wireless internet from wrt54g not working

[SamiDelovely]

Here's the set up: one room in my house has a PC, and cable modem, my other room has the iMac. I used an ethernet cable to plug into the router and it claims to have internet on it's tiny squinty eye of lies. Now my iMac can reach the 192.168.1.1. site wirelessly, I changed the basic things everyone suggests.

Here's the problem: airport says its connected to the 192.168.1.1. area connection, and yet I cannot get online. Assistant says that i can't get online. I'd like to know why, so I can die happy.

[r.j.s]

Sounds like a DNS problem ... what is currently plugged into the router? What is plugged into the modem?

[SamiDelovely]

Sounds like a DNS problem ... what is currently plugged into the router? What is plugged into the modem?

router: connected to the cablem modem

cable modem: connected to the router and the windows PC

[r.j.s]

cable modem: connected to the router and the windows PC

Might be part of your problem. The router should be the only thing connected directly to the modem. Everything else should connect to the router.

[SamiDelovely]

Might be part of your problem. The modem should be the only thing connected directly to the modem. Everything else should connect to the router.

really? I'm pretty sure my router (wrt54g) has to be connected to the modem, or else it has no blinky internet light.maybe explain a bit more.

[r.j.s]

really? I'm pretty sure my router (wrt54g) has to be connected to the modem, or else it has no blinky internet light.maybe explain a bit more.

Ummm ... ooops. Router only thing connected to modem.

[SamiDelovely]

Ummm ... ooops. Router only thing connected to modem.

no worries, the router IS the only thing connected. so at least i guessed that part right.

[apfhex]

Make sure only the router is connected to the modem, and power cycle both. Let the modem power on and connect first, then connect your router and turn it on, then when it's done connect your computers to the router. It sounds like maybe you're router isn't picking up your internet connection so that's something to try. If this is a new router and you plugged it in without power cycling your modem, this is the problem. If that doesn't work try resetting your router. If you need any special configuration from your ISP (unlikely) see that those settings are entered correctly in your router and NOT on your computers. Computers should be set to obtain information like IP and DNS automatically (you'll have an IP like 192.168.1.100, 192.168.1.101, etc.)

[r.j.s]

After following the directions ^^^, check the DNS server setting ...

I'd recommend using OpenDNS, 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220

[SamiDelovely]

Make sure only the router is connected to the modem, and power cycle both. Let the modem power on and connect first, then connect your router and turn it on, then when it's done connect your computers to the router. It sounds like maybe you're router isn't picking up your internet connection so that's something to try. If this is a new router and you plugged it in without power cycling your modem, this is the problem. If that doesn't work try resetting your router. If you need any special configuration from your ISP (unlikely) see that those settings are entered correctly in your router and NOT on your computers. Computers should be set to obtain information like IP and DNS automatically (you'll have an IP like 192.168.1.100, 192.168.1.101, etc.)


i can't connect both computers to it at the same time. but again, on the iMac it picks up the router and its signal and i've configured it, just doesn't have any internet with it, like it needs activating or something.

[r.j.s]

i can't connect both computers to it at the same time. but again, on the iMac it picks up the router and its signal and i've configured it, just doesn't have any internet with it, like it needs activating or something.

Something is not right. The purpose of a router is to connect multiple computers at once.

[SamiDelovely]

Something is not right. The purpose of a router is to connect multiple computers at once.

agreed. even airport assistant is useless.

[srl7741]

What port did you connect the cable modem to on the linksys? Did you use the correct one?

Could try pressing the re-set button on the back and take the router back to it's default settings and start from the beginning.

Forget the setup assistant, that will mess things up faster than a power outage. It makes changes and sometimes your not aware of them so it's hard to figure out problems when they arise.

[apfhex]

i can't connect both computers to it at the same time. but again, on the iMac it picks up the router and its signal and i've configured it, just doesn't have any internet with it, like it needs activating or something.
Did you try any of the things I suggested? Try the power cycling first.

[SamiDelovely]

Did you try any of the things I suggested? Try the power cycling first.

a friend actually suggested that over the phone as i did it but again again, can't connect both computers to the router at the same time. they're both desktops in separate rooms. and in order to get the router to both i'd have to unplug and replug, which defeats the purpose.

[r.j.s]

a friend actually suggested that over the phone as i did it but again again, can't connect both computers to the router at the same time. they're both desktops in separate rooms. and in order to get the router to both i'd have to unplug and replug, which defeats the purpose.

Do both desktops have wireless?

[SamiDelovely]

What port did you connect the cable modem to on the linksys? Did you use the correct one?

Could try pressing the re-set button on the back and take the router back to it's default settings and start from the beginning.

Forget the setup assistant, that will mess things up faster than a power outage. It makes changes and sometimes your not aware of them so it's hard to figure out problems when they arise.

mmmm. i'll remember the setup assistant thing. and yes i have re-started multiple times, which is how by accident i realized my iMac could pick up the signal from the linksys wirelessly.

[djc6]

What about plugging the cable modem right into a computer, as a test? Just to make sure the cable modem is working properly... take out the router out of the equation to simplify things.

[killerrobot]

I was just setting up a network with a wrt54g and was having the same problem. All lights showed green, and there was communication between modem and router, and computer and router, but could never connect to the internet. So I followed these steps and it worked.

First, turn off modem, router and computers.
Second, turn on router first.
Third, after all lights are on the router, then turn on the modem.
Fourth, after all lights are on the modem, then power on the computers.

The order seems backwards but it's the only way that I could get the computers to connect to the internet.