Unable to access the internet behind the Linksys router.

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 5

All,

I've had Vonage for about a week now and have experienced a couple problems. First, I encountered the basic Linksys router white noise problem. Vonage will send me a new one that hopefully will work correctly.

The second, and more serious problem is that I now am unable to access the internet on my PC through the router. I still get Vonage service, and if I plug the DSL modem directly into the PC it works fine, so there seems to be a conflict between the PC and router. Here are the specifics of the problem.

1.) I have DSL service.

2) When I fire up the PC, it take a considerably longer time for the PC to start up, probably because the PC is trying to connect the network and can't do it.

3.) I get this message from the unplugged network icon "Local Area connection 2 status - Status limited or no connectivity - speed 100 Mps"

4.) If I click the "More Info" button, I get: "Network did not assign a network address to the computer"

5.) If I click the "Details" button, the physical address is correct, the first two values of the IP address are 169.254, and most significantly and very oddly, the subnet mask is 255.255.0.0 VERY strange. Also NO address is given for the DHCP and DNS server.

6) If I click the repair button, I get "Windows taking the following action "renewing your IP Address - cannot be completed"

I'm fairly computer literate, but a big gap in my knowledge is networking, I've just not really had to know about this stuff before. So lastly, If anyone can give me a suggestion for a good basic book in computer networking, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks to everyone who answers this question, since Vonage tech support doesn't seem to willing to help me.

Peace,
Cosmo

Posts: 3198 · Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2005 12:06 pm Post subject:

1. some users have devices that don't have the sound, some don't. here is one solution:
http://www.vonage-forum.com/ftopic2356.html

2. is your network setup like this: dsl modem, Linksys RT31P2 (vonage device), computer? if so, type 192.168.15.1 in your browser to access the router settings. I'm thinking you need to set your device up for PPPoE (this allows you to enter your username and password for your dsl service). if this is not correct, set it to Obtain IP automatically, though I suspect this is what it's set on already. Look in your manual if you need more guidance on setting up PPPoE.

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 5

Reebok,

I already followed the procedure outlined in the manual to setup the router for PPPoe. The one thing I forgot to mention is that everything was working fine for a couple days, and then it stopped working, and I made no changes to my sytem during that time. Just all of a sudden *poof* no internet.

I've tried to get back to the 192.168.15.1 address, but since I can't get to the internet...

Thanks, please keep the advice comming.

Cosmo

Posts: 448

cosmo10 wrote:

2) When I fire up the PC, it take a considerably longer time for the PC to start up, probably because the PC is trying to connect the network and can't do it.

This is symptomatic of your PC trying, and failing, to obtain an IP address via DHCP. The system pauses for DHCP server discovery, which fails and eventually times out. At that point, an APIPA address is assigned to the NIC and the boot process continues.

cosmo10 wrote:

5.) If I click the "Details" button, the physical address is correct, the first two values of the IP address are 169.254, and most significantly and very oddly, the subnet mask is 255.255.0.0 VERY strange. Also NO address is given for the DHCP and DNS server.

When your NIC is setup to receive an IP address automatically (via DHCP) and is unable to do so, Windows assigns an address automatically through APIPA (Automatic Private IP Addressing). APIPA addresses are assigned within the 169.254.0.0/16 subnet (i.e., a class B address space, which by default has a 255.255.0.0 subnet mask). Therefore, what you are seeing is perfectly normal under the circumstances.

cosmo10 wrote:

If I click the repair button, I get "Windows taking the following action "renewing your IP Address - cannot be completed"

What you need to do, first off, is statically address your workstation as 192.168.15.2 with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0, which will let you talk with the router. Log in to the router with a web browser at http://192.168.15.1 using a blank username and password of 'admin'. Go into the DHCP config and see if that service is set to "Enabled". If not, you have a decision to make-- (1) enable the service, or (2) decide to leave your workstation statically addressed. If you choose the latter, you'll need to add more config info to the NIC-- specifically, a default gateway of 192.168.15.1 and at least one DNS server. Unless you are familiar with doing this and know how to troubleshoot connectivity issues, I'd recommend #1, enabling DHCP.

You might also check to verify your patch cable between the PC and router isn't defective.

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 5

Rebus,

Thanks,

I'll take your advice and give it a shot when I get home from work today, with any luck it will work. I think you may be right, because I incorrectly thought at the time that if I have DHCP enable on both the PC and the router, then two IP addresses would be assigned, so I may have disabled it on the router. I don't remember for sure, but I think I may have.

I'm sure that the cable works, I used it going strait from the modem to the PC and that worked fine.

Once again thanks, to everyone who helps, I've decided that using this forum is a more effective way of obtaining help then from Vonage customer service. My life isn't structured in a manner that I can wait for tech support for a couple hours a day.

Thanks,
Cosmo

Posts: 244 · Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2005 2:26 pm Post subject:

Yep you need DHCP on bro unless you wanna assisgn static IP's.