wireless internet problem - advice appreciated!

**daria7483** · 03-03-2008

Well, I don't want to be one of those people who is constantly posting computer problems, and I'll try not to do that in the future. But I'm hoping some of the more computer savvy here can help me out of a bind and save me the hassle of talking to someone who barely speaks English or the cost of a new wireless router. Basically, I have a motorola cable modem hooked up to a linksys router, which I purchased last July. Last night, I tried to get on my wireless network and couldn't. My computer wasn't detecting my network, even though all the appropriate lights were on on my modem and the wireless router seemed to be hooked up okay. It was, however, detecting a bunch of my neighbor's internet connections, but when I tried to get on those, even the ones with a strong signal, there seemed to be some trouble determining my computer's IP address.

Then, when I tried just hooking up the modem directly to the computer, it also said it couldn't determine the IP address.

Anyway, this morning I decided to try to reinstall my cable modem. I reinstalled the modem and was able then to connect to the internet if I hooked the computer up to the modem. I still can't get a wireless connection though, and I can't find my installation disk. My next step, I guess, will be to call the linksys tech support in India, who will probably tell me to unplug everything and restart my computer and then when that doesn't work they will tell me I need a new router.

Any computer gurus out there got any advice?

***KITT5183*** · 03-03-2008

Being that it the internet is working directly connect to your computer, it is possible that the configuration on your wireless router has gone to poo. Do you have the ability to plug your computer into the router, while the cable modem is plugged in, or do you just have an wireless access point? If so, plug your computer in and see if you can connect to the internet via a hard connection (not wireless). If you can, that means the router is working, but your wireless has just been messed up. If not, then there is something up with your router, and it isn't talking to your cable modem.

Do you know how to access the managment interface of your router? Usually only a linksys, you got to http://192.168.1.1 and it will bring it up. There should be a status page in there that will tell you if the router has gotten an IP addresss from your internet service provider. If not, then you may need to clone the MAC address of your computer onto your router. A lot of companies will only let one MAC address talk to the modem, so that could be causing a problem. See what you find out after looking into that, and we can go from there.

Best of luck.

**daria7483** · 03-03-2008

Thanks for the advice. I tried hooking the router up directly to the computer with an ethernet cable, and it still didn't work. So I guess something is wrong with the router, although it seems to think it's talking to the modem (all the appropriate buttons are lit up)

I also tried going to the page you suggested, and it was weird. When I went when my computer was still hooked up to the router, when I couldn't get a connection, it seemed to think I was trying to log in to my neighbor's connection. There was another router somewhere nearby that my computer kept trying to connect to, and when I went to the 192.168.1.1 address, it told me to enter the login info for that dude's connection, which of course I don't know. Then later, when I'd hooked my computer back up to my modem so I could get online, and I tried to load that page again, it just said "problem loading page."

**Mr Alex** · 03-03-2008

When it asks you for the login info, type in this

Username:admin

Pasword:

Thats the default, name admin password nothing.

mm3 · 03-03-2008

Nope, You're wrong, Mr. Alex, you were almost there

Linksys Routers have a default admin name of "admin" and the password is also "admin".

If you are using Windows XP, check your connection settings. In Network Connections, right click your Wireless Connection and click properties. Click on Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and press properties. There, make sure you have the IP address set to automatic, along with the DNS server.

If that fails, log into your router and reset your router to factory settings, see if that helps.

***KITT5183*** · 03-03-2008

Okay, you're only going to be able to access the Linksys interface when you are plugged directly into the router with a LAN cable. Then, when you go to the web link of http://192.168.1.1, it will prompt you for a user name and password. You should enter what the gentlemen above suggested (assuming that you did not change the account settings when you first got it). If the blank password doesn't work, you can always try "password" (w/o the quotes) as well. What is the SSID (name of the wireless network) that you usually connect to? Is it still set to linksys? If so, we need to beef up your wireless security a little bit. It is possible that someone else logged into your router and changed information if it is set to the defaults still. See if you can get into the router. If you can post back and let us know, and we can go from there.

mm3 · 03-03-2008

If you don't know the log in of your router, then you do indeed need to beef up security.

I suggest the following... and when we can figure out this problem we can get to work on them:

MAC Address filtering (allows only certain computers to use your Wireless connection)
Hidden SSIDs (hides your SSID so that when people look for available connections yours does not appear. You can still connect to your SSID, because your know the name of it. This will just stop broadcasting it.)

WEP/WPA really isn't necessary with the following, I've always found it to be a hassle. But yet, some people still feel like adding another layer of security, so this is completely up to you.

The last two are to change your SSID and your router's password. Changing your SSID, along with hiding the SSID is a smart move. Changing your router's password is almost a must, this keeps people form getting inside your router besides you.

***KITT5183*** · 03-03-2008

Yup, turns out mm3 is correct, the default password should be "admin"

**daria7483** · 03-03-2008

Okay, wow, I'm so confused.

Okay, bottom line, I remembered my login and password for the 192.168.1.1 address. I had changed it from the default. So, I got in, but my wireless network name is linksys. Now, I know I had changed it to gohokies back when I first got it. I had a friend who had helped me through setting up an encrypted connection. So it seems kind of weird that the SSID now says linksys.

So, that's where I stand now.

Darkfinn · 03-03-2008

can you conntect to it now?

03-03-2008	#1 (permalink)
daria7483 Lurker Donor Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Virginia, USA Age: 26 Posts: 781 Threads: 13 Reputation: 41	wireless internet problem - advice appreciated! Well, I don't want to be one of those people who is constantly posting computer problems, and I'll try not to do that in the future. But I'm hoping some of the more computer savvy here can help me out of a bind and save me the hassle of talking to someone who barely speaks English or the cost of a new wireless router. Basically, I have a motorola cable modem hooked up to a linksys router, which I purchased last July. Last night, I tried to get on my wireless network and couldn't. My computer wasn't detecting my network, even though all the appropriate lights were on on my modem and the wireless router seemed to be hooked up okay. It was, however, detecting a bunch of my neighbor's internet connections, but when I tried to get on those, even the ones with a strong signal, there seemed to be some trouble determining my computer's IP address. Then, when I tried just hooking up the modem directly to the computer, it also said it couldn't determine the IP address. Anyway, this morning I decided to try to reinstall my cable modem. I reinstalled the modem and was able then to connect to the internet if I hooked the computer up to the modem. I still can't get a wireless connection though, and I can't find my installation disk. My next step, I guess, will be to call the linksys tech support in India, who will probably tell me to unplug everything and restart my computer and then when that doesn't work they will tell me I need a new router. Any computer gurus out there got any advice?

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03-03-2008	#2 (permalink)
*KITT5183* Lurker Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: New Jersey, USA Age: 26 Posts: 14 Threads: 2 Reputation: 1	Being that it the internet is working directly connect to your computer, it is possible that the configuration on your wireless router has gone to poo. Do you have the ability to plug your computer into the router, while the cable modem is plugged in, or do you just have an wireless access point? If so, plug your computer in and see if you can connect to the internet via a hard connection (not wireless). If you can, that means the router is working, but your wireless has just been messed up. If not, then there is something up with your router, and it isn't talking to your cable modem. Do you know how to access the managment interface of your router? Usually only a linksys, you got to http://192.168.1.1 and it will bring it up. There should be a status page in there that will tell you if the router has gotten an IP addresss from your internet service provider. If not, then you may need to clone the MAC address of your computer onto your router. A lot of companies will only let one MAC address talk to the modem, so that could be causing a problem. See what you find out after looking into that, and we can go from there. Best of luck.

03-03-2008	#3 (permalink)
daria7483 Lurker Donor Thread Starter Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Virginia, USA Age: 26 Posts: 781 Threads: 13 Reputation: 41	Thanks for the advice. I tried hooking the router up directly to the computer with an ethernet cable, and it still didn't work. So I guess something is wrong with the router, although it seems to think it's talking to the modem (all the appropriate buttons are lit up) I also tried going to the page you suggested, and it was weird. When I went when my computer was still hooked up to the router, when I couldn't get a connection, it seemed to think I was trying to log in to my neighbor's connection. There was another router somewhere nearby that my computer kept trying to connect to, and when I went to the 192.168.1.1 address, it told me to enter the login info for that dude's connection, which of course I don't know. Then later, when I'd hooked my computer back up to my modem so I could get online, and I tried to load that page again, it just said "problem loading page."

03-03-2008	#4 (permalink)
Mr Alex Regular Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Michigan Age: 17 Posts: 2,343 Threads: 62 Gallery Uploads: 2 Wiki Edits: 11 Reputation: 24	When it asks you for the login info, type in this Username:admin Pasword: Thats the default, name admin password nothing.

03-03-2008	#5 (permalink)
mm3 All is Love... Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: New York, NY Age: 18 Posts: 1,838 Threads: 108 Gallery Uploads: 3 Wiki Edits: 3 Reputation: 41	Nope, You're wrong, Mr. Alex, you were almost there Linksys Routers have a default admin name of "admin" and the password is also "admin". If you are using Windows XP, check your connection settings. In Network Connections, right click your Wireless Connection and click properties. Click on Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and press properties. There, make sure you have the IP address set to automatic, along with the DNS server. If that fails, log into your router and reset your router to factory settings, see if that helps.

03-03-2008	#6 (permalink)
*KITT5183* Lurker Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: New Jersey, USA Age: 26 Posts: 14 Threads: 2 Reputation: 1	Okay, you're only going to be able to access the Linksys interface when you are plugged directly into the router with a LAN cable. Then, when you go to the web link of http://192.168.1.1, it will prompt you for a user name and password. You should enter what the gentlemen above suggested (assuming that you did not change the account settings when you first got it). If the blank password doesn't work, you can always try "password" (w/o the quotes) as well. What is the SSID (name of the wireless network) that you usually connect to? Is it still set to linksys? If so, we need to beef up your wireless security a little bit. It is possible that someone else logged into your router and changed information if it is set to the defaults still. See if you can get into the router. If you can post back and let us know, and we can go from there.

03-03-2008	#7 (permalink)
mm3 All is Love... Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: New York, NY Age: 18 Posts: 1,838 Threads: 108 Gallery Uploads: 3 Wiki Edits: 3 Reputation: 41	If you don't know the log in of your router, then you do indeed need to beef up security. I suggest the following... and when we can figure out this problem we can get to work on them: MAC Address filtering (allows only certain computers to use your Wireless connection) Hidden SSIDs (hides your SSID so that when people look for available connections yours does not appear. You can still connect to your SSID, because your know the name of it. This will just stop broadcasting it.) WEP/WPA really isn't necessary with the following, I've always found it to be a hassle. But yet, some people still feel like adding another layer of security, so this is completely up to you. The last two are to change your SSID and your router's password. Changing your SSID, along with hiding the SSID is a smart move. Changing your router's password is almost a must, this keeps people form getting inside your router besides you.

03-03-2008	#8 (permalink)
*KITT5183* Lurker Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: New Jersey, USA Age: 26 Posts: 14 Threads: 2 Reputation: 1	Yup, turns out mm3 is correct, the default password should be "admin"

03-03-2008	#9 (permalink)
daria7483 Lurker Donor Thread Starter Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Virginia, USA Age: 26 Posts: 781 Threads: 13 Reputation: 41	Okay, wow, I'm so confused. Okay, bottom line, I remembered my login and password for the 192.168.1.1 address. I had changed it from the default. So, I got in, but my wireless network name is linksys. Now, I know I had changed it to gohokies back when I first got it. I had a friend who had helped me through setting up an encrypted connection. So it seems kind of weird that the SSID now says linksys. So, that's where I stand now.

03-03-2008	#10 (permalink)
Darkfinn Banned Donor Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Charlotte, NC Age: 26 Posts: 3,975 Threads: 84 Gallery Uploads: 18 Wiki Edits: 4 Blog Entries: 17 Reputation: 105	can you conntect to it now?