# having trouble setting up wifi router



## a111087 (Oct 20, 2014)

my parents moved and got a new ISP, who gave them cable modem with no built in wifi.  so, i sent them a know working wifi router.  

When i was testing the router, i had zero problems.  No setup was needed.  Just automatic IP's selected and it was working just fine.  

In a case with my parents (who are complete noobs, which makes this even more difficult), if Ip's are set to automatic, i am unable to reach the wifi router.  

Ok, so, I setup IP's manually and i am able to log into the wifi router and set it up, as well as log into the cable modem, but nothing further than that.  All of that is made even more difficult because I have to do all of this remotely.... 

Am I missing something?


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## Aquinus (Oct 20, 2014)

You need to reset the modem. If I unplug my modem from my gateway server and plug it directly into my wi-fi AP (something I sometimes do if my gateway flakes out,) it will require me to reset the modem so it forgets the MAC address for the gateway. As a result, my IP always changes and then changes back when I switch it again but it always requires a reset (or at least a restart).

You need to check to make sure the router has an external IP address and that it's setup to use DHCP on WAN.

Also DNS shouldn't be 192.168.100.1, try 8.8.8.8 or 8.8.4.4 instead. I seriously doubt your router is running a DNS server, most don't. Don't use a static IP, let DHCP give the computer everything it needs.

Also, your network is confusing. You should get off the 192.168.100.x subnet. Try using something like 10.10.10.x instead so it doesn't overlap with the modem console IP it should be more something like this:

Modem: Console IP: 192.168.100.1
External IP: 12.34.56.78
DNS: 12.34.34.34

Router:
IP: 10.10.10.1
DNS: 12.34.34.34

Computer: IP: 10.10.10.2
DNS: 12.34.34.34
Gateway: 10.10.10.1

This almost looks like your getting a local IP off the modem. Normally this is a sign that you plugged the modem into a port that's not the WAN or you're using bridge mode on your WAN port. Both of which are no-nos. I would take the time to actually visit your parents to check everything. That's what I end up doing when things like this happen, granted I also configured their network in person.


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## a111087 (Oct 20, 2014)

Aquinus said:


> Normally this is a sign that you plugged the modem into a port that's not the WAN or you're using bridge mode on your WAN port.


never actually seen the modem, but i was told there is only one ethernet port. 



Aquinus said:


> I would take the time to actually visit your parents to check everything. That's what I end up doing when things like this happen, granted I also configured their network in person.


Unfortunately, that would involve an expensive airline ticket. Cheaper for me to hire a pro to come in. 
And thanks for the tip, I will try what you suggested and see if that work. 

I did have classes in networking and windows server and network security, but honestly, that stuff never stuck with me....


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## brandonwh64 (Oct 20, 2014)

The 192.168.100.1 is the modems LAN address. This is used to check the status of the modem. Make sure the modem is getting a public IP address from the ISP company (Have them plug a laptop into the modem and power cycle the modem). Also check to see if the router's WAN port set to DHCP so it can acquire an IP from the ISP


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## remixedcat (Oct 20, 2014)

Does the modem have any routing built in like a res-gateway?


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## eidairaman1 (Oct 20, 2014)

Reset modem reset the router


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## rtwjunkie (Oct 20, 2014)

Actually, he should be able to set static IP's for computers that won't overlap by assigning them 150 and above, like so: 192.158.150.1


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## twilyth (Oct 20, 2014)

In a worse case, he can always have his parents install some remote control software on their computer.  That should at least let him get on to the network rather than trying to get in directly over the cable modem.

Also, as brandon said, wouldn't he need the WAN address to do anything?  I know that if I want to access my IP cameras I need the wan address.  You can set up most routers to broadcast this to a public dns service like afraid.org.  So that when the IP address of the modem changes, it will be updated with the DNS.  They also have a variety of free domain names that you can use so that you never have to actually enter the IP address.


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## Aquinus (Oct 21, 2014)

No, look at his picture. Motorola modems provision IPs out on the 192.168.100.0 range when there is seemingly no router, the modem itself runs DHCP but only if is single device (and not a switch) is connected to it. Connecting the modem to the wrong port on the router will make the router and the modem compete for DHCP requests.

I can say this with 99% certainty so please listen.

Your parents must make sure the Motorola box (modem) is plugged into the WAN port on the router and not one of the *switched* LAN ports. These are clear signs of the cable modems winning the DHCP free-for-all. Your parents plugged the modem into the wrong port, that's what I'm seeing.


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## remixedcat (Oct 21, 2014)

eidairaman1 said:


> Reset modem reset the router



30/30/30 does the trick a lot of the time like duck tape


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## a111087 (Oct 21, 2014)

remixedcat said:


> Does the modem have any routing built in like a res-gateway?


i will look at the exact model number tonight, but its some basic Arris modem supplied by Time Warner and it has ZERO settings in the console page. 



eidairaman1 said:


> Reset modem reset the router


as in power cycle?



twilyth said:


> In a worse case, he can always have his parents install some remote control software on their computer.  That should at least let him get on to the network rather than trying to get in directly over the cable modem.


using team viewer for remote desktop



Aquinus said:


> Your parents must make sure the Motorola box (modem) is plugged into the WAN port on the router and not one of the *switched* LAN ports. These are clear signs of the cable modems winning the DHCP free-for-all. Your parents plugged the modem into the wrong port, that's what I'm seeing.


i will find the exact model number and look at pictures of the back.  but they kept telling me that there is no other port to plug in that router.


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## eidairaman1 (Oct 21, 2014)

a111087 said:


> i will look at the exact model number tonight, but its some basic Arris modem supplied by Time Warner and it has ZERO settings in the console page.
> 
> 
> as in power cycle?
> ...



no there should be a red reset button on the router itself press and hold it for 2 min and release it.


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## a111087 (Oct 21, 2014)

ok, i will try everything you guys suggested.  parents should be online in a few hours so, that's when i will get to try anything.


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## a111087 (Oct 21, 2014)

ok, modem they are using is Arris TM602G





trying different setting right now....


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## Aquinus (Oct 21, 2014)

a111087 said:


> ok, modem they are using is Arris TM602G
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Not the modem, the *router*! I see nothing wrong with the modem and the modem will only ever have one RJ-45 jack on it.

For example, the back of my wi-fi AP, which is really just a E4200 Linksys router looks like this:





Plugging C from the modem into any of the ports with a blue label on the picture I provided would cause the issue you've been describing.


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## a111087 (Oct 21, 2014)

Aquinus said:


> Not the modem, the *router*! I see nothing wrong with the modem and the modem will only ever have one RJ-45 jack on it.
> 
> For example, the back of my wi-fi AP, which is really just a E4200 Linksys router looks like this:
> 
> ...



nah, the router is also very basic. tew-430apb


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## Aquinus (Oct 21, 2014)

a111087 said:


> nah, the router is also very basic. tew-430apb



That's an access point, not a router. You have no DHCP on that box because it *only* serves up wireless. Heck, it doesn't even do routing. Your modem's DHCP is winning the battle because the AP has no DHCP server so the modem will always win. You need a router, not an AP. Basically this device will not work for what you want to do with it.

Side note: You should have described the hardware implicated in the OP.


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## a111087 (Oct 21, 2014)

fuck me...  total noob.  what a waste of time.


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## eidairaman1 (Oct 21, 2014)

Aquinis

(Used to be Motorola)
http://www.arrisi.com/products/product.asp?id=5015

NVG510

http://www.sagemcom.com/broadband/gateways/dsl-gateways/


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## Aquinus (Oct 21, 2014)

a111087 said:


> fuck me...  total noob.  what a waste of time.


If your parents are leasing the modem from the ISP, I would see if they would give them a gateway modem instead that has the router built into the modem. They might not have to pay more for it, but it would reduce the headache. I suspect your parents don't want to have to think about it and since you can't really make a house call it's best to keep it simple.


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## eidairaman1 (Oct 21, 2014)

Exactly, Windstream replaced a gigaset with Sagemcom unit, they just plugged in my router to it ( Long in the tooth but works good WPN824 from Netgear)


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