Static IP addresses

Hi, I doubt your connection problems are specifically caused by DNS and IP - Unless you're hibernating devices and then turning them back on again when it's original IP has been re-used. In that case, you'll get an error message on the DNS assigning router.

One thing I would say, is that only one device on your network should assign DNS addresses - if you have two, chaos will ensue! Is this your NetGear router or the VirginMedia wireless router? As your Virgin router looks like the main router in the system, this should be assigning IPs and the DNS services on the NetGear router should be switched off...

<sotto voce> DHCP... <sotto voce>

Yes - you're right, typing faster than my brain - a problem with advancing years

Yes - DHCP should be switched off on the NetGear if the Virgin device is assigning IP.

Naturally, some devices (e.g. the netbook) would hybernate from time to time or or the desktop is switched off and on. Mobiles are also taken outside.

yes, I tough that would be the case - Virgin router sould be the 'top' one. So, what do I need to change in settings to get fixed addresses?

never checked that. would that be an obvious on/off 'tick box'? will check that.

noted re DHCP

so what do I need to set on the Virgin router and do I need to change any of the setting son any of the end devices?

I don't think you need to change anything on the Virgin router, you need to see if you can set the Netgear router into switch or repeater mode, so that it's not acting as a router, otherwise you may well find your wired and wireless devices end up on different subnets and can't communicate with each other.

ok, thanks, I will check the settings on the second router.

but what about static addresses? are you saying there is absolutely no benefit of using static addresses in my case? 

There might be yes, but you'd need to sort out the aforementioned issue before investigating it. I don't know how "clever" the Virgin thing is, I know the Superhub (if that's what you've got) is not well liked on the Sonos forums and generally people disable the router portion of the Virgin device so that it's only acting as a cable modem and then plug another router into it to deal with the actual routing business, which may well be what you'd be better off doing (so all your wireless clients would connect to the Netgear and not the Virgin box, the same as the wired ones do), then the Netgear can take care of all the addressing.

it may be worth trying to use the Netgear instead of hte Virgin, but then:

- the Netgear is only a G

- I would not have enough ethernet ports to connect everything

Even if you turn the Netgear's wireless back on?

I assume you've got a 802.11N Virgin Wireless router - so you can get *cough* 300Mbps ( assuming you live in an open plan Faraday Cage...) and only 54Mbps from the NetGear. What exaxt NetGear router have you got, and which Virgin one?

netgear is 7 yo 11g router looking like that: not sure of exact model number

Virgin is 11n, installed mid last year so I assume the latest superhub, looking like this:

Don't understand... What wireless has to do with the no of ethernet ports? Am I missing smth?

Hmm. If you're not using the wireless on the NetGear router, one option is swapping it for a cheap switch - probably a Gigabit one for maximum future-proofing. Maybe a TP-Link one - there's a 5-port version for about £14 on Amazon CLICK that might be worth considering - 1 to port into the virgin hub, four other ports. (They also do an 8-port one for about £25.)

This might just be the easiest solution...