I've calmed down now.

Discussion in 'Wireless' started by thintin, Apr 14, 2006.

  1. thintin

    thintin Bit Poster

    18
    0
    19
    I have a wireless networking problem. Let me tell you about it and maybe you can save the rest of my hair from PC rage.

    The Problem

    None of my wireless devices can access the internet even though they are connecting to the wireless router.

    Background (takes deep breath)

    I have a home built PC running XP Pro SP2. It is connected via ethernet cable to a Linksys Wireless ADSL Gateway with 4 ethernet ports (WAG54GS).

    I have another home-built PC running XP Pro SP2 and connecting to the router via a ZyDas b+g USB adaptor (ZD1211)

    I also have an O2 XDA IIi which is wireless.

    Up until two weeks ago everything was fine. All of my wireless devices connected and surfed the web without any problems.

    Now they wont.

    Settings (stay awake)

    The Linksys router has one dynamic IP for the main desktop (ethernet connection) and DHCP for the wireless devices. There are 50 IP's in the DHCP range.

    Wireless SSID has been personalised and is broadcast (wireless devices do detect the SSID) Security is currently deactivated. Broadcasting b+g on channel 6 (apparently XDA's dont like channel 11)

    Both wireless devices are configured to 'let server assign IP and DNS addresses'

    What I've tried (everything short of the hammer...)

    I've uninstalled and reinstalled all of the hardware and software

    I've deleted the settings and remade them.

    I've downloaded updated firmware and installed it to the router.

    I've spoken to two (count them) two tec's from Linksys on their website chat aplet (very helpfull and knowledgable asian ladies) who eventually said that my router must be faulty.

    I returned my router to PC World and they gave me a shiney new one.

    Guess what...it still doesn't work.

    So I can access the internet via my wired PC but the wireless ones connect, with good signal quality, are assigned IP's from the DHCP within the specified range but then, when I try to open a URL I get the XDA saying there is no DNS server specified (set to auto) and Ie says 'page cannot be displayed' for all websites.

    Please help me obi wan...
     
    Certifications: bronze swimming award?
    WIP: silver.
  2. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

    6,624
    117
    224
    OK - I'll try some thoughts on this.

    1) Are you saying that your main PC doesn't use the DHCP server in the router?

    2) On the PC 'connected' via WiFi what IP address does it get? (I'm ignoring the O2 because I don't know those!)

    3) There should be a page on the router that shows what DHCP leases are valid - what does it show?

    4) Likewise there should be a page to show what is connected via WiFi - what does that show?

    Harry.
     
    Certifications: ECDL A+ Network+ i-Net+
    WIP: Server+
  3. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

    6,624
    117
    224
    Rereading and thinking further - are you saying that the two wireless devices get correct IPs?

    From one of the wireless devices can you ping a place on the 'net using IP only - not the domain name?

    Harry.
     
    Certifications: ECDL A+ Network+ i-Net+
    WIP: Server+
  4. Boycie
    Honorary Member

    Boycie Senior Beer Tester

    6,281
    85
    174
    what has changed (if anything) since everything was Ok?

    Are you using Windows to look after the wireless configuration or software for the wireless cards? If both, then i suggest you get rid of one of them and re-try. Some makers specify to use their software.....

    Also go to your ISP page and get the preferred and alternate DNS server addresses and try pinging them...
     
    Certifications: MCSA 2003, MCDST, A+, N+, CTT+, MCT
  5. thintin

    thintin Bit Poster

    18
    0
    19
    Thanks for the quick reply fellers.

    I've gathered answers to your questions.

    First, Harry.

    1) No. My main PC uses a static IP address. All others are DHCP assigned.
    2) The wireless PC's IP is the first from the list available to the DHCP.
    3)DHCP client lease time is set to 'one day' (max allowed)
    4)My 'connected computers' list shows the computer name, IP and MAC for the wireless PC. All of the details are correct.

    I can ping the router OK and a Harvard Uni IP (127.0.0.1) with a TTL of 128 from the wireless PC.

    Boyce.

    I use the packaged app from the USB adaptor's manufacturer on the wireless PC and let Windows Mobile 2003 handle things on the XDA. How do I make sure that win XP isn't trying to do the same?

    DNS's. When I get the DNS's from my ISP, what should I do with them?

    Thanks for your help fellers.
     
    Certifications: bronze swimming award?
    WIP: silver.
  6. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

    6,624
    117
    224
    Er - why the static? Have you put in static DNS server info as well?
    Er - <cough> - 127.0.0.1 is the loopback address! In otherwords - you! Try a real IP address like 194.70.94.152 (www.dabs.co.uk).

    Actualy - it's an either/or. If you use the manufacturers software then the WinXP software ducks out.

    On the wireless-connected PC open a cmd window and type 'ipconfig /all'. It *should* show the DNS info, and that should match 1) what you entered on the main PC, and 2) what the router indicates in the status window.

    Harry.
     
    Certifications: ECDL A+ Network+ i-Net+
    WIP: Server+
  7. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

    6,624
    117
    224
    I missed one...
    Sorry - I didn't mean the lease time, but the list of currently valid leases, which should show the radio-connected PC.

    Harry.
     
    Certifications: ECDL A+ Network+ i-Net+
    WIP: Server+
  8. thintin

    thintin Bit Poster

    18
    0
    19
    I use port forwarding for Bearshare so I need a static IP for that PC also. I didn't enter any DNS info?

    oh, erm...I knew that! The dabs IP came back with TTL of 116 four times.

    My network knowledge is a bit patchy. I know what pinging is so I know that I'm accessing the internet now. I dont understand about DNS's though. Are they where my problem rests?


    I did this on the wireless PC.
    The default gateway and DHCP server are both listed as the routers IP address,
    the DNS server is listed as the main (ethernet) PC's address? is this right?

    I couldn't find a list for DHCP computers, only wireless and ethernet (but this covers them all right?)

    Forgive me my knowledge gaps, patience is a virtue :-)
     
    Certifications: bronze swimming award?
    WIP: silver.
  9. thintin

    thintin Bit Poster

    18
    0
    19
    I've found the active DHCP IP table and it show both my wireless PC and my XDA as current with the correct IP addresses. It shows the MAC's as all 0's though?

    Does this help?
     
    Certifications: bronze swimming award?
    WIP: silver.
  10. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

    6,624
    117
    224
    This is where the problem is. You main machine should *not* be the DNS server.

    No probs - with patience we'll get there!

    1) Are you running ICS (Internet connection shareing) on the main machine? Because you shouldn't be! And ICS is the only mechanism I can think of that would make the other machines think it was such a server.

    2) What does the DNS entry show on the status page on the router?

    3) In the radio-connected PC go into properties of TCP/IP for the radio adaptor and make sure that 'Obtain DNS server automaticaly' is checked. Click on the advanced button, then the DNS tab. The *top* box, 'DNS server addresses' should be empty. If it isn't, remove them.

    Basicaly - you have a DNS config problem somewhere.

    Harry.
     
    Certifications: ECDL A+ Network+ i-Net+
    WIP: Server+
  11. Boycie
    Honorary Member

    Boycie Senior Beer Tester

    6,281
    85
    174
    Harry,

    My Toshiba laptop will quite (unhappily) have XP and it's own software trying to look after the wireless configuration and it causes chaos ! I have removed the Toshiba utility and let XP take care the wireless....
     
    Certifications: MCSA 2003, MCDST, A+, N+, CTT+, MCT
  12. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

    6,624
    117
    224
    SP2 or not? Under SP2 that shouldn't happen.....

    Harry.
     
    Certifications: ECDL A+ Network+ i-Net+
    WIP: Server+
  13. Boycie
    Honorary Member

    Boycie Senior Beer Tester

    6,281
    85
    174
    It does with SP1 and 2 :blink
     
    Certifications: MCSA 2003, MCDST, A+, N+, CTT+, MCT
  14. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

    6,624
    117
    224
    Hm - sounds like a problem with the software. The key in SP2 is the checkbox at the top of the "Wireless Networks" tab. If you use the OEM config this checkbox should go blank. Checking the box should knock out the OEM config.

    Harry.
     
    Certifications: ECDL A+ Network+ i-Net+
    WIP: Server+
  15. thintin

    thintin Bit Poster

    18
    0
    19
    How would I know if I am? I've just read up about setting up ICS and checking the status of shared connections but no mention of how to tell if it is shared already. Would the connection icon have a hand under it like shared folders?

    The router's status page shows different DNS addresses to the ones on my main PC.

    main PC 212.74.114.129 and 193
    router 80.225.257.58 and 50

    as an experiment I entered the DNS's from my main PC into my wireless PC and lo and behold I can use ie again! So why isn't the router sending out the correct DNS addresses? Is this still due to my main PC do you think?
     
    Certifications: bronze swimming award?
    WIP: silver.
  16. Sparky
    Highly Decorated Member Award 500 Likes Award

    Sparky Zettabyte Poster Moderator

    10,718
    543
    364
    The DNS I.Ps for DNS on your PCs should be the I.P address of the router. The router will have the ‘real world’ DNS I.Ps so they will be different to what is configured on your PCs.

    Basically all the internal DNS requests are handled by your router, anything it can’t resolve (web pages for example) will be forwarded to the ‘real world’ DNS servers provided by your ISP 8)
     
    Certifications: MSc MCSE MCSA:M MCSA:S MCITP:EA MCTS(x5) MS-900 AZ-900 Security+ Network+ A+
    WIP: Microsoft Certs
  17. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

    6,624
    117
    224
    No - go into the properties for the ethernet connection on the main PC and select the 'Advanced' tab. The second block down is about ICS, and the box should be unticked.
    These are cached DNS servers for Tiscali - so make sense.
    I think you have a typo here - 257 is not a valid byte value!
    Probably.

    Harry.
     
    Certifications: ECDL A+ Network+ i-Net+
    WIP: Server+
  18. ffreeloader

    ffreeloader Terabyte Poster

    3,661
    106
    167
    Hmmm... I had a similar problem with my laptop with SP2 on it. I had to do a registry hack from the MS KB before Windows would configure my wireless. I was getting errors saying Windows couldn't configure this wireless adapter/connection.
     
    Certifications: MCSE, MCDBA, CCNA, A+
    WIP: LPIC 1
  19. thintin

    thintin Bit Poster

    18
    0
    19
    I dont have a second box, just one about firewalls. I guess this means it's not switched on.

    Sorry, thaqt should be 252.

    I can manually enter the DNS server addresses to get everything working but I'd still really like to know why the router isn't configuring the DNS's properly in the first place.

    Once again thanks to all of you for helping with this.
     
    Certifications: bronze swimming award?
    WIP: silver.
  20. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

    6,624
    117
    224
    Yes - but I'm curious as to why it doesn't appear - this may have a bearing on the problem. Some questions:
    Is the main machine running XP 64bit version?
    In the networking panel do any connections show as 'bridged'?


    Ah - also Tiscali DNS cache.

    As mentioned by Sparky - the main PC should really have the DNS set to point to the router. That way when the router values get changed by your ISP your system will still be OK.

    Harry.
     
    Certifications: ECDL A+ Network+ i-Net+
    WIP: Server+

Share This Page

Loading...
  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.