Connection issues with Linksys WRT54G

I have a new Powerbook 12" G4 and a Linksys WRT54G router. My new apartment provides free "high-speed" ineternet through an ethernet jack in my bedroom. I assume it is a form of T1 or T3 since there is no service provider that I know of. When i signed my lease, i had to agree that if i got a router I would turn of the DHCP Server function. I got my new router today and have been working on it for hours to no avail. I set it up with my desktop pc and it works fine, but with my Mac it is a no go. I am running a "Mixed" signal wireless with no encryption for right now. My Powerbook detects the signal and can join it, but it wont boot the internet. Like I said before, i have the settings on the Linksys set to no DHCP server. I have tried switching from manually typing in IP adresses, to having the mac automatically detect one and it is no go either way. I am about at my wits end. Any advice?

Thanks,
Chris

ok, i have the same router. i dont quite understand exaclty your problem. is your desktop connected to your router? then it should connect easily. have your tried reseting it to factory default? im assuming that you know how to access your router via web page. if not type in your address bad 192.168.1.1 the default pass is admin. then go to administration then factory default. run through the wizard again and see if it works. also, since your landlord or w/e said to not have the DHCP on did you turn off your ssid? dont, but keep it something you can remember and is distinct. more info would be nice. please and thank you!

I got fed up with Linksys / Netgear etc to the extent that I've just replaced everything with Apple. Appart from the Dlink modem, which Apple don't do an equivalent of. Now the only thing that fails is the Dlink...

If your PC is working, then you will need to set up your Apple system similar to the PC. Are you assigning an IP address to the PC?

Here is my limited understanding of networking.

Your apartment complex has a DHCP server. Which is assigning your router an IP address. From here you will need to assign an IP address in the range of what is set on your PC.

My PC desktop is set up to the router via an ethernet cable and it is running just fine. I set up the router with the install disc on my PC. I do have DHCP disabled on my router. My Powerbook detects the signal but does not connect to the internet. I do have SSID enabled and set to something unique. How do i find an IP number that i can assign the powerbook to? Any other info needed? Thanks for all your help so far.

Chris

Don't you usually assign your computers to 192.168.0.x, and x being some number other than 1, which is held for the router?

similar but different

i'm trying to set up my mom's computers to connect to her neighbors linksys WRT54GS. for some reason my laptop (ibook G4) works just fine with it. but i can't get either my mom's mac mini, nor her ibook (not sure of the model name but it's at least 3 years old) to connect.

both computers can "see" the wifi system, but they won't connect. (i type in the password and i just get a general error message in response.)

the macmini has the new version of airport card in it and the ibook has the old version, so it's not an issue of which airport card is in use.

both the mac mini and the ibook can connect just fine to my airport at my house.

i've set up the mac mini and the ibook myself and the preferences/config. are identical to what i have on my ibook (which does connect to this wifi).

and i talked the neighbor just yesterday into letting me get into his wifi configurations to see if i needed to input my mom's MAC addresses, but he has that section disabled, so i don't think that's the problem.

i'm at a complete loss as to what the problem is. there must be some silly little button somewhere that i need to click but i have no clue what it might be.

please help!

thoughtsofone said:

I have a new Powerbook 12" G4 and a Linksys WRT54G router. My new apartment provides free "high-speed" ineternet through an ethernet jack in my bedroom. I assume it is a form of T1 or T3 since there is no service provider that I know of. When i signed my lease, i had to agree that if i got a router I would turn of the DHCP Server function. I got my new router today and have been working on it for hours to no avail. I set it up with my desktop pc and it works fine, but with my Mac it is a no go. I am running a "Mixed" signal wireless with no encryption for right now. My Powerbook detects the signal and can join it, but it wont boot the internet. Like I said before, i have the settings on the Linksys set to no DHCP server. I have tried switching from manually typing in IP adresses, to having the mac automatically detect one and it is no go either way. I am about at my wits end. Any advice?

Thanks,
Chris

Click to expand...

Try connecting the PB to the router with a CAT5 cable keeping the PC connected and on. If the PB can get to the internet then the wireless settings are buggered and you'll have to fiddle with that some more. If the PB isn't working my guess is that the DHCP server in your building is only handing you 1 IP address and is ignoring the PB's request. To confirm that turn off/unplug the PC and plug in the PB if you can get to the internet then you are probably only getting one IP.

If it's the wireless settings then try entering a small wep hex code (64bit I beleive) and enter the same thing on the PB TRIPLE CHECK the code and then connect. Goto Mac HD>Network>MSHOME you should be able to see some computers if you are getting an IP from the buildings DHCP server.

Alternatively find the IP of the PB, the PC, and the Router. From the PC try pinging the PB and the Router, from the PB try pinging the PC and the router. Windows IPs are found using start>run>cmd>ipconfig, mac os x ips are found using System Preferences>Network...(can't remember DOH! it is in there somewhere). If you can ping the router from the mac the mac is getting an IP and you may have a proxy set-up incorrectly or any number of other things. Double check mac filtering on the router and check the router logs to see if the PB is connecting.

If all of that has failed talk to the landlord about how this is handled he may be able to give you a tech support number or even get you another IP address if you only have one.

PM me if you have questions (or reply) I'll try to help you the best I can unfortunatly I'm not in front of my PB right now so I might not be able to help you with everything.

Good luck

EDIT: it's PM not IM sorry

barefootmeg said:

i'm trying to set up my mom's computers to connect to her neighbors linksys WRT54GS. for some reason my laptop (ibook G4) works just fine with it. but i can't get either my mom's mac mini, nor her ibook (not sure of the model name but it's at least 3 years old) to connect.

both computers can "see" the wifi system, but they won't connect. (i type in the password and i just get a general error message in response.)

the macmini has the new version of airport card in it and the ibook has the old version, so it's not an issue of which airport card is in use.

both the mac mini and the ibook can connect just fine to my airport at my house.

i've set up the mac mini and the ibook myself and the preferences/config. are identical to what i have on my ibook (which does connect to this wifi).

and i talked the neighbor just yesterday into letting me get into his wifi configurations to see if i needed to input my mom's MAC addresses, but he has that section disabled, so i don't think that's the problem.

i'm at a complete loss as to what the problem is. there must be some silly little button somewhere that i need to click but i have no clue what it might be.

please help!

Click to expand...

Is there a WEP key or WPA key? If there is I suggest re-typing it and TRIPLE CHECKING it to make sure there is no errors in your typing. You might have had it correct on your machine but not on either of your mom's.

Perhaps your mom's machine don't have DHCP turned on? Try (pretty unlikely) checking the names, > 20 characters on my router at home makes the network go Kaboom! Perhaps the linksys just won't let you connect if your name is too long.

Sorry I couldn't help more (You ThreadJacker ), PM or reply if you have questions.

EDIT: it's PM not IM sorry

Merlinblack said:

Is there a WEP key or WPA key? If there is I suggest re-typing it and TRIPLE CHECKING it to make sure there is no errors in your typing. You might have had it correct on your machine but not on either of your mom's.

Perhaps your mom's machine don't have DHCP turned on? Try (pretty unlikely) checking the names, > 20 characters on my router at home makes the network go Kaboom! Perhaps the linksys just won't let you connect if your name is too long.

Click to expand...

it's a WPA key and i've probably typed the password in about 30 - 50 times at this point. i've tried it on several different days on two different computers. i'm sure i typed the password in correctly at least once, but still didn't get through.

the computer is set for DHCP and works fine on my airport, which i would think means that all of the settings are fine (right?).

i'm not sure what you mean by name. do you mean her user name?

thanks for replying. :doctor:

well.. with my router i went the lazy way and notepaded the password. try that!

could it be anything besides the password? i obviously seem to be able to type the password just fine into my own laptop. so i really don't think the password is the problem.

the response i'm getting is as if the wifi unit has been set to not receive my mom's MAC addresses, but that function is turned off as far as i can tell on the wifi unit. is there anything else that acts similarly?

barefootmeg said:

it's a WPA key and i've probably typed the password in about 30 - 50 times at this point. i've tried it on several different days on two different computers. i'm sure i typed the password in correctly at least once, but still didn't get through.

the computer is set for DHCP and works fine on my airport, which i would think means that all of the settings are fine (right?).

i'm not sure what you mean by name. do you mean her user name?

thanks for replying. :doctor:

Click to expand...

By name I mean computer name (System Preferences>sharing>Computer Name)

Try that otherwise I seem to be out of Ideas

what's in a name? a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

Merlinblack said:

By name I mean computer name (System Preferences>sharing>Computer Name)

Try that otherwise I seem to be out of Ideas

Click to expand...

well, i checked out her name. it was 21 letters long (if you include spaces). so i cut it down to 14 (still with spaces). no go. so then i cut it down to 9 without spaces. still no go.

i've gotta believe there's one little switch that i just need to toggle to get this thing to go. i'm reaching maximum frustration level. i wish the airport software was a little more explanitory in its error message. bleh!

does anyone have a suggestion of another mac help board i might try?

I'm sorry I'm out of Ideas the name thing was kinda a long shot to begin with.

Good luck, if you ever do find a solution please post it will be interesting to know what was wrong.

i'm actually having a similar problem with the same router, all my wired computers work fine but my ibook doesn't pick up the signal anymore. it used to work fine. is it my ibook or the routers signal?

have you guys updated the firmware?

I am also having the problem. I have a Linksys WRT54GS version 5. Mine was working fine until I decided to update it so that I could change my security from WEP to WPA. I updated the firmware for the Linksys a month or so ago and I started to have problems. The internet would just stop working. I would reset the both the modem and the wireless router and it would work for a while. But still all wireless (two PC and one G4) plus a wired PC would still work. When the internet would quit 3 to 4 times in a day, I contacted Linksys. They had a newer firmware that should take care of the issue. And it has except for the G4. The G4 can see the wireless router but there is no connection to the internet. Took the G4 to the Apple Store today and had them clear all previous internet data (like new). In the store it connect quickly to both Airport (wireless) and wired. With the Linksys, neither will work. Anyone have any ideas?

Firmware Problem with Linksys WRT54GS

There is a problem with the firmware update 1.50.9 for the WRT54GSversion5 and 6 (the update for 6 is a different number). What this update did is to lock out Macs. They are working on it but for now, what I did was to find the link to firmware 1.50.8 and install it. So far (3 hours) its been working fine. Here is the link to the firmware - http://www.sendspace.com/file/fh6st1 and you will see the following:

Name: WRT54GSv5_v6_v1_50_8_US_code.bin
Size: 1MB
Description: Linksys WRT54GS-V.5: 1.50.8 firmware


Access your router and upgrade your firmware with it. Good luck

Thanks for the info. I tried it and for about three hours it worked then all were kicked off the internet. So I put away my Linksys WRT54GS and pulled out my new Netgear WPN824. Who has time to fix Linksys problems?