Belkin N1 Vision wireless router

Author’s note: Edited 9 June 2009, added ps example output for finding the NTP process.

I was streaming the Stanford iTunes-U iPhone application development lectures (whew!) to the big TV downstairs yesterday afternoon. Suddenly the video froze, and the Linksys router stopped doing the flashy light thing. (I use DD-WRT on the Linksys as a client bridge to the upstairs Belkin router.) After some researching, many people with this router, Belkin N1 Vision (version 2000), experience two-hour disconnects. It turns out the NTP (Network Time Protocol, a time synchronization service) causes it to reboot or at least disconnect.

Here is a workaround, until Belkin releases a firmware update. (The N1 Vision 1000-series is fixed, why not this one?)

1. Connect to the router at http://router-ip-address/wukongjiuwo.html. The default router address is 192.168.2.1.
2. In the text box beneath Console, type ps and click the Enter button.
3. Look for a line with NTP in it followed by your time zone. The number on the far left side is the process identifier. Here is an example:

   PID  Uid     VmSize Stat Command
   243 root        328 S   /usr/sbin/ntp -z GMT-8:0:1 -h 192.43.244.18 -b 132.16
   

4. Back in the text box, type kill number, where number is the process identifier from step 3, and click the Enter button.
5. Type ps again to make sure it went away.

If you experience any strangeness, simply unplug the router for a few seconds then plug it back it to force a reboot.

This fix is temporary, because it must be reapplied every time the router is rebooted.

Other than this issue I’ve been happy with it. Gigabit Ethernet and great wireless coverage.