56NET Routing Problem

[ocium]

I recently purchased a 56NET Internet Sharing Modem, and I am having trouble getting the router to work.

Problem: 56NET has power (red PWR indicator is steady, green RDY indicator flashes slowly, ?no LINK indicator?), but neither of my computers can 'see' the router.
The error message both my computers give me is "network cable unplugged".
No link light on back of computer.

Computer 1: Dell Dimesion DE051, Intel Celeron 2.66GHz CPU, 512MB RAM, Intel PRO/100VE Network Adapter
Computer 2: Compaq Presario V2000, AMD Sempron 3000+ CPU, 256MB RAM, Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet Adapter
Both computers are running Windows XP Home Edition SP2, with all the latest security patches.
Both computers have been successfully networked perviously, using a broadband modem/router.

I have read your manual thoroughly, and tried the suggestions for this type of connection problem in the troubleshooting section, but with no change.

I have tried the following, but nothing has made any difference:
[1] Swapping network patch cables (tried verified cat5, cat5e & cat6), and LAN sockets at the back of the modem.
[2] Changing Link Speed & Duplex options of both network adapters from automatic detection to: 100Mbps Full Duplex, 100Mbps Half Duplex, 10Mbps Full Duplex & 10Mbps Half Duplex.
[3] Changing the DNS Server address from Auto Detection to 10.0.0.2
[4] Disabling Windows Firewall & Uninstalling 3rd-party firewall.

I would appreciate it very much if you could suggest what exactly might be causing this problem, and what I can do to rectify it.


Thank you for your consideration,

Dave Mackrell

 

[talldude123]

Have you tried resetting the router? There should be a little pinhole at the back of the modem, unplug the modem and press it for about 5 secs.

Also, have you updated the firmware for the modem?

 

[ocium]

Hi,
Thanks for replying so quickly.

Yes, I have reset the modem more than once - same thing happens every time: RDY light stops flashing and remains constantly lit for a few seconds, then dissappears altogether for a few seconds, then starts flashing again...

I'm not sure how to go about updating the firmware - haven't even got to the part where I have trouble with the modem side of things because the router is dead.

I took the cover off to see if there was any apparant problem with the LAN sockets soldering to the PCB, not much going-on inside, but everything looks in perfect order.

A lot of indicator lights on the modem (the manual doesn't even mention any of them), but I have only ever seen the PWR and RDY indicators lit-up.

Surely the LINK1/LINK2 indicator should light-up as soon as there is a live network cable inserted? (I'm not getting a link light at the computer end either).

Any idea what these other indicators are for, or which of them should be lit-up?

left-to-right: (PWR), (RDY), OH, CD, PPP, (LINK2), (LINK1), (WAN)

 

[MrCoffee]

sounds broken to me

 

[FlashDude]

You are getting the cable unplugged message because you haven't entered your ISP dial up phone number and user name and password into the modem/router.

Check the manual to get the internal IP (ex. 192.168.1.1) Enter the number into your browser. Then use the default log in and password for the modem. You will have to log into the modem and enter your ISP info. Don't forget this is now your modem and it needs to do the connecting. READ THE MANUAL! and install the software.

 

[ocium]

Thanks for the replies.

FlashDude - believe me, I have read the manual backwards and forwards. The device IP listed is 10.0.0.2, but as I said, my computers cannot even see the router (this IP address is not pingable).

There is no installation software as such; the bootable CD has one option: 'configure modem', which attempts to interface with the modem by popping-up a browser window with the IP address (10.0.0.2) already entered.

The only potential problem I could imagine was the flow control settings of my computer's adapters, but forcing 10Mbps didn't do a thing...

I have had a gut feeling that it was DOA, because of the lack of link lights at both ends, but I have been praying this isn't the case, as I live on the bottom of the world (New Zealand), and it cost me more to ship the modem here then it did to buy it :0(

Back to stinking ICS I guess (sigh).