Netgear Router Connected to Virgin - Problems

[Spinney]

Currently getting broadband through a Virgin Media Set Top Box, ie, no separate modem, with a Belkin Router in between PC and STB. Ive changed the Belkin for a Netgear RP614 v4 Broadband Router because the Belkin has wireless that I dont want anymore. I first tried to use Netgear Setup Wizard CD, but thats fails to establish an internet connection. It finds the existing router and goes through the whole process of reconnecting the new one, but then cant find the internet connection. I know that with VM you have to register a new device by switching the modem on from cold with the new device connected, so I did this first. Its supposed to autoregister, but it doesnt.
Ive managed to get to the NTL registration page with the router connected, which suggests to me that the new router is at least being seen. So ive registered the router by logging on, and then restarting everything in the usual fashion, but the internet connection just cannot be established. Ive tried setting it up manually, but I dont really know enough to have any success there. Ive tried lots of the suggestions mentioned in these forums, especially the switching the STB on and off, including renewing IP addresses, cloning MAC address of PC just to see if it would work. Ive tried to get through to HTTPS://autoreg.autoregister.net to see if that would help, but couldnt connect (I have previously registered my account along this route).
Any useful tips would be greatly appreciated. I was trying for 3 hours last night to connect and Im getting rather fed up with VM's crap setup system.
(ps. my old Belkin will still connect happily so its not the connection.)
Thanks in advance

[mrmistoffelees]

disable the wireless on the belkin router would seem the easiest option to me

[Graham M]

LoL yeah that's what I was thinking, or just leave it alone? Assuming it's secured, there's no need to touch it, if it isn't, why not?

[Spinney]

There is no option to disable the wireless, and because its a slightly older wireless router, I cant get the latest security on it with out an awful lot of messing about it seems to me. I have secured it as best I can with WEP, but that leaves something to be desired, I believe.
The easiest thing to do, at least it seemed so at the time, was to spend £25 on a modern wired router and connect to my PCs to newly installed Devolo homeplugs network. How wrong I was.
Im sure its something simple thats not quite right, but Im blowed if I can work it out. Im not doing the India No-helpdesk thing again, that cost me a tenner last time just so that they could tell me to turn the modem on and off.
Anyone any ideas ?

[MovedGoalPosts]

hmm, connection via Set Top Box seems to be fraught with problems recently. A couple of weeks ago I had exactly that and my Linksys router was geting dumped as if it was not registered every few hours. Getting a modem upgrade fixed it.

Any device (computer / router) directly comnected to the STB must be registered with Virgin Media (ntl) server. Theoretically, when you power off the STB, connect the device by ethernet, if it's not registered the first time you try to browse the net you'll get redirected to the registration page. Once registered to complete the process you are supposed to have to reboot the STB and router.

TBH, although WEP may not be the latest top notch wireless security, it's probably enough to deter the average PC user. Only if you suspect there is someone nearby who is trying to hack in would I get worried about it.

[Spinney]

How come this post got moved ? Is it because downside of the modem is classed as networking ?

[MovedGoalPosts]

It's was moved because your problem is juddged to be in getting the router setup to work correctly, not the internet service itself which is sort of still doing it's job, as proven by the fact you can post

[Spinney]

Im actually posting from work, but I get the point.

I still havent got a clue whats going on though, after reading pages and pages of stuff on here, cablehell, VM own tech support and others.

[MovedGoalPosts]

I'd be complaining to VM that their system is failing to register a new device. I think somethng may be screwed with the STB registration process.

To troubleshoot, Do a factory reset on your new router so it's back to it's default settings. Don't connect it to the STB yet. Now clone the registered mac of the known PC into the WAN settings of the router. Make sure that is saved and then power STB, router and PC off. Now connect up the STB to the router, router to the PC. Power STB let settle, power router let settle, power PC. If you get redirected to the registration screen then something is wrong with the STB setup. If you can browse to the admin pages of the router, but not internet and don't get the STB setup screen either then it's the router.

[Spinney]

Did as suggested in last post, and it wont connect, all i can see is the router homepage, and all the box's that should be filled in with the IP address's etc are all greyed out.
Also went to my next door neighbours house and tried his NTL connection (dont worry he was in at the time !!) He has a separate modem and not a set top box. Connected my laptop first after a modem reboot and it connected first time, with the automatic regsitration process working as it should. Put the router in between the modem and the computer and used the Netgear software to connect. No connection could be made and again the entry boxes were greyed out. Then tried connecting manually by typing in the info, and still couldnt connect. Suggestion from someone else suggested cloning the mac address from my old router, which I did, with no joy. The routers going back, % just wish I could categorically say that the router was duff. Any other tests I can do, anyone ?

[DRY411S]

I was having the exact same problem and found the answer on a review of the router at amazon.co.uk!

See Al's comments at this link http://www.amazon.co.uk/NETGEAR-RP61...ustomerReviews

Switch the router on BEFORE the STB [or cable modem in my case]. Let the router settle down make sure you can reach it from your PC. THEN turn on the STB/cable modem.

Hope that does the trick for you, it worked for me.

[Lord Nikon]

Clone the MAC address of the old router into the WAN side of the new one. Should solve registration issues.