Dsl!!! Help!!!!

[Talisman]

My son recently moved back in with me. He has a Linksys router so that we both could use the DSL. Thursday night my boyfriend bought a router cable and tried to hook up his laptop to the DSL, also. He called our internet provider to walk him through it. He eventually got frustrated and hung up after not being able to connect.

My problem....After he got off the phone, I tried to get on the Websleuths site....AAAARRRRGGG!!! I can't get on-line!!! I called our internet provider up then, they tried a few things and told me that my computer reset it's IP address and that I would have to call Compaq. I called Compaq...they said my warranty was up and that it would cost me $50 to talk to a tech. (that is ALOT of money to me) I then called Linksys (hoping the other people I spoke to didn't know what they were talking about) Sure thing-they walked me through a few things, but couldn't help either. They told me to call Microsoft.

I will be the first to admit that I don't know anything about tech stuff...how in the world can my boyfriend trying to hook up his laptop to a router cause my computer to go wacky and what can I do about it?

My son's computer was not affected (he has a DELL) all he had to do was re-connect. My son is such a sweety--after hearing me whine, whine, whine, whine about not being able to get on Websleuths he said I could use his computer. Although, I won't be able to get on very often.

Any help will be greatly appreciated!! Especially because my daughter will be coming home from college and will be going crazy without the internet (and it is really her computer, not mine, that went wacky.)


Thanks, Talisman.

 

[Taximom]

I am absolutely NO help when it comes to this. All I know how to do is to turn everything off and on and make sure it's all connected the right way. Did bf reconnect everything the way it was? (My dh would have done something backwards, that's why I'm asking.)

ANYWAY, this line just cracked me up!!
"My son is such a sweety--after hearing me whine, whine, whine, whine about not being able to get on Websleuths he said I could use his computer."

I hope you get it fixed soon. I know how that withdrawal goes.

 

[yarbchris]

Not sure which model router your running. Sounds like a conflict with the IP Addresses. Taximom is right about turning everything off. Turn off, or unplug, all routers (dsl, linksys, etc). Shut down both PCs, leaving them connected to the router. once everything is off, turn the routers back on and let them cycle through till all the lights are stable. Now boot up your PCs. Your PCs should now be assigned separate IP addresses.

Another thing to try with a computer that won't connect is using ipconfig.

Click on Start, then Run, then type "cmd" (without quotations)

At the command prompt that appears, type "ipconfig /release"

After your IP is released, type "ipconfig /renew"

This should give you a new IP address and get you connected.

Here is a good freeware app for diagnosing network problems; you might find it useful. Enter an IP range and scan to see what nodes are on your network. Example: 192.168.1.1-192.168.1.255
http://www.softperfect.com/products/networkscanner/

You can get user guides here: http://tinyurl.com/5dquux

Hope this helps.

 

[Talisman]

yarbchris,

Thank you so much!!! It feels wonderful to be connected again!!


Taximom,

Thank you, also! Those 'withdrawals' felt terrible!! I really missed you guys!!:blowkiss:

 

[Taximom]

Wow, I didn't understand a thing yarbchris wrote but I'm glad it worked!! :woohoo: Thanks for bringing Talisman back to WS!

Now, you need to put a big sign on the pc that says DON'T TOUCH (and that means you Mr. Boyfriend).

 

[Talisman]

(aaaarrrrrrrrrrggggghhhhh!)

Okay, I admit this is a very small, piddly problem in the grand scheme of things ... but it is so annoying!!!

My son's computer is a Dell with Vista
My daughter's is a Compaq with Windows XP
Boyfriend has a Compaq laptop with Windows Media Player
DSL Modem from our Internet provider
We have a Linksys router (wireless)

My son's computer and my daughters will 'communicate' with each other or the router and share the internet. When my boyfriend tries to hook up to the Linksys router it messes up the works. After that the computers won't share the internet at all. A message will appear on my daughters screen that says ' A conflicting IP address in the Network'

My boyfriend and I have gone through all of his settings to make sure they are the same as my daughters. To no avail. We just have to take turns now getting on-line. (My daughter referered to it as playing Duck, Duck, Goose )

Just can't handle dealing with the Linksys or the Internet provider's 'help' line anymore. They grate on my nerves and make the problem worse EVERYTIME. After hours on the phone with them not one of our computers will have an IP address -- they all come up 0000.00. Then they each point the finger at the other for the problem and tell me to call Compaq and Microsoft. They are no help at all ( it is not their fault, they are just trying to earn a days pay. I blame management) After messing around I can usually get my daughter's and son's computer to get on-line at the same time. This time, though, I cannot. My son isn't home all that much, but it does get bothersome after awhile .... "Are you on-line now? Can I get on for awhile? Are you on-line cause I can't get on?"

Can anybody help me? What do I have to do (short of calling Linksys and Internet provider AGAIN and AGAIN) to be able to get all three on-line? Any help or guidance will be GREATLY appreciated.

 

[blaize]

Hi Talisman, it sounds like one of the computers trying to use the router to access the net is set up to have a static ip. That means that rather than allowing the router to assign the ip the computer tells the router this is my ip and that's that. It sounds very much like your daughter's machine has the ip addy your boyfriend's wants so his machine throws a fit and the router sulks.

For WinXP go to the Control Panel & click Network Connections.

You might have a few network connections in this window so right click on the one you use to connect to the internet. Then click properties.


In the connection information box that comes up click the properties button to open up the properties window of your internet connection.

Click Internet Protocol(TCP/IP) and then click the Properties button.

Make sure that Obtain An IP Adress Automatically is selected.

Click OK.

The instructions for Vista might be a little different but if you search you'll find them. If you don't just post here again and we'll try from here.

Hope that helps.

 

[Pharlap]

My son recently moved back in with me. He has a Linksys router so that we both could use the DSL. Thursday night my boyfriend bought a router cable and tried to hook up his laptop to the DSL, also. He called our internet provider to walk him through it. He eventually got frustrated and hung up after not being able to connect.

My problem....After he got off the phone, I tried to get on the Websleuths site....AAAARRRRGGG!!! I can't get on-line!!! I called our internet provider up then, they tried a few things and told me that my computer reset it's IP address and that I would have to call Compaq. I called Compaq...they said my warranty was up and that it would cost me $50 to talk to a tech. (that is ALOT of money to me) I then called Linksys (hoping the other people I spoke to didn't know what they were talking about) Sure thing-they walked me through a few things, but couldn't help either. They told me to call Microsoft.

I will be the first to admit that I don't know anything about tech stuff...how in the world can my boyfriend trying to hook up his laptop to a router cause my computer to go wacky and what can I do about it?

My son's computer was not affected (he has a DELL) all he had to do was re-connect. My son is such a sweety--after hearing me whine, whine, whine, whine about not being able to get on Websleuths he said I could use his computer. Although, I won't be able to get on very often.

Any help will be greatly appreciated!! Especially because my daughter will be coming home from college and will be going crazy without the internet (and it is really her computer, not mine, that went wacky.)


Thanks, Talisman.

Do you use a pc or mac.
If pc, turn back the date, before this happened.. This will give you all of your previous settings .
I'll walk u threw the menus.
Hit start..shows program menu.
hit accessories menu.
Hit system tools menu.
Hit system restore menu.
Let you son, do it.
System restore it to a few days before this problem took place.
Just follow the instructions.
Hope that helps....:blowkiss:

One last thing.
Do you have a wireless router?
If so get a wireless card for the pc, much easier then connecting then with a cable, only way to fly..hehe
I have that and use dsl, att

 

[Talisman]

blaize and pharlap,:blowkiss:

Thanks for the advice. I won't be able to see if it works until later when my boyfriend comes over.

It is a wireless router - boyfriends laptop isn't equiped with the internal card - so he was thinking of just buying a card after all of this frustration.

It is just one of those simple things that seems to be complicated:crazy:

 

[Cheetah]

You need to manually assign the IP addresses to each computer.

Go to each computer and get the ip address by clicking on start==run==cmd. At the command prompt type in ipconfig.

Find the computers sharing the IP address and change the last 3 digits to anything not already being used. The number has to be between 2 and 254.

For example...if your IP address is "192.168.0.100" you can change it to "192.168.0.101" or "192.168.0.2"

To manually change the IP address go to control panel==network connections. Click on connection type then go to properties=internet protocol tcp/ip==properties....enter new ip address.

Also for your router...it should be set to DHCP. To do this type in your IP address into the web browser...that should bring up a prompt to enter your linksys password...you will see where to change settings.

 

[Talisman]

blaize, pharlap, and cheetah,

We worked on the DSL problem tonight and are still not having any luck. We are getting very frustrated. Thank you all for your input ... we think we are eventually going to call a local computer support place and have one of their techs come out (lol when we gather enough money!) In the mean time we will continue to play duck, duck, goose.

Something strange did happen though. I got offline so that my boyfriend could get on-line to access this page. He was on his laptop - when he scrolled down to find your posts to follow instructions my icon was lit up green, as if I was still online. Isn't that strange? Was it because he was going through the same router? Anyway I found it sort of odd:crazy:

Thank you all so much, but it is just getting way too frustrating trying to figure out the problem. Our router is set to DHCP. Our IP addresses are all one number off from one another. Our TCP/IP are all set to obtain an IP address automatically. It is just so mind boggling. The Dell desk top and the Compaq desktop were working together, sharing the internet, it is just when we try hooking up my boyfriends laptop that everything goes wacky. Now it is all one at a time again. Anyway, thanks.:blowkiss:

 

[txsvicki]

Does the laptop need an interface or ethernet thingy? I was looking up ethernet cards and saw them for laptops. They don't cost much at all. I'm so stupid that I ordered DSL, got the box and all set to go and realized that my computer is too old and I have to get an ethernet card and somehow get inside to insert it. I'm just hoping we can do it ourselves.

 

[blaize]

Hi txsvicki, you should be able to add the ethernet card to your computer without too much work. Just remember to touch an unpainted part of the computer frame to discharge any static electricity before you add the card.

This video should give you an idea of what you need to do.

Hope that helps.

Does the laptop need an interface or ethernet thingy? I was looking up ethernet cards and saw them for laptops. They don't cost much at all. I'm so stupid that I ordered DSL, got the box and all set to go and realized that my computer is too old and I have to get an ethernet card and somehow get inside to insert it. I'm just hoping we can do it ourselves.

 

[Cheetah]

Something strange did happen though. I got offline so that my boyfriend could get on-line to access this page. He was on his laptop - when he scrolled down to find your posts to follow instructions my icon was lit up green, as if I was still online. Isn't that strange? Was it because he was going through the same router? Anyway I found it sort of odd:crazy:

His laptop is sharing an IP with your computer, so that is why this happened.

Go to linksys.com and update your firmware. Click on downloads and find your model.

If that doesn't work then you need to manually assign the laptop's IP..changing the last number. Next, change the "Preferred DNS server" and " Alternate DNS server".

Preferred DNS: 4.2.2.1
Alternate DNS: 4.2.2.2

I know it's frustrating, but there are only a few reasons that this could be happening. The bottom line is the laptop does not want to use it's own IP. I would hate for you to have to pay an arm and a leg to get it fixed!

 

[Talisman]

His laptop is sharing an IP with your computer, so that is why this happened.

Go to linksys.com and update your firmware. Click on downloads and find your model.

If that doesn't work then you need to manually assign the laptop's IP..changing the last number. Next, change the "Preferred DNS server" and " Alternate DNS server".

Preferred DNS: 4.2.2.1
Alternate DNS: 4.2.2.2

I know it's frustrating, but there are only a few reasons that this could be happening. The bottom line is the laptop does not want to use it's own IP. I would hate for you to have to pay an arm and a leg to get it fixed!

Thanks, Cheetah,

The router is my son's and I would rather wait until he is here to mess with it. I know it is silly, but I have a computer phobia that tells me touching one wrong key can wipe out an entire computer:crazy: My son makes fun of me about this phobia - but I'm not comfortable messing with other people's things. Thanks!

 

[txsvicki]

Hi txsvicki, you should be able to add the ethernet card to your computer without too much work. Just remember to touch an unpainted part of the computer frame to discharge any static electricity before you add the card.

This video should give you an idea of what you need to do.

Hope that helps.

Thanks Blaize. I still need to go to the office and pick up the card, but my daughter thinks that I may not even need one. She got a part from Vonage that plugs into the outside of her older computer and it picks up the signal. Do you know anything about using something like this instead of the inserted card?

 

[blaize]

Hello txsvicki, it could be a usb ethernet adapter. This would allow you to connect your computer to your router with an ethernet cable. These adapters aren't expensive and can be a good alternative if you don't want to mess around with your computer's innards.

You can pick up a usb ethernet adapter at Circuit City for under $30. Check the prices at places like Best Buy & Radio Shack too but the link above will give you an idea of what you're looking for.

Hope that helps.

Thanks Blaize. I still need to go to the office and pick up the card, but my daughter thinks that I may not even need one. She got a part from Vonage that plugs into the outside of her older computer and it picks up the signal. Do you know anything about using something like this instead of the inserted card?