Problems with Wireless

Discussion in 'Wireless' started by michael78, Jan 8, 2006.

  1. michael78

    michael78 Terabyte Poster

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    Hi all, I've been trying to install a belkin wireless router on a friends laptop. Basically the setup is a telewest modem with the main PC conected through USB which all works fine, then a cable goes from the modems one Ethernet slot into the belkin wireless router marked internet. I can get the connection setup and it sees the wireless network and I've connected to it using WAP. The problem is it still won't access the internet. It's got a DHCP address something like 192.168.2.2 which all looks fine and the rest of the settings are set as well. TBH I'm totally at a loss as to why it's not going on the net.

    With telewest do you still have to register your MAC address?

    Any help much appreciated...:D
     
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  2. Boycie
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    Boycie Senior Beer Tester

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    Have you tried using a router to plug into the telewest modem then use one 10/100 (or USB) for the computer and the other for the WAP?
    When you say register the MAC addres with them what do you mean? As far as i know the MAC address won't go outside your LAN- Routers use IP addresses not MAC.
    Someone please correct me if i am wrong....
     
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  3. Bluerinse
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    Bluerinse Exabyte Poster

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    Hi Slypie,

    I am not sure how Telewest do things.

    Have you got connectivity between the laptop and the main PC once the wireless is connected?

    I am thinking that maybe you have two DHCP devices handing out IP addys in different ranges. The original modem is connected to the main PC, it may well be assigning an IP address or it could be providing a public IP address to the main PC.

    If you go to the command prompt (run cmd) and type IPCONFIG /ALL and take note of the assigned IP address and the default gateway address.

    Do the same on the laptop and they should be in the same range i.e. 192.168.2.x

    Many of these broadband products modems WAPs etc come with a built in DHCP server. You only want one DHCP server on you network, so you may have to disable that function on one or the other.

    If you give us model names for the hardware, we can investigate a bit further for you. Also operating systems, as I don't like guessing ;)
     
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  4. Boycie
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    Boycie Senior Beer Tester

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    Pete,

    Am i correct in saying that the MAC address stops at the router? Why would the ISP want you to register it with them?
     
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  5. tripwire45
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    tripwire45 Zettabyte Poster

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    Recall the OSI model, Boyce. MAC addressing is at layer two. Routers live at layer three. This is why routers stop broadcast traffic but switches don't.
     
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  6. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    Registering the MAC address with the cable co was the way it used to be done.

    However, AFAIK neither of the big cable companies require this any longer.

    The settop boxes reported the MAC address back to a central office AFAIK.

    Harry.
     
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  7. Boycie
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    Boycie Senior Beer Tester

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    ah, so i was right. I take it the older set-up whereby you had their piece of equipment plugged straight into the single PC would report MAC addressing... If i remember right it was a way of getting you to pay more if you wanted more than one PC.
    The ones used "down here" allow you to hub or route out meaning they wouldn't have a clue about MAC addressing.....
     
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  8. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    Some random thoughts
    It *used* to be that you used either the USB *or* the ethernet connection on the settop box. Has this changed?

    Is this router advertised as a *cable* router rather than a ADSL one?

    Most cable routers have an installation disk that should be followed. Basicaly they inspect the system *before* inserting the router, then when you insert the router they get it to 'spoof' the setup. Does this one have such a disk?

    (I spend much more time on ADSL than cable - so some of the above may now be out of date.)

    Harry.
     
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  9. michael78

    michael78 Terabyte Poster

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    I remember that you used to have to register a MAC address with Telewest. I think I may of figured it out. I went back home and did a bit of research and it looks like I need to input their username and password in the router which I've never had to do before. Also I think I need to change the connection type to pppoa. Does anyone know what connection type telewest use is it pppoa?

    Anyway guys cheers for the help. Bluerinse I had checked the ip's but they seem fine. The main PC has an it starting with 82. and the laptop is 192 which I'm sure is correct as the 192 is an internal IP. The main PC doesn't go through the router as it's USB.
     
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  10. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    It is unlikely to be PPPoA, as you are using ethernet between the router and the settop box. PPPoA is normaly used with ADSL rather than cable.

    As the main machine has a 'real' address, and the router will need a 'real' address I would have thought you might have a problem , unless your friend is paying for two addresses. This is why I suggested that using both USB and ethernet is often not possible.

    Normaly I would expect to plug the main machine into the router.

    Harry.
     
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  11. michael78

    michael78 Terabyte Poster

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    I'm going to install a NIC card and put the main PC through the router. My work colleague also suggested that I need to clone the MAC address in the router for it to work. Has anyone heard of this before?
     
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  12. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    IMHO this is the best way to go.

    Yes. This was standard in the days when MAC addresses mattered to the cable companies. It avoided having to tell them the MAC address of the router. You set the MAC address in the router to match the one you were using previously without the router. Many setup CDs did this for you automaticaly.
    Nowadays this isn't normaly needed.

    Harry.
     
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  13. Bluerinse
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    Bluerinse Exabyte Poster

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    If you put a NIC in the main PC, you could set up Internet connection sharing on it and connect the wireless access point to the main PCs NIC.

    I think that would work even if you leave the authentication credentials in the main PC.

    The downside is that the main PC would have to be on in order for you to browse the Internet etc from the wireless laptop.

    However, it's my preferred method to configure the router to make the connection and do away with USB.
     
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  14. michael78

    michael78 Terabyte Poster

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    I'm going to install a NIC card and try to configure the wireless as normal. It was easy with my wireless router using ADSL ethernet connection so hopefully it wont be to hard with cable. Cheers for all the advice guys much appreciated...:biggrin
     
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  15. michael78

    michael78 Terabyte Poster

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    Just a quick question can you use both a USB connection and Ethernet at the same time (Each cable plugged into a different PC of course)? Telewest seem to say you can't hence my problems. I'm still going to install a NIC card as I hate USB for modems.
     
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  16. Bluerinse
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    Bluerinse Exabyte Poster

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    I have seen two PCs working in a setup like this but it was using BigPond cable here in Oz. I presume it would depend on the capabilities of the specific device.
     
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  17. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    As far as I know you can't - unless you have bought 2 IPs. Each will need an IP, and normaly cable cos only hand out one.

    Harry.
     
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  18. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    This could work if the device included a router with NAT and DHCP. I've seen this working in the UK. But a STB normaly doesn't include such things here!

    Harry.
     
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  19. michael78

    michael78 Terabyte Poster

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    I thought that was the case that it couldn't be done due to only one IP being available. Anyway cheers for the help guys...:D
     
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