Computer Help Needed

Myself | 06/01/2008 | TheMom

[TheMom]

This afternoon my husband set up a computer for the kids. Once everything was set up, he checked to make sure all computers were connected to the net via the router. All looked great!

Then one of the kids downloaded some type of crap that has caused our internet connection to be kaput. I contacted our internet provider – after testing they determined that the problem was not within the cable box. (Each computer can connect to the internet if hooked up directly to the cable box). They gave me the customer service number to the router company ~ the gal said they could check to see if it was a router problem. The customer service lady for Linksys said that since our router is about eight years old it was out of warranty, but for a mere $32.95 they could have a tech check out the problem. (After a few colorful words from my husband) We went out and purchased a new router for $25.00.

The problem still exist. (I have not yet recontacted the router company.)

Each individual system can connect to the internet via the cable box. When all systems are connected to the router, there is no internet connection.

We have tried the basic turn it off, turn it on again ~ with no luck.

Does anyone have a clue how to fix this problem?

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

Did you replace with a Linksys router? Specifically BEFSR41? Return it, they are defective and cannot be made to reliably work, even with new dnloaded firmware. There are pages and pages of folks you can find in usergroups who have collectively spent thousands of hours trying. I bot a $19 Netgear router and it worked on first plug in and has stayed working for 8 months flawlessly. (I am moderatley, not mega-skilled, btw)

[GravityFree]

Hi,

I’m by no means an IT expert but I do have a network of more than 12 PCs, ( Windows, Linux, and Mac ) that I manage at home. My suggestion would be to “RESET” the router. This is different from turning it off and back on. Typically there is a small push button, usually on the back of the router, that you push for anywhere from 3 to 10 seconds. This usually resets the router to the settings it left the factory with

[ThePythonicCow]

http://192.168.2.1/

That is not necessarily the routers address. The default router address varies by router model.

your router configuration information screen.

Most folks find router configuration screens to be about as useful as a foreign language menu without pictures.

[mylife]

My brain hurts.

I was just figuring they were the next hub

[Cold Heat]

What kind of router costs $25? (would be my first question)

Second question would be based on the fact that most networking problems stem from the security protocols used by the various computers on the net. If one of them is using the wrong procol, it cannot connect. Also, are you using wireless? Or ethernet?

[TheMom]

I will run spyware tomorrow. They did add some free music download - Lime Something.

Will getting rid of these downloads help with the connections problem?

[TheMom]

LOL

[TheMom]

Been there, done that ~ several times. No luck.

[NYTexan]

You can pay my airfare to Houston for a service call or promise me yer enciladas the next time I’m in the vicinity...

First...try to get one confuser to work thru the router...

if that works isolate the infected confuser by trial and elimination.

Also, did ya get setup software with the router? There are setup and security settings to be addressed. You should be able to address the router useing IE at 192.168.1.1 (or .0)?

I’ll think more on the matter...but belive me when I tell you that shooting it will NOT help!

[mylife]

Limewire? Dump it!

[ThePythonicCow]

Linksys 10/100 5-port workgroup switch

Aha - that's it!

You got a switch, not a router. It is not providing DHCP to your PC's. Which cable company are you dealing with? If it is one of those companies that only provides you one ethernet address, then this setup won't work for more than one computer at a time.

[ThePythonicCow]

What kind of router costs $25? (would be my first question)

A five port switch, that what kind ;).

[mylife]

What are you a brainiac? ;)

[ccmay]

Type this address in to your browser.

http://192.168.2.1/

It should bring up your router configuration information screen.

Try http://192.168.1.1 and http://192.168.0.1 also. The user name is usually "admin" or "Administrator", and the password is typically blank or "password".

-ccm

[TheMom]

Both routers are Linksys.

None of the computers (or XBox) will connect using the router(s). The only connection we can get is directly through the cable box.

We have tried the turn everything off and on again method ~ it does not help.

[cva66snipe]

I will run spyware tomorrow. They did add some free music download - Lime Something. Will getting rid of these downloads help with the connections problem?

You'll have to uninstall the host program it comes from and the downloads. Then run Spybot. Basically Spyware makes the computer contact the creator of the Spyware. It can literally bring any computer on even the fastest connections to a screaching halt. The computer and your router and ISP are all tied up talking to the host that infested the computer. It could be one of your problems as it sounds like that was the last change made to that computers system.

[ThePythonicCow]

What are you a brainiac? ;)

Nah - just a Linux kernel hacker, putting off responding to a difficult patch with some fun chatting here.

(Yeah, some folks have an odd notion of what's "fun".)

[Cold Heat]

There ya go......That ain’t no router. It will not support a Dynamic IP. If one computer is downloading, the others must wait. The lady needs a router.

[mylife]

Alternate password is stuperuser

[GravityFree]

In answering question #2 could you be a little more specific. Do you still have the box it came in ? A very popular Linksys router model would be the WRT-54G. Is there anything resembling that kind of designation on the router or it’s box ?