Arghhhhh :: Wireless Networking

[UncleDave]

Right, me again.

Got the modem working brilliantly now.. that is functioning perfectly, and I have also got the wireless router going and I can connect to it in my browser, it finds a Dynamic IP connection to the modem and seems to go as planned.. only it never has connected right...

So I can connect to the router, and the wireless bit is OK as I can connect to it from the laptop using the PCMCIA card, but the router isn't 'seeing' the connection through the modem. The internet status light on the front of the router stays lit at first but then goes out as if to say it knows something is there but it just isn't connecting.

Really frustrating.

Any ideas?

[The Dude]

UncleDave said:

Right, me again.

Got the modem working brilliantly now.. that is functioning perfectly, and I have also got the wireless router going and I can connect to it in my browser, it finds a Dynamic IP connection to the modem and seems to go as planned.. only it never has connected right...

So I can connect to the router, and the wireless bit is OK as I can connect to it from the laptop using the PCMCIA card, but the router isn't 'seeing' the connection through the modem. The internet status light on the front of the router stays lit at first but then goes out as if to say it knows something is there but it just isn't connecting.

Really frustrating.

Any ideas?

Something quick to try - make sure you've put the IP addresses of your ISPs DNS servers in the setup for the router. Had a friend who was pulling her hair out with a similar problem to yours and this seemed to fix it (she is with NTL though so I guess anything is to be expected).

[GreenV8S]

You haven't said, but I guess the modem is plugged into the back of your router+wireless acess point?

Perhaps the router has to be configured to enable the interface that the modem is plugged in to. Does the router have an administration interface? Often provided by a web interface that you can access by pointing your web browser to the router's IP address.

[UncleDave]

They both have a web interface..

My router is on http://192.168.1.1/
And the modem is on http://192.168.1.3/

Now, the settings for my ISP have been filled in OK and everything is going smoothly for the modem.
But the router isn't as good.. do I have to use the modem's IP address in the configuration somewhere maybe? Or use my ISP details again?
I'm thinking if the modem knows the ISP info and can connect, then why would the router need them again?

*pulling hair out*

[UncleDave]

And yep, the modem is plugged into the router, the router is then into the main computer.

The modem plugged in alone works fine, which is what i'm having to use at the minute.

As for DNS settings, the modem has automatically picked those up from my ISP. I have tried copying them over to the router's setup with no luck (although I may be getting the other settings wrong, such as gateway IP etc etc..

Dave.

[GreenV8S]

Not understanding, you're saying the modem has a LAN connection to the router? That seems strange, for a simple modem I'd expect a serial connection of some sort. Sure the 'modem' isn't really a combined modem+router?

[UncleDave]

Yep that's it! The modem is a modem and wired router.. and the wireless router is a erm... wireless router

Dave.

[thepassenger]

Ahh!

I see. In effect you've got TWO routers, one wired and one wireless! Not a Modem + Router + 'dumb' WiFi AP.

Ok. *thinks* hmmm *thinks some more* If it's wired up how I think it is:
Net -> Modem -> Router -> WiFi (with lots of Wired PC's on the router). then you need to tell the Wireless device to be stupid or you'll end up with two DHCP servers running around.

Go in to it's control panel and see if there is a page for DHCP. You want 'DHCP Client' turned on (this tells the device itself to go find the connection details from another 'thing' like your wired router) and turn off 'DHCP Server' or if it hasn't got an 'off' mode see if it can do 'pass-through' and punch in the IP address of your wired router (192.168.1.1 I'm guessing yes?).

Right let the WiFi device sort itself out and now when you try to connect to it the laptop/desktop's appearing will be given out IP addresses from the wired device which will have the correct connection details (i.e. IP range, gateway, DNS, etc.) and you should be laughing.

[UncleDave]

Gimme until the morning to do that one and see if it works -- but thanks

[UncleDave]

Getting closer.. I think

Okay

MODEM ROUTER 192.168.1.1
DHCP server on running from 192.168.1.2 to 192.168.1.98

WIRELESS ROUTER 192.168.1.99
DHCP server off, but I am unable to find any info on the DHCP client here, so can't point it to the modem.

I can still use the modem on its own, but only with DHCP off. But, I can now open both the wireless configuration pages in the browser, and the modem configuration pages through the wireless router alone. So there must be some form of a network going on. If only I can point each individual computer, or the wireless router to connect to the net through the modem.

Dave.

[BliarOut]

Go to a command prompt and type ipconfig /all and paste the output up here.

Sounds like your default gateway just needs tweaking a bit.

[UncleDave]

Ohhhhhh Myyyyyy Goddddddd

I think it's working! I'm connected via the wireless router now!

But here you are anyway..


Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : uncledave
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 6:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : NVIDIA nForce Networking Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-15-F2-66-A5-A7

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 5:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Marvell Yukon 88E8001/8003/8010 PCI
Gigabit Ethernet Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-15-F2-66-8F-C7
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.3
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 02 September 2006 14:08:19
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 02 October 2006 14:08:19




Looks like a restart did it? Oh the relief is amazing, just need to test the wireless laptop now.. fingers crossed.

[UncleDave]

I love you guys

Messing about with settings got everything working in the end. Although i'm now worried about needing to get into my router's browser-based settings, tried it and it just routes me to the netgear website.

No worries, all seems good anyway.

Dave.

[GreenV8S]

Write down everything you can see about the configuration, so you can put it back the same when it mysteriously stops working in six months time.

[UncleDave]

Yep already have!

But knowing me, if it stops working - it still won't work when it goes back to the old configuration..!

[UncleDave]

Although

Router (Modem) now seems to be forgetting the ADSL connection settings, meaning I have to manually re-enter then or it gives me a 'link down'.

Bad router? I'm committing the settings but it just periodically forgets them

[that daddy]

uncle dave have you got option on modem or router to save settings most have,just a thought,i know d link ,kcorp and safecomm have.that way you store settings even when you reboot either.

[GreenV8S]

UncleDave said:

Router (Modem) now seems to be forgetting the ADSL connection settings, meaning I have to manually re-enter then or it gives me a 'link down'.

That doesn't sound right. It would be worth checking the users guide, but all the ones I've seen have held these settings in non-volatile storage. At what point does your modem lose the settings? Does it retain them across a manual disconnect/reconnect? Soft reset? Power-off reset? Is it just losing them after a period of time, or is something happening to cause it? Some systems have an internal event log which may show whether it's detecting an internal problem.

[UncleDave]

Just dropping the connection after a random period of time!

I'll give it another go and see if it sticks, and yep I am commiting the settings and a soft reboot had been OK.. turning the router off/on is also OK as far as i've seen so far..

Dave.

[UncleDave]

It's screwed again
Connecting now with my old USB modem

Starting to think selling the modem router, and wireless router is a good idea.. but I would rather get them working as they are..



The modem seems to have Authentication problems, if I keep fiddling with settings, or reapplying them then it will eventually give me a 'Link Up' to my ISP.
Sometimes gets stuck on 'DHCP'

So, i'm thinking the problem is with the Wirless Router.. maybe? But I now can't connect to it!!
Dave.