LAN stops working ... after a while!

Ever since I replaced my hub with an SMC (Barricade) router, the network connection to my Dell Dimension XPS 866Br (w/Win98 SE) simply stops working after some amount of time following reboot of the machine. This time can be anywhere from 10 minutes to a couple of days! After that, I can't see the other PC on the network or the Barricade, nor can I get out via the DSL modem (which is on the other side of the router). The other PC (Win98) can still get to the DSL, but can't see my PC. Rebooting the Dell makes the network work again, for a while.
One thing that's kind of odd is that when I try to view the Properties dialog for my Linksys LNE100TX ethernet card in Device Manager, it takes something like 10 seconds for it to come up. After viewing it for the first time after reboot, though, it comes up immediately. I don't imagine this is any different than before I put in the router, but I don't know.
I've got the latest drivers for the LNE100TX, and the latest firmware in the router. What else can I try?

2. RE: LAN stops working ... after a while!
lbyard Sep-25-01 07:54 PM
In response to message 0

Be sure you have the most recent router firmware installed (http://www.smc.com/index.cfm). Does the Port LED on the Router and the Link LED on the network adapter remain lit solid after the event? If they blink or if the router LED is dim, you may have a cable problem. Check to be sure plugs are fully seated (one may be pulling loose a little once in a while). I’ve got one like that that I need to replace (which would diminish the imperfect character of this place). If that doesn’t fix it, I would do each of the following, one at a time and wait before trying the next one: swap ports, swap cables, swap PCI slots, and swap network adapters. It may be something external that started/was introduced/disturbed about the same time the hub was replaced. Larry

3. RE: LAN stops working ... after a while!
Murmur Sep-26-01 04:07 AM
In response to message 2

Thanks, Larry. During the latest failure this afternoon, I did make sure that the port LEDs on both the router and NIC stayed lit continuously. Now I'm running through a different port on the router, and it hasn't failed yet. I'll try to get hold of another Cat5 cable for when/if this setup does fail.
Dave

4. RE: LAN stops working ... after a while!
Murmur Sep-27-01 04:11 PM
In response to message 2

Well, now I've had another failure after swapping ports on the router. All the correct LEDs seem to remain solidly lit (except, of course, when I'm using a browser to, say, connect with the router's configuration page or get out to the internet, the router port's LED flashes once every couple of seconds or so. This is, I assume, in response to comm from the Linksys NIC. The comm LED on the NIC flashes during these attempts, too. Seems normal.)
I'll try changing the NIC's PCI slot, next.
By the way, an email to Linksys' tech-support address last SATURDAY has gone unacknowledged. Has anyone had any luck with their support 800-number? Or email?
Dave