Router issues. MY computers dont detect my router.?

Question

Im setting up a network in my basement and need a router down here because the modem is upstairs. I only have 1 cable long enough to reach down here so i figured "ill get a router and split the connection to all 3 computers". So i bought a netgear router and it didnt create internet for some reason. It did however create a LAN between the 3 computers, as i was able to play a multiplayer game between them. But no internet. I figured that it was the router so i went to radioshak and bought a linksys 4 port standard router. I got it and set it up exactly as the wizard told me to do. Again tho the internet is not available where as a LAN is. Also i know the chord running down from the modem works as it will give internet to watever computer i plug it into. Maybe i need a special chord? its a standard Cat 5e ethernet.

Added details. The modem is a 2wire wireless router. It has 4 ports labeled "local ethernet". My ISP is AT@T. It is DSL. So yea.

Answer 1

Install and configure whichever router. Plug the Cat5e from your Cable or DSL network bridge into the router. Turn the power off on your Cable or DSL network bridge or pull the power cord on it for 30 seconds or so. This should fix your issue.

Cable or DSL network bridges look for the first Ethernet device they find and set up communications with that device until they are reset. So your Cable or DSL network bridge initially found one of your 3 computers before you had a router. It now "thinks" this is the device it should connect to.

Answer 2

Be sure you are plugging the cable from the modem into the "wan" or "uplink" port on the router.

You may have a physical issue with the cable. You may need a cross over cable between the modem and the router? Either the router or the modem may have a switch labeled mdi/mdi-x which will essentially cross the wires at the port, you can use this instead of a cross over cable if your equipment supports it. Read the manual with your router to see what type of port the "uplink" port is? mdi or mdi-x.

You also may need to "register" the MAC address of the router with service provider. There is a "logical" link between the MAC address and the IP address provided by DHCP. You could try turning off the router for a few minutes then turn it back on with the router connected the rebooting processes may resolve it, or you may have to contact tech support for the ISP. When you boot your PC attached to the modem, it requests an IP address for it's MAC address, the DHCP server at the ISP loads this pairing in it's table. If you don't cause the DHCP association to be reset, your router won't get an IP address from the ISP. Get into the routers management screens and see if it's "uplink" port has an IP address assigned? I suspect this is your problem.

Hint - when you first connect up the router, turn the modem off (unplug the A/C). Have the router turned off too. Plug the modem in, wait for it's LEDs to cycle through their process for 30-60 seconds. Turn the router on. Odds are doing this will fix your issue.

Answer 3

There are many possible causes for this problem. Older routers required a special "crossover" cable to make the connection between the modem and the router.

Your ISP may not be giving your router an IP address for some reason. You have to know the details of how your router and modem are configured. I have found that usually the router needs to be configured to use DHCP, that is, to accept whatever IP address the modem gives it.

If your computers can get the Internet from the modem but your router cannot, you may need to do something called "MAC cloning", to force the router to pretend to have the MAC address of a computer that connects.

The router also needs to be configured correctly to lease IP addresses to the client computers. These devices usually work correctly right out of the box, though. Are you using the default settings for the router? If you changed something, you may need to reset the router to its factory state.

Answer 4

you have given alot of info. based on what you have tried your correct this will def work. not a problem check a few things though.

1) make sure your cat5e running from the modem to the router is pluged into the wan or uplink port.

2) Cable modem work on physical layer links. that means you must unplug the modem. and the router connect the cable (cat5e) b/t the boxes. turn on the modem. wait for all the lights to come on. then turn on the router. wait for all the lights to come on. no internet will work.

3) make sure your internet doesn't require some special log on like a PPoE connection which you need to Dial in your username and password (very rare this is the case)

4) can you ping you ip of your modem from a computer behind the router?

5) does your router from the webinterface show its connected on the wan status page?

6) have you refreshed the ipaddres of router from that above page?

7) if this doesnt work repost and let us know...

Answer 5

so if you plug the long cord from the moden into a PC it works correct? and the device upstairs is a modem / bridge and NOT another router correct?

plug the router in restart while its connected, wait 30 seconds restart the pc. go to Start > Run > type IPCONFIG /ALL see if it got an IP address, gateway etc.. if so ping the gateway ip from the command line (ie ping 192.168.1.1)

If you didn't get an IP, make sure DCHP is enabled on the router. if you did and you can ping the gateway, try to ping an outside IP such as 209.73.187.220, if it works try a hostname such as ping answers.yahoo.com if that fails its your DNS server if it works then your pc should be so check for firewalls blocking you.

Answer 6

try unpluging ur modem from its ac adapter or out of the wall and plug it back in and make sure that the cable from the modem to the router is hooked into the Uplink or WAN port on the router and could u put the name of the modem and router ur trying to use so i may look it up and help once u unplug ur modem and plug it back in wait about 5 min for it to connect to the internet and once u plug ur router into ur modem wait 5min for it to connect u have to give things time

Answer 7

Did you plug the modem network cord into the right port, it must be plugged into the WAN port.

Note that if you are using DSL highspeed internet, it requires a PPPoE username and password...this must be configured in the router.