wireless internet problem - advice appreciated!

[daria7483]

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]

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]

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]

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

Username:admin

Pasword:

Thats the default, name admin password nothing.

 

[mm3]

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]

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]

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]

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

 

[daria7483]

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]

can you conntect to it now?

 

[recovery]

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.)

Now, these are thing easy to set, But I believe they are unescary. As all it takes is a little modding of settings and software to sniff out and detect 'hidden' Access points. And Macs are Easy to spoof.

And using MAC filtering would be annoying, As you'll have to add every guest device when it is needed. Bit pointless and useless if you ask me.

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.

I cannot believe any average computer savvy person would say that Encryption really isn't necessary! I would strongly suggest anyone to enable WPA encyption. With a Unique SSID (that is use something other than your default name) and use a decent password. This is to prevent the nasty people using Rainbow tables trying to crack your password by capturing the handshake. Basically, adding a wider verity of changes, so it is more time consuming and difficult to obtain.


while you mentioned it. The default password for a linksys router is normally "admin". However for my WAP54G v1 there is no user name. Its left blank. Which is really really confusing when I first got it :laugh:.

But as to help the original Problem, I don't know about cable systems. However. My first thing when My LAN messes up is to power reset every device. But I don't use wireless much, completely unreliable in my experience.
Hardcore Wired Ethernet FTW!


EDIT: Sorry, I replied and then two new posts appeared.

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.

It changed back to Linksys the default. As you must of reset it. Meaning it was reset to factory settings. But, are you sure it is your network not a neibours? But I guess if you are next to it and pretty much says 100%, then you can't really be mistaken.

But did your password, that was different from default work? Because that is weird...

 

[daria7483]

Darkfinn, no I still can't connect through the wireless router, either wirelessly or wired. I can only get online when I hook the computer directly up to the modem.

I definitely created a username and password, because it wasn't the default settings, it was my daria7483 username with a password I often use. If I'm logging into my settings on the 192.168.1.1 IP address, and it says the username is linksys, that's definitely got to be my username, not a neighbor's, right?

 

[KITT5183]

Okay, now that you are in the router, if you go to the status page, does it show that it is connected to your cable modem and has acquired an IP?

Also, you can go to the wireless tab and change the SSID to something else (in your case, back to "GOHOKIES"). I would also redo the WEP key to something new. Once you have made those changes, you should be able to use the XP to look for new wireless networks, and see if your new SSID shows up. If so, enter the new encryption key that you just created. Hopefully that will allow you to reconnect to the router wirelessly.

Give that a shot, see what happens. Glad to see that you at least had some security though. It can be quite dangerous to leave a wireless router setup to the default settings.

 

[KITT5183]

Alright, I guess it would help if I read to the end of the thread before responding next time....sorry about that.

If you still can't connect via the router, that means it isn't grabbing an IP address. Most likely when you go to the status page, it will display 0.0.0.0. If this is the case, you'll probably need to close the MAC address of your laptop onto your router. It isn't that hard to do. Just to to the start menu, and click run, then type "cmd" Once the command prompt comes up, type "ipconfig /all" This will list the details of all your network adapters. Look for the entry that says "Local Area Connection" One of the entries under that should read "physical address" Copy this down. It should be in the form of xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx. Next, log back into your router, under the setup tab there should be a subtab called "MAC address clone" Enter the numbers that you wrote down in the corresponding boxes. Save the changes. Hopefully, once you do that, your cable modem will allow your router to get an IP address. If you go back to the status, there should be a button that says "DHCP renew" Click that and see if it pulls the information down now.

Once again, give it a shot, and let us know what happens.

 

[Lone_Wolf]

Well i have a Linksys Router it is a WRT54G and for me is that every three days on mine i have to power cycle it (ex. turning it off for 10 seconds then turning it back on) that works too but if you are trying to connect to you neighbors Internet make sure that it is unlocked and not locked so you can access it. also call linksys they are helpful or try to re install the linksys system, you don't need the CD for it just go to this link www.linksys.com/connect

Trust me on that link i have called linksys many times that they gave me some direct addresses to go to for system help.

 

[daria7483]

Yes! It worked! You're awesome kitt Thank you all. Now I'll have to go back and find this thread next time that happens...

 

[mm3]

I don't use encryption because I use: Hidden/custom SSID, MAC address filtering, and I also changed the IP addresses the router uses. Instead of 192.168.1.1, I use 192.168.0.1 (along with all other DHCP users).

MAC address filtering isn't a bugger for me, in fact I believe that password-protecting is a bugger.

I guess I could add WEP or WPA, but no one has gotten into my network as of yet.

And besides, if there is a will, there is a way. If someone wants to hack their way into a network, they will, one way or another.

When I go on roadtrips and I don't feel like using mobile broadband, say we're at a gas station, I use a nifty app called KisMAC (for Mac OS X). That has everything I need to gain access to any network.

 

[Lone_Wolf]

i moved my ip address over seas , it says im in Britin

 

[mm3]

Spoofing your IP address isn't really always a good idea. Once it gets back to your ISP it's back to a domestic IP, and it might or might not be illegal, and they might press charges.

 

[recovery]

i moved my ip address over seas , it says im in Britin

Your Not using a Proxy server? As to my knowledge, Trying to spoof a real Internet IP isn't too easy to pull off.

Either way, Spoofing an IP is Bad. Using a proxy is bad too. Although This site blocks proxies, I do not know how good the blacklist is to block you. Also, the proxy you are using is most likely a 'free' one. Chances are they are spying on all your info you just sent through it.