So yeah, suddenly my brothers laptop and my PC started dropping connection a few days ago. (connected for 4 mins, dropped for 1, reconnect for 4, drop for 1, etc). So i decided to go on the downstairs PC and fuck about with the router to fix it. Usually this involves some degree of fiddling (changing password, renaming network, resetting router, etc...)

Just to clarify the setup is 1 wireless laptop, 2 PC's with wireless cards. Right now im using one of the PC's connected to the modem via USB, which was previously connected wirelessly.

Basically, none of the computers have wireless internet access anymore. The PC's can "see" the router + neighbors, and are even able to connect to the router, but internet access from the router seems to be non existent.

I'm going to fiddle some more today, but i just thought it post this incase anyone has some not-too-complicated suggestions.

Have you tried changing the wireless channel to another one?

If all 3 computers are fucking about, at least we know where the problem is.

Mayhaps the router has just pooped it's self.

I've just installed a spare router and the same thing happens (router is visible, and connectable, but no internet). So i guess it's not a router specific problem.

Wireless channel? I'll give it a go.

when your pc connects to the router, are you pulling an ip?

go to dos (start | run | cmd) and see if you have an ip that doesn't start with 169.254. If you do have an ip, there should be a default gateway, like 192.168.1.1. That's your wireless router. If you have one, type ping 192.168.1.1 (or whatever it is). You should get 4 echo replies. If you don't there's a problem... but chances are if you got this far, you'll get replies.

This means the connection from the pc to the router is solid and you don't need to worry about it. From your pc you should then be able to pull up the web interface to your wireless router. These vary, but somewhere it should show the ip address that the wireless router is receiving from your ISP (I assume it's cable or DSL or something going directly to that wireless router and there isn't some intermediary device). See if that's valid.

The PC that's connected via USB to the router...does that have internet access?

Call your ISP when you have done what satis said and:

1. ask them to put your connection under monitoring (this should show port errors if there are any)
2. if they dont want to do that, ask them to close your connection and reopen it.
3. say a few nice words to them as to what you think of them and their service

Luckily for me, my cousin works for my ISP so every time i have a problem i just call directly to him and stuff gets done.

The PC connected to the router via USB has always worked.

I messed about with ipconfig and ping. All went fine in my eyes. Can i post that stuff here? Is it sensitive?

It's cable internet that goes into the modem, then to the router via ethernet cable.

I'll try Peltz approach and see what happens.

I just called the ISP but no joy. They say that based on the fact that the internet works via USB, the problem is with the router / network, not the ISP.

you can post all your ip information from your wireless router without any negative consequences. From what you're saying, all the IPs are probably private addresses and so useless to anyone on the outside. Go ahead and post the stuff.

So...from what I understand your connection is like...

ISP ----> cable modem ----> wireless router -----> usb / wireless

and only the wireless part fails. I'm curious if the pings were successful. If they were, yea, the problem is in your wireless router. It's like it's not set up to route your wireless connections to the cable modem like it should. That also depends on how you have it wired/configured...

The best way is to set the wireless router up as a bridge and not an actual router... if you're a router that means you're double-NATing before hitting the external world. That should work but can cause issues with some stuff. As a bridge it'll just work at layer 2 and doesn't introduce much complexity. I'm probably speaking greek at this point, though.

Anyway, snap some screenies of the dos stuff. Also pop screenies of the wireless router config if you can...and maybe a pic of the way you have it physically wired.

Yeah, that's my setup. ISP -> Cable Modem -> Router -> PC's (Wireless)

To get internet right now, im connecting the PC straight to the Cable Modem.

Yes, it's Greek

Here is the DOS stuff (all same PC):

ipconfig USB:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : [edit]
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.252.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : [edit]

ipconfig Wireless:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.100
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

Pinged router with while connected wirelessly:

C:\Documents and Settings\LP>ping 192.168.1.1

Pinging 192.168.1.1 with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=413ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.1:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 413ms, Average = 103ms


Here is the router setup stuff:

aight, I edited out your ip... I was wrong, you were public there.

Anyway...your wireless router should have a hard reset button. Probably a little pinhole near the back that you'll probably literally need a pin to push. If you can find it, use it... you basic config is fine.

Post back to let me know if that works or not (or if you can't find it). If it doesn't, I'll need to look at your status page on the router config, but it'll contain information you won't want to be public. You can just PM me or something.

Yeah i tried the routers reset button several times, and did reset the router settings to factory values, but no joy regarding my problem.

Ill PM you the status page.

I responded to your pm. For the general audience, the issue is with the wireless router apparently not being able to see the cable modem. troubleshooting continues.

Time to take it to the recycling centre, you can get a used wireless router cheap now, i guess.

Yeah i think it must be the modem. I have 2 routers and both have the exact same problem. I think perhaps the ethernet connection on the modem is buggered somehow. The router just wont recognise it. And yes, all the cables are plugged in and shit.

I may call for an ISP technician to come over. If i'm right, he should give me a replacement modem for free.

There should be connection lights that turn on when a cable is plugged in on both ends (they show that the ethernet keepalive signal is working). do you get that? I'd be sure to try different cables. There's also a possibility it's the ethernet port on your wireless router. If you have a pc with a network card I'd try hooking that up directly to the cable modem and see if you get the same problem (basically take the wireless router completely out of the equation). If it still doesn't work that's proof positive your cable modem is the problem.