Some networking questions..

[_sorrow_]

Hi folks, i've got a question.

So i recently purchased a D-Link 624S wireless router for my home network. Currently, our DSL modem is a ActionTec GT701-WG, which is both a wireless router, and a modem. The computers involved are my PC (winXP pro, dual booting with Kubuntu), a Mac (OS-X Tiger), and another PC (winXP home, possibly a p3).

So my actual question is kind of hard to nail down, but i'll try to keep it simple for now, and just say that a lot of packets are being dropped.

Enough packets are being lost that when i play a game on my computer, the connection is faster if i connect to the ActionTec, which is probably 30' farther away, and through 2 walls. Also, when the Mac is browsing my shared music, she frequently gets warning messages saying that the folder she is browsing is not available any longer--but it still lets her keep doing what she is doing. I pinged my computer from hers (the mac) earlier today, and only 52% of the packets were sent back.

And while i'm petitioning for help, another thing i've been trying to figure out is this: can the other computers in the house, using the Actiontec (which is hardwired to my D-Link) browse my files; or would they need to be on the D-Link to do that? Yesterday things were working that i could check out theirs, and they could check out each others, but until i put them both on the D-Link, they could not see mine.

Here is the router information:

-- gt701-wg Actiontec dsl modem / router
192.168.0.1, subnet of 255.255.255.0 DHCP is turned on

-- d-link 624 wireless storage router [hardwired to the actiontec]
192.168.10.1, subnet of 255.255.255.0, DHCP is turned on

Let me know if you need any more information, and thanks in advance for any and all help!!

[sevver]

I would assign the Dlink a Static IP address of that in the ActionTec. Then tell the Dlink that its default gateway is 192.168.0.1. You should make sure that your wireless are set to different names too, which I am sure that they are.

Best case is to make the ActionTec a Modem, or a Bridge and remove its routing/wireless abilities and just have the one router.

[tokenuser]

I am with sevver ... sort of ...

Actiontec: IP Address - 192.168.0.1, DCHP Range 192.168.0.10-192.168.0.20
DLink: IP Address - 192.168.0.2, DCHP Range 192.168.0.110-192.168.0.120

Netmask will be 255.255.255.0

You can leave the wifi on on each router, but you will need to give each router a different SSID.

[sevver]

I have never tried that, I suppose that it would work though, the reasoning is sound. I will have an oportunity here soon though to give that situation a go, and I just may do it.

[_sorrow_]

Awesome, thanks for the tips you two. I just had some serious problems with my computer (grub boot loader failed, tried to reinstall it, failed, and had to reinstall linux :mad: ), and now i've got to run out to meet a friend to discuss an essay, but i'll definitely give that a shot when i get back. Cheers

[_sorrow_]

:eek: Okay, so i'm still getting packet loss (43% of 138 on the Mac), but to make matters worse, now the D-Link is not connecting to the internet any longer. This is following those specific IP recommendations TU... any other ideas, or ideas about what could be wrong?

Also, if its worth anything, when connected to the D-Link, i could not access the ActionTec via 192.168.0.1, and the D-Link 192.168.0.2 was pretty freakin slow...?

[_sorrow_]

Okay, so i ran those settings for a little while, and couldn't seem to get anything to work. Played around with it for a while, and came to the conclusion that anytime the d-link was within the DHCP range of the actiontec, the d-link would lose any access to the WAN.

Right now i'm running d-link at 192.168.1.1 and i'm connected to the net alright. The DHCP settings for it are: 192.168.1.110 - 120

The actiontec is set to 192.168.1.1 with DHCP at 192.168.0.10 - 20

I'm looking around on the techguy.org forums, and there is some stuff on there that seems like its similar, but nothing right on yet :cool:

[_sorrow_]

Just for the record, problem solved; here is the post that got me through it if you're curious at all :)

The Actiontec is his DSL modem. That is actually a modem/router..
First of all, let me begin by saying that your concern is a common one..
Your latency problems could be explained by a networking concept that's called double NAT'ing..
NAT, as you probably already know, NAT (Network Address Translation) is what keeps your computer from being exposed from the outside world..
That explains why your IP address locally (192.168.xxx.xxx) is different from your public IP (an ISP assigned IP address). Mine is at 63.xxx.xxx.xxx (I'm not telling you the whole IP, of course)..
With double NAT'ing, you are essentially hiding (your IP address) what's already hidden. Thus, 'double' NAT'ing..
Double NAT'ing explains the 'because you have two routers' notion..

Now, to the solution:
First, you will need to decide which router would be the primary router. Since you mentioned that the Actiontec has a stronger signal than the D-Link, then the GT701 will be the primary router. Because of this, the DI-624S now has to become an Access Point. An Access Point that will be aligned with the Actiontec's IP range. (192.168.0.xxx)

DI-624S as an Access Point
- Connect the DI-624S to the computer, nothing else is connected.
- Make sure the computer is set to obtain an IP automatically.
- Log-in to the DI-624's Administrative Page (http://192.168.0.1) then enter your user name and your password.
- Once there, change the IP of the DI-624S to 192.168.0.2
- After which, disable DHCP Server by going to Home -> DHCP
(The DI-624S is now essentially an Access Point)

After this, the Actiontec should now be connected to LAN port 1, 2, 3 or 4 (whichever is available) instead of the WAN port. After this cycle the power on the Actiontec, the D-Link and all of the computers.

Possible reasons why things might go wrong:
- DHCP is disabled on the Actiontec
- Actiontec has an IP range which is not 192.168.0.xx
- Wireless is disabled on the Actiontec
- Encryption is enabled on the Actiontec

Hope this helps..

[shdawson]

Hi,


This USB port, can you boot off of it to upload firmware update's?


Thanks,
SHD

[shdawson]

or, for that matter, can this USB port work for USB networking?

[masherscf]

Did someone tell you to make sure that each router is using a different channel? Otherwise, the two will jam each other.