Have we gota problem with our router?

Enterprise_1701C

Can you try the computers out in a friend's house - just to see if it is the computers or the router?

Mr_Oink

Katies Mum: First up, don't let anyone talk you into making lots of changes to your set-up here. If it suddenly stopped working there are a number of possible reasons, but for now they are not important - fixing it IS.

Don't let it stress you, this stuff is actually not rocket science, and if you are able to get here for help you are well on your way to getting this licked.

So if you plug your desktop machine directly into the NTL/Virgin modem on a network lead you can get on the net, right? ... But you can't get on the net using wireless on either machine AND your netbook won't even work with a wired connection directly into the modem?

What I would do is forget the Virgin side of things for a moment, and forget the wireless side of things for a moment and concentrate on the Linksys router. Can you post the model number - which may be printed on a label on the belly, or be in the manual/on the box. This will be useful later on.

Plug the working computer into the Linksys router using the network lead (make sure you don't stick it into the socket marked 'WAN')

Open up your web browser and type: http://192.168.1.1 into the address bar. This should be the IP address of the router. Some Linksys routers may have a different IP address, but if you load up the CD that came with it, or look at the quickstart guide you'll find it pretty quickly.

If all is well you should be prompted for a usename and password. If you are this tells you the router is up and responding. If you know what it is go ahead and enter it, if not try the admin/admin or consult the manual for the default usename / password. Make a note of this as you may well be coming back to this router over the next few days.

If you can't get to a log in screen it may be that the IP address has been manually changed or that router has really given up the ghost. At this point I would consider a factory reset of the router as described in the manual. I would make this a last resort and do it only if you can't get the login dialogue to appear using what you know to be the correct IP address. The reason it is the last resort is because you will lose all of your router settings. However, it will put it back to the defaults and you should then be able to connect to it.

If you can connect to the router I would get another network cable and connect the WAN socket of the router to the Virgin modem and see if you are able to surf the net.

So we don't run before we can walk, try and connect to the router first and we will take it from there. If we can get it working wired, it should be possible to resolve the wireless. As for the netbook - treat that as a separate issue on the 'to do' list once everything else is working again.

katies_mum

Thank you Mr_Oink for taking the time to reply to me, I appreciate the trouble you have gone to trying to explain what to try.

As you have most probably gathered I am very much out of my depth with all of this.

The only machine working with direct connection to the modem is the little net book.
Desktop is upstairs and I`m not sure how to move it or connect it up again if I get it downstairs - this lost the wireless connection on Monday when something happened.
Laptop won`t work on internet even when the modem is plugged into it. (laptop cable / adaptor broke last week and she got a new one on Friday - then everything seemed to go wrong.

*Model no of router is Linskys Wireless G Speed booster WRT54GS-UK.

I can`t see anywhere to plug the router into the netbook, I`m most probably beeing simple here but its got 3 usb`s and the conenction where the modem is currently plugged in. (is this where is needs to go) If I unplug the modem like I did yesterday then when I plug it back in I seem to loose the interent connection and have to ring `Virgin`. So as you can see I`m scared to take the modem out of the net book as its the only way I can get online unless I`ve misunderstood what you mean. I`m getting myself a bit confused and feel really out of my depth, sorry! I wish I was technically minded

Look forward to hearing from you, with grateful thanks.

grimsalve

katies_mum wrote: »

*Model no of router is Linskys Wireless G Speed booster WRT54GS-UK.

I can`t see anywhere to plug the router into the netbook, I`m most probably beeing simple here but its got 3 usb`s and the conenction where the modem is currently plugged in. (is this where is needs to go) If I unplug the modem like I did yesterday then when I plug it back in I seem to loose the interent connection and have to ring `Virgin`. So as you can see I`m scared to take the modem out of the net book as its the only way I can get online unless I`ve misunderstood what you mean. I`m getting myself a bit confused and feel really out of my depth, sorry! I wish I was technically minded

I've just looked on the net for photos of your Linksys - is it blue at the front and black at the back with two little wireless lan antennas sticking out from behind?

I think the ports you mentioned were usb are actually ethernet ports - could you have a look around (possibly in the box that the Linksys came in) for another ethernet cable?

If you have another ethernet cable you can leave the modem connected to both the Virgin broadband connection and the Linksys, you can then try to work out what the problem is with the Linksys (hopefully it's just an issue with the wireless lan configuration).

Mr_Oink

katies_mum wrote: »

Thank you Mr_Oink for taking the time to reply to me, I appreciate the trouble you have gone to trying to explain what to try.

It's no trouble at all

katies_mum wrote: »

As you have most probably gathered I am very much out of my depth with all of this.

Perhaps you feel that way but don't let it initimidate you. Clearly you are smart enough to follow simple simple troubleshooting steps and already from your initial post (which was of very good quality) it's only going to take a few pokes and a prod to diagnose.

katies_mum wrote: »

The only machine working with direct connection to the modem is the little net book.

A quick 'stock check' of what you have:

A LAPTOP -> NORMALLY WIRELESS -> DOES NOT WORK PLUGGED INTO THE MODEM DIRECTLY {probably because of some software setting, driver or security issue}
A DESKTOP (UPSTAIRS) -> NORMALLY WIRELESS(??) -> CAN'T BE MOVED EASILY
NETBOOK -> NORMALLY WIRELESS -> WORKS WHEN PLUGGED INTO THE MODEM WITH A NETWORK LEAD

{if any of that is wrong just correct it}.

katies_mum wrote: »

*Model no of router is Linskys Wireless G Speed booster WRT54GS-UK.

These are very good, solid devices. Many of the older ones are hunted out by enthusiasts to convert. I have one in front of me now and they are friendly and straightforward to set up.

katies_mum wrote: »

I can`t see anywhere to plug the router into the netbook

When you plug the Netbook into the Virgin modem you are using a network lead (I think....). Unplug it from the Virgin Modem and plug it into any socket on the Linksys OTHER THAN THE ONE THAT SAYS 'INTERNET' or 'WAN'. You will lose your internet connection when you do this, so print out my original post and just check you can get into the web login page, or 'GUI' as it is called, of your Linksys as I've described above (type http://192.168.1.1 in a browser window and hit 'enter').

If that works you can be happy that the router is up and responding. Either unplug the lead from the Linksys and put it back in the modem so you can get back on line and report back - or ideally get a second network cable and plug the "INTERNET" socket of the Linksys into the Virgin modem.

katies_mum wrote: »

I`m scared to take the modem out of the net book as its the only way I can get online

Don't be scared of it, be a grave girl now! We won't be changing anything on your Netbook, and you can always put it back as it is now and get back online. I promise it won't bite you!

katies_mum

Hi,
I`m back. Just wanted to say thank you all so much for helping me.

Yesterday a friend came round to see about helping me out after an hour of trying and testing all sorts it was decided that the router was past it!! it lit up etc but nothing was happening ... so cut my losses and went and bought a Belkin Share N300 wireless router F7D3302uk. (Staples and used a £5 off voucher they had sent me by email) It said on the box plug and go..so thats what I did :j and got the desktop back on first, then the net book, the laptop didn`t want to know so I did a system restore back two weeks and then tried it again this morning using the Belkin disc and its ok..just running a scan at the moment as it said it was unsecure and don`t think my daughter has done it for a while.

I can now breath a sigh of relief until the next time..but saying that the router says it has `self healing` not sure what that meants but hoping it may save my stress levels.

Now I have installed this is there anything else I need to? how do I check next door can`t use it?? (not sure about this bit - it does say pre-set security as an included feature)

Thank you all for taking the time to try and help me its very much appreciated. :beer:

katies_mum

Hello,

Sorry got another little problem. My wireless printer won`t work and I`m not sure how to sort this. Its an HP C7280 - I can use a USB (had to earlier as I needed something printing urgently) but it won`t work wirelessly. In the network section on the front of the printer it is showing the Belkin 4243 router - I have input the password but its still not working . Any ideas please. (and I thought I had done so well :mad: getting the computers sorted)