Problems logging onto router

[Skerryman]

Hi all, hope this is in the right section. I'm trying to log onto my Sweex router and can't seem to do it. When I type the router address into the browser and press enter the connection just times out. Is there another way to log onto the router, used to do this on my PC but this is the first time on OSX. I want to log on so I can change the password. Also is there a way I can check if someone else is using my broadband by checking IP addresses or whatever, have Googled around but any instructions to do so are for Windows. Any help appreciated.

[switon]

He Skerryman,

First of all, I know nothing about the Sweex router, so I can't be specific.

But most modern routers have a web server interface that should work under Windows, Linux, and Mac OS. How did you "logon" to your router under Windows? It sounds like you were using a web browser to do so, and this same method should also work under OSX. Sometimes you might have to connect to a specific port, in this case you would have to include the port number with the IP address, e.g., xx.xx.xx.xx:yyyy. Can you ping the router? If you can't, are you certain you have the correct IP address? And lastly, some routers require you to connect to the router on a particular one of its ethernet ports in order to "logon" to it...are you positive that you have connected on the proper ethernet port?

If all else fails, do the standard things: power cycle the router and reset it.

...just some thoughts...

Regards,
Switon

[Skerryman]

Originally Posted by switon

He Skerryman,

First of all, I know nothing about the Sweex router, so I can't be specific.

But most modern routers have a web server interface that should work under Windows, Linux, and Mac OS. How did you "logon" to your router under Windows? It sounds like you were using a web browser to do so, and this same method should also work under OSX. Sometimes you might have to connect to a specific port, in this case you would have to include the port number with the IP address, e.g., xx.xx.xx.xx:yyyy. Can you ping the router? If you can't, are you certain you have the correct IP address? And lastly, some routers require you to connect to the router on a particular one of its ethernet ports in order to "logon" to it...are you positive that you have connected on the proper ethernet port?

If all else fails, do the standard things: power cycle the router and reset it.

...just some thoughts...

Regards,
Switon

Thanks for that Switon. Tried logging on today from the browser and it worked. Kept dropping signal last night so maybe that's why it wouldn't log on. Now to find out if someone is stealing my bandwidth or is my connection just crap.

[switon]

Originally Posted by Skerryman

Thanks for that Switon. Tried logging on today from the browser and it worked. Kept dropping signal last night so maybe that's why it wouldn't log on. Now to find out if someone is stealing my bandwidth or is my connection just crap.

Most routers will log (if logs are activated) their connections. I'd check the router's log to see if anyone else is "using" your bandwidth. Also, most routers will also show information on the current connections when you "logon" via the web interface.

If you are having troubles with un-authorized users, then you might consider setting up a better authentication/authorization scheme for your router. For instance, most routers allow you to specify exactly which MAC addresses are allowed to connect. I'm particularly fond of using a RADIUS server since it provides strong authentication/authorization/accounting for my network.

And about your connection quality, have you used Apple's "WiFi Diagnostics.app" to see what your signal/noise is like?

Good luck,
Switon

P.S. As I noted earlier, I know nothing about the Sweex router, so I can't give you any specific instructions, sorry.