Problems with Linksys BEFSX41 [Archive]

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eggy524

17-05-2005, 20:33

Hi, I heard that there were problems with the BEFSX41 and NTL's internet service and thats exactly with I have. I went through he install CD provided with the router and it got to the part where you had to enter the MAC address (one was already provided). I clicked next and the router took ages and then eventually said that there was an error, and asking me if i want to try again.

The internet wont work, when I go to command prompt and trye in ipconfig it tells me my IP address is 197.162.1.100 or something like that. All three LED's light up on the router for port 4/DMZ which is where my computer is connected and all three WAN lights are on with the Link/Act LED blinking.

What is the MAC address and is it something assigned to my router, cable modem, ISP or computer.

PS I'm using the Motorola Surfboard SB4100 Cable Modem.

Florence

17-05-2005, 20:43

On all the cable modems I have had there is a lable stuck underneath this has the mac number on. Try turning your modem over and see if there is a label with what looks like barcodes on.

A mac number will look like-- 00-40-A5-79-4C-80

JohnHorb

17-05-2005, 20:52

:welcome: I'm not familiar with that router, but would guess the MAC address option is to allow you to 'clone' the MAC address of your PC - useful with an STB (set-top box) where you had to register the MAC address. If you just pressed 'next' it would default to the hardware MAC address built into the router.

If you connect to the status page of the router, does it show a WAN IP address? (If so, don't post it in full for security, just post the first part, e.g. 81.123.x.x).

eggy524

17-05-2005, 21:24

The MAC address is put correctly into the router - in the MACaddress cloning section of the config it is correct. The WAN ipaddress is strange, it starts with 10!!?? this is not normally the case it usually starts with 80....

Here are some pictures of the router config

As shown the IP address and default gateway are the same, is this normal??

and yes, the mac address is listed under the cable modem just as a string of numbers not grouped

JohnHorb

17-05-2005, 21:45

The WAN address of 10.x.x.x is not normal, and is no doubt related to the address and gateway being the same. I'm sure I've seen something about this on the forum, but can't find it at the moment. Will post back if I come across anything. May be that the modem has not been activated by NTL? (Just to check - it is an NTL-supplied modem?)

maverick

17-05-2005, 21:59

eggy524

17-05-2005, 22:01

lol, i tried a firmware upgrade and it worked, I went to the linksys site and downloaded their newest firmaware

Thanks everyone for helping

Badders

17-05-2005, 23:07

I've got one of these connected to a Samsung STB and it works fine.

If you have any problems, you need to flash to a working firmware version. There are two beta versions, 1.45.7 and 1.51.0 which are better and more stable than the one on the Linksys website. They can be found here (http://www.broadbandreports.com/forum/remark,11329487%7Emode=flat). Have a good read of the thread first.

I've registered to NTL while connected to my PC and then cloned the MAC-address within the router.

Let me know if you have any more questions and welcome to the SX41 adventure.;)

BTW: Make sure that DMZ is disabled within the firmware, unless you want no protection, otherwise use ports 1 to 3.

eggy524

18-05-2005, 16:15

ok, i just reset the router and now it cant connect to the cable modem anymore. The WAN LEd's wont light. I know that you can put a hub in between the router and cable modem to make them work but is there any other way of doing this?

mshhal

18-05-2005, 21:06

Eggy, ignore the CD that comes with the BEFSX41 (chuck it in the bin). Simply power down everthing then power up the modem (wait until synch and rdy lights are settled, about 30s) then the router (needs about 10s) , then the PC and all should be well. I had the exact same problem about 6 months ago. There are various firmware issues around, but as far as I know they all allow you to get started.

Best of luck

eggy524

19-05-2005, 13:00

I found the problem, I go into the settings and renew the ip setings for the router, this allowed the modem to connect with the router.

Badders

19-05-2005, 17:15

Thank goodness for that. What firmware did you decide on?

steggs

21-05-2005, 21:22

same prob upraded firmware and all is well

Web-Junkie

14-04-2006, 12:39

Sorry to bump this old thread but better to post in this than make a new one!

I've just acquired one of these routers via ebay, it's all working and shares the modem (Surfboard SB4100) between me and my brothers computer just fine. The problem is if I need to unplug the modem from the WAN port then plug it back in, the router takes AGES for the WAN LED's to light up.

Plugging/unplugging the LAN connection is fine, the LED's light up straight away, but the modem in the WAN port takes 5-10mins to be recognised, sometime longer. I mess about resetting the router/modem but nothing makes the WAN light up when the modem is plugged back in. So basically I wander off and come back later and usually it's lit up and working.

Looked in the router config and tried the DHCP renew but it's not picking up the DNS servers or IP address straight away, even after rebooting the modem. The WAN lights seem to light up briefly at intervals, same on the modem but no solid connection for say 5-10 minutes?

Latest firmware was already installed, 1.52.9, Jan 11 2006, so I guess my router is a v1.0 model!

This isn't normal behaviour I don't think, so I must not be doing something correctly, thing is, what?

Badders

18-04-2006, 23:11

Did you do a long reset (30 secs. on the reset button) BOTH before and after flashing?

Not doing so can cause problems. Also, reset to Factory Defaults before and after flashing.

FInally, take a look here: http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,15321007

Hope this helps.

Web-Junkie

01-06-2006, 11:54

Oops! A bit late with this reply, sorry Badders :o:

There was a f/w update to v1.52.10 which I've flashed, but still the same problem. Doing a bit of research via various forums/google it appears the Surfboard 4100 and the BEFSX41 have 'issues' in not wanting to talk to each other!

I can get my SB4100 to be recognised by the BEFSX41 but it takes lots of combinations of CM reboots, router resets/Power offs/Factory defaults to achieve a solid connection, so I still have to play 'Hit and Miss' whenever the connection is lost from the CM to the router.

Badders

01-06-2006, 14:24

Oops! A bit late with this reply
No worries.
Latest firmware was already installed, 1.52.9, Jan 11 2006, so I guess my router is a v1.0 model!
Both 1.0 and 2.0 models use the same firmware. The only visible difference is the 1.0 has three rows of leds and the 2.0 has one row. It's just a money saving exercise by Linksys. The benefit of three rows is you can see what speed, 10 or 100, the connection is running at.

All I can suggest is:

o Try a different firmware - 1.45.7 is supposed to be the most stable.

o Try setting the router to 10Meg half-duplex through the 192.168.1.1/auto_nego.htm (http://192.168.1.1/auto_nego.htm)
page. This may be only available with the 1.45.7 firmware. HTH.

Web-Junkie

01-06-2006, 21:10

Mnaged to find that f/w and flashed it, still had to mess about to get the WAN to light up, tried all combinations of 10/100 full/half duplex but no go! When the WAN lights did come on I couldn't get the router to pickup the IP address from the modem? It picked up the MAC address OK but not the IP, no matter how many times I reset the router and CM.

Flashed 1.52.10 back in and managed to get it up and running again, so 1.45.7 doesn't like me at all :(

Badders

05-06-2006, 12:59

Well I'm out of ideas but at least you're up and running.

Web-Junkie

06-06-2006, 15:51

Just one of those things! I buy the only modem on the planet that does not like this router :(