Comments on: Wireless Router Connectivity Blues

Question: Wireless Router Connectivity Blues

ludwig_van — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 21:17:52 -0800

Help me get my wireless router to connect to the internet.

I'm trying to set up a wireless router for my parents. It's a Linksys WRT54G. They run Windows XP, use Comcast cable internet, and previously connected two computers with a regular Linksys router.

When I connect everything to the router, the computer connects to the router and I can access its setup page, but it won't find a DNS server or get an IP address, so I can't do anything else. What am I missing here?

By: nicwolff

nicwolff — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 21:31:07 -0800

Are you replacing the wired router, or just plugging into it? If you're replacing it, did you unplug and replug the cable modem?

By: nicwolff

nicwolff — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 21:31:30 -0800

Uh, from the power, not the cable.

By: ludwig_van

ludwig_van — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 21:51:50 -0800

I'm replacing the router. Yes, I've power-cycled the cable modem.

By: mphuie

mphuie — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 21:58:41 -0800

Standard Comcast procedure.

Unplug router and modem.
Remove coax cable from cable modem.

Wait 2 minutes.

Plug in coax cable to modem
Plug in modem, wait til all regular lights come on.
Plug in router, connect to modem.

Connect to PC.

By: ludwig_van

ludwig_van — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 22:05:29 -0800

Huh, well I tried everything from the beginning again and it worked. I knew I was probably just being stupid about something. Thanks anyway.

By: stovenator

stovenator — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 23:48:09 -0800

For future readers - It was definitely a MAC address timeout issue on the cable modem. ALWAYS power cycle the cable modem completely if you change the router/computer plugged into it.

By: puritycontrol

puritycontrol — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 00:18:52 -0800

For future reference - I had the same problem with this router when setting it up with DSL. This walkthrough at the Linksys site was a big help. (Note that the instructions have you disable WPA, so be sure to turn it back on once everything's working.)

By: sandra_s

sandra_s — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 05:28:04 -0800

Also, a major firmware update was released for the WRT54G by linksys.

My WRT54G just all of a sudden stopped connecting to the internet and the update fixed it.

http://www.linksys.com then go to downloads.

FYI. Linksys tech support is FANTASTIC. Call them. They never ask if its in warranty, they just ask the model. (800) 326-7114