Can’t Access Internet Via DSL Network

[Jim Smith]

“Cannot find server or DNS error.”

DSL Modem Fujitsu Speedport to LinkSys Wireless wrt54g Router to EDIMAX 5 port fast Ethernet switch to 8 port switch to PCs and another 8 port switch to more PCs. Connections are all Ethernet cables.

Moving office from one building to another. The upstream PCs that had been connected to the router and first switch were moved. The Internet access continued to work as before, powering the router down once every week or so to restore connectivity.

Someone took the router and first switch and the AC/DC adapter for the router. They were replaced over the weekend, and briefly worked but only after I ran a different Ethernet cable along the floor. I wasn’t sure which of the many ceiling cable ends were the right ends of the many ceiling cables.

The Link/Activity port linking the switch to the router lights but does not flash, indicating connection but no transfer of packets. The switch to switch port L/A light flashed green.

All three green lights (power, modem, data) on the DSL modem are on and not blinking. When I have a phone available I’ll call Verizon but I don’t think that is the problem.

I have powered down and disconnected the cables between DSL modem, router and first switch. Let sit for 10 minutes and restarted. Same behavior “Cannot find server or DNS error.”

I’ve reset the router twice, no joy. I tried different ports on the router and first switch, no joy. I’ll may connect a PC to the router sometime today, not XP Pro because I am snowed by the security.

[bAdWaYz]

What I would do first is establish basic connectivity between a pc and the router. Log into the router and make sure its setup for a dsl connection and doing dhcp you might want to bump the default number of dhcp users up a bit if you have allot of computers on the network. Most routers default dhcp to 10 or 20 but you could bump that up to 50 easy with no problems. Once basic connectivity is there between a computer and the router and that computer has internet access then I'd worry about setting up the interconnecting switches. Be careful when connecting switches that you use the uplink ports to interconnect. On most switches the uplink port is normally the first or last port on the switch.

[Jim Smith]

Took Internet working PC from home, connected to DSL modem, couldn’t access Internet, tried release and renew, no joy. Added router to configuration and tried to connect, couldn’t. Tried release and renew, no joy. At one point got 169.254 and 71. IP addresses. Connected another working PC at work to DSL. PC would not boot. Took PC back to where I got it, it booted. Took my other PC back home and connected to cable modem, would not connect. Tried release and renew, would not connect.

Tomorrow is another day!

[bAdWaYz]

So you can't pull a good ip when connected directly to the dsl modem? This would seem then to be a connectivity issue with either the modem or the dsl itself. Sound like one of two things is going on. Either the dsl connection isn't working or the modem isn't. Either way it sounds like a call to the ISP might be in order.

[Jim Smith]

So you can't pull a good ip when connected directly to the dsl modem? This would seem then to be a connectivity issue with either the modem or the dsl itself. Sound like one of two things is going on. Either the dsl connection isn't working or the modem isn't. Either way it sounds like a call to the ISP might be in order.

I was on phone with Verizon for an hour. In the end they asserted that a bad DNS chip on the PC directly connected to the DSL (and at one time to the Router) was the reason a good ip address couldn't be pulled. At one time we did have what I thought were valid IP addresses (192.168.1.102 and 192.168.0.1) and still couldn't connect to the Internet.

I had never heard of a DNS chip on a computer. I thought the only hardware Internet connection component was the Network Adapter. The PC I brought from home was Internet functional at home, apparently not at work, I took it home but it wouldn't work. Boot up this morning and it connected to the Internet. Verizon calmed the DSL connection was working.

[Archangel122184]

There is no such thing as a DNS chip... DNS is a resolution protocol to get IP addresses from name spaces... its a program that resides in your network stack which is even more software... You weren't talking to a real tech if thats what they told you.

[bAdWaYz]

Yeah that answer is stupid at best. What you may have to do is just get a little nasty with them next time you call and demand they send out a tech to test the line. Sometimes its hard to get the "right" guy but if you are enough of a pain in the ear to them they will send out a tech to test the line. Most of the time that guy will do what he can to get you going just so he doesn't have to come back the next day.

[Jim Smith]

PC I brought from home now connecting to Internet most of the time after I replaced the connecting DSL-PC Ethernet cable. Who knows why. For the first time, lights on router and first switch are as they should be. After an hour with Linksys, they concluded either the PC or the router was the problem. We could not install latest firmware to the router. Got new router, same model. Could not install, not enough PC system resources. Reboot PC (ME, 376 MB RAM, 13GB free HDD, 1.1 GHz CPU), shut down all but Systray and Explore, still not enough resources. Tried again, reached 126% on the install, router install hung, tried again similar result.

I went home without destroying life or property. Try again today.

[Jim Smith]

Brought in another PC could not run router install CD, not enough system resources, Setup hung both times I tried. Brought in a third PC, did succeed in running installation CD for router. Running with router, could not access Internet. Connected PC to DSL, could not access Internet. Called Verizon, he said the problem was the different MAC address on the new PC and that he could fix it. Reconnected router and the Internet connection did work.

As I understood it, the ISP uses the MAC address and not the IP address to identify a user. If that is so why could I successfully connect yesterday to the Internet (sometimes) from PC-DSL modem with a PC that was not the one that had established the original DSL connection several years ago?

See what happens tomorrow.

[Jim Smith]

A bit of a recap. Verizon's DSL connection uses the MAC address obtained from the network adapter of the PC originally used to establish the link. Steps must be taken at either end (Verizon or router) to reset the MAC when using a different PC (years after the original setup).

I consolidated the DSL modem, router, switches, into one room and reconfigured with one PC connected to router, the first switch and second switch. This eliminated the 300' of two cables that had connected the router, first switch and second switch. This configuration worked except for the PC hung off the second switch. No link/activity lights on second switch, so I think it kaput.

Have doubts that I had to replace the original router. It worked for a year and I don't understand why updating the firmware was required. Between the tech's accent and my limited hearing who knows how much miscommunication went on. A year ago we had a similar problem and I had to have someone man the phone and relay the conversation.