Was hoping for some help

[LineOFire]

First off, let me start off by saying that I am pretty unfamiliar with the networking aspects of PC's. I can usually fix network problems myself but this one is beyond me. :)

I have a wireless network setup at my house. There is one old computer upstairs and one new computer downstairs. The upstairs computer is where the cable hook-up is so the Toshiba PCX1100U Cable Modem and the Linksys WRT54G Wireless Router (G-54.0 Mpbs) setup there. In the computer downstairs I have a WMP54G Wireless (G-54.0 Mbps) PCI Network Adapter.

This configuration has worked fine with only a few problems until very recently. I can no longer connect to the Internet on the computer downstairs. The Internet on this computer upstairs still works fine. All of the connections to the router/cable modem/computer are the same as before and correct. The lights on the router are working properly. Power, WLAN, 4 are a solid green and Internet is blinking green as it always is.

My wireless network card downstairs was not even detecting the wireless network until I enabled the "Wireless Zero Configuration" Microsoft service. Now the computer detects the wireless network but is till unable to access the Internet.

Something that may be related to the problem is that I can no longer access the 192.168.1.1 online router configuration page on either computer. Out of desperation I have downloaded the Linksys NetSet Assistant which is supposed to help you configure your wireless network. I have done everything it told me to to the letter yet when it checks for my router it says it cannot detect it. I am almost positive that these problems are related.

This situation has me completely baffled as there appears to be some contradicting symptoms here. If anyone has any ideas at all please do not hesitate to slip me any advice. Thank you in advance. B)

[homecomputeraid]

Hi LineOFire,

It's nice to be able to offer you some help. :)

What OS's on the PC's? (The steps for pinging and renewing IP's can be done differently in the different OS's).

Let's start by getting you talking to your router at 192.168.1.1 again.

On page 7 of the User's Manual for your router: ftp://ftp.linksys.com/pdf/wrt54g_ug.pdf, you'll find procedures to reset your router to factory default condition.

You can first try putting a paperclip into the reset button, and holding it down for "just a moment" as described on page 7. (Holding down for 10 seconds will reset to factory default, and we don't want to do that yet). After the router's back up, and all lights look normal on it again, reboot the PC that's directly connected to renew your IP Address (there are other ways to renew your IP, but rebooting's easiest).

After the PC's back up, try to browse to 192.168.1.1 again. If you still can't get there, try the following:

Please make sure you don't have any custom configuration in there (If you didn't do it, and you haven't let anyone else help you set it up, then you probably don't), then reset to factory default condition by pressing in the reset button with a paperclip and holding it in for 10 seconds. After the router's back up, and all lights look normal on it again, reboot the PC that's directly connected to renew your IP Address (there are other ways to renew your IP, but rebooting's easiest).

After the PC's back up, try to browse to 192.168.1.1 again.

If you can talk to the router again at this point, please post and we'll focus on getting the wireless working. If you can't, I'd suspect a possible problem with the router itself. Please post how things work out so I know how we should proceed.

[LineOFire]

Thank you for your suggestions.

Both computers are running Windows XP Professional.

I tried everything in your post and even tried using ipconfig /release and ipconfig /renew to renew my IP but nothing would work. :(

Any other suggestions?

[homecomputeraid]

Sorry LineOFire, but it sounds like your router's having a problem. You might try a new one, or borrow a friend's, but I strongly suspect that the router's fried. When you do an ipconfig /release and /renew, what IP do you get? Is it an Autoconfiguration address? (169.x.x.x)

[LineOFire]

I think I used to get an autoconfiguration address, but I do not anymore. This really has me confounded. :(

EDIT: I finally got it to work, albeit it creates another problem. I looked in my network connections and noticed that Local Area Connection - Linksys LNE100TX(v5) Fast Ethernet Adapter was disabled. I enabled that and the router page would still not work.

I then went to the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) properties and found that the Obtain an IP address automatically and Obtain DNS server address automatically radio buttons were not selected. I selected them and clicked OK. Now the router configuration page 192.168.1.1 works fine but the Internet connection upstairs is down. :blink:

The only way the Internet will work is if I set IP address to 192.168.1.1 and Subnet mask to 255.255.255.0. I am not sure what to put for DNS servers and default gateway.

[homecomputeraid]

The only way the Internet will work is if I set IP address to 192.168.1.1 and Subnet mask to 255.255.255.0. I am not sure what to put for DNS servers and default gateway.

If I understand you correctly there, you're putting an IP Address of 192.168.1.1 on your upstairs computer (the one that is connected to the router with a cable.)? This will conflict with your router's IP Address of 192.168.1.1. If you're going to configure it statically, you'll have to make it 192.168.1.5 (or something other that 192.168.1.1). You can use any number from 2 to 254 for the last octet with a 255.255.255.0 mask (.1 is in use by the router and should be used for the default gateway address in the PC's).

The DNS Servers can be obtained from the Router when it's up, or by directly connecting a PC to the Cable Modem, and writing down the IP Configuration. (You'll have to release and renew your IP if you connect a PC to the cable modem, and may have to reboot the cable modem to get it to give another IP).

I'm not sure why you're having to put static IP's on, but hopefully the static IP's will get us into the router to take a look.

I'm not sure either why all your windows settings would suddenly change. I know you're a spyware guru, so I won't go there, but it's the only thing that comes to my mind. I've never heard of those settings changing by themselves.

[homecomputeraid]

Once you're able to get into the Router, please check to make sure DHCP is configured to automatically give out IP Addresses as described in Figure 5-3, Page 22 of the user's manual: ftp://ftp.linksys.com/pdf/wrt54g_ug.pdf. Also check to make sure scope and range are what you expect them to be (192.168.1.0 with a 255.255.255.0 mask, and an assignable range of IP's from at least 192.168.1.2 to 192.168.1.100 (It could technically go as high as .254, but you probably won't need all those IP's)).

[LineOFire]

I'm very positive that this is not a spyware problem. :) All these problems seemed to start happening when I ran a program called NetStumbler on the downstairs computer.

Here are some screenshots that can hopefully better portray the situtation:

http://lineofire.geekstogo.com/wireless/

At the router configuration page, I made sure that DHCP was turned on and it was automatically giving IP addresses. It also says the starting IP address is 192.168.100. Is that alright?

Thanks very much for your patience. :)

[homecomputeraid]

Hi LineOFire,

I'm pretty sure you mean 192.168.1.100, not 192.168.100? Yes, that's fine. It probably means you're issuing addresses between 192.168.1.100 and 192.168.1.150 or so to any computer requesting a DHCP address.

I don't understand Wireless01.jpg. If your configuration is as you've drawn it in Configuration.jpg, you don't have a connection to the Cable Modem on the PC. You only have one to the Router. In which case, the part in Wireless01.jpg labeled Local Area Connection 2, Toshiba Cable Modem doesn't exist or is not used. Did this PC originally connect directly to the Cable Modem, and you bought the Router later?

With your configuration, I don't think you need Internet connection Sharing on either computer as shown in Wireless02.jpg.

I assume you only put NetStumbler on the Wireless PC? Have you since removed it?

I'm happy to help! I want to get you up and running though.

[LineOFire]

I put NetStumbler yes, on the wirless PC downstairs to check out some statistics on my network. I have since uninstalled it because I thought it would solve the problem. Apparently it does not. :)

I did indeed mean 192.168.1.100. The cable modem is connected to the USB port on the back of my computer, I just forgot to draw it in. The picture is updated now. :)

The old computer upstairs was the original one and it was only connected to the cable modem. Since getting the new computer though we needed to connect the wireless router up here too.

I will disable Internet Connection Sharing. What is that for then? I always thought it was necessary for the computer downstairs to get a connection?

Thanks for catching my mistakes. :)

[homecomputeraid]

I'm confused as to why you have or would want two connections to the Internet on one PC. You have one through your Router, so the direct USB to the Cable Modem is not needed. This gives your PC two IP's on two different subnets, which would only serve to "confuse" your PC about which connection to use. If you do ipconfig /all at the command prompt on the PC that's directly connected to the Router and the Cable Modem, do you get two adapters listed with different IP's?

My suggestion is to go with the Ethernet Category 5 Cable only. I'd disable the USB adapter by right clicking on it and selecting disable, then disconnect the USB connection to the Cable Modem.

Internet connection sharing is only needed if you have one PC using another to connect to the Internet. In your case, both PC's should go to the Internet via the Router.

[edit]The dual connections could be one possible source of problems too because most ISP's will only issue one Internet IP to one device.

[edit]Please check your PM's when you get a chance.

[LineOFire]

So you're saying that the USB connection the the PC isn't even needed?

I'll try what you suggested. :)

IPCONFIG /ALL:

Windows IP Configuration

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

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:

        Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : satx.rr.com
        Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Toshiba PCX1100U USB Cable Modem (NDIS 5)
        Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-90-83-58-42-16
        Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
        Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
        IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 24.243.14.3
        Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.240.0
        Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 24.243.0.1
        DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.45.32.1
        DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 24.28.131.62
                                            24.28.131.63
                                            24.93.40.76
        Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, February 27, 2005 4:29:07 AM
        Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Monday, February 28, 2005 4:29:07 AM

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

        Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : 
        Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Linksys LNE100TX(v5) Fast Ethernet Adapter
        Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0C-41-1E-CC-75
        Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
        IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.101
        Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
        Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

[edit]Check YOUR PM's when you get the chance. :P

[edit]When I disable the Local Area Connection 2 (Toshiba PCX1100U USB Cable Modem (NDIS 5)) or disconnect the USB cable the Internet ceases to work. :(

[edit]Here's a manual for my cable modem:

http://www.toshiba.com/taisnpd/products/pc...0u_cmmanual.pdf

[scuzzman]

LineOfFire: Take a look at the conversation I had with LADYDEB - I believe you're having the same problem here.

You need to get rid of the USB cable connecting your modem and computer, and allow the ethernet cable to do its job.

The way it works is this:

When your modem has a USB connection, the ethernet on it is disabled.

[LineOFire]

Back in business without the USB cable attached. :D

Scuzzman, your instructions in that thread helped in an indirect sort of way (disconnect cable/turn off everything/restart). It didn't really work, but as soon as I did a release/renew everything went back to normal.

The Internet and router configuration page works on both computers now.Thanks to both of you for leading me in the right direction. I cannot begin to explain how appreciative I am. :)

Homecomputeraid: Looks like the live conversation won't be needed anymore. :P

[scuzzman]

Glad you got it sorted :D

[LineOFire]

I still have one more problem. :)

How would I go about configuring the computers so that I can share files and folders between them? As the previous problem, this was working before but now it just refuses to. :)

[scuzzman]

Well, one of the computers (or all of them) needs to have a drive (or folder) that's shared, and they all need to be on the same workgroup. Also - they all need to have unique names.

[homecomputeraid]

LineOFire,

How were you accessing the shares before? In XP, there are many ways. Were you browsing through Network Neighborhood? You can try browsing to the other PC's Hard Driving by going to Start, Run, and typing \\computername\c$. That's an administrative share, so you'll have to be logged in as a user that has administrative rights, or it will either deny access or request a login and password (I'm not sure what you'll see with XP Home).

Let me know what works, and what doesn't.

[LineOFire]

Everything is working once again, including shared files and folders. :)

Would I benefit any by using third-party firmware for my Linksys WRT54G? Maybe HyperWRT?

[scuzzman]

It's better to not use third-party firmware.

You should update the firmware only from Linksys - you take a chance of mucking the router if you use third-party, and under those circumstances Linksys won't replace it.

If you do want to use 3rd-party firmware, wait until you're competent enough with router configurations to do your own tech support, and until it's out of warranty.

[homecomputeraid]

I'm going to agree with Scuzzman. I haven't expiramented with 3rd party firmware, but that's how I would regard it, expiramenting.