Solved Can connect without a router; cant with

[jasong1968]

Hi guys. Yesterday, all was fine. Today, I cant connect when either of my computers is plugged inot my router.

I have two computers, 1 is Vista, the other is a dual boot with W7 and XP. Both are connected via a linksys wired router. I woke up this morning and cold not connect, and my Network And Sharing Center is telling me there is no connectivity.

If I plug the computer directly into the modem AND change the TCP/IP settings to obtain ip address and dns server auto, then I can connect. This is true of both the W7 partition, and the XP partition. While still plugged into the router, I ran troubleshooting in Vista, and it told me that there was a problem with the DNS config.

My first thought thought is that the problem is the router, even tho all the lights are on, and I did try unplugging it (And as well the modem). Was wondering if anyone has any other suggestions as to anything I can try? Should I try accessing my linksys page (I forget how to do that) and see if there is anything there I can do?

Any ideas are welcome - thanks!

 

[chev65]

Hi guys. Yesterday, all was fine. Today, I cant connect when either of my computers is plugged inot my router.

I have two computers, 1 is Vista, the other is a dual boot with W7 and XP. Both are connected via a linksys wired router. I woke up this morning and cold not connect, and my Network And Sharing Center is telling me there is no connectivity.

If I plug the computer directly into the modem AND change the TCP/IP settings to obtain ip address and dns server auto, then I can connect. This is true of both the W7 partition, and the XP partition. While still plugged into the router, I ran troubleshooting in Vista, and it told me that there was a problem with the DNS config.

My first thought thought is that the problem is the router, even tho all the lights are on, and I did try unplugging it (And as well the modem). Was wondering if anyone has any other suggestions as to anything I can try? Should I try accessing my linksys page (I forget how to do that) and see if there is anything there I can do?

Any ideas are welcome - thanks!

I'd say that you definitely need to perform a reset on your router. There is usually a small button for this some place on the router.

The 30-30-30 Hard Reset Rule for Routers

 

[jasong1968]

Thanks for the response.

Using the 30 30 30 rule, I reset the router, but the problem stil exists.

 

[chev65]

Thanks for the response.

Using the 30 30 30 rule, I reset the router, but the problem stil exists.

Do you have two valid DNS server IP's typed into your routers set up page where it says DNS servers?


If you can post a screen shot of the ipconfig/all from this machine it might be helpful.

 

[jasong1968]

Do you have two valid DNS server IP's typed into your routers set up page where it says DNS servers?

Eh, I accessed the router page, cant seem to find the routers set up page where it says DNS servers....

 

[chev65]

Do you have two valid DNS server IP's typed into your routers set up page where it says DNS servers?

Eh, I accessed the router page, cant seem to find the routers set up page where it says DNS servers....

It's there somewhere but the user interfaces are all different for routers.

But you can also type the DNS server IP's into your IPv4 properties. Link below shows how to add Google's DSN servers to your Ipv4 properties.

How To Add Google Public DNS In Windows 7 - Speed Up Web Browsing | The Tech Journal

 

[Saurabh A]

Hi jasong1968,

Please share some more details for a better understanding:

- Make / Model of the router that is in use
- Is it deriving 'Internet' from a 'Modem'? If yes, please check and share the 'Port number' (on the router) where cable from the modem is plugged in. You may also try plugging the 'Modem cable' into each of the computers one by one to see if bypassing the router works for you (for diagnosis)
- Also ensure that the 'Input cable' from the 'Internet Service Provider' is plugged into the 'modem' properly. You may try re-seating it.
- Also share if the 'connection' is a 'DSL / Cable Internet'
- What steps did you take to 'setup the router' after you 'reset it'?
- As suggested by 'chev65', results of 'IPconfig /all' may offer information that is more conclusive

Do reply with the findings. Would be glad to assist.

 

[jasong1968]

But you can also type the DNS server IP's into your IPv4 properties. Link below shows how to add Google's DSN servers to your Ipv4 properties.

Yeah - I dont know about doing anything google related here. I just want to get this working back to the way it was. I never had anything google anywhere, and it all worked fine without it.

My adapter ip4, set to 'use following ip add' is:

IP address: 192.168.1.100
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
Default gateway: 192.168.1.1
Preferred DNS Server: 192.168.1.1

Here is my router DNS page:

Login Type: DHCP
Internet IP Address: 0.0.0.0
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: 0.0.0.0
Static DNS 1: 0.0.0.0
Static DNS 1: 0.0.0.0
Static DNS 1: 0.0.0.0
MTU: 1500

And from my local network page:

Local MAC Address: xx-xx-xx (an actual # is there, of course)
IP Address: 192.168.1.1
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
DHCP Server: Enabled

I tried a DHCP Renew, but that didn't help. The 'Internet IP Address' is bugging me a bit here.

Saurabh - thanks for chiming in here.

Linksys BEFSR41, used with a cable (not DSL) modem. Computer > any router port, out into the cable modem. Yes, the cables are seated properly.

"What steps did you take to 'setup the router' after you 'reset it'?"

Uhh, none, actually. Do I need to do anything after a reset? As I stated above, I tried a DHCP Renew, but that's all I tried.

Oh yeah - I can connect to my other computer via the router; I can r/w to and from both. It's just the internet that's the issue.

I called Comcast, but they unfortunately do not man there internet tech support dept with qualified personnel. If I call up and ask the internet tech support rep if they know what a DNS server is and they say no, well, that's pretty bad.

 

[chev65]

That isn't the ipconfig/all which is what I need to see.

I would prefer an actual screen shot like this one.

 

[Dwarf]

Try following the instructions here: Article

In particular, take note of the following (taken from the above article):

NOTE: Most Cable Internet Service Providers (ISP) use Media Access Control (MAC) Address authentication to establish Internet connection to Internet subscribers. A MAC address is a unique identifier pre-assigned to the network adapter/s of the computer. When you connect a computer directly to the Cable modem, the Internet Service Provider (ISP) verifies if the MAC address is allowed to obtain Internet access. All routers also have a unique MAC address.

If this MAC address is not recognized by the Cable Internet Service Provider, you will not be able to share Internet connection using a router. To set up your Linksys router to work with a Cable ISP, you have to enable the MAC Address Clone feature using the router’s web-based setup page. This feature will allow your ISP to recognize the router as the computer with the registered MAC address.

 

[jasong1968]

To set up your Linksys router to work with a Cable ISP, you have to enable the MAC Address Clone feature using the router’s web-based setup page. This feature will allow your ISP to recognize the router as the computer with the registered MAC address.

That did it! Works fine now. I understand that might be one of the things I need to do after a reset, but I am not sure how that got screwed up in the first place, but...

Thanks much to all of you - much apreciated!

 

[Dwarf]

You're welcome.

There are 2 main possibilities for this to have happened. Firstly, a brief power surge/outage. Secondly, if your router is set to automatically install firmware updates (in which case, it might have reset itself to its defaults).

Of course, that doesn't preclude the fact that it could be just one of those things. However, at least now you know what to do should it happen again.

 

[Saurabh A]

Hi jasong1968,

Glad that the internet is back. As correctly guided by 'Dwarf', the 'router setup' had to be done again; and the issue was fixed.

When using a 'cable modem', you may choose to 'reset' your 'modem' before the 'router' in future. A 'cable modem' proactively restores its original functionality and establishes a fresh communication with the 'Internet' and the 'router'; has helped me to fix similar internet issues in the past many times.

Hope this helps.

 

[chev65]

I've never needed to do any of this just to connect to my router.

Seems like the mac address clone should be enabled by default.