Router connection issue

Dawn Falcon · 30-12-2006, 14:17

Currently, we're using a USR8054 at my house. Unfortunately, not only was it set up by someone who left (without leaving the username/password, so we can't access it...), it reboots itself every 10 minutes. (Which apparently "that model does").

Given this is annoying, I brought in my ASUS WL500g, which up to just over a month ago was happily sharing a NTL connection at my old house. I can't, however, seem to make it work here. I reset the WL-500g settings to clear a load of old network-specific routings and such, but it is using the same firmware and I reset it like that several times at the old house, and reconnected with no issues.

My working path is as follows:
1. Power on modem. Wait.
2. Power on router. Wait.
3. Power on PC. Wait.
4. Access router. This is fine, and I can complete the full setup. (Selecting to use a cable connection, auto-detect everything...)

The router is then showing as connected, but there is no internet connection on my PC and the DNS servers are not shown. Cloning the modem MAC address does not help. Manually assigning the DNS servers makes them show up on the connection page, but there is still no connection.

(I tried powering the modem down for 30 minutes, no difference).

The lights which are lit on the router are power, synch, ready and ethernet - however, the ethernet light is steady and not flashing and the upload and download lights do not light when I try and access the internet. I can access the actual cable modem status page fine using the USR, but not the Asus. Multiple reboots on all sides don't help.

The only difference between the situations is that the modem at the old house was a NTL250, and this one is a NTL200. Is there some critical difference between them I've missed?

(If absolutely needed, I can get another router, but I'm worried that the issue ISN'T at the router's end...)

MovedGoalPosts · 30-12-2006, 14:22

Can I check the basics here? You are completely unplugging the old US Robotics modem and all it's leads from the modem, before connecting your ASUS router?

Assuming that is the case, what happens when you don't use any router and connect a single PC direct to the modem (power cycling it all)?

Paul K · 30-12-2006, 14:30

Factory reset?

Toto · 30-12-2006, 14:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul

Factory reset?

Yeh, was thinking the same too.....get a pen, and look for a hole in the router you can stick it into.

BTW Paul, is that Avatar you, cause if it is mate, you're not a bad looking bloke at all?

(( Threw out my pink shirts in the eighties before any one asks ))

Dawn Falcon · 30-12-2006, 14:41

Hi Rob,

Yes, I'm unplugging the USR entirely.
And yes, direct connection also works fine.

As for "factory" reset, that dosn't ACTUALLY do a full reset, it just clears down to the current base firmware's default settings. Which is Oleg's 1.9.2.7-7f, for reference

Paul K · 30-12-2006, 14:59

Avatar? You'll have to ask the fiance

Have you tried asking here? That firmware was only released last month, have you tried the default passwords etc? I take it you cannot contact the person with the info?

Dawn Falcon · 30-12-2006, 15:11

Hi Paul, I'm not having a problem accessing the router, and I did try reverting to the previous firmware as well (1.9.2.7-7e), which is precisely what I was using on it before when I was using it to share a NTL connection.

The issue dosn't appear to be between the router and the PC, it's between the router and the modem, if anywhere. Is there anything I should know (do I need to force any sort of network connection?) between the NTL200 router and my router? I didn't on the NTL250, but I have no idea what the differences are between the 200 and 250.

Paul K · 30-12-2006, 15:20

Have you checked the cable in use? Maybe try a brand new patch lead? I take it you have tried flashing the firmware to the newest one or maybe downgrading it to an older (stable) one?
http://website.wl500g.info/beta/wizard.php?brand=1

Dawn Falcon · 30-12-2006, 16:25

Tried 3 different cables. And I've now tried 3 different firmwares - 1.9.2.7-7f, 1.9.2.7-7e and 1.9.2.7-7b. (It's not adviseable to use earlier than b because of a bug related to fix for the WAN-die problem the ASUS-provided firmware has).

It's not making a difference, whatsoever, to the behavoir I'm seeing.

---------- Post added at 16:25 ---------- Previous post was at 15:28 ----------

Bleck. I spent the time from the last post going through the brick/unbrick procedure (corrupt firmware, clear NVRAM, restore NVRAM, reload firmware) which DOES clear everything.

No luck whatsoever.

It's telling to me that I can *get* a connection, but the DNS servers are not picking up automatically.

Cobbydaler · 30-12-2006, 17:31

Not familiar with that router, but is there an option in the setup to enter DNS server IPs instead of having them assigned by DHCP?

Dawn Falcon · 30-12-2006, 18:08

Yes. NTL's DNS servers being 194.168.4.100 / 194.168.8.100, right?

I can do that. And it shows on the connection screen as using them. But I do not have a connection and cannot ping/tracert even having defined them.

MovedGoalPosts · 30-12-2006, 18:19

If direct connection works fine, and the old router does connect (even if not reliably) it looks like something is incompatible with the ASUS router you are now trying, although what that might be is difficult to say. If everything on the router is set to auto detect it should work fine. It could even be as simple as the ethernet port on the router's WAN connection has failed.

The WAN settings from the ntl connection should all be automatic. If you are putting in IP addresses such as 192.168 you'll be confusing things.

Dawn Falcon · 30-12-2006, 18:28

Hi Rob, that's a nice theory, but it dosn't account for why it CAN find the internet IP of the modem, etc. etc.

Bah, the more I work with computers, the more they come up with ways to defeat me! (and people wonder why my mousemat at work has "oops" printed on it)

Cobbydaler · 30-12-2006, 18:42

Try different DNS servers, e.g. 4.2.2.1 & 4.2.2.2

Don't ask me why this is the case, but this has come up before. Some modem/router combinations don't seem to like NTLs DNS servers...

Dawn Falcon · 30-12-2006, 19:48

Okay, I think something might be dying, and its not the router.

The modem is now assigning the ASUS router the IP 192.168.100.10, and even when I plugged the USR router back in it took multiple modem reboots to connect. When it does not connect, it boots up as normal, THEN the ready light goes out.

---------- Post added at 19:48 ---------- Previous post was at 19:08 ----------

Okay, loose cabling. Buuut, hasn't fixed the router issue. Nuts. (And tried the other DNS servers - no dice. It's not forming the connection properly, although the router thinks it is...)