Question

Configuring a Linksys Wireless router with possible complications from VPN client?

Asked by: kuzax

I am having a problem configuring the Linksys wireless router (WRT54G) to work with the cable broadband service/modem provided by Charter Communications (DHCP, not PPPoE or other).  My problem arises after I do the initial set up steps for the wireless router.  Upon setting up the router, either manually or with the CD, I am able to access the internet through both a desktop machine (that is wired to the router) and using a wireless connection via my laptop.  However, once I turn off the computers, I lose the ability to reconnect unless I re-power up the wireless router.  Even then, sometimes connectivity via either wired or wireless is hit or miss.  Also, eliminating the router and connecting directly to the cable modem solves the intermittent connection issue.  I have set up plenty of wireless routers, although usually PPPoE based, never with DHCP...so I have not seen this problem before.  

Through some thinking, I'm wondering if the kink in this setup is the Nortel VPN software (on both computers), obviously DHCP enabled, needed to connect to work.  The wireless router on setup is picking up the MAC address of the Nortel Adapter (the 44-45-53-54-42-00 address)...which I'm guessing means that it is trying to get an IP address through the VPN DHCP?  I'll be honest, I am a novice computer user so anything I have learned about this process has been self-taught.  

Things I have I tried to remedy the situation (if they are dumb attempts to change things, please don't laugh too hard):

1.  Alter/Clone the MAC address to the 00-0F-1F-B7-1E-C3 assigned to my connection.  (Cannot connect to internet.)

2.  Alter the IP address of the router to 198.162.1.200  (Connection to internet, but continues to require a re-start of the wireless router each time a wireless computer is powered up.)

3. Disable the Local DHCP routing on the wireless router.  (Cannot even connect to the router anymore, much less get to the internet.)

I have also been reading about the problems between wireless routers and VPN connectivity, so I am anticipating that problem will also arise, but first off, I need to get my wireless router working.  

I saw a post on another site that recommended using port settings.  
http://www.velocityreviews.com/forums/t298913-vpn-connection-problem-with-wireless-router-in-network.html
Would this fix my problem?

I have also read about the problems with competing security any trying to disable WEP/WPA, but that seems to be more related to VPN connection issues.  I will try that, but not sure it will help in my situation.  

Below I have included my ipconfig info.  Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.  I do know another person who has this problem with the same wireless router, same broadband provider, and same Nortel VPN client.  They can only access the internet when they are connected through VPN, otherwise, they have no internet connection.

Thoughts?  Please let me know what more information you need.  Thanks!


Windows IP Configuration

        Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : ***
        Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . :
        Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Mixed
        IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
        WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

        Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
        Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 570x Gigabit Integrated Controller
        Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0F-1F-B7-1E-C3
        Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
        Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
        IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.100
        Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
        Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
        DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
        DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
        Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, December 23, 2007 1:56:00 PM

        Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, December 25, 2007 1:56:00 PM

Ethernet adapter {F1A68334-5241-4F98-AF6E-EA4633F26E84}:

        Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
        Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Nortel IPSECSHM Adapter - Packet Scheduler Miniport
        Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 44-45-53-54-42-00
        Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
        Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : No
        IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
        Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
        Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
        DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255

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Asked On
2007-12-23 at 11:23:04ID23040786
Tags

linksys

,

router

,

charter

,

vpn

Topics

Wireless Technologies

,

Broadband Internet

,

Virtual Private Networking (VPN)

Participating Experts
2
Points
500
Comments
6

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Answers

 

by: jamesjcooperPosted on 2007-12-23 at 20:04:26ID: 20523466

It sounds as if you have a bad router.   If you configure the router, you can connect to the internet for a while, but then if you shut down your pc you loose connectivity?   Just want to make sure I read all that right.

You should not need to clone the mac address of the router.   Just leave the wan connection set to dhcp.   When you are having issues with connectivity, can you ping the router?   Probably 192.168.0.1.   That would tell you if the problem is with the router or on your cable modem.   If you can ping the router and not an outside address, such as 199.2.252.10, then you most likely have an issue with the router.

There are also options on the linksys routers to enable vpn pass-thru, which you need to enable.

 

by: kuzaxPosted on 2007-12-24 at 07:03:27ID: 20524863

Thanks for the response.  Interestingly enough, I decided to try a new Linksys router and it, so far, seems to be working.  Although you say the MAC address doesn't matter, that is so far the only change made and it is working.  I thought that often times broadband (cable, in particular) requires the router to have an MAC address as ID.  Somehow, the old router was unable to figure out how to use the actual LAN MAC address and could only use the Nortel MAC address.  Perhaps you have another idea, but that is all that is different.    

Also, I had not yet tried to ping the router.  I was going to try that today, but I ended up just setting up the new router instead.  

Anyway, I think for now that all is good.  Thanks for your input!  

 

by: kuzaxPosted on 2007-12-24 at 07:04:39ID: 20524868

Also, I had the VPN pass thru enabled.  

 

by: jamesjcooperPosted on 2007-12-24 at 09:38:13ID: 20525329

Your router has a mac address set from the factory, all network devices have one, linksys allows you to clone one if your isp had the account locked into one mac address.

 

by: Computer101Posted on 2008-02-21 at 15:50:21ID: 20953265

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