Wireless Issues

[K600]

I'm having some frustrating difficulties with my wireless network and I hoped that someone here would be able to help.

First things first; I'm using a Motorola cable modem (From ISP) and a Linksys WRT54GS router (v1 with dd-wrt firmware). If I connect computers directly to the modem via ethernet, my internet connection works fine. If I connect the modem -> router -> computers via ethernet, my internet connection works fine.

Unfortunately, the success stops there. The router broadcasts my wireless signal without issues and every computer on the network can see the others but none of them have internet access. There are oddities that have come to my attention (When a computer is linked to the internet, it has a strange IP address that begins with 64. My wireless router uses the standard 192.168.1.1 designation is supposed to assign IPs starting at .100 Also, the internet connection will fail if the ethernet cord from the modem is placed in the "Internet" port on the back of the router. This has always been the case for as long as I remember and I'm forced to use one of the four ethernet ports that was intended for other devices. Once the desktop is wired to the router and connected to the internet with the odd IP that begins in 64, I can't log in to the router through it. I have to use one fo the wireless computers to do it.

I've tried a number of things but my knowledge of networking leaves much to be desired. If anyone has the time or the patience (Or even a FAQ for troubleshooting this that I'm unaware of), I would appreciate any help. I apologize for the lengthy OP but I wanted to explain the problem as best as I could.

 

[msabo]

Login to the router as admin and go under DHCP. Is it enabled? If so what do you have set?

 

[msabo]

Also, by the way, while you're in there, go the the status menu and share what you see there.

 

[K600]

Login to the router as admin and go under DHCP. Is it enabled? If so what do you have set?

I have it set to DHCP - Automatic Configuration. There is another option below that labeled as "STP" that is Enabled (I don't know what STP is, though).

 

[msabo]

I think STP means Spanning Tree Protocol, its for bridging. That's okay. What do you see under status?

 

[K600]

There are quite a few things under Status.

System

Router Name: DDWRT
Router Model: Linksys WRT54GS
Firmware Version: v23 SP2 std - build 3932
Load Average: 0.23, 0, 11, 0.03 (And a gauge that is currently resting at 10%)

There is more random information about the CPU and Memory.

Network

IP Filter Maximum Ports: 512
Active IP Connections: 39 (And a gauge that is resting at 8%).

Internet

Connection Type: Automatic Configuration - DHCP
IP Address 0.0.0.0
Subnet Mask 0.0.0.0
Gateway 0.0.0.0

That last part struck me as odd...those fields should be full, correct?

DNS 1:
DNS 2:
DNS 3:
Remaining Lease Time: 0 days, 00:00:00

This is only the information for the Router tab under Status. There are LAN, Wireless, and Sys-Info tabs as well.

 

[msabo]

And this thing can get you to the Internet over wired ethernet? You have no WAN configuration.

 

[K600]

Yes.

The ethernet cable from the router is plugged into port 3 and the ethernet cable from the router to the desktop is plugged into port 1. The "Internet" port is empty, as are ports 2 and 4.

 

[K600]

I just disabled STP and now the internet is being transmitted wirelessly as well.

*edit*

But now that wireless internet is being transmitted, my IPs have changed drastically and I can no longer access the router. The router IP no longer works.

 

[msabo]

Go on one of your PCs > Start > run > cmd > netstat -r Tell me what it says.

 

[msabo]

Also, Start > run > cmd > ipconfig What does that say?

 

[msabo]

Yes.

The ethernet cable from the router is plugged into port 3 and the ethernet cable from the router to the desktop is plugged into port 1. The "Internet" port is empty, as are ports 2 and 4.

Hang on a second, you do have the cable modem connected via ethernet wire to the WAN port on your WRT54GS, right? The WAN port is clearly marked.

 

[K600]

That is it.

Hang on a second, you do have the cable modem connected via ethernet wire to the WAN port on your WRT54GS, right? The WAN port is clearly marked.

There are only five ports on the back of the WRT54GS. One is labeled "Internet" and the rest are numbered 1-4. When the ethernet cable from the router is plugged into the "Internet" port, the internet fails no matter what (Wired or wireless).

 

[msabo]

You MUST have the cable modem connected to the WAN (Internet) port or you're not routing. The WRT54GS is your router and its not routing right now becuase its not "talking" to your ISP. The way you have it wired, it will never work.

Try to wire it correctly and power cycle the WRT54GS and see if you can connect via Ethernet. If so, copy the status again.

 

[K600]

Problem solved. It worked when I wired things properly and power cycled everything.

The thing that threw me off was that internet would work randomly (As it did earlier) when it wasn't wired correctly (Without the need to power cycle). The internet was working with those configurations I was speaking of earlier (As that was what I was actually using to post). I don't know how it managed to do that but I'm glad it's working properly now.

Thank you very much for your time, msabo.

 

[msabo]

What you were doing is taking your routers IP address assigned by your ISP and basically bridging it to a PC. Its as if the WRT54GS wasn't even there. What I can't figure out is how the second PC ever worked. You should have seen an IP conflict error. Anyways, take care!