Router won't give valid I.P. addresses..

[spaceman]

Howdy,

I have a home network based around a Linksys BEFSR41 V.2 Router/ 4 port switch and a Comcast cable connection. All are using either Win98 or Win98se O/S.

For the past couple of weeks, I am unable to get workable I.P. addresses from my router to the ethernet cards in several of my computers. My hobby is building/repairing "vintage" computers for my family and friends. So for the past year or so, it's been great to just plug in, connect, and download with great speed.

All of these computers have NIC's that are correctly installed and have been on my network at one time or another. Now, when I plug one in----all I keep getting is the Windows default I.P. address 169.248.12.17. Of course, it won't connect. I change the I.P. in the Network Properties Config and still it's a no go. My router is not seeing the computer that I trying to connect.

I can plug in a USB to Ethernet adapter and it works great!! Valid I.P. addresses and instant connections with any and all computers.

It works with the NIC's in two of my computers....my wife's and my main personal computer and they both have ethernet cards.

Your help and advice will be greatly appreciated.

I guess my question is, "How do I get this thing to give the computers with NIC's a valid I.P. address?"

Spaceman

[IntegraTypeR]

Possibly you plugged your modem into the uplink slot? Comcast only gives 2 IP's I believe. Should be in WAN. Just asking to make sure. :)

[cyberskye]

Behind a NAT router it doesn't matter how many IPs your isp gives you.

Have you tried switching cables and ports on the router? Just to rule that out. You said that even when using static addressing it doesn't work, so if the hw is not the problem I would uninstall/reinstall tcp.

Skye

[mccoffee]

you might have to eneter a hostname in the router configs also try turning router,modem,pc, off wait about 10mins even 5 wiill do trun on modem wait a minaute then router the pcs one buy one

[mccoffee]

you might have to mac spoof one computer but that is odd how it works on one card and not another

[spaceman]

IntraTypeR....LOL, Yes, I have it in the right hole!!

cyberskye....MY iSP is not the problem, the router will not give me
a valid IP (192.168.1.xxx) Address. That dang
169.274.17.12 Windows default IP will not go away.

mccoffee....What is a mac spoof? Is it like mac cloning in the router's config? Should I do this? Also, will you tell me the order of re-attaching the components, please? I have been turning everything off, then attaching the computers to the router, then the router to the cable modem, then turn on the router--turn on the modem..and last, turn on the computers. Is this the proper sequence?

Jeez, sorry for so many questions...I sound like a prosecuter.

Spaceman

[YeOldeStonecat]

mccoffee....his WAN setup is working fine, as evidenced by his main two computers working correctly. Host name and MAC spoofing are for the WAN part of the router, not LAN part.

Spaceman...one thing to bypass the DHCP not functioning correctly, you can manually set the IP on the NICs....pick an IP within the scope of your router, such as 192.168.1.11 (.12, .13...different for each computer), same 255.255.255.0 subnet mask. Leave WINS disabled, gateway on all will be the router...192.168.1.1, and DNS you can also put the router, 192.168.1.1 If the above doesn't work...then I'd say there's a issue with the NIC...may be dead. What type if NICs are they? Set to auto speed and auto duplex?

That is assuming your LAN setup is the default setup on the Linksys.

I have run across 98 clients failing to pickup DHCP info, I remember a while ago in the Software forum someone found the registry fix for that (something gets hosed in the registry)....I just spent a few minutes looking for it and cannot find it. I'll dig around some more. It's as easy as deleting one key or so, and it works.

[spaceman]

YOSC---Howdy!!

I am using one computer as my "test unit". I just unhooked everything and set up this computer straight into the cable modem--static. BOOM! No sweat. Great connection everything fine. Hooked to internal SMC nic.

Then, went into Network config. and unchecked everything and shut down this computer and the cable modem. Re-hooked the network and restarted. My main computer and my wife's is fine.
My "test unit" is blinking on the router, but it's back to the 169.274 65.114 Windows IP and not working.

---one minute delay to attach the USB-Ethernet adapter to the "test unit"---

Now the test unit is working fine with the USB adapter. Valid IP and it's happy.


I'm doing or not doing something....should I set up the router static?

SM

[YeOldeStonecat]

Originally posted by spaceman
I'm doing or not doing something....should I set up the router static?

SM

Lemme doublecheck.....your router is connecting to the internet fine, correct? You do have two computers with NICs connected to the router...which itself is connected to your cable...and those two computers work fine going through the router, correct?

And when you attatch USB NICs to the troublesome machines, they work fine through the router using the USB NIC, correct? Just not their standard PCI NIC on the router, correct?

I'd leave your router alone....it seems to be working fine....only thing you can try is making sure it's the latest firmware, but I've never seen firmware have anything to do with the DHCP service. I have seen networks where some machines just will not obtain IP info from a routers DHCP service...I've had to resort to the static IP approach for those workstations...always running Win98. I have seen that registry issue...where deleting that key solves it. I'll post in software forum and see if someone remembers it.

[spaceman]

My Friends,

First, let me Thank You for all your help, expertise, and advice. I really appreciate your time and effort in solving this problem.

Second, here is the problem: "Ta-Da!!"
For lack of a better word, Port 3 on the router is "goofy". It will accept/use/employ a USB to Ethernet adapter perfectly. It will not behave itself with an internal ethernet card---it goes on strike and refuses to change it's ways. So, I shall use fickle and spoiled Port 3 with it's "adapter of choice" and try to live in harmony with it!

Thanks, again.

Spaceman
:D

[cyberskye]

Start saving up for your replacement router now...once ports start to go it gets contageous.

[YeOldeStonecat]

Originally posted by spaceman
Second, here is the problem: "Ta-Da!!"
For lack of a better word, Port 3 on the router is "goofy". It will accept/use/employ a USB to Ethernet adapter perfectly. It will not behave itself with an internal ethernet card---

Interesting...most interesting. There's one to file in the "strange" box.