USB Ethernet adaptor set as unidentified network, no internet access

Hi guys

I have tried fixes from all over the Internet and nothing seems to have worked. It seems there is an error in the gateway settings, but I cannot figure out where I'm going wrong. Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated.

I ran out of Ethernet connections on my wireless router, so bought a USB-Ethernet adaptor. I've plugged in my network printer, but seem to have stalled at getting the adaptor to actually have internet access and get on my network.

I have about 4 PCs connected to the network, hence why I've run out of ports directly on the router. All internet and networked devices connected to the router work fine. When I plug the printer into the back of the router it works - the problem is definitely the adaptor.

I've updated the driver, and tried loads of suggestions, but am still stuck.

My Ethernet adaptor comes up as "Unidentified Network - Work network", and no Internet access. This is not a link so I cannot change the network location. My CMD IPCONFIG is as attached.

I really hope someone can help - I've never used this kind of adaptor before, and it's frustrating that the computer sees it and recognises it - it's all set up correctly and displays in Device Manager - but won't get onto the Internet and my network!

Hope someone can help

Hello,

The problem is that nothing is giving your USB Network Adapter an IP Address so its defaulting to 169.254.......

You need to go into network connections and give it a static IP address. You will also need to give your printer a static IP address.

A better way of solving this would be to buy a 2nd user 5-Port Network Switch from Ebay... You're creating yourself more hassle by doing the above.


Dave

Hi

What's a "2nd user 5-Port Network Switch" please?

Its a used network switch. I only said 2nd user because it will be cheaper then getting a new one.


Dave

wittykitty said:

...I ran out of Ethernet connections on my wireless router, so bought a USB-Ethernet adaptor......

Could you please post the brand, model number and maybe the hardware version of the wireless router?

e.g Linksys WTR54GS version 2

David is right - buy a switch... but I'm curious about something and I wanted to look at the manual for the wireless router.

Thx

Yes, it's a Netgear DGN1000, N150

I was hoping to avoid getting a new router, but if it would give me more advantages than not, I will.

Cheers!

Kit

Thx for that info.

Keep in mind that I was attempting to envision what devices you have and how they are connected based on your first post. As soon as I read "I ran out of Ethernet connections on my wireless router,..." I assumed that you had purchased a USB device like this. Then you had unplugged the end of a LAN cable that was connected to a computer, plugged that end of the LAN cable into the printer and then attempted to get the USB WiFi adapter to connect the computer to your "wireless router".

But frankly, I had never heard a USB WiFi adapter (or USB wireless adapter) called a USB Ethernet adapter; so I Googled those terms:



...and I got images like this and this.

I read this again:
I ran out of Ethernet connections on my wireless router, so bought a USB Ethernet adapter.
And since some routers also have a USB connector, I wondered if you were attempting to plug the USB end of the USB Ethernet adapter in to the router's USB connector - hoping to have 5 Ethernet ports coming off of the router.

At that point - I should have just gone to sleep instead of attempting to envision more adapter/connection scenarios. But no, I read on - only to learn that you had the USB Ethernet adapter was connected to a computer (hence your ipconfig screenshot). Unfortunately, that did not clarify just what this USB adapter is - because the term "wireless" does not always make it in to the adapter's description for some USB WiFi adapters. They just show a description like your connection #4 shows in your ipconfig screenshot.

And my Google search mentioned above included a page that described people connecting a network printer like this. Where the yellow LAN cable goes to a modem/router and the blue USB cable is the "USB Ethernet adapter" leading to the printer via a LAN cable (not shown).

I attempted to write out some of my thoughts/confusion in my first post to your thread, but I could barely put two sentences together - so I opted for the short post that you were kind enough to reply to. Sadly, I failed to ask, "What type of USB Ethernet adapter is this?"

At least now I know that there is not a USB port on your router

Hi there,

Bless your heart! When you said "this and this", these are the adaptors that I meant! Mine is the attachment to this post.

However, I'm still stuck with this adaptor not working! This is running my second networked printer, or not as the case may be

It's niggling me that I cannot get the damned thing to work - did you have any ideas on what the problem was?

So, you are hooked up like this: Where the LAN cable goes to a modem/router and the USB cable is the "USB Ethernet adapter" leading to the printer via a LAN cable (not shown). Is that how the wires are connected? If so, then Dave stated the problem and two solutions in post #2:

Dave Atkin said:

Hello,

The problem is that nothing is giving your USB Network Adapter an IP Address so its defaulting to 169.254.......

You need to go into network connections and give it a static IP address. You will also need to give your printer a static IP address.

A better way of solving this would be to buy a 2nd user 5-Port Network Switch from Ebay... You're creating yourself more hassle by doing the above.


Dave

Do you need help assigning the static IP addresses that Dave suggested?

If one of the four computers that you have wired into your router does not move a lot of data over the network, then you could connect it to your router via WiFi. That would free up a LAN jack on the router for your network printer. If you do that, I would avoid using a USB WiFi adapter.

Hi there,

Not quite.

The adaptor plugs into the USB port. The Ethernet cable plugs in the adaptor and the other end goes straight into the printer - it never touches the modem.

Items plugged into my modem are:
Wired internet connection for media centre computer
Printer number 1
Synology NAS drive
Wired internet connection for PC upstairs

Unfortunately neither of my network printers connects wirelessly.
The media centre requires a wired connection as it moves heavy data over the network
Same for upstairs PC
Obviously the NAS must be hardwired.

I was hoping there was like an expander plug that could go straight into the back of the modem to convert one socket into several sockets. Does such a thing exisit? I couldn't find anything.