Long story short, on the phone with TimeWarner tech support this morning, I learned that Microsoft’s latest update is incompatible with ZoneAlarm (an incompatibility which apparently ZoneAlarm has already fixed with their latest update). In the course of trouble-shooting the connection, I had to disconnect my PC from my router (Linksys WRT54G) and plug it directly into the cable modem. So when I hung up with tech support, I had one PC connected directly to my cable modem and ZoneAlarm turned off.
Thinking, “Yay, it was just a software problem after all,” I found the updated ZoneAlarm, installed it, and was still good.
Then I put my router back in the chain, and I couldn’t connect to the internet again. Thinking, “Crap, I had a hardware failure, too,” I got out my old non-wifi router (Linksys BEFSR41, IIRC) which has been happily waiting for a chance to save the day since I put it in semi-retirement.
Nothing. If I connect directly to the cable modem, happiness. If I put either router in the line, nothing.
I’ve got 2 XP desktops, 1 XP laptop, and 1 Ubuntu 7.10 desktop wanting to be able to see outside of my house. Ideas? Things for me to try?
Unplug the power to your modem and your router, hook them up together powered down. Once they are hooked up, power up the modem… give it a minute or two to boot fully, then power up your router.
That should get them talking. Then you can hook up your computer(s), reboot to get an IP address, and you should be good to go.
That being the case, hook up the modem and router, power up modem first, then router… then hold in the router’s reset button (with the power on) for 10 seconds to reset to factory defaults. Of course you’ll have to access the router settings after to re-do any special firewall settings etc.
Once the router is at factory defaults, it should pull an IP from the modem. Then the computer needs to pull an IP from the router (re-boot or do it manually), and it should work… if not:
-open a command prompt.
-type IPCONFIG and hit enter
-check you default gateway. With a Linksys, it should be 192.168.0.1 (if you reset to factory defaults)
-(assuming the gateway is 192.168.0.1) type PING 192.168.0.1
Do you get replies? If so, the computer is talking to the router. If not, then you have no valid connection to the router and we need to troubleshoot your computer.
If you get replies from 192.168.0.1, the try typing PING 4.2.2.2… do you get replies from that? That’s a server out on the interwebz… if you get replies, then we are getting data out through the router, the modem to the 'net and back again. If not, then your modem and router aren’t talking.
I am not familiar with Timewarner but if its DSL the techs often set up connections so that the usernames and passwords are saved in the browser/puter instead of the router. Make sure your username and password on the router are correct and the MAC address is cloned from your PC.
If they do not require passwords you may still need to clone the MAC address
Yeah, I’ve never needed any of that or to clone a MAC address, either. I’m not ruling out the possibility that something has changed (TWC did just drop usenet service, after all, who knows what else they’re up to ).
ETA: I wrote this bit before other’s came in with a bit more direct guidance, sorry if it’s a bit basic:
Can you ping the router? Can you get to it via the web interface (192.168.1.1 on the WRT54G)? If so, under the status/LAN tab, can you see the various machines on the DHCP client’s table? Does the router show an IP address?
A great option may be to call Linksys. Because of their generally excellent support, I’ve gradually switched all the networking equipment in the office to Linksys (hub, router, NAS, print server, wireless NICs). As with any support, it’s subject to a bit of hit-or-miss, but in general, I’ve found their techs to be very good, and when they’re not sure of what’s going on, they’re somewhat persistent in finding a solution.
They have both chat and telephone options (24 hours a day!), but since you may be restarting the setup, it might be better to call. (800) 326-7114
I’m curious to know if you can ping any web sites. This morning I noticed that I couldn’t browse to any web sites but could ping every one of them just fine.
Stranger still, when I connect to my corporate VPN, I can browse just fine.
I fired up my laptop, which hasn’t been used for a week or so, and it connects fine to both wired and wireless.
Unfortunately I had to run to catch a train so I couldn’t keep troubleshooting. Won’t be able to look at it again for another week as I am on vacation in sunny fabulous Fire Island
Have you tried it with the router but without ZoneAlarm or any other firewall software? Since you’re pretty safe behind the router, I would disable ZoneAlarm while you troubleshoot, anyway.
Yep. First thing I tried after I put it back on the router and it didn’t connect was to turn ZoneAlarm back off. I thought somehow the upgrade hadn’t taken.
That’s your mistake. You need to turn the Zone Alarm off, you need to turn the Zone Alarm on, you need to turn the Zone Alarm off and shake it all about. You do the…
I’ll be a monkey’s uncle, but that seems to have done it.
I haven’t hooked my other PCs up to the network yet, but I’m connecting through my router right now, so I’m a step closer. Thanks for that tip, drachillix!
Landru, M5, Albus, and even little wi-fi-addled Ziggy are all very happy to report that they can see outside the condo for the first time since Tuesday. I didn’t bother hooking up good old HAL9000 to see if all was well there, since it hasn’t been powered on since sometime last fall. I’ll assume sleeping dogs are content to be left alone.
Thanks all, and especially drachillix for the MAC cloning advice. I never would have thought to try that.
