I just got a "new and improved" DSL service from Earthlink and after two hours with the tech guy, they were clueless. One of the worst tech support experiences I've had. I was just about to cancel the service when I got disconnected. After a few choice words :-), I thought I'd try the question here and see if anyone has any ideas on how to do it.
So Earthlink is my ISP, the modem is brand new (ZyXEL P-660R-ELNK), and I can talk directly to the modem if I run an ethernet cable from the modem to a comp (I can't talk to the modem if the comp is connected to it via the router). I can adjust any of the settings it says. One of the settings they told me to set is a toggle option, routing vs. bridge. They told me to put it into bridge mode and everything should be fine. Of course it didn't work.
So here are a few of the things that I know. I can connect to the internet, the service works, if I have the modem directly linked to my computer. Weird thing is, I talked to the modem once, net address 192.168.1.1, so i could adjust the settings, but now, for whatever reason, I can't talk to the modem. I do the 192.168.1.1 address in a browser (both IE and Firefox) and it times out and I go to the command window and try to ping it, and I can't connect. But, I am connected and I am surfing as I type right now because of a wired, ethernet cable connection between the modem and my laptop. I'll try reseting the modem and see if I can talk to it again once it's reset, but the main question I have is what type of setting(s) should I need to set up on this modem so it can share nicely with my Netgear router and share the DSL connection with everyone in an always on fashion? The tech guy at Earthlink was asking me to set up a login sequence for each computer that would use the connection. I would really rather not do that if possible, but, if that's the only way, I could do it. Bummer I travel with this laptop and I like it finding the right network when I show up to the different places I typically connect without me having to pick or disable various connections for it to work.
Thanks for any thoughts,
Rick
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According to the info on Earthlink's support site (http://kb.earthlink.net/c
If you use a router, you should NOT use login software on your individual computers, at least for making the DSL connection and general web browsing. I would think that getting your email would simply be a matter of going to their website, but I can't speak to that.
Thanks a bunch for the response. The modem has a set up wizard and when you set it into bridging mode, it makes all the other adjustments you listed (to encapsulation, multiplex, etc.) I get that all done, it gives me an option to test the system and the system says it's fine, but it doesn't have any WAN connection. So, now, I have to unplug the ethernet cable from the modem to my computer and connect it from the modem to the router. From the router I now plug in a cable to my computer. Now I can talk to my router, but there was no option under the WAN settings to set to PPPoE. On the basic settings page there's a piece about ISP provider, and in the info screen next to the options box it says the "other" option, the one I have selected means PPPoE. There was no other place I saw anywhere to set anything to PPPoE.
Other things I could set under the WAN options were the default DMZ server, respond to pings and connect automatically.
Back to the basic settings page, on that page I have my login information, and I've deleted the Earthlink network connection they told me to create, except that since I can't connect through my router, I had to recreate it so I could log back in to post here since I had to reconnect the modem directly to my computer and put it back into routing mode.
One other thing I wondered, does it matter at all about when I take out the cable from the modem and put it into the router? Should I power off the modem/router/comp and restart them in sequence? I've tried it once, where I made all the settings to the modem, it said they were all saved, I powered everything down, waited a few minutes, then turned the modem on, waited till the lights were solid, then turned on the router, waited till it was solid, then the comp. Trick is, the ethernet light on the modem is always orange. It is even when it's directly connected to my comp, but the other lights are green. Not sure about that.
Ok, last question maybe in a different direction. Is there a different modem I can use that would work easily and nice with my router? Does Earthlink's service require a special kind of modem or could I get any of a bunch of options that are going to work with my router? I'd rather solve the problem with what I have here, but I need to get this problem solved, as soon as possible. Thanks for your help,
Rick
It's appropriate that the modem won't get an Internet connection by itself in bridging mode. That mode is intended for the router to do the login process. The Ethernet light on the modem may not go from orange to green until it is actually logged in. But if you mean that it's still orange even when you use it in router mode and you're connected to the Internet, that seems odd. Even stranger, I just looked at the Zyxel manual online, and it doesn't show the Ethernet light as having an orange color; it only lists green (steady, blinking, and off) as an option.
Looking at the Netgear manual online, I agree that you want to set the Internet Service Provider box to Other for PPPoE. You should put your Earthlink email address in the Login box (I don't know whether they want "@earthlink.net" included or not), and the email password in the Password box. Choose Get Dynamically/Automatically for the IP and DNS addresses.
While it shouldn't be necessary to turn the equipment off and on when switching between using the router and using the modem directly, it's not a bad idea to do that when you're getting apparently flaky results. That way you know there aren't odd temporary conditions. (Cable modems are different; a cable modem has to be turned off when you switch what it's connected to.)
The Zyxel modem seems to be a standard ADSL modem, so I think you could replace it with another if you wanted. It doesn't seem like it should be necessary, though. But perhaps getting a DSL modem that doesn't try to do anything else would reduce the complexity of the operation.
Ok, so I set the modem in bridging mode, disconnect the cable from the modem to my computer and plug the cable into the router. The router is set up with PPPoE and my login name and password. So as soon as the ethernet cable is plugged from the modem to the router, the router will attempt to login and set up the always on connection? The bummer is, I've tried it a bunch and so far, nothing. The other bummer is that Earthlink doesn't support any third party networking stuff (unless you buy it from them and pay them for service/support). It sure seems like this is a pretty basic issue of modem-router-shared internet service. I went to the ZyXel site last night and found the manual for the modem. Just then Earthlink crashed for the night, so I'll check that out and see if that has any helpful info.
Thanks again,
Rick
Man I hate computers. So I went to ZyXel site, nice laid out, but no way to get in touch with anyone and even the email them a question feature froze. So I tried just typing in the full router name in Google, got sent to a DSL Reports support page that referenced the first page you saw. Thought what the heck, I'll try it again. Set up the modem just using the same wizard, nothing new on the router, plugged the modem into the router and now it works. What a stupid system. The only thing I'm afraid of is that the only reason it's working is because I had been connected on my laptop using the modem directly, and now when I switched to the router, the connection was still open? I've been hurting for the last few days not having access, so I'm loathe to turn it off and test it. I tested it on a second machine in the house though and that worked, so I guess that's a confirmation?
Anyhow, this is always the most frustrating "answer" the one you did multiple times, nothing new the last time you did it, but now it works. Grrrrrr.
Thanks for your help,
Rick
It's hard to tell from your description whether the connection was opened while the modem was in router mode and stayed open when switched to bridge mode, though I know that some devices will automatically cycle when you make a change like that, in which case you're not going to lose the connection from powering off. But I'd suggest finding a good time to test a power cycle when you'd be able to troubleshoot further if needed. Before you cycle the power, write down all the settings for both the modem and the router.
Anyway, I'm glad it's working now, and I hope that proves to be permanent.
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by: rickoxoPosted on 2007-01-24 at 20:26:01ID: 18393092
A little bit more info if this helps. I got back in touch with the modem and checked some of the settings I could modify. The main four through the set up wizard were mode (bridge or routing), encapsulation, multiplex and virtual circuit. Also, there's a system check when you get done with the wizard that has the following pieces. Basic ethernet connection, it says passed. ADSL Synch, pass, ADSL (ATM OAM) loopback test, pass, then PPP/PPPoE server connect, fail and ping default gateway, fail.
When I try to use the connection icon the earthlink guy had me set up, it says connecting through WAN miniport PPPOE and then gives the error message, 678, couldn't connect.
Rick