VBOX / Linksys Wireless Router not working

Orinoco23 · 09-05-2008, 20:06

I have a problem trying to use a Linksys Wireless-G broadband router (WRT54GS v5.1) to share the internet connection from a recently installed VBOX (Samsung SMT-2110C) from Virgin Media.

When my laptop is directly connected into the back of the VBOX via the Cat5 ethernet cable, the internet access is fine. The problem occurs when connecting the Linksys router to the VBOX - the router does not seem to be picking up an IP address (it is set to 'Gateway' in the settings), even though I've been into the settings of the router and checked it's set to DHCP. I can 'see' the wireless router using my laptop wirelessly (it has IP address 192.168.1.1) so everything seems to be in place, and it's the same physical setup as before the VBOX was installed (previously an NTL cable box, same config with the router connected to the Ethernet port and the wireless worked OK).

I'm guessing that either there are some specific settings on the router that need to be configured, or that the router and VBOX simply aren't compatible.

If anyone could suggest a way to get this working, or knows whether the 2 boxes are compatible it would be much appreciated

Thanks in advance!

Afterthought: if a PC won't connect to the internet without first running the NTL / Virgin Media CD then it makes logical sense that the router won't just 'plug and play' as I'm suggesting. Maybe I need to get these settings from VM, but having experienced their 'support' before, I'm not sure I take another one of those phone calls, and as the router was bought separately I don;t know if they support wireless routers not supplied by them anyway?!

)

**Rob** · 09-05-2008, 20:12

Just as the PC that is connected to the Set Top Box, has to be registered with the Virgin Media server, so does the router. Alternatively you have to "clone" the mac address of the computer's network card, into the router.

It's not necessary to use the VM supplied CD.

Make sure you are powering down the Set Top Box when you swap over the ethernet between the PC and router.

Orinoco23 · 09-05-2008, 21:00

Thanks for the quick reply! Just tried cloning the MAC address which seemed promising but unfortunately didn't do the trick. I also tried setting the 'host name' of the router to the same as the laptop it didn't work. I tried rebooting the cable box / router / laptop in different combinations but no joy there either.

Any other suggestions?

whydoIneedatech · 10-05-2008, 07:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orinoco23

Thanks for the quick reply! Just tried cloning the MAC address which seemed promising but unfortunately didn't do the trick. I also tried setting the 'host name' of the router to the same as the laptop it didn't work. I tried rebooting the cable box / router / laptop in different combinations but no joy there either.

Any other suggestions?

You would be best calling sales and ordering a Stand Alone Cable Modem as with a STB you will not get speeds above 6Mb, I am surprised that when you upgraded to a V+ box that they never supplied a Modem.

mikey · 10-05-2008, 11:00

First of all reboot the STB, then reboot the router.
Can you get into the diag screen of the router? If so what does the IP address start with? If it starts with 10****** then the router just needs registering. Try going to http://172.16.30.83 (I think) this should take you to the registration (start) page.

If the router IP starts with 169 or 00 you might have ethernet problems.
If the router IP starts with 80 or 82, your in business, cos it should be working.

Do not post your full IP on the forums if you reply.

Good luck.

whydoIneedatech · 10-05-2008, 12:24

Just get a modem and you will receive a bettr service.

mikey · 10-05-2008, 13:19

Only if you have enough signal that it can be split in half.
But I do agree a modem is a simple option.

whydoIneedatech · 10-05-2008, 13:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikey

Only if you have enough signal that it can be split in half.
But I do agree a modem is a simple option.

I have a V+ and a Modem as do most VM customers ( not all have V+ they have standard STBs ) and it works perfectly and my Modem outstrips performance wise any STB modem, and I am on 20Mb and receive full speed.

The TV signal is piggybacked onto the Broadband signal so the is no conflict.

mikey · 10-05-2008, 13:40

Thats great if it works for you.
But in my case I have 3 STB's already, and my house is over 100m from the street cab. I want to keep things simple at the moment. Obviously if your on 20mb, a cm is the only way to go.

whydoIneedatech · 10-05-2008, 13:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikey

Thats great if it works for you.
But in my case I have 3 STB's already, and my house is over 100m from the street cab. I want to keep things simple at the moment. Obviously if your on 20mb, a cm is the only way to go.

I am about 300 mtrs from my Cab and the engineers are always surprised as the is a closer Cab.

You can have 4 STBs and a Cable Modem they just increase the power at the Cab

mikey · 10-05-2008, 14:16

Wow, 300m is a very long cable. I'm surprised it works at all.

I'm already at maximum signal from the cab.

whydoIneedatech · 10-05-2008, 14:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikey

Wow, 300m is a very long cable. I'm surprised it works at all.

I'm already at maximum signal from the cab.

Check to the left of this post, I am 2 miles from the National Headend.

Orinoco23 · 30-05-2008, 08:35

Blimey, thanks for the replies everyone - being a newbie I thought I'd get an email each time someone replied to the post so have only just checked back!

In the end a friend called the support line and apparently they 'used a different cloned MAC address' to get it working. It was a bit vague but I'm guessing that before the replacement cable box was put in, the router had a cloned MAC address which is from a different PC than I was using. The router must have been reset and lost the 'working' MAC address that had been entered previously.

Oh well, we'll know for next time!

Thanks again.