Linksys router on all mac network

[wmmk]

hey-
I am on the brink of insanity. I've finally saved up for an MBP, found a great deal on it, woken up at 5:00 AM and driven 3 hours to get it, transfered all of my files to it, formatted and reinstalled OS X on to my mac mini, taken my mom's files from her HP and put them on my iPod, put those files on the Mac Mini, and moved all the hardware in my house to its new location.

So right as I'm taking my MacBook Pro out of the box on Friday, I realize that the network is down. I've been trying since then to fix it on the HP. Now that the only 2 computers that will be connecting to the network are the Mini and the MBP, I'm trying to set up the network from the mini, as it will be connected over ethernet. Of course, Linksys's stupid software only works on Winblows. So I'm up a creek! How am I supposed to get the network setup to allow the Mini to connect over ethernet and the MBP to connect wirelessly?

thanks, wmmk

 

[gr8tfly]

Linksys' configuration should be through your browser. The default address is "192.168.1.1"

 

[wmmk]

Linksys' configuration should be through your browser. The default address is "192.168.1.1"

right. I've been there already. how can I configure a new network through that? this doesn't appear to have all the settings that the desktop software does.
thanks so much,
will (who wishes routers would be plug and play!)

 

[Danksi]

right. I've been there already. how can I configure a new network through that? this doesn't appear to have all the settings that the desktop software does.
thanks so much,
will (who wishes routers would be plug and play!)

What Linksys router are you using?

I'll assume the Broadband 'G' router.

You should be able to configure the network from the 192.168.1.1 address (as posted above) - you don't need the Software. Are you trying to access the router via an Ethernet cable or only via wireless? You should set up the router using an Ethernet cable first.

 

[wmmk]

What Linksys router are you using?

I'll assume the Broadband 'G' router.

You should be able to configure the network from the 192.168.1.1 address (as posted above) - you don't need the Software. Are you trying to access the router via an Ethernet cable or only via wireless? You should set up the router using an Ethernet cable first.

OK, this is so weird! The network, seemingly completely randomly, just started working! I mean, I am posting this from the mini, which has no way to connect except the ethernet. Wow! Thank you all so much!

UPDATE:
when I try to connect to the network on the MBP, it says I need to enter a WEP password. I never set one. What's up with this?
UPDATE 2: Got rid of security. DOn't know it got set. I live in a nice neighborhood where everyone else has wireless anyway. It's up. w00t! w00t!

 

[wmmk]

Arghhhhhhh!
I keep turning off security, but then the network cuts everybody off, and when I try to reconnect any of the machines, it tells me I need to know some security key. I suppose I might as well just set security, but I really shouldn't have to!

EDIT: at least I'm a 68000 now!

EDIT 2: The MBP's security options are: WEP password, WEP 40/128bit hex, WEP 40/128bit ASCII, and LEAP. The Linksys's security options are Disabled, WPA Personal, WPA enterprise, WPA2 Personal, WPA2 enterprise, RADIUS, and WEP. What should I use?
thanks again!

 

[wmmk]

ugh! the network is now completely crashing every 5 minutes or so, and not just for wireless machines. turning the router off then on fixes this, but that's really a drag! can ayone help?
I am now again on the brink of insanity!

 

[FocusAndEarnIt]

reset the router by holding the button in the back with a pen for 15 seconds.

then report back to us. =]

 

[wmmk]

reset the router by holding the button in the back with a pen for 15 seconds.

then report back to us. =]

ok, reset it. I'm on the MBP, I'll update in 10 mins. or so to tell you all if the network crashes or not.

 

[wmmk]

it crahsed. as normal.

 

[rogersmj]

OK a couple lessons for you here:

1. Please never ever ever ever be dependent on some manufacturer's stupid bloated "setup software" to configure your router. Ever. It is totally unnecessary and while I love Linksys hardware they are horrible when it comes to pushing their software on you (like the stickers covering the router ports saying "STOP! Install software first!!" Ugh.)
2. Don't ever use WEP security. It is a) a ROYAL pain in the ass to setup, and b) easily crackable. Use WPA or WPA2. It is simple and painless -- basically, you set a password (called a key) for your wireless connection on your router, then enter that password the first time you connect on your laptop, and that's it. From that point on it does it automatically, and the password can actually be a password, not some crazy key like WEP. Don't leave your access point open, you don't want to deal with unauthorized users no matter how nice you think your neighbors are. WPA is so easy to do, please just set it up.

Now, onto your remaining problem. You say the router keeps crashing -- how do you know it's the router and not your modem? If you do know it's the router, remove one of your computers from it and try it for awhile, and if it still crashes then swap the computers and try it again. Try again with only wired clients connected (no wireless). If it's still crashing after all these trials, then we may have something a little tricker. Report on what happens and we can go from there.

 

[wmmk]

OK a couple lessons for you here:

1. Please never ever ever ever be dependent on some manufacturer's stupid bloated "setup software" to configure your router. Ever. It is totally unnecessary and while I love Linksys hardware they are horrible when it comes to pushing their software on you (like the stickers covering the router ports saying "STOP! Install software first!!" Ugh.)
2. Don't ever use WEP security. It is a) a ROYAL pain in the ass to setup, and b) easily crackable. Use WPA or WPA2. It is simple and painless -- basically, you set a password (called a key) for your wireless connection on your router, then enter that password the first time you connect on your laptop, and that's it. From that point on it does it automatically, and the password can actually be a password, not some crazy key like WEP. Don't leave your access point open, you don't want to deal with unauthorized users no matter how nice you think your neighbors are. WPA is so easy to do, please just set it up.

Now, onto your remaining problem. You say the router keeps crashing -- how do you know it's the router and not your modem? If you do know it's the router, remove one of your computers from it and try it for awhile, and if it still crashes then swap the computers and try it again. Try again with only wired clients connected (no wireless). If it's still crashing after all these trials, then we may have something a little tricker. Report on what happens and we can go from there.

OK, internet works fine with simply modem. Also, Network doesn't crash when only a PPC mac mini on an ethernet connction is connected. Apparently the MBP on a wireless connection is crashing it.

 

[rogersmj]

OK so we've narrowed it down. I assume the MBP is fully up to date with software patches and everything.

Next, make sure you have the latest firmware for your router. http://support.linksys.com can help with that (ONLY update the firmware from a computer connected to the router that will not crash it! If the router crashes in the middle of a firmware update, you may have a permanently busted router).

If you have the latest drivers on the Macbook Pro, and the latest firmware for the router, and the router STILL crashes when connected via wireless to the MBP (and let's try it totally unsecured for the time being -- make sure you set Wireless Security to disabled in the Linksys admin panel), then you might have a defective router. But let us know about the firmware update and if you need to do that or not.

 

[26139]

Cordless Phones

Cordless Phones...any docked nearby or being used in the vicinity?

 

[rogersmj]

Cordless Phones...any docked nearby or being used in the vicinity?

Good point, but that would merely make you lose connectivity and not crash the whole router (usually).

Other sources of 2.4GHz interference includes microwaves. I once went to some friend's place and he mentioned that his wireless network would cut out randomly for a minute or two at a time. When I went to look at where his router was...well, sitting directly on top of the microwave doesn't exactly afford much protection for your sensitive WiFi signals. I gave him a good ribbing about not being able to connect the dots himself ("Hmmm, everytime my wife heats something up I lose my connection! What could possibly be happening?").

 

[The Stig]

Buy a new one

I have a linksys G wireless with my macbook and it works perfect. Sounds like something wrong with your router. Maybe try a new one or a different one. Sounds like a router problem to me.

The Stig

 

[26139]

Good point

Good point. I suppose I misinterpreted "crash" as "loss of connectivity."

 

[macman2790]

i have had nothing but problems with linksys routers, so i went with a belkin N1 and it works great.

 

[rogersmj]

i have had nothing but problems with linksys routers, so i went with a belkin N1 and it works great.

I respect your experiences, but I have to throw in here that the only two Belkin routers I ever interacted with were the biggest piles of garbage I've ever seen. They were the only pieces of networking equipment that, in my opinion, actually managed to be worse than Netgear routers. Nothing's perfect, that's for sure, bu I have the greatest success rate with Linksys routers, and I love them because 1) they're built on Cisco hardware and 2) the firmware is easily replaced with something much more powerful (at least on some versions of the WRT54G).

 

[wmmk]

OK so we've narrowed it down. I assume the MBP is fully up to date with software patches and everything.

Next, make sure you have the latest firmware for your router. http://support.linksys.com can help with that (ONLY update the firmware from a computer connected to the router that will not crash it! If the router crashes in the middle of a firmware update, you may have a permanently busted router).

If you have the latest drivers on the Macbook Pro, and the latest firmware for the router, and the router STILL crashes when connected via wireless to the MBP (and let's try it totally unsecured for the time being -- make sure you set Wireless Security to disabled in the Linksys admin panel), then you might have a defective router. But let us know about the firmware update and if you need to do that or not.

OK. Did the software update, and it worked fine. What drivers are you talking about for the MBP? Airport drivers? Linksys drivers? Whatever you're refering to, I'll make sure to install it.

Cordless Phones...any docked nearby or being used in the vicinity?

Yes, as a matter of fact, there are.

Good point. I suppose I misinterpreted "crash" as "loss of connectivity."

Well, the router itself stays on, although the network itself is what crashes. Both machines connected over ethernet and wireless lose connectivity.

i have had nothing but problems with linksys routers, so i went with a belkin N1 and it works great.

Ironically enough, I used to have a Belkin and it was even worse than this!

 

[wmmk]

ok, i was just on (and the firmware update seemed to give me a stronger signal at a farther distance from the router) and as a phone rang, the network crashed. coincidence or not? I have no idea. anyway, I'd really appreciate if somebody had reccomendations fr drivers and such to put on the MBP to help matters a bit. thanks a lot,
wmmk

 

[rogersmj]

Well by "drivers" I was just speaking loosely and meaning the updates, which you've already done.

Sounds like the phone might be the problem (or part of the problem). Move either the router or the phone base station to a different part of the house and see what happens there.