Belkin router?
 

Hi all, can anbody give me some advice. I've just bought a Belkin. 4 port cable/dsl gateway router so that I can share my BB connection. After following all the intructions I can't make a Internet connection. I've got a NTL STB with a 600 connection and I'm using cat 5e cables. Is this router ok for my STB?

Re: Belkin router?
 

:welcome: to Cable Forum toppere43

often stb's require a x-over cable for the router WAN connection, rather than a straight through - could it be that?

he RJ45 socket on the stb should be marked 'x-over' if it needs one.

Re: Belkin router?
 

Thnkx m8, I've checked that and its not marked x-over. I've always used a cat 5 cable.

Re: Belkin router?
 

ok :) have you cloned the stb's MAC address into the router?

Re: Belkin router?
 

Should be fine for the connection, have you tried cloning the mac address that you have been using to connect to broadband up to now into the router? It's the way I got mine to work, that and specifying the IP address that I was already using.

Re: Belkin router?
 

yes I did. I got all the info from ipconfig and entered it in the set up screens. I set it up as a static IP address because the address never seems to change.

Re: Belkin router?
 

Your IP will change now and then but not often, you can get the STB IP adrress from the STB itself if you get stuck.
If you have cloned the information in (and remembered to enter it, lets face it, its the simple things we forget) and te connection isn't working I can suggest 2 things, a full reset of the router and start again or check your cables, I need a cross over from STB to Router and then a standard patch cable from the Router to PC. Double check your cable types to rule that out before we start looking to deeply into it :)

Re: Belkin router?
 

Paul, If I have been using a cat 5 cable b4 fitting the router, do u think I may have to use a X-over and patch cables for this router ( is the patch cable the same as a cat 5 cable?)

Re: Belkin router?
 

apologies if I'm confused, but wouldn't ipconfig give you the info for your network card, rather than the STB?

It would be better to have the router set to pick up the IP via DHCP and clone the STB MAC (on a sticker underneath) into the router.

Then, as Paul says, power everything down, reboot STB & allow to settle, reboot router & allow to settle, then boot the PC. You should then pick up an IP.:)

Re: Belkin router?
 

Sorry Gaz but I,m learning on my feet here and not quite up on all this tech talk.Can u explain about the router picking up the IP via DHCP?
Cant find a sticker on the STB with a mac address either. topper

Re: Belkin router?
 

np, in the setup for the router, choose 'obtain an IP automatically', rather than static etc, then on another screen (not sure which one on a Belkin - I have a Linksys) check it is set to 'DHCP server enable'.

It's a bummer about the MAC address, though, for a Pace STB it should be something like 00:50:94:xx:xx:xx, but I don't know whether you can get at that info via the diagnostics - anyone?

Re: Belkin router?
 

Nope your cable needs should stay the same, the router just sits between the PC and the STB.
Think the important thing here is to power down the STB and PC when trying to sit the router into the network. Have you used more than 1 PC on the broadband connection at all? You should be able to just tell the router to obtain the IP automatically as Gaz has said and then power the PC and STB down, power up the STB, let it lock onto its feeds and then power up the PC again.

Re: Belkin router?
 

Firstly thanx again guys for your input. I started again from scratch as u said. Left the router at its default settings and powered it all up. For some reason without changing anything it all works and I've just added my laptop to the router and that connected aswell. Last night when I trying to set this up I had to register with NTL because it did'nt reconize the computer,this must of been the router? So it thinks the router is the main PC. Thats my theory. Its good to know help is at hand when u need it. cheers lads.

Re: Belkin router?
 

good news toppere43, glad you got it working :tu:

Re: Belkin router?
 

Clone mac address in the menu, set to dynamic ip and set the time and firewall up .

Been using one for years they are sorted

Re: Belkin router?
 

Mostly right :)

But can I just point out an important point ;)


If you use an STB for BB, the MAC address of the connected *device* (e.g. PC, router, etc) has to be registered with NTL.


So, if you change to using a router, you can go about this in two ways:

1) Clone the MAC address of the previously connected *device* (e.g. PC's network card) onto the router (*not* the MAC of the STB). This way, the STB will think it is still connected to the PC, when in fact it is connected to the router.

or

2) Register the MAC of the new device with NTL.


More info:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robin.d...tips/swap.html

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robin.d...r.html#pacereg

Re: Belkin router?
 

thanks for clearing that up Tez :tu:

Re: Belkin router?
 

Well done :tu: Sometimes it just helps to start a fresh and clear all settings out of the router and work through it all again. Glad its all up and running now. :)

Re: Belkin router?
 

I had the exact same router, and it was flaky as hell. Counterstrike server browser crashed it everytime with latest, and beta firmwares from belkin.

They eventually sent me a wireless model which is working great.