Routers

Post by **Dog Pants** » April 7th, 2007, 20:26

Is there a certain way routers should be set up for ADSL? My connection is perfect through the modem, but when I connect it up to the router it's intermittent. I've no idea what the settings are to connect to BT (if anyone knows I'd be grateful if they'd share the info), so that might be the problem. I expect I'm not the only person who's a bit grey on the whole router thing though.

Post by **Dr. kitteny berk** » April 7th, 2007, 20:26

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/

/lazy drunk

Post by **Dog Pants** » April 7th, 2007, 20:28

Less than a minute, you're getting better (or drunker).

Post by **Dr. kitteny berk** » April 7th, 2007, 20:28

Post by **Dog Pants** » April 7th, 2007, 20:53

Still not any wiser

Am I dynamic IP (I think this is what's causing it to time out), PPPoE, PPTP? There's IP range settings, DHCP settings, allsorts of gubbins that I don't know very much about. And BT seem pretty cagey about the information because I can't find it anywhere and I really don't feel like speaking to India after I've had a stressful day.

/grumbles and goes for a beer

eion · Post by **eion** » April 7th, 2007, 20:58

Dog Pants wrote:Still not any wiser

Am I dynamic IP (I think this is what's causing it to time out), PPPoE, PPTP? There's IP range settings, DHCP settings, allsorts of gubbins that I don't know very much about. And BT seem pretty cagey about the information because I can't find it anywhere and I really don't feel like speaking to India after I've had a stressful day.

/grumbles and goes for a beer

You're almost certainly PPPoA rather than PPPoE.

The DHCP stuff in your router is to automatically assign IP addresses to local machines. Just switch it on, have your computer set to automatically get an IP address, and that should be all you need to do with it.

When you say intermittent, how intermittent? And are you doing lots of sweeping from BitTorrent? If the answers are "every few [hours/days]" and "yes", then that's the problem right there.

cheeseandham · Post by **cheeseandham** » April 7th, 2007, 20:58

PPPoA and VPI/VCI 0/38 are the only values I know of that would make any difference (and AFAIK your ADSL wouldn't work if incorrect)
and yeah DHCP for most providers.

Post by **Dog Pants** » April 7th, 2007, 21:06

I was sort of thinking that about the DHCP - I vaguely know about that from work, but I'm not confident about my networking knowledge. The internet stuff is all new to me though. So thanks guys

When I say intermittent, sometimes a page will load and sometimes it won't. It seems to always be disconnected if I've left it for a while (10 mins or more), but a quick check of the modem shows that that's still connected. If I need to be using PPPoA then that's probably the problem, as with the dynamic IP I assume it's running out of lease time and dropping the IP (or something, just what I've gathered from the router setup pages).

I'll try that anyway.

cheeseandham · Post by **cheeseandham** » April 7th, 2007, 21:09

Mr Pants.
Out of curiousity as I'm sat chilling.
What router
What ISP
Any other special needs/arrangments?

Post by **Dog Pants** » April 7th, 2007, 21:16

Glad you asked, 'cos I'm not getting anywhere and I've nearly finished my beer...

ISP is BT Broadband, modem is a D-Link DSL-320T, router is a U.S Robotics Broadband Router (USR8004), beer is Kronenbourg Blanc.

It timed out three times trying to post this and WEY FM is giving me about half a second of music ever 20 seconds or so.

cheeseandham · Post by **cheeseandham** » April 7th, 2007, 21:25

OK, beer configuration is correct if a little low.
Ignore the router for now, set up the D-link to connect direct to your PC using your BT settings and the stuff above.
i.e
PPPoA and VPI/VCI 0/38 and DHCP , your user name and password.

See if this works.(make sure you have at least the Windows Firewall on when doing this)

If this still has problems, backup your Dlink config as a failsafe and factory reset your modem and set it up again to see if that improves the situation.

Once the Dlink is up and running alright (and the router ruled out) we can then add the router back to the equation...

Post by **Dog Pants** » April 7th, 2007, 21:26

The modem's been working fine connected directly to the PC since yesterday morning. Also, the WAN light on the router is always on so I don't think it's a modem problem.

Post by **Dr. kitteny berk** » April 7th, 2007, 21:27

thoughts on router:

check it's not running a firewall or DHCP.

Often the modem will have dhcp built in to some level and you'll get horrid conflicts.

cheeseandham · Post by **cheeseandham** » April 7th, 2007, 21:28

By the way, I am assuming here that you haven't got your Dlink router running fully bridged, as then you would have PPPoE set up on your US Robotics.

Why a modem and then a router? a complicated setup for a home connection...

Post by **Dog Pants** » April 7th, 2007, 21:33

Modem's set to PPPoA and I've managed to find that my VPI and VCI settings are okay.

I've got a modem and a router because I bought a router that didn't have a built in modem like a spaz. The router's just so that Mrs Pants can play Albatross or browse while I'm gaming (and apparently it's better than the USB modem BT gave me).

cheeseandham · Post by **cheeseandham** » April 7th, 2007, 21:37

Well you'd need DHCP on the LAN side of the router to give to the PC's.

Right, here's what I'm thinking, I'll check the manual now.

What I would do it put the Dlink into a bridged mode if it's possible by the firmware. What this'll do is effectively create a kind of pass through whereby the Dlink will almost become invisible and just convert the EJ11 from the telephone to the RJ45 for the USR router, it'll pass the WAN IP to the router and the router will do the authentication via PPPoE

I've done this a few times before and it's useful.

Post by **Dog Pants** » April 7th, 2007, 21:39

Okay, I have 1483 bridged IP LLC and 1483 bridged IP VC-mux. Will I need to change my router settings?

By the way, this shows all the admin menus for the router: http://www.usr.com/support/8004/8004-ug/three.html

cheeseandham · Post by **cheeseandham** » April 7th, 2007, 21:48

Yup. if your USR router supports PPPoE then this is possible.
According to page 8 (and 20 if going via the ziard) of the manual your modem supports bridge mode.

If your feeling brave, save your confige, and set your Dlink to bridge (and VCmux) - it will then "disappear" do not worry, just factory reset and reload your config if needed. And then set your router to PPPoE with the un/pw for BT (and VCmux)

cheeseandham · Post by **cheeseandham** » April 7th, 2007, 21:51

by the way.. this is a kind of difficult subject to do via (internet based) forums!!!

good luck...

Post by **Dog Pants** » April 7th, 2007, 22:19

I'm getting nothing like that. I've gone back to my original settings just to connect again. Could the router be nackered? It just seems like it's a very slow connection, but I know it's fine from the modem onwards. And yes, a forum isn't the easiest way of doing this. I was trying to keep things generic so other people could find stuff on how to set up routers and suchlike, but I'm struggling just with mine.

EDIT: Bollocks. I'm going to bed before it gives me the rage and I can't sleep. Just a though, I've got Sygate Personal Firewall running too, could that have enything to do with it?