Rewired for FiOS....EEK!

[Ninjahedge]

OK, here it is.

I just got FiOS, great, right?

Here's the problem, for some reason my bridge won't connect anymore.

The first router is set to convert from coax...

It NEEDS to be set as 192.168.1.1 so the TV boxes can access it.

So I set my existing wireless to 192.168.2.1. the wireless connections seem to work outside the bridge, but the bridge just does not want to play.

It keeps asking for an IP, I can see it asking. The ethernet light and wireless will flitter a bit, then just the wireless will blink 4 or 5 times, then back to flitter.

I reset the bridge. Its default IP is 192.168.1.226. I can access this when I reset it and connect it directly to the first router, but resetting it, or connecting it to anything else and nothing will recognise its default IP. I can't get in.


What the hell am I doing wrong?

Do I need to set the IP to a 192.168.2.226? I try and I can't access it anywhere. I have to reset it and start over.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Ninjahedge]

More info:

The modem/router is hooked through a 10/100 LAN port to the 54GS's WAN port. I tried hooking it up to its LAN but I got no signal.

The machine that is hardwired to it has no problem seeing the network and getting in.

My wife's laptop can get in, and the two slimserver media streamers can also connect.

I think it may have to do with the WPA key. Every time I enter it (when I can get in) the "@" symbol in the key changes to a "%40".

This was not a problem before, although I DID have a problem with it accepting "#" symbols in the last PW.

Could this be the hangup? If I change it to a long alphanumeric will this go away?

[shifty]

What is a "bridge"? I think you're using made-up terms I don't understand.

Basically, if your modem has a built-in router, AND your setup looks like this:

Internet->modem/router->LAN

... AND you want to add wireless access to your LAN, you MUST NOT use the WAN port on your wireless access point (WAP). You ONLY use the WAN port of the wireless access point when it MUST act as a router. However, in a configuration like the one I just mapped above, your WAP is needs to actually act like a HUB, forwarding along DHCP, etc.

So, basically, you need to run a network cable from the LAN port of your modem/router into the LAN port of the WAP. Then, you need to configure it to forward DHCP instead of issue DHCP :) Go into the WAP's Setup page and setup:

WAN connection type: DISABLED

Network setup: Static IP (on modem/router inside network range, outside of DHCP scope)
DHCP: DHCP Forwarder
DHCP Server: IP of your modem/router (inside network range)

That should be about it. I have this setup currently inside my network. Here is a screencap (I'm using DD-WRT), I hope it will help.

[5150]

http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/tutorials/article.php/3639271

[Wes]

The newer install of the FIOS service using some weird box that's very unreliable. Instead of giving you a real IP like a normal cable/dsl service does, the coax-to-eth box already doesn't the NAT for you and give you a 192.168.1.1 IP.

For the wireless bridge (actually you should call it wireless router), try setting it's WAN IP to 192.168.1.2 and set your wirelss (inside) IP address (NATting) for your wireless devices for 192.168.2.X.

[Ninjahedge]

http://www.amazon.com/Linksys-WET54G-Wireless-G-Ethernet-Bridge/dp/B00008WMBT

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41RF0YWMP0L._SL500_AA280_.jpg

I am just calling it what they are calling it.

It is a WAP. Hell, even the Firmware site (DD-WRT?) has a chart describing it as such...

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Wireless_Bridge

This is what I have, but instead of the "modem", it is another router that needs to be kept so the set top boxes can get their menus and stuff:

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/images/thumb/3/3a/Standard_bridge_large.jpg/798px-Standard_bridge_large.jpg

[Ninjahedge]

The newer install of the FIOS service using some weird box that's very unreliable. Instead of giving you a real IP like a normal cable/dsl service does, the coax-to-eth box already doesn't the NAT for you and give you a 192.168.1.1 IP.

For the wireless bridge (actually you should call it wireless router), try setting it's WAN IP to 192.168.1.2 and set your wirelss (inside) IP address (NATting) for your wireless devices for 192.168.2.X.

OK, this is where I am falling short Wes...

Which one is the "WAN"? The FiOS box is set at 192.168.1.1 and needs to stay that way.

The Linksys that is now going from there is hooked through its WAN port (the one the tech hooked up...) to the FiOS LAN port. One machine is hardwired to the Linksys, and can get through fine, and gets great speed on DL/UL.

All other things looking for the Linksys, set at 192.168.2.1, 255.255.255.0, gateway 192.168.1.1, hook up fine. (I have not tried going from one machine to another...yet).

I remember problems with hooking up the WAN port before, but for some reason, I am getting connection problems if I LAN it (I can get into the router, but the computer cannot connect).

Now, the only other thing is that "bridge" piece I posted. It can only use WAP (not WAP2) and seesm to have a problem keping the key listed as AAA@123. It looks like it keeps trying to access. Not only that, I can't access it if I try to re-assign its IP. Even hooked right up to the router, or the machine I am on, or the FiOS box (tried all three) if I try to change the IP to somethnig like 192.168.2.226 it cannot connect. I may be doing something stupid there and need to try it at 192.168.2.49 (max connections allotted by router = 50 starting at 192.168.2.50), but this was not a problem before with its # being 192.168.1.226 when the router started at 100 and only had 100 to go from there.....


Other strange things about the bridge. When I want to access it, I have to get in shortly after booting. Once it starts trying to get a wireless connection, it keeps timing out the browsers. I log in, use the PW and see the setup screen, but then do somethig like try to change password or scan for other networks and it times out.

It is a peculiar beast, and serves as a trunk line from one end of my house to another. I would really like to get it working again, but if that is not possible, would you recommend me just giving up and getting another Linksys WRT54GS?

[Ninjahedge]

BTW, I have tried using the Linksys router on 192.168.1.2 but for some reason it just balks and won't play nice. I don't know what could be causeing that.....

[Wes]

The one you have is really a bridge. I have that as well. As far as I remember, you have to run it using the same subnet. 192.168.1.X.

I stopped using it awhile back since I had to reboot it every so often. It cannot transfer big files neither.

[Ninjahedge]

Same subnet as which?

Also, the "gateway" is that simply the next step up the chain, or is that the first piece of equipment between the net and me? (IOW, would the gateway for the Linksys\router be the IP of the modem/router, the gateway for the bridge be the IP of the Linksys/router or do they all point to the first link in the chain?)

Also, if the router is at 192.168.2.1, can the bridge still connect to it on 192.168.1.X?

And is there any reason when I make my Link-R 192.168.1.2 that I cannot connect using my main computer? I will check its addy, but I do not think it is on 192.168.1.2.... (if it IS, should I just set it for 192.168.1.3, or bump the router to that #?)

Sorry, so many permutations, I would just like to know a bit of the flow before I go home and tear my hair out......

[shifty]

WAN is always a reference to "the internet side", pretty much. That's the best way to look at it. You have a WAN side of your modem, WAN side of your router, WAN side of ISP router. This is the (layman's) way I would look at it.

[Ninjahedge]

So the plan is like this?


Take the Linksys router and set its IP to something like x.x.1.99
Make sure the computer is not configured for this (conflict)
Turn OFF DCHP for the wireless router.
Set the bridge piece for x.x.1.98
Make sure the main router (FiOS) has DCHP enabled

The LS router will be the access point. It will generate the net and allow things to connect through it to the main router (assigned as the gateway x.x.1.1).

The hard connections will be LAN ports only.

Good?

(BTW Shift, I remember you trying to help me with the DD-WRT last time, but for some reason this little bridge piece kept balking at it. Kept needing to be reset, timed out, etc)

Thanks!

[Ninjahedge]

Its the bridge piece. It just won't behave. It works when I reset it, but every time I set it to the WPA settings, it just starts flicking like mad (as if it were actively transmitting) and does not let anything else access it....

I may need to move it to another room to give it another go...

[Ninjahedge]

You wanna know what the problem was?

I changed the WPA key.

The "bridge" could not save that "@" symbol. No, the laptop could, my slimdevices could, but not a network WAP "bridge".

:mad:

What is worse, NO MANUAL SAID THAT IT WOULD HAVE A PROBLEM!!!!!

Well, at least I can get to sleep at a decent hour tonight!!!!!

[shifty]

you must feel like a tard :D

[Ninjahedge]

Completely.

Especially considering that the passkey has worked for 3 years USING that "@" symbol.

I guess it just didn't feel like using it anymore. >shrug<

[]LoL[Harm]

I'm just throwing this out there, I didn't read everything. But the most common problem I've had when trying to get networks to talk, bridge or otherwise just do what they are supposed to do, is with the default gateway setting.

[Ninjahedge]

Well, I had the smarts to open up the laofile page before I implimented the passkey settings this time and I noticed it kept trying to access, and being denied. It kept printing large "Stop Connecting" or something similar.

I changed the passkey to all ABC123 and it went through just fine with NO OTHER CHANGES.

And the reason my main box was having problems was an IP conflict. The boxes were starting at 101, and I put my main machine at the same long before that.

Absolute BRILLIANCE (they couldn't make the numbers start at something weird, like 142?).

Anyway, you live and you learn, but it would have been nice to get all this done before 12 on Tuesday and 10 yesterday!!! (8 hours of troubleshooting?)

[Dr. Death]

If you are plugging your wireless in via the WAN port, it won't work. You need to plug it into one of the wired LAN ports and use your router as a simple switch with wireless access. Make sure that your router has autoswitching ethernet ports or else use a crossover cable.

Then set the management interface to some IP that doesn't interfere with the management IP of the FIOS box, but is still on the same subnet (192.168.1.x) Then your router will act as a switch and will sit on the FIOS router's subnet. If the FIOS router has wireless, turn that off.

[Ninjahedge]

Thankc.

I still have the FiOS wireless on, but there is no real sense in keeping that on if I am not trying to stream a movie AND play online at the same time.... (The name and channel of both are different, I never had a problem with that.....)

We originally had it going from the FiOS LAN to the Linksys WAN, but I changed that.

The problem was, when that was changed, the first comp hirdwired to the Linksys would then be unable to get on the net. When I manually configured the IP and input a set of valid DNS IP's, that went away.

The router has auto-switch, so I have not had any problems.

But the frustrating thing was simple. Even though the Linksys was on the system, when I tried something liek Tracert from the hardwired machine back to 192.168.1.1, it would not SEE the linksys at 192.168.1.10, so there was almost no way I could start tracing the steps things were going through and where the blockage was....

ipconfig/all was helpful though! ;)

I also think we need Shifty's wireless security page back up!!!! ;)

[shifty]

If you are plugging your wireless in via the WAN port, it won't work. You need to plug it into one of the wired LAN ports and use your router as a simple switch with wireless access.

That's what I said up there :D

[Dr. Death]

Yeah, I know. My fault for not reading all the replies first. :rolleyes:

[shifty]

It's all your fault!

[Ninjahedge]

Devils advocate question....

If it isn't supposed to work, why did it work....sorta?