Changed location, now network's not working!

[daffyoo42]

Hi all, I'm a newbie in need of some desperate help.

I've been running a wireless network using a cable modem in our house for a couple of years with minimal troubles. The modem's connected to the cable line from the wall and the wireless router's plugged into the modem. As of last night everything was still fine. This morning I needed to change the location of the modem and router. Once things were plugged back in, our downstairs computer connected to the internet fine. Upstairs however, neither our desktop nor laptop will connect to the internet. They don't see the other computers or printers in the network either (and the computer downstairs that's working sees nothing upstairs). They will however claim to be "connected" with very good or excellent signal strength. I tried pinging upstairs and it failed. My router's a Linksys WRT54G, downstairs has a linksys wireless G card, upstairs has a Netgear WG11 Wireless card in the laptop and an 802.11g wirless PCI card, though I forget which company. I also have things set up with WPA-psk TKIP and Windows' built in firewall is on, though I tried turning it off when attempting the ping test a second time. Also, I know that the wireless cards upstairs are working, as they recognize and will connect to neighbors' networks. Oh and I also have Windows set to configure the network on every computer.

Also, with the internet working downstairs, I can't get into the web based configuration tool. However, I noticed that the internet was only working when the ethernet cable from the modem is plugged into one of the first LAN port in the back of the router rather than the "internet" port. When I switch the ethernet plug from the LAN port to the internet where it belongs, I lose access to the internet downstairs, but gain access to the router's web configuration tool. Never had that problem before....

Besides the ping check which I already got from reading the forums, I really don't know too much about this stuff. Sorry, but like I said, help is desperately needed and much appreciated. Please let me know if I should provide any more info.

[M/Q]

Great information. But as always we need some more. Can you describe in detail what physical changes you made to the equipment? Is the router still downstairs and one wireless client there as well? Then you have two wireless clients upstairs? Was that the arrangement before as well?

Next did you perchance do a reset on the router? You mentioned that you used to plug the cable from the modem into the Internet port of the router, and it worked. Do you have DHCP enabled on the router? Also when you were trying to gain access to the web config page where you using the same IP addr when the cable was plugged in either location?

Now some tests. First let's just use the router and computer that connects via Ethernet cable. Connect to the Internet port of the router and get to a command prompt. Type the command ipconfig /all. Publish it here. Next plug the cable into one of the 4 switch ports and run the command again. Publish it here.

Then with the network setup as you thing it should be run the ipconfig /all command on all of the computers. Everything should be the same except for the IP addresses. Could you publish the differences if any here.

[daffyoo42]

Hello, thank you so much for responding!

The changes I physically made were unplugging the cable modem's connection to the cable line, unplugging it from the outlet and unplugging it from the router. The router was also unplugged from the outlet. These items were originally in the kitchen on the first floor of the house. They have now been reconnected in the living room, still on the first floor. No changes were made to the computers' hardware. I'm still using all of the exact same equipment I was using the day before yesterday when the whole network worked. We have one wireless client downstairs with the desktop and two wirless clients upstairs on the second floor in a desktop and laptop. Same as before, although the laptop was often used downstairs as well without a problem.

I did in fact do a reset on the router. I'm back to all of the default settings now and asdjusted the computers' settings to reflect that but still no luck. DHCP looks like it is enabled on the router. When trying to gain access to the web config page it looks like the IP addresses changed.

Here are the results of the tests:

Modem plugged into router's internet port:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Rosemary>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

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

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Wireless-G PCI Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0C-41-5F-EB-2F
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.100
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. . . . . . . . . . : Friday, February 10, 2006
9:00:15 AM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, February 11, 2006
9:00:15
AM


Modem plugged into router's 1st LAN port:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Rosemary>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

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

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Wireless-G PCI Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0C-41-5F-EB-2F
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.195.63.171
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.240.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 68.195.48.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 167.206.3.206
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 167.206.3.206
167.206.3.205
167.206.3.140
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Friday, February 10, 2006
9:04:34 AM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Monday, February 13, 2006
9:04:19 PM

Modem plugged back into internet port - what I believe is the correct configuration, still using the router's default settings:
Upstairs desktop:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Jessica>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : JESSICA
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 6:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : 802.11g Wireless PCI Card
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-12-0E-0E-2F-F0
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.102
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. . . . . . . . . . : Friday, February 10, 2006 9:09:11 AM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, February 11, 2006 9:09:11
AM

C:\Documents and Settings\Jessica>


Upstairs laptop:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Jessica>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : ANGEL
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : NETGEAR WG511v2 54 Mbps Wireless PC Card
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0F-B5-0A-5E-9D
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.103
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. . . . . . . . . . : Friday, February 10, 2006 9:11:04 AM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, February 11, 2006 9:11:04
AM

Thanks again!

[M/Q]

OK first how are you accessing the router web config page, by using wireless or a cable? If at all possible use a cable as doing it wireless adds to the confusion.

First we need to check the router. Go into the Internet configuration page and make sure it is set to receive its IP address automatically. Also disable remote access from the Internet.

Next is appears that the router internal network side and DHCP are working correctly. With the computer wired into the switch part of the router run the ipconfig /all again and see if you can ping the router 192.168.1.1. Then if that works try to get out to the Internet. I am concerned that the DNS server may need to be configured on your router if they are not being passed along from the modem. If you are having trouble then try pinging www.yahoo.com. If that does not work try pinging 68.142.226.42, which is the IP addr for Yahoo. If that works then you need to get the DNS server info from your ISP. And then add it to the router DHCP server so it can tell the computers that information.

If this is working then turn off encryption and bring the wireless notebook next to the router and see what happens. Also change the SSID and password to something other than the default settings.

Well, lets see where this gets. As you may also have a signal strength problem now that you did not before.

[daffyoo42]

Hi again, thanks so much for sticking with me on this.

So i wired the laptop to the router for the router config page. It looks like it's set to receive IP automatically and remote access is disabled. With the laptop plugged in, I ran ipconfig /all again and then pinged the router. Here's what came up:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Jessica>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : ANGEL
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : NETGEAR WG511v2 54 Mbps Wireless PC
Card
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0F-B5-0A-5E-9D
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.103
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. . . . . . . . . . : Friday, February 10, 2006 10:36:33 A
M
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, February 11, 2006 10:36:33
AM

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : 3Com 3C920 Integrated Fast Ethernet
Controller (3C905C-TX Compatible)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-08-74-E7-BA-25
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.104
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Friday, February 10, 2006 10:38:08 A
M
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, February 11, 2006 10:38:08
AM

C:\Documents and Settings\Jessica>ping 192.168.1.1

Pinging 192.168.1.1 with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.1:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms


I then tried the internet again but no luck. I tried pinging yahoo and it's IP addr a couple times and got the following:

C:\Documents and Settings\Jessica>ping www.yahoo.com
Ping request could not find host www.yahoo.com. Please check the name and try ag
ain.

C:\Documents and Settings\Jessica>ping 68.142.226.42

Pinging 68.142.226.42 with 32 bytes of data:

Request timed out.
Reply from 192.168.1.1: Destination net unreachable.
Reply from 192.168.1.1: Destination net unreachable.
Reply from 192.168.1.1: Destination net unreachable.

Ping statistics for 68.142.226.42:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 3, Lost = 1 (25% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms

C:\Documents and Settings\Jessica>ping www.yahoo.com
Ping request could not find host www.yahoo.com. Please check the name and try ag
ain.

C:\Documents and Settings\Jessica>ping 68.142.226.42

Pinging 68.142.226.42 with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 192.168.1.1: Destination net unreachable.
Reply from 192.168.1.1: Destination net unreachable.
Reply from 192.168.1.1: Destination net unreachable.
Reply from 192.168.1.1: Destination net unreachable.

Ping statistics for 68.142.226.42:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms


So that's where I'm at now. Do you think I need to get the DNS server info or is it still something else?

[daffyoo42]

Success! M/Q, thank you for all of your help. It aided in my finding a successful solution on another site. Turns out that the ISP was only allowing 1 IP. When I connected the modem to the LAN port, the first PC to connect grabbed and IP address and the rest were denied additional IPs.

To solve it, I connected the modem to the Internet port, powered down the modem and router, left the modem off for a little while for the ISP to drop the IP. Then I brought them back up, modem then router. When I turned on the PCs again, I was all set!

Again, thanks for your time and attention with this!

[M/Q]

Very happy for you and your intuitive solution.

It yet again speaks as to why I really really dislike cable. All of the other Internet perimeter technologies abide by the same rules and logic. Cable is the black sheep. I completely forgot about that aspect of it. Sorry for that.

I do again want to compliment you on your very descriptive explanations as that makes helping a great deal easier, even though I dropped the ball on this one.

So just to help you if that happens again and you do not want to wait. Remember our ipconfig command? Just use the switches /release and then /renew. It will then force the computer to ask for a new IP addr.

[daffyoo42]

Awesome, thanks again. And you definitely didn't drop the ball, you helped me pick up a bit about wireless networking which I'm otherwise quite ignorant about. And thanks for the compliments, I just wanted to get the best help possible and since nobody was here to look at things, I did the best I could.

As for cable, we've mostly got it as a combination between hearing it was the fastest and getting a decent deal beacuse of our existing cable subscription. We never really considered other options. I'll worry about it more though when I buy my own house and I'm picking everything :)