Be Excellent To Each Other

Hi guys,

Craig's router has bustorred. He's not able to connect and has phoned his provider, and they have said that he needs to check his router settings.

His router is a 3-com router. How does he get to the router settings page thingy? I gave him teh address http://192.168.1.1 but it's not working. Is this the correct address?

Hmm, that's the default address on my 3com router.

Has he (sorry) tried switching it off and on?
If so, the next step would be to hold in the reset button on the back until the lights on the front do something. That should reset the address if it's been changed and let you back in, but you'll have to configure it again (username and password for ADSL at least).

You might want to try 192.168.0.1 as well.

Yes, he's tried turning it off, waiting, then back on. None of the lights for the ports are alight as they usually are, but he's tried them each in turn and none seem to be working at all. Tried the second number, also not working, I guess as his computer isn't interacting with teh router. I've just told him to try another computer (laptop) with a wired connection to see if that makes a difference.

se, I am trying to google the problem, but not understanding the actual router lingo, don't know what terms to enter

Mimi, can I assume he's using wireless? If so you won't be able to access the admin page as you need a connection to do that. You need to use a ethernet cable direct to the router. The default for 3-com is 192.168.1.1

*It sounded smart didn't it? Because it didn't come from me! Info from DavPaz*

If that doesn't work either the router is buggered or the default IP address has been changed.
Is it a Mac he's using? Does he have a 360 normally plugged into that network?

It makes no difference, as long as you know the IP.

Well, his main computer, which he tried using, isn't wirelessly connected. That is, it is connected by an (ethernet?) lead to the router, and isn't a mac, it is a PC running windows.

He also has a mac laptop which usually is wireless but I have told him to try connecting it with a lead to the router in case the problem is with the PC instead of teh router, but it seems not to be working still.

Nope, we have an update. Craig will explain better.

The mac seems to be connecting to the router OK, it's the PC that won't connect via a lead, yet the same lead works with the Mac for a wired connection. Mac also now connecting wirelessly, so a problem with the PC?

Anyway, he's on the internet via the mac, so I'm sure he'll be along in two shakes.

*goes back to making soup*

get him type "ipconfig /all" in a command prompt on his windows pc

Malc

Ah. If the ethernet port lights aren't coming on (with working computers plugged in), it's probably fried, sorry to say.

Try a reset anyway..

Good idea. If it all comes up as zeroes, try 'ipconfig /renew'.

-edit- Seen Kalmar's post. Yes, it's probably the router or line that's buggered. Has Craig phoned his ISP to test the line?

My 3com often forgets it's got wireless and you can only get back into it using an ethernet connected machine. If you toggle the wireless setting off and on again and it comes back.

Connecting to it directly cuts out a whole layer of uncertainty about what might be wrong anyway.

edit: oh, there's an update, it's working after all

Open a command prompt (Start|Run|type "cmd" or Start|type "cmd" if it's Vista) and type "ipconfig /all". The 'default gateway' should be the IP address of the router.

Well, not really - if you can't connect wirelessly you can see right away. If you do have a wireless connection, you can get to the admin page.

It does sound as if it's fried, though

Rumours of its demise were greatly exaggerated.

OK I am back online with the Mac.

I think I have narrowed it down to a problem with the network card on the PC. With the Mac, I can use the same lead to connect to the router, access the admin screen and reset the settings. I can also get online fine using LAN and wireless.

However using the same lead I cannot access the admin screen on the PC. The PC also shows that the Local Area Connection Network cable is unplugged even though it isn't. I have therefore deduced that the card in the PC os playing up. I have tried another lead with the same results.

Is there a reason why this would stop working overnight?

Is the network card part of the motherboard, or is it a PCI card? Try reseating it if it is.
Otherwise, a new network card is only a few quid.

Oops, sorry - I did update above - router seems to be working with his Mac via a wired connection, also wirelessly on the Mac, now. It's the PC that seems to be havng none of it, even though he's using the same lead as which the mac s currently sucessfully working with. Therefore he thinks it is the 'network' card in teh PC that is possibly not working.

He said he'll post here once he has himself sorted out (probably wih a mug of tea).

He did phone his IP first, yes, they said it was his router that wasn't working.

Oh, there's Craig. Right, I'll get back to what I was doing

Sounds like it. Are you getting a green light on the ethernet port of the PC and the router, or nothing?



Dead network card is dead, probably.

The wireless card on the PC works.

It is a separate network that goes by the name of: Realtek RTL8168/8111 PCI_E Giabit Ethernet NIC

Not sure how I reset it.

Ah yes there usually lots of green light flashing in the port now none at all. It seems borked.

I think he said reseat ie take it out, and put it back in.

Malc

Reset the computer (actually power off at the mains)

Next try grim...'s suggestion of taking the card out and putting it back in (re-seat).
If it still doesn't work, take it out and put in a new one, they're only a few quid (unless it's a laptop in which case you will be stuck).

Reseat, rather than reset - ie. open the case, remove the card, give it a blow, re-insert the card, close case.

Open the computer; remove the card from its slot; have a look at it for a bit; umm and aah over it; sniff it; cough; blow it; put it back in the slot you think you took it out of; turn it back on; pray.

Anyone else?

Do not lick the card.

I shall give that a go shortly. Thanks for the help.

Do not pass Go. Do not collect £200.

Thanks for being aces, guys and girls