06-13-2009, 08:29 PM

This morning, I switched out cable modems since I canceled my cable company's phone service and they wanted to give me an internet-only cable modem. The cable modem, in both cases, was affixed to the cable jack in the wall, then it connects to my Linksys wireless router with an ethernet cable, which connects to my desktop with an ethernet cable.

I'm typing this from my desktop, connected by the cables. However, my Macbook's wireless connection no longer functions.

The strange thing is, it still seems to detect my wireless network... the Airport icon at the top still looks like its powered all the way up, but when I try to open up a webpage it brings me to the "well that didn't work, here, try Network Diagnostics" page (and no, email and instant messenger don't work, either).

Anyway, I try to go through network diagnostics and it goes like this:

Select location --> Automatic
Choose network port configuration --> Airport
Select Airport network --> (my network)
The "That requires a password" screen --> my password
...

Here's where it goes wrong.

The next four screens or so are (paraphrasing):

"Do you connect via a DLS/cable modem?" - Yes/No
(If "Yes") - Please restart this device and hit Continue after doing so
"Do you need to restart any other device (router, firewall, switch)?" - Yes/No
(If "Yes") - Please restart this device and hit Continue after doing so

...

No matter what I do (and I do connect via a cable modem-->router-->airport), I get the screen that says, "unable to connect to the internet, network diagnostics cannot solve the problem, contact your ISP."

That's sort of a problem, since the ISP could care less, since my Internet connection appears to them to be working fine. I also don't understand WHY there would be a problem in the first place, given that the only piece of the equation that has changed is the piece of hardware that connects to the same wireless router, that produces the same wireless network, where I attempt to connect to it with the same Macbook with the same network settings.

...

Has anyone run into anything similar or have any advice for remedying the problem? Admittedly I am not particularly tech savvy, but I can provide any additional information if it would help. Thanks.

06-13-2009, 08:54 PM

The best thing to do in your situation is to reset the router back to factory defaults. Usually that's done by inserting the straight end of a paper clip into a small reset hole which may either be on the back or bottom of the router.

Make sure you have an ethernet cable attached from the router to your Mac before you do the reset. After resetting, log on to the router with Safari - enter your userid and password. (Look in your router manual for instructions on how to access the router setup menu)

Now go through the setup by entering the correct DNS primary and secondary addresses, and other required info. Make sure you select automatically obtain IP address, turn on SSID broadcast, select a channel. Turn on wireless broadcast. For now, leave security alone. You can change that later after you get wireless working.

Now setup your Mac from System Preferences, Network. Make sure you select DHCP and enter the correct primary and secondary DNS addresses.

You should be good to go. Once you get wireless working, go back into the router and setup security. Use WPA or greater - not WEP. Make sure you go back into System Preferences, Network and finish setting up security.

Regards.

06-13-2009, 09:36 PM

You didnt mention whether you reset your Linksys wireless router after switching out your cable modem or not - it would be a good idea to reboot the Linksys before going through the process of reconfiguring everything to factory defaults.

06-13-2009, 11:03 PM

chscag,

thx for the help, but it's not working.

Logging onto the router with Safari, correct me if I'm wrong, would involve entering http://192.168.0.1/ into the browser (WCG200 Linksys router). However, every time I do that, I can't connect... even with the ethernet cord connected!

mmirrotto,

I had to reboot the Linksys router to get my desktop (which, again, is connected by ethernet cords) to establish an IP address. So yeah, I've restarted it. And I've restarted it MANY more times than that first time.

...

I need to be able to get my Safari browser working to edit the router settings, but I'm done messing with this tonight. I'll try it tomorrow when I'm less likely to break windows, punch holes in walls, and such. I'll update on any progress.

I can't believe this much trouble goes into simply canceling my freaking phone line.

06-14-2009, 12:17 AM

chscag,

thx for the help, but it's not working.

Logging onto the router with Safari, correct me if I'm wrong, would involve entering http://192.168.0.1/ into the browser (WCG200 Linksys router). However, every time I do that, I can't connect... even with the ethernet cord connected!

mmirrotto,

I had to reboot the Linksys router to get my desktop (which, again, is connected by ethernet cords) to establish an IP address. So yeah, I've restarted it. And I've restarted it MANY more times than that first time.

...

I need to be able to get my Safari browser working to edit the router settings, but I'm done messing with this tonight. I'll try it tomorrow when I'm less likely to break windows, punch holes in walls, and such. I'll update on any progress.

I can't believe this much trouble goes into simply canceling my freaking phone line.

06-14-2009, 12:43 PM

I'll just go step by step as to what I'm doing (I'm typing this from my ethernet-connected Mac right now) just in case it doesn't work.

I couldn't adjust my DNS addresses, but I wrote them down and I'll make sure the Mac addresses match. There was no option to automatically select the IP address, either. SSID broadcast and wireless broadcast are on, channel six.



In Mac System Preferences, Configure --> using DHP and the DNS server addresses match.

We'll see what happens.

06-14-2009, 01:14 PM

Yeah, I'm still SOL.

I can get my Macbook to connect using the ethernet cords and going through Network Diagnostics, but even after making a bunch of changes I get the same nonsense when trying to connect via Airport.

"Do you use DSL/Cable Modem to connect to the Internet" - Yes
"Please reset this device"
I unplug both my modem and wireless gateway, then plug the modem back in, and hit continue
"Do you use another device (router, firewall, switch) that needs to be reset?" - Yes
"Please reset this device"
I plug the wireless gateway back in
"Do you use another device that needs to be reset?" - No

"Contact your ISP"

I mean... is there a firewall that I need to be disabling each time? That's about the same procedure I have to go through to connect via ethernet, and I reset the cable modem and router in exactly that order... works just fine.

06-14-2009, 08:52 PM

If you cant connect to the Linksys over 192.168.0.1 then I would start troubleshooting there. Unless you changed the default settings on your router, this should be the address to use. Are you getting no response at all? Are you getting an IP address via DHCP when you are connected over the wire? If so, is it in the 192.168.0.X range? Also, the WCG200 has a built in cable modem, so I am not sure how that will play with your existing cable modem from your ISP although if I am understanding you correctly, you had a different cable modem in place before you dropped your cable phone service, correct?
Let us know how you make out with this
Mark