Router 'Bridge' Issue

[mnewsome]

Trying to help another with a router issue. The user has a linksys wireless router [WRT54G2 ver 1]through "Verizon" with a Westell DSL modem.

The user can connect to the internet through a physical connection to the router but no wireless connection is available.

-IP Config says: media disconnected
-Device manager shows no issues with the wireless network adapter and that it is working
- The carrier insisted on a 'bridge' connection

My questions:

- Does the 'bridge' mode disable any of the router's functions?
- My experience has been that the router and the DSL modem should be on different sub nets. The user has the following:
192.168.1.1 and 192.168.1.100. Could this be at least part of the problem? Would changing the IP address to: 192.168.2.X make a difference?
- What else can be done to troubleshoot this issue?

Guidance sought

[techsheaven]

Just to clerify, your DSL modem is set to bridged mode, right?

Your PPPoE information is in your linksys router right?

Believe it or not they no only can be on the same subnet, the DSL modem and the router can have the same IP address (depending on config). This does not cause a conflict because of NAT (they are seen as two seperate networks).

[mnewsome]

Mucht thanks for the timely reply. The router is in bridged mode and I am nearly certain that PPoE information is in place. I believe the PPoE is in place because the user called Verizon for support. They only care about the internet connection and not it the wireless router is functioning. The Wireless adapter is working as per device manager yet ip config says 'media disconnected'. My first thought was a physical connection issue and so the user 'says' she has checked that. She can get on the internet with the ethernet connection but no wireless access. Had a brief but shaky connection via remote assistance but would rather not go back to that. Looking for more troubleshooting advice and perhaps some documentation on what allows 'natting' to distinguish two nodes. Much thanks for your learned counsel and it is my hope you can stay with me through out the resolution of this issue.

Just to clerify, your DSL modem is set to bridged mode, right?

Your PPPoE information is in your linksys router right?

Believe it or not they no only can be on the same subnet, the DSL modem and the router can have the same IP address (depending on config). This does not cause a conflict because of NAT (they are seen as two seperate networks).

[techsheaven]

OK, the dsl modem and the router are probably configured correctly since you can connect through a wired connection to the router.

Now we are looking at WIFI issues. When she does a site survey, does the PC find the router? If so, watch the signal strength. Does it fluctuate? If there are no SSID's, Is the WIFI antena on?

[techsheaven]

I just noticed that you posted a screenshot of your ip configuration.
I see you are using Verizon DSL and as you said, your wireless is disconnected. When you ran ipconfg, your Wired LAN was connected.

Can you tell me about the wireless adapter? Are the latestdrivers installed from the manufacturer, or is it using a generic driver? Go to the device manager and see if there is an exclaimation mark, question mark, or "X" on anything.

[mnewsome]

I just noticed that you posted a screenshot of your ip configuration.
I see you are using Verizon DSL and as you said, your wireless is disconnected. When you ran ipconfg, your Wired LAN was connected.

Can you tell me about the wireless adapter? Are the latestdrivers installed from the manufacturer, or is it using a generic driver? Go to the device manager and see if there is an exclaimation mark, question mark, or "X" on anything.

Thanks for your continued support. I actually visited the user about a week ago. This is an Acer "Aspire 5000" and I made a point of checking on the drivers. I checked the device manager and there were no yellows. The driver versions of the components were checked against the Acer support page. The versions were identical. She never knew of the device manager and I doubt she could have altered anything. This was all done from the Acer which was online and could navigate the internet. I did ask her to connect to the DSL modem to see the interface but she knows a very few things about connections and questioned the necessity. I told her I wanted the information because others who assist me might ask for everything that might play into this as you have. I know that the newer modems have the verizon black and red background and the legacy models have blue and white.

I have posted to DSL Reports a forum dedicated to these kind of things. They showed an image of the interface page but did not explicitly indicate what the settings should be when the modem is bridged. I would like to know for my own knowledge. If you feel it integral to a complete assesment I will email her.

Thanks much

[techsheaven]

NAT stands for Network Address Translation. To understand the basics, you need to know that some IP addresses can be passed by routers on the internet and some are "Private IP addresses." It would be nice if every device had it's own unique IP address, but there just aren't enough! So an IP address like 192.168.1.100 is assigned to millions of computers and devices around the world! To prevent conflicts, Routers strip off the private IP information, replace it with the public address asigned by the IPS, make a not of it. When the requested information returns, NAT puts the private IP back on in and delivers it to the correct host in the Local Area Network (LAN).

[techsheaven]

OK. "Media disconnected" can mean a lot of things.

http://www.zyenweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/acer_radio.jpg

The above link shows the switch? That is the most common issue with WIFI connections.

She will probably not be able to access the DSL modem through the router because that interface is a private address on the WAN side of the router. She will have to plug directly into the LAN port on the modem and set a static IP (on the host PC) when it is in bridged mode (because DHCP is disabled).

[mnewsome]

Coincidentally, I asked virtually the same questions in an email this day. Since I don't want her to take the entire day away for both of us we'll pick this up again late Monday or possibly Tuesday [EST].

Thank you

OK, the dsl modem and the router are probably configured correctly since you can connect through a wired connection to the router.

Now we are looking at WIFI issues. When she does a site survey, does the PC find the router? If so, watch the signal strength. Does it fluctuate? If there are no SSID's, Is the WIFI antena on?