[PLUG] Skype, Linksys, Comcast and DirecTV

[Warwick Poole <plug@linuxinternet.org>]

I am having a weird issue with Skype. Wondering if anyone else has the same issue?

I have Comcast cable access. Very basic NW setup: Comcast Motorola modem connected to a Linksys WRT54G AP (stock, unhacked as yet) and then connected to the 10/100 and 802.11G home network which has a few Netgear and noname-brand switches. 

Here is the issue: 

After Skype has been running for a while, I lose my Internet connection. I can't ping anything off my LAN, let alone resolve any external DNS. My Comcast link goes dead. The only solution is to power cycle the Linksys AP and Motorola modem. Only Skype seems to do this and it doesnt matter if I use the Windows or Linux Skype client. 

Anyone else experience this?

I wonder if its Comcast doing some nasty filtering, or my Linksys getting it's iptables buckets filled up or what.

And then, part 2 of my question concerns DirecTV, which I am considering getting to replace Comcast cable:

In Europe a few years back I had Satellite TV and found that in rain or bad weather the reception was terrible. How does DirecTV do in snow and rain? Any issues?

Thanks! 
Warwick  

  
  
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