my apartment uses road runner and we run it through a router (actually, we've tried two routers now) and only one of us can connect at a time. we've called time warner and determined that the modem isn't the problem. since the router "had to be the problem", we tried another one but to no avail. what is the problem (besides our technological-impaired minds)?

3/17/2006 7:03:50 PM

technological-impaired minds



but seriously, you do have a router and not a switch, right?

[Edited on March 17, 2006 at 7:07 PM. Reason : hubswitchhubswitch]

3/17/2006 7:06:04 PM

Can you give some more information about your networking. i.e. kind of router, wired or wireless, OS of the computer How are you configuring things?

My initial tought is either bad luck with faulty hardware or, more likely, user error. I'd find a buddy who can set up a network without phone support and let them troubleshoot on person.

3/17/2006 7:08:52 PM

the router:linksys cable/dsl, model NR041 (wired)
OS: xp

3/17/2006 7:11:32 PM

ftp://ftp.networkeverywhere.com/nr041_qi.pdf

you need to make sure DHCP server is set to enable under the DHCP tab in the router config.

http://www.networkeverywhere.com/support/routersupport.asp for more troubleshooting info.

3/17/2006 7:17:56 PM

^actually helpful info, gg

3/17/2006 7:28:22 PM

thanks to everyone for trying to help. i'll try stuff later when i'm home and see how it goes.

3/17/2006 7:56:06 PM

still not working. has anyone else ever had this problem?

3/17/2006 9:45:40 PM

Take the one computer that works and go to the Linksys website.

Also, you might want to see if there is an option that says Clone this MAC address and put in the address of whatever computer you are using to try and configure the router. If it doesn't give you the option of determining the MAC address for you then go to Start -> Run -> type cmd -> when the DOS looking window pops up type ipconfig /all and look for the physical address. It will look something like 00-11-22-33-44-55.

[Edited on March 17, 2006 at 10:32 PM. Reason : asdf]

3/17/2006 10:30:54 PM

^that's what the road runner techies have told each of us at the apartment to do. the modem would then work on that computer only. i think the modem might be broken somehow. someone from time warner is coming to replace it tomorrow. i should've known it was the modem when our other router suddenly "broke". i guess it just didn't make sense that the modem would work at all at any time. who knows?

3/17/2006 11:00:05 PM

ok, so we replaced the cable modem and nothing has changed. i've registered with linksys through 192.168.1.1 and saved changes (like enabling DHCP) and still nothing works. i try to connect and the status reads "acquiring network address" for a little while and then "limited or no connectivity". it's really been pissing me off. please help.

3/20/2006 10:24:48 PM

When you connect your one computer directly to the cable modem, do you get a private ip (192.xxx.xxx.xxx or 10.xxx.xxx.xxx) or do you get something like 69.254.125.222?

If you get 192.168.1.1 then you need to set your router up as the one DHCP client. then, setup your router on a different subnet, something like 192.168.0.1 . Then, set your router up to provide DHCP for your computers in your apartment.

3/20/2006 10:59:57 PM

^ a cable modem isn't going to give you a private 192,172,10 address.. not unless the modem is also a router.

Robone, does it only work on one computer.. or just one at a time??

if its only one computer.. then you may need to clone the MAC address of that computer's NIC to the router.. a lot of times modems lock themselves to the LAN MAC address until it's reset.

also make sure the cable modem is hooked to the WAN port of the router.. and make sure the ports you connect your computers to are not switched to uplink (usually port 1 or port 4 has an uplink switch so you can add additional switches/hubs to the network)

3/21/2006 10:52:03 AM

^it works on each computer (one at a time) when that computer is directly connected to the modem (i.e. not through the router). it only works for whichever computer was last reset by the roadrunner techies over the phone, and i'm not sure what they do after they have the physical address. that's all they ask for. anyone interested in coming over to set us up? you will be compensated.

3/21/2006 12:50:33 PM

DHCP server is enabled in the DHCP tab on the router config, right?

turn everything off. plug ethernet cable from modem into the port on the far left when you are looking at the back of the router. plug an ethernet cable from a computer into port 2 and the plug from the other computer into port 3 on the back. plug in the modem, let it power up and connect, then plug in the router, then turn on the computers. check to make sure the two computers can see the router and the router sees them by going to http://192.168.1.1 . enter the user name and password and make sure the computers log in fine. at this point try to go to a website like google. if both computers can connect to both the router and the website then you are good, if not then we can work on something else.

3/21/2006 1:44:02 PM

^i tried that but i got nothing. how am i supposed to connect to http://192.168.1.1 if i have "limited or no connectivity"?

3/21/2006 2:01:24 PM

20 bucks to anyone who can solve this problem once and for all.

3/23/2006 11:51:50 PM

What apartment complex do you live in?

3/24/2006 12:57:24 AM

i am having this exact same problem with my laptop and 360, but i am using a switch though.

3/24/2006 8:32:01 AM

set everything up manually for now on each computer

use IP 192.168.1.100 on one computer, 192.168.1.101 on the other
leave the subnet set at 255.255.255.0
default gateway: 192.168.1.1
and use the NCSU servers:
DNS 1: 152.1.1.206
DNS 2: 152.1.1.161

I'm assuming you have the hardware connected right?

3/24/2006 10:43:37 AM

This guy lives in Lake Park if any of you are close by and want to help him for an easy $20.

3/24/2006 4:42:45 PM

It sounds like you may be plugging the cable modem into the wrong port on the router (the LAN side instead of the WAN side). This might be why one computer is allowed to connect to the internet while the other is rejected..thanks to road runners limits.

Of course the problem could be simple settings in the router, but first be sure that the ethernet cable from the modem is going to the WAN port of the router (should be separated slightly from the others.

3/25/2006 1:25:55 AM

^there's only one port on the router called "internet". i'm assuming that's the one i need.

3/25/2006 12:57:30 PM

IROLA_BLUNT saves the day. thanks to all of you who helped. i couldn't have done anything without you.

3/27/2006 10:21:44 PM