wireless woes

[Shifter2101]

ok, ive tried to get some help with some problems ive been having with my router on this forum before but, i guess no one checks back with my thread after they ask me for more info...
i hope this isnt the case this time 'round...

anyways....
heres my problem:

last week i could only connect to the net if i broadcasted my SSID and UNencrypted it.

then a few days ago i could only connect if i was "hardwired" to the router.

NOW, i can ONLY connect when i take the router completely out of the equation.

i have tried EVERYTHING that every puter literate person has suggested i try... ive now come back to all of you for help.

i currently have the router (linksys befw11s4) set to its default settings. i am using a built-in NIC that is set-up to grab its IP addresses and whatnot automatically. im running WinXP as well.

last night, while on the phone with a friend of mine who was trying to help me out, we saw that if we went into the router set-up and looked on the "status" tab the LAN heading showed its ip&mac addresses as normal but, under the WAN heading the only thing showing up is the "subnet mask".

ive gone into the DOS prompt and tried release & renew on the ipconfig and that didnt work. back in the router, on that same tab, there are two buttons that do the same thing (release & renew) and THAT didnt work either...

im wondering if anyone knows how i can get the modem talking with the router again (as this seems to be whats wrong)... and if anyone knows WHY this kind of thing would happen in the first place?

please please please help me out on this one... im not looking forward to buying a new router and/or modem, and most definitely not looking forward to replacing the build-in NIC...

as always, thanx in advance for your help...

[bullgator]

If you are using Xp to manage your wireless, check the wireless network properties and verify that it is keeping your settings intact, either open or shared. Mine is set to shared with wep enabled, however it seems to have a mind of its own and will change to open randomly. I have to go back in change it back to connect.

[ArcticFox]

Have you tried using the latest firmware for your router? That may solve a few things. Look around Linksys' page for it, as you didn't specify the version number you are using.

[Shifter2101]

bullgator:

everytime ive ever looked, its always set to automatic.

arcticfox:

everything is up to date.

[bullgator]

Under network connections make sure " Show icon in notification area when connected" is checked.
Then right click the icon in the lower right taskbar area, then> view available wireless networks>advanced>configure> Check your association, network authentication and encryption settings.

What type of nic are we dealing with here ? You say built-on, is it 3com, intel, etc. ?

[Shifter2101]

everything looks normal until you look in the router setup under WAN... the only thing showing up is the subnet mask...

its a broadcom 54g maxperformance 802.11g

it not the NIC or the modem. its just that the router wont "talk" to the modem.

as you can see... the firmware is a few years old but thats the most recent linksys has put out. this was taken with the router in its default factory settings.

[Shifter2101]

anyone?.. anyone at all???

[Tazzin]

I have the same exact router.. or at least I think I do.. I have the version 1...

I have the same exact problems sometimes. I have emailed Linksys regarding the problem.. and those buttons in the Status page will only work if your DSL provider is sending out the IP address. Their DHCP server only sends it out when it is requesed from your DSL modem.

What I do in this situation is have to unplug my DSL modem.. and plug it back in.. wait for it to sync back up.. and then if you click DHCP Renew on the status page .. or keep refreshing the status page.. it should populate with your new or maybe same IP address.

Hope this helps.

[Shifter2101]

ok... i tried unhooking/unplugging everything. while everything was disconnected from each other i reset em using a paperclip on the reset switches. then i put it all on a power strip/surge protector. i then hooked it all back up and waited about an hour before powering it all back up.

i setup a new network in xp and crossed my fingers...

low and behold, evrything works fine now...EXCEPT...

i cant connect thru the router wirelessly, only hardwired to it. i can seen to get the router to see the DNS setting for the modem... if i manually change the DNS thru the router it wont "take". if i go into DOS and look at the IPCONFIG i can see it.

can this be fixed or shold i just buy all new equipment?

[VaTech]

Nah, I think I am having the same problem. The router just quits responding after a length of time. I wonder if I need to keep pinging it to keep it up.

Note: I just upgraded the firmware. So far, so good