wireless router problems

[CaP'N GRuNGe]

Anybody have any insight on how to hook up these freaking things? Was on tech support with the cable company for about a half hour to 45 minutes. He couldn't help and wanted to send a technician out. I doubt that's necessary. I followed all the steps multiple times regarding unplugging the modem, PC, etc, reseting things, etc. I can't seem to get the thing to direct connect (hard wire) to my PC. I THINK the wireless is actually working. I see it on my phone. Though I can't connect to it because I need to get into the PC to set the password? I wish I wasn't so computer illiterate.

[smithkt]

After taking a quick glance at the user manual, I see this router has a built in DHCP server which is on by default. It should be as simple as making sure your computer is configured to get an IP address automatically, plugging the ethernet cable into one of the four ports on the back of the router ( blue ports) and then pointing your browser at http://192.168.1.1

 

Do you have anything else plugged into the router?

Are you sure your computer is getting an IP from the router?

 

If you don't know how to check your IP address, respond with the operating system you are running and I can be more specific.

Edited December 7, 2010 by smithkt

[CaP'N GRuNGe]

After taking a quick glance at the user manual, I see this router has a built in DHCP server which is on by default. It should be as simple as making sure your computer is configured to get an IP address automatically, plugging the ethernet cable into one of the four ports on the back of the router ( blue ports) and then pointing your browser at http://192.168.1.1

 

Do you have anything else plugged into the router?

Are you sure your computer is getting an IP from the router?

 

If you don't know how to check your IP address, respond with the operating system you are running and I can be more specific.

 

Yep, all connections are good. I see the router IP. When i go to my browser and type in that address it says server not found. All my modem lights are working. There's some sort of disconnect there between the router and the PC or something. My machine is pretty old and is running Windows XP.

[smithkt]

First thing to check is to make sure you are getting an IP address assigned by the router.

 

Do this:

 

Click the Start button

Select Run

type in cmd and press enter.

 

You should now have a command prompt window open.

Type ipconfig and press enter.

 

This should show you the IP address assigned to your ethernet port. Make sure the IP is 192.168.1.X, where X is any number from 2 to 254.

[MikesVikes]

Yep, all connections are good. I see the router IP. When i go to my browser and type in that address it says server not found. All my modem lights are working. There's some sort of disconnect there between the router and the PC or something. My machine is pretty old and is running Windows XP.

 

That's probably a good thing. Windows Seven wants to keep you secure by not letting new things work.

[lennykravitz2004]

Can you hook up one PC (and only one specific PC) to the modem and get out to the internet? If so, here's your answer...

 

One other thing these ISPs never mention - because they think you'll then pay them to come out and do this - is something called MAC cloning. Goes something like this, and it happened to me with Charter cable internet, my friend's Comcast out in Denver, but not with AT&T.

 

The ISP (Charter, Comcast, et al) will see the MAC address via the modem to the one computer hooked up to the internet the first time they come out and hook up your connection. The PC which is connected to the modem at the time is seen - and set in their routing table, this is the important part - to be the only "acceptable" MAC address. Every single device hooked up to the internet has a MAC address - it's the physical address of the ethernet port, WiFi card, etc. What you will need to do is fairly straight forward, however getting the info is like finding your way through a maze (sort of). Pretty much every single router today allows you to set up MAC address cloning. In other words, "fake the system out". Once you login to your router, you should be able to find a MAC cloning function/setting which allows you to enter in the MAC address from the one PC as the one your ISP sees as acceptable. In other words, it tells Charter what they want to hear (the original PC MAC address) while enabling you to use your router for multiple connections.

 

Search the phrase "MAC cloning" and you'll probably get a better idea of what I mean. I'm on the road after along day and wold like to provide more detail, but I'm whupped... PM me if you'd like some more help. I'm back home tomorrow night.

 

Change a MAC Address through Cloning

 

Some people contact their ISP to request they update the MAC address associated with their subscription. This process works but takes time, and Internet service will be unavailable while waiting for the provider to take action.

A better way to quickly workaround this problem is to change the MAC address on the new device so that it matches the address of the original device. While an actual physical MAC address cannot be changed in hardware, the address can be emulated in software. This process is called cloning.

 

Many broadband routers today support MAC address cloning as an advanced configuration option. The emulated MAC address appears to the service provider identical to the original hardware address. The specific procedure of cloning varies depending on the type of router; consult product documentation for details.

 

HTH

Edited December 8, 2010 by lennykravitz2004

[CaP'N GRuNGe]

Appreciate the info. I gave up last night and will probably spend some more time with it this weekend or something...

[frankf]

Your best bet is to contact the manufacturer of the router. When I installed mine I had a similar problem, and there was some crazy setting way back in the nooks and crannies that needed adjusted, something I would have never been able to figure out on my own.

[TimC]

I wish I could help more but I'm no expert. Mine has one little tiny checkbox buried so far deep in the router menus that you'd never find it. It's set to "on" by default and should be set to "off" for it to work with my ISP. Only reason I know this is the first few times I called them for tech support when I first went wireless way back when, it is the first thing they ask you to change. Must happen to everyone.

 

I've since saved the steps in a Word doc at home so if it ever resets back to factory defaults, I'm ready. It could be something as simple as this. The average use would never find it on their own. :bangshead:

[redrumjuice]

Where did you get that piece of crap router?

[CaP'N GRuNGe]

Went through Cable and Vizio support. Said it must be faulty. Returned it for another and after a few minutes of trying to understand the settings...i'm online. Because I'm sure you all needed to know.