... XD

[The Admiral]

I'm talking about power circuits, not the network.