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TICKET ARCHIVE -> Imac G3 W/ Airport Card Can't Reach Internet Sites Through Linksys Router, Earthlink Dsl
MBStevens1 - Oct 26, 2005 - 8:24 pm
I have had Earthlink DSL for several years which has only been accessed with my PC (via direct Ethernet). Yesterday, I installed an Airport card in my daughters' iMac and put a Linksys wireless router between my PC and the DSL modem (PC is hardwired to the router). I configured the router and my PC connected back up to Earthlink DSL and the internet with no problems.
I configured the wireless network on the iMac and it hooked into the wireless network with no problems either -- strong signal. Here's where I wasn't quite sure what to do next...
I tried enabling internet connection sharing on my PC (Win2K Pro), thinking that the iMac would simply share the PPPoE connection across the wireless network. That didn't work -- even killed internet access on my PC -- so I switched it back (and rebooted the PC, router and modem just to be sure).
So, I figured I should instead install the Earthlink TotalAccess connection software on the iMac to see where that gets me. During the install, it allowed me to select whether I was connecting across a network (LAN, wireless), or via DSL, dial-up, etc. I selected network, since the DSL modem is on the other side of the router and the PC would already be the primary machine that establishes the DSL/PPPoE connection. Earthlink installed fine and seems to have connected to the ISP -- the Earthlink status says it's connected, and the Airport is still showing a strong signal to the Linksys. But I can't reach any internet sites. The network settings in System Prefs seem to have all the correct IP's for the gateway/router.
I tried calling Earthlink, which generally gives excellent support, but they say they will only provide home networking support if I purchased the equipment from them, which I did not. Help!!
Thx, Mike
I configured the wireless network on the iMac and it hooked into the wireless network with no problems either -- strong signal. Here's where I wasn't quite sure what to do next...
I tried enabling internet connection sharing on my PC (Win2K Pro), thinking that the iMac would simply share the PPPoE connection across the wireless network. That didn't work -- even killed internet access on my PC -- so I switched it back (and rebooted the PC, router and modem just to be sure).
So, I figured I should instead install the Earthlink TotalAccess connection software on the iMac to see where that gets me. During the install, it allowed me to select whether I was connecting across a network (LAN, wireless), or via DSL, dial-up, etc. I selected network, since the DSL modem is on the other side of the router and the PC would already be the primary machine that establishes the DSL/PPPoE connection. Earthlink installed fine and seems to have connected to the ISP -- the Earthlink status says it's connected, and the Airport is still showing a strong signal to the Linksys. But I can't reach any internet sites. The network settings in System Prefs seem to have all the correct IP's for the gateway/router.
I tried calling Earthlink, which generally gives excellent support, but they say they will only provide home networking support if I purchased the equipment from them, which I did not. Help!!
Thx, Mike
cnk_coleman - Oct 26, 2005 - 8:52 pm
What is probably happening is that there are too many IP address's going around. I assume that your access to the WAN is via DHCP and the modem passes out the address(s).
If your router is set to pass out address's also then you have too many going around here. Set the Linksys to just pass through the IP address that is assigned by the modem.
Or set a fixed IP to the iMac and make sure you put in some DNS address's when you do that.
Since I know nothing about the modem I can't say if the modem is passing out the IP's or not.
Check the Network preferences panel in the iMac and see if it has acquired the IP address before doing anything else.
If your router is set to pass out address's also then you have too many going around here. Set the Linksys to just pass through the IP address that is assigned by the modem.
Or set a fixed IP to the iMac and make sure you put in some DNS address's when you do that.
Since I know nothing about the modem I can't say if the modem is passing out the IP's or not.
Check the Network preferences panel in the iMac and see if it has acquired the IP address before doing anything else.
MBStevens1 - Oct 26, 2005 - 9:24 pm
Thanks for your quick reply!
Yes, the iMac has acquired an IP address from the router and it is within the range I designated in the router config. Both the PC and the iMac are set up for automatic DHCP, although the iMac network prefs allow for "manual DHCP" in conjunction with the router -- I don't know how that works.
The modem is a Fujitsu Speedport, and I don't know if it is passing out addresses or not. If so, wouldn't it still just give out a single address for the router? What would the effect be if I pass a single address thru to both the PC and iMac? We're at the edge of my networking knowledge now...
I have added Earthlink DNS addresses and domains in the iMac network prefs and made sure that there are no proxies set.
Thx again, Mike
Yes, the iMac has acquired an IP address from the router and it is within the range I designated in the router config. Both the PC and the iMac are set up for automatic DHCP, although the iMac network prefs allow for "manual DHCP" in conjunction with the router -- I don't know how that works.
The modem is a Fujitsu Speedport, and I don't know if it is passing out addresses or not. If so, wouldn't it still just give out a single address for the router? What would the effect be if I pass a single address thru to both the PC and iMac? We're at the edge of my networking knowledge now...
I have added Earthlink DNS addresses and domains in the iMac network prefs and made sure that there are no proxies set.
Thx again, Mike
g/re/p - Oct 28, 2005 - 2:03 am
Hello Mike, thanks for using macosx.com tech support, my name is James.
First, delete the earthlink total access software - it is worthless and will only cause extra problems.
To help you properly, i need to know what model # linksys router you have.
The router should have a WAN ethernet port and at least one other regular ethernet port on it - plug an ethernet cable into the WAN port and connect the other end to the ethernet port on the DSL modem.
The PC should be set to obtain an ip automatically (DHCP) and connected to the regular ethernet port on the router.
The iMac should be set to DHCP and will pull an ip from the wireless signal broadcast by the router.
The DSL modem most probably uses a PPPoE connection and the router
should be set to obtain an ip automatically (DHCP) - the linksys router
is configured by typing an ip address into a browser window.
The ip address should be documented somewhere in the router
setup manual - i think 192.168.1.1 is the default ip.
You will need to configure the wireless setup on the router by naming
the network, selecting encryption type, and setting a password.
Never use the default name, username, or password - change the username
and password used to log in to the setup screen as well.
First, delete the earthlink total access software - it is worthless and will only cause extra problems.
To help you properly, i need to know what model # linksys router you have.
The router should have a WAN ethernet port and at least one other regular ethernet port on it - plug an ethernet cable into the WAN port and connect the other end to the ethernet port on the DSL modem.
The PC should be set to obtain an ip automatically (DHCP) and connected to the regular ethernet port on the router.
The iMac should be set to DHCP and will pull an ip from the wireless signal broadcast by the router.
The DSL modem most probably uses a PPPoE connection and the router
should be set to obtain an ip automatically (DHCP) - the linksys router
is configured by typing an ip address into a browser window.
The ip address should be documented somewhere in the router
setup manual - i think 192.168.1.1 is the default ip.
You will need to configure the wireless setup on the router by naming
the network, selecting encryption type, and setting a password.
Never use the default name, username, or password - change the username
and password used to log in to the setup screen as well.
g/re/p - Oct 28, 2005 - 3:18 am
After the wireless network is configured on the router, open the Network Preference pane in System Preferences on the iMac.
1) select New Location from the Location dropdown menu
and leave it as Untitled or use the network name you set on
the router.
2)select Airport from the Show dropdown menu.
3) click on the TCP/IP tab and select Using DHCP
from the Configure IPv4 dropdown menu
4) click on the AirPort tab and choose "Preferred Networks"
from the By Default, join: dropdown menu.
5) the wireless network name you set on the router should
show up in a window - more than one network name may
show up - highlight YOUR network name and double click it.
6)Type in the wireless network name, type of security,
and password and click OK and then click Apply Now.
1) select New Location from the Location dropdown menu
and leave it as Untitled or use the network name you set on
the router.
2)select Airport from the Show dropdown menu.
3) click on the TCP/IP tab and select Using DHCP
from the Configure IPv4 dropdown menu
4) click on the AirPort tab and choose "Preferred Networks"
from the By Default, join: dropdown menu.
5) the wireless network name you set on the router should
show up in a window - more than one network name may
show up - highlight YOUR network name and double click it.
6)Type in the wireless network name, type of security,
and password and click OK and then click Apply Now.
MBStevens1 - Oct 28, 2005 - 5:15 pm
Hi James -- thanks for your extensive write-up, but getting the iMac on the wireless home network was never a problem. It is connected, configured, and secured and has a strong signal to the router. I can ping the iMac from the PC but not the other way around.
I installed the Earthlink software on the iMac in order to provide the PPP service to the ISP. (I assume, short of doing that, that I'd have to enable Internet Connection Sharing on the PC and I believe that'll only work if the machines are wired directly to each other. In either case, ICS didn't work when I tried it.) The Earthlink software seems to sign on successfully and says it is connected to the ISP. I just can't get a browser (IE, Firefox, etc.) on the iMac to resolve a web address. It can reach the router config by IP, but that's it. I can't reach any websites by IP, and can't ping, traceroute, or get netstats beyond the router. It's like the router is stopping the iMac in its tracks, so I can't say why the Earthlink software says it is connected (it probably just means to the router or modem).
Thanks in advance for any other guidance you can provide.
Mike
I installed the Earthlink software on the iMac in order to provide the PPP service to the ISP. (I assume, short of doing that, that I'd have to enable Internet Connection Sharing on the PC and I believe that'll only work if the machines are wired directly to each other. In either case, ICS didn't work when I tried it.) The Earthlink software seems to sign on successfully and says it is connected to the ISP. I just can't get a browser (IE, Firefox, etc.) on the iMac to resolve a web address. It can reach the router config by IP, but that's it. I can't reach any websites by IP, and can't ping, traceroute, or get netstats beyond the router. It's like the router is stopping the iMac in its tracks, so I can't say why the Earthlink software says it is connected (it probably just means to the router or modem).
Thanks in advance for any other guidance you can provide.
Mike
g/re/p - Oct 29, 2005 - 3:19 pm
Unless it is set in bridge mode, the DSL modem provides the PPP
(actually PPPoE) service, not the PC or the iMac.
Based on the above, configuring the iMac or PC to connect via PPPoE
will not work properly.
The DSL modem provides an ip to the router, then the router acts as
a DHCP server and supplies ip addresses to any computers connecting
via wireless or ethernet.
I still need to know what model # linksys router you have.
(actually PPPoE) service, not the PC or the iMac.
Based on the above, configuring the iMac or PC to connect via PPPoE
will not work properly.
The DSL modem provides an ip to the router, then the router acts as
a DHCP server and supplies ip addresses to any computers connecting
via wireless or ethernet.
I still need to know what model # linksys router you have.
MBStevens1 - Oct 29, 2005 - 3:57 pm
Sorry I forgot to supply the router model -- it is a Linksys BEFW11S4 -- 802.11b because that's all the Airport card can do and my only purpose for the network at this point is Internet connectivity.
I will try some other things on the iMac today. Thanks.
I will try some other things on the iMac today. Thanks.
MBStevens1 - Oct 30, 2005 - 10:58 pm
Update: I brought the iMac downstairs and hooked it up directly to the DSL modem. I changed the network type from Airport to Built-In Ethernet and then it gave me a PPPoE pane to configure my Earthlink account settings in. When I did that, I was able to connect to the Internet no problem. But as soon as I go back to the Airport network, I lose that PPPoE pane, and it no longer works -- I get connectivity to the wireless router but no Internet connectivity. The Internet Connection preferences pane allows me to select PPP with Airport, but PPPoE never connects successfully. I'm lost!
g/re/p - Oct 31, 2005 - 3:26 am
That is interesting - and somewhat confusing. If the DSL modem is
configured to use PPPoE, setting the iMac to PPPoE as well should
not work.
In my original setup, the DSL modem was set in PPPoE mode and the
wired router was set to DHCP - the wireless router was set to DHCP
and plugged into the wired router and the Powermac was set to DHCP
and plugged into the wired router.
(I used the same model linksys wireless router you have, but it was plugged in to a wired linksys firewall router.)
When i was having trouble with my earthlink account, i had to keep switching
the DSL modem back and forth between bridged mode and PPPoE mode.
(my modem was going bad)
When the modem was bridged, i had to set the router to PPPoE and when
the modem was set to use PPPoE, i had to use DHCP on the router.
Your linksys router should have PPPoE capability.
If you can access the earthlink DSL modem GUI from a browser, it is
probably in PPPoE mode - when mine was in bridged mode i could not
access the GUI at all.
Earthlink should at least be able to tell you which mode the DSl modem is
set to - call them and find out so we will know for sure.
configured to use PPPoE, setting the iMac to PPPoE as well should
not work.
In my original setup, the DSL modem was set in PPPoE mode and the
wired router was set to DHCP - the wireless router was set to DHCP
and plugged into the wired router and the Powermac was set to DHCP
and plugged into the wired router.
(I used the same model linksys wireless router you have, but it was plugged in to a wired linksys firewall router.)
When i was having trouble with my earthlink account, i had to keep switching
the DSL modem back and forth between bridged mode and PPPoE mode.
(my modem was going bad)
When the modem was bridged, i had to set the router to PPPoE and when
the modem was set to use PPPoE, i had to use DHCP on the router.
Your linksys router should have PPPoE capability.
If you can access the earthlink DSL modem GUI from a browser, it is
probably in PPPoE mode - when mine was in bridged mode i could not
access the GUI at all.
Earthlink should at least be able to tell you which mode the DSl modem is
set to - call them and find out so we will know for sure.
MBStevens1 - Nov 2, 2005 - 12:14 am
Thanks, I'll give it a try and post any updates.
MBStevens1 - Nov 5, 2005 - 5:23 pm
Alright, I got it! I set the router to PPPoE rather than DHCP (and the PC and iMac were already set to DHCP) and now everything is connecting to the 'net. As an added bonus, I no longer have to use the Earthlink PPPoE dialer on my PC either.
Thanks for all your help!
Mike
Thanks for all your help!
Mike
g/re/p - Nov 6, 2005 - 10:59 am
Great! Glad to hear it is working.
Don't forget to use the feedback option to rate your experience with
macosx.com tech support.
-James
Don't forget to use the feedback option to rate your experience with
macosx.com tech support.
-James
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