Netgear router shizzle #2

Problems similar to the previous thread here are continuing...

I leave the router switched on all the time now, as in that thread, it was mentioned it has to sort itself out an IP everytime it's switched on and off.

Unless there was a powercut yesterday whilst I was out, it has been on for several weeks now.

Last night, my laptop would not recognise the router. It is fine on other routers, so it's my router, not my laptop.

I've tried resetting it (didn't seem to do anything), hard wiring it ("Undinentified network - Limited Connectivity"), de-powering it for a minute or more... nothing.

It won't connect to http://192.168.0.1/ either


Could it be broken? Do these things stop working??

Ideas gratefully received [:^(]

 

Have any settings changed on the Laptop whilst connect to another network? Such as manually assigning it an IP or manual DNS settings? That would bugger it up connecting back to your one.

Hard wire it, go to a command prompt (start>run>cmd) and type IPCONFIG /ALL and print screen us what you get

 

I've run it - what are we looking for? I'd sooner not put up all the detail, IPs etc!

Fourth line down - "IP Routing Enabled: No"

 

The Limited Connectivity message on Windows usually appears when the computer hasn't been assigned an IP address via DHCP, so after a while it gives up and assigns itself an autoconfiguration IP (in the range 169.254.x.x).

If your computer hasn't been assigned an IP via DHCP then you won't even be able to access the router's internal web server (via the 192.168.0.1 IP) because the computer hasn't been assigned an IP within the same subnet.

Sorry - more in plain English: in a bog standard home LAN all the computers are assigned an IP address by the router. Sounds like your PC isn't - not over wired connection, or over WiFi - and without it having an IP you won't be able to get to the router's configuration pages at 192.168.0.1.

In this situation I would manually set the IP of the computer's wired Ethernet adapter. Set it to something like 192.168.0.10 and a subnet bitmask of 255.255.255.0. This can be achieved on XP by right-clicking on the Ethernet wired adapter, going into TCP/IP settings. Then once you can connect to the router, you can look at its settings to see what on earth is going on.

OR. It could also be that your PC is being a knob and its DHCP software is screwed. I realise that your PC does work on other WiFi LANs, but do any other devices you have work with your router?

Sounds like the router could have coughed and defaulted its settings (mine did that once in a storm) but TBH they usually default with DHCP on and all that.

 

Chris, you'll be safe to put up any IP addresses from the ipconfig program output as Andy is suggesting if they're typcial LAN subnets, e.g. 192.x.x.x, 10.x.x.x, 169.x.x.x etc.

OTOH if you see an obviously external WAN address e.g. 81.x.x.x then don't quote it.

 

Hi Chris,

Not helpful I know but I have started to have similar issues with my Netgear router, as has a friend that has the same model....DG834N.

I don't suppose yours is the same by any chance?

Tim

 

This one is a DG834GT

 

I don't know if the following helps:

 

Yeah, the PC is set for DHCP (expecting an IP from your router) but no IP is being assigned from your router so after a couple of minutes it gives up and assigns itself an IP in the autoconfiguration range. Not even over a wired connection. So something pretty borked.

If it were me, at this stage I would manually configure the PC to use a IP in the same subnet as the router (so say 192.168.0.10 and mask of 255.255.255.0) to force it to be able to talk to the router, and see if the router's DHCP facility is still enabled.

But also try another device (e.g. phone that has WiFi or another PC) with the router just to rule out your PC, even though you say it works on other LANs.

 

Many thanks.

Where do I manually configure it? Unfortunately to me, an ethernet doesn't actually register as being something I understand, and so I don't know where to find it.

 

Hmm, I've Googled, right clicked on Local Area Connection, gone through the tabs and clicked on the TCP/IPv4 and put in those IP settings.

Does it need a 'Default Gateway' entry?

 

(EDITED)

Ah you can put in the IP of the router (192.168.0.1, IIRC you confirming) as the gateway though generally you'll get away with just entering the IP address and subnet mask to access the server's internal configuration pages. However adding the Gateway address (your router's IP) will hopefully give you outside internet as well.

So:

IP: 192.168.0.10
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
Gateway: 192.168.0.1 (Router's IP)

DNS - leave to automatic

Just reverting back to DHCP will be done by setting everything back to 'automatic'.

Remember that there will be separate settings for each network adapter, so you might wish to choose the wired Ethernet adapter and make that manual, as opposed to playing with the WiFi adapter's settings, and use the Ethernet cable.

 

Sounds like the same series of router...interesting that the symptoms you are having are identical to those both my friend and I have been experiencing! We have both had ours for a number of years and they just suddenly started experiencing these issues. I have tried updating the firmware and changing the channel that it broadcasts on but am still having same issue.

Both my friend and I, who are both very computer literate, have come to the conclusion that this is a hardware issue with a component in the router and are going to bite the bullet and get new routers. [:^(]

 

Odd stuff. The only concern I'd have is heat in them, but PCs have heat

I have tried forcing the TCP/IPv4 option (ignored v6 as I assume it's not active) and it takes the IPs, but the DNS automatic option is greyed out, so I can't select it.

After putting in the IPs, I refresh the networks available and watch the Network and Sharing Center, but no connectivity status changes.

 

It's easy to stock up on loads of spare backup routers for next to nothing fortunately. Went round a car boot yesterday and there were loads of pretty decent ADSL modem/router/switch boxes for pennies. Loads of people chuck out decent routers because they're thick and replace it with whatever they get 'free' with Sky, etc.

 

So even if you force the wired Ethernet port to have a static IP and connect a cable between the two, still no joy?

 

This happens to my netgear at work, Just a small power dip or anything and it will change the IP to the 169.254.x.x.
All i do is turn it off for 30 seconds and turn it back on. This renews the DHCP back to the 192.168.x.x range

 

I have just dug out an old Thomson Speedtouch 330 thingamajig. Is this any good for hard wiring?

 

Nope, nothing apparent, assuming the IPs are plugged in and it fires up automatically.

I've done the switch off thing Matt, this has worked in the past, but since July (thread 1) this wireless box has definitely changed its tune and got awkward. Thought it was the laptop, but knowing it's fine on other routers points to the Netgear box.

 

Ah, i see Trev has more than adequately explained the direction i was heading. Failing that, you could always try a factory reset on the router? That could kick start it back into action?

There should be a small reset button on the rear panel, try holding that down for a while. Though this will reset everything, such as wireless networks, wireless keys, router admin passwords etc.