BT Business Router (2wire) issue when connecting it to a Windows Server 2003 box

[jbennett75060]

Hi everyone,

  I recently upgraded to fibre broadband at work. However, I have a major issue with the 2wire router provided by BT. It worked fine for a couple of days, then went crazy.

When I connect the 2wire router to our server (using Windows server 2003) it causes the server to become very unresponsive, and the internet disconnects every few minutes on client PCs and the server. I also find that our Exchange server doesn't send/deliver e-mails most of the time (it's very sporadic and random when it does deliver the e-mail).

If I disconnect the 2wire router from the server, after a few minutes it speeds up. And if I plug the router into the server while in safe mode, the internet works fine. Also, the Client PCs can  connect to the internet without any issues when the server is disconnected.

I also noticed something else: when the internet disconnects I cannot ping the router, but I can ping the server (even though the server is plugged into the router).

I have no idea what is going on. The server worked fine before upgrading, with a Netgear DG834G router. I have tried loads of things, including:

Using a replacement 2wire router, provided by BT

Replacing the Network Adapter in the server

Turning off DHCP on the 2wire router

Replacing the RAM in the server

Replacing HDDs in the server

Repairing Winsock and the TCP/IP stack

Restarting the server, DNS and DHCP

I have also talked to BT on the phone for several hours, including their IT Department.

I am really lost now, I don't know what to do next. Is this 2wire router just a rubbish bit of equipment that is not compatible with server 2003? I wonder if I should order a Draytek 2750n, if it's compatible?

Please help. Thanks

Jon

[kuerten]

Hi jbennet, have you tried to check the logs and get some clues?

[jbennett75060]

I have now determined the issue. I checked the Exchange Server 2003  queue and found thousands of spam e-mails.

I removed SMTP from port forwarding on the 2wire router, and restarted the SMTP service. This stopped the spam coming through, and resolved the issue I previously mentioned (the internet is fine when SMTP is removed from the router).

However, this is totally rubbish. I need to open SMTP to allow e-mail to come into our Exchange Server. On my old router (a cheap Netgear DG834G) I was able to open SMTP for only certain public IP addresses (our e-mail host).

This 2wire router is totally rubbish. It doesn't allow me to do this; therefore, any computer can connect in on our IP address through SMTP (obviously resulting in the huge amounts of spam, server slow down and disconnections).

Hmm?

Jon

[tidaltides]

Same problem here. What I did is simply disabled the 2wire setup until I figure out what to do next.

[kevinneal]

Same problem here, I made a post ages ago, we have been through 4 BT routers, and a BT engineer visit, nothing worked so we just bought a Dray Tec Vigor 2750 and it's been much more reliable, proably lose connection once or twice a day now compared to 20 - 30 times on BT router

Now in the process of trying to claim back £80 from BT