Routers Not Being Able to Connect to Internet

[Celia]

I am using Windows Vista Ultimate.

I have a Westfall DSL modem - which actually worked the very first
time I just connected it to my new Vista machine. No fuss, no hassle -
it just worked.

Now I have tried connecting two different routers, both of which are
certified as Vista compatible: NetGear DG834N and Linksys WRT54GS.

BOTH of them produced the exact same results: All of the lights on the
DSL modem are correctly on, and all of the lights on the router are as
they should be.

My problem is that at the end of the installation process, when the
router is doing all of its "checks" - NEITHER of the two routers can
find an internet connection.

I know that these routers are correctly connected, etc.

The WRT54GS worked fine on XP.

I just know that I am missing a setting, or something - that the
particular routers are not the problems - but there is some issue with
Vista.

Of course, once I disconnect the routers - I can immediately gain
access to the internet through my DSL modem.

Is anyone able to offer any suggestions, short of me paying for a
support call to MSFT?

Many thanks!


~ Celia ~

 

[BobS]

The DSL modem needs to be powered off and/or reset (depends on type) so it
drops the present NIC address. If you turn off the power be sure to remove
the back-up battery if it has one. Power off the computer and the router
you're connecting. Wire everything together and the power everything up.
The DSL modem will get the NIC addr from the router and the router will get
the NIC addr from the computer - and visa-versa and everybody should be a
happy camper.

Now.... depending on your network the rest may be a bit more complicated -
setting up your network IP addresses - or are you using the DHCP (auto IP
Addr from router?). If everything is set to Auto and no other settings need
to be made to the DSL modem, then you should be good to go.

If not, bring up a cmd window (DOS) and do a ping against the router IP
(192.xxx.xxx.xxxx) and see if you get a response. If so, see if you can
ping the other computers on your network and then try some internet addr
like "ping www.zdnet.com" and see if you get responses.

From here on - it depends on what the results are from your tests.

Bob S.

 

[Michael A. Bishop \(MSFT\)]

I've also encountered DSL modems that, even after a reset, hang onto the MAC
of the last NIC if the DHCP address wasn't released. Plug the modem up to
the Vista machine, open an elevated command prompt (Start > "cmd", then
Ctrl-Shift-Enter, Continue) and type "ipconfig /release". Then disconnect
the modem from the PC and connect it to the router.

Before switching routers, find the option in the routers menus (almost all
have it somewhere) to "Release DHCP Address" or something along those lines.
Then you should be able to connect the other router and it can acquire an
address.

Your ISP won't hand out a new IP address while the first one it issued is
still valid, since you're only paying for one. You either have to wait for
the first one to expire or explicitly give it up before switching which
device is connected.