AirLink AR325W sees network, not internet

I can't figure out how to troubleshoot my loss of wireless internet
connectivity which developed when I changed my router from a Linksys
BEFSR41 to an AirLink AR325W when the linksys died. I would rather not
buy another router just for troubleshooting purposes.


Short version: cable modem, wired/wireless AirLink AR325W router using
only the ethernet wired ports, AirLink AP421W configured as accesspoint
only ethernet wired to the AR325W router, 2-3 other computers ethernet
wired to router, problem machine: Win98se OS, Realtek RTL8185 pci
wireless lan card, disconnected mobo ethernet lan function. The
wireless W98se can see the router and the network computers and the
wireless AP but it can't access the internet.


Old config1: Linksys befsr41 router + wired network which included
AirLink AP421W accesspoint which was accessed by W98se Realtek RTL8185
pci wireless lan card. 98seRealTek could access wired network and the
internet, everything's cool. Then the linksys died and was replaced by
AirLink AR325W router not for its wirelessness but because it was on
sale cheaper than I could buy a wired router.

Background1: cable modem, linksys befsr41 ethernet wired to serveral
computers running various linux distros and win98se partitions. I
wanted to experiment with wireless because a friend was going to be
visiting with a wireless LT laptop and wanted to access the router and
cable modem from other parts of the house. So, I converted one of my
ethernet wired computers to a mobile by installing a wireless pci card,
which PCI card I chose so that it would be compatible with both linux
and win, and established an ethernet wired access point Airlink AP421W,
and put the computer system on a wheeled mobile desk so I could use it
in the kitchen while in front of the kitchen TV.

Background2: I had to experiment with different pci wireless cards
before I found one which would work via the access point. I was trying
to choose one which would work with both linux and win OSes.

Background3: Upon changing the linksys router to the airlink, several
old linksys functions wouldn't work, including choosing my dns, so I
flashed the new airlink's firmware to a newer version. When I did that,
it lost its ability to keep logs for WallWatcher which had previously
worked. So I returned the AirLink router and got another one and worked
with the WW developer to get a WW upgrade which included my model
AirLink. I also swore to not upgrade/ firmware flash the AirLink unless
it became inop. My linksys previously had had to have its firmware
reflashed 3 separate times before the last death could not be firmware
flash rejuvenated. That is, when the linksys would occasionally become
operationally dysfunctional I could flash the firmware to fix it. One
of those was secondary to a power surge. The others were unexplained.
The last time it went kaput, it was not visible at its IP address, so it
could not be flash firmware restored.


--
Mike Easter

Hi
Is the core IP of the AP421W matches now the one of the new Router?
Did you switched Off the Wireless on the AR325W?
Alternately, did you try to connect the Wireless computer to the new AR325W
using the Wireless with security temporarily Off?
Jack (MVP-Networking).

"Mike Easter" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:45cf9cda$0$97264$(E-Mail Removed) reenews.net...
>I can't figure out how to troubleshoot my loss of wireless internet
> connectivity which developed when I changed my router from a Linksys
> BEFSR41 to an AirLink AR325W when the linksys died. I would rather not
> buy another router just for troubleshooting purposes.
>
>
> Short version: cable modem, wired/wireless AirLink AR325W router using
> only the ethernet wired ports, AirLink AP421W configured as accesspoint
> only ethernet wired to the AR325W router, 2-3 other computers ethernet
> wired to router, problem machine: Win98se OS, Realtek RTL8185 pci
> wireless lan card, disconnected mobo ethernet lan function. The
> wireless W98se can see the router and the network computers and the
> wireless AP but it can't access the internet.
>
>
> Old config1: Linksys befsr41 router + wired network which included
> AirLink AP421W accesspoint which was accessed by W98se Realtek RTL8185
> pci wireless lan card. 98seRealTek could access wired network and the
> internet, everything's cool. Then the linksys died and was replaced by
> AirLink AR325W router not for its wirelessness but because it was on
> sale cheaper than I could buy a wired router.
>
> Background1: cable modem, linksys befsr41 ethernet wired to serveral
> computers running various linux distros and win98se partitions. I
> wanted to experiment with wireless because a friend was going to be
> visiting with a wireless LT laptop and wanted to access the router and
> cable modem from other parts of the house. So, I converted one of my
> ethernet wired computers to a mobile by installing a wireless pci card,
> which PCI card I chose so that it would be compatible with both linux
> and win, and established an ethernet wired access point Airlink AP421W,
> and put the computer system on a wheeled mobile desk so I could use it
> in the kitchen while in front of the kitchen TV.
>
> Background2: I had to experiment with different pci wireless cards
> before I found one which would work via the access point. I was trying
> to choose one which would work with both linux and win OSes.
>
> Background3: Upon changing the linksys router to the airlink, several
> old linksys functions wouldn't work, including choosing my dns, so I
> flashed the new airlink's firmware to a newer version. When I did that,
> it lost its ability to keep logs for WallWatcher which had previously
> worked. So I returned the AirLink router and got another one and worked
> with the WW developer to get a WW upgrade which included my model
> AirLink. I also swore to not upgrade/ firmware flash the AirLink unless
> it became inop. My linksys previously had had to have its firmware
> reflashed 3 separate times before the last death could not be firmware
> flash rejuvenated. That is, when the linksys would occasionally become
> operationally dysfunctional I could flash the firmware to fix it. One
> of those was secondary to a power surge. The others were unexplained.
> The last time it went kaput, it was not visible at its IP address, so it
> could not be flash firmware restored.
>
>
> --
> Mike Easter
>

Jack (MVP-Networking). wrote:
> Hi

Hi, thanks for responding. I'm realizing how little I understand about
wireless device configurations.

I'm sorta baffled by the RealTek wireless LAN utility which is a StartUp
program. It [presumably the PCI wireless card or its utility] appears
to be configurable as a station or access point, which confuses me.
That would make more sense for the AR421W which is configured with the
http as an AP. It the wireless 98 with its RealTek utility can see and
measure the signal from both the AP421W and the router AR325W, which are
both currently unsecured and the AP is on channel 6 and the AR router
wireless is on channel 11.

I can also see/access the http of the AP which is at 192.168.1.250 and
also the router at 192.168.1.1 using the channel 6 which goes thru' the
AP, but I can't access the modem's http which is at 192.168.1.100

> Is the core IP of the AP421W matches now the one of the new Router?

I don't understand the 'core' term. The AP is configured to use
192.168.1.1 as its gateway, which is the IP of the router. The
wireless98 is currently at 192.168.1.101

> Did you switched Off the Wireless on the AR325W?

Yes. I have powered down the entire network and then brought it back up
sequentially, starting with the router and then the AP and then the
computers connected. I've done that more than once.

> Alternately, did you try to connect the Wireless computer to the new
> AR325W using the Wireless with security temporarily Off?

All security is currently off.

I've now discovered I can get a ping echo from the WAN, eg 72.14.207.99
which is googleweb. However, even if I try to access the googlepage
with the IP http eg http://72.14.207.99 I cannot get the page. The IP
address for google will work on my machines with normal access.

So, I can echo a ping but I can't get the page even if I don't need name
resolution. That must mean that the router somehow isn't handling the
address translation properly, doesn't it? It seems like there must be
some confusion going thru' that AP.


--
Mike Easter

Oops. Error.

Mike Easter wrote:

> but I can't access the modem's http which is at 192.168.1.100

I mean the modem's http which is at 192.168.100.1/ -- I have another
computer which is assigned 192.168.1.100 namely this one I'm using now.


--
Mike Easter

Hi

Since both devices are 198.168.1.x they are on the same subnet so their core
(base) IP is ok.

From a point of view of Wireless Both Wireless Router and Access Point are
Access Points. I am not familiar with the card's utility but it should be
configured to work in infrastructure mode with Access Point not matte which
device you use.

By Switching off the Wireless, I did not mean the Reboot Wireless Router.
If you plan to use the AP, and the two devices are close one to the other
switch Off the Wireless Radio of the unit that you are not using, there is
probably a menu entry that allows you to do so.

If you keep using the AP as the Wireless Source configure it as a
transparent device. I.e. switch Off the DHCP and let the computer obtain
Auto IP and DNS from the first Router.

Jack (MVP-Networking).


"Mike Easter" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:45cfc0f8$0$97267$(E-Mail Removed) reenews.net...
> Jack (MVP-Networking). wrote:
>> Hi
>
> Hi, thanks for responding. I'm realizing how little I understand about
> wireless device configurations.
>
> I'm sorta baffled by the RealTek wireless LAN utility which is a StartUp
> program. It [presumably the PCI wireless card or its utility] appears
> to be configurable as a station or access point, which confuses me.
> That would make more sense for the AR421W which is configured with the
> http as an AP. It the wireless 98 with its RealTek utility can see and
> measure the signal from both the AP421W and the router AR325W, which are
> both currently unsecured and the AP is on channel 6 and the AR router
> wireless is on channel 11.
>
> I can also see/access the http of the AP which is at 192.168.1.250 and
> also the router at 192.168.1.1 using the channel 6 which goes thru' the
> AP, but I can't access the modem's http which is at 192.168.1.100
>
>> Is the core IP of the AP421W matches now the one of the new Router?
>
> I don't understand the 'core' term. The AP is configured to use
> 192.168.1.1 as its gateway, which is the IP of the router. The
> wireless98 is currently at 192.168.1.101
>
>> Did you switched Off the Wireless on the AR325W?
>
> Yes. I have powered down the entire network and then brought it back up
> sequentially, starting with the router and then the AP and then the
> computers connected. I've done that more than once.
>
>> Alternately, did you try to connect the Wireless computer to the new
>> AR325W using the Wireless with security temporarily Off?
>
> All security is currently off.
>
> I've now discovered I can get a ping echo from the WAN, eg 72.14.207.99
> which is googleweb. However, even if I try to access the googlepage
> with the IP http eg http://72.14.207.99 I cannot get the page. The IP
> address for google will work on my machines with normal access.
>
> So, I can echo a ping but I can't get the page even if I don't need name
> resolution. That must mean that the router somehow isn't handling the
> address translation properly, doesn't it? It seems like there must be
> some confusion going thru' that AP.
>
>
> --
> Mike Easter
>

Jack (MVP-Networking). wrote:

> By Switching off the Wireless, I did not mean the Reboot Wireless
> Router. If you plan to use the AP, and the two devices are close one
> to the other switch Off the Wireless Radio of the unit that you are
> not using, there is probably a menu entry that allows you to do so.

That ability to turn off its wireless is a newer firmware feature which
was added which is not available in my current version, and I don't want
to flash the firmware unless I have to. I'm leaning toward flashing it
anyway because of my troubleshooting, but I'm afraid I might lose my
logging ability like I did last time. I suppose I could revert back to
the old firmware if I did lose the logging. Presently my wirelessness
is less important than my logging, because I could convert the wireless
computer back to a wired one.

> If you keep using the AP as the Wireless Source configure it as a
> transparent device. I.e. switch Off the DHCP and let the computer
> obtain Auto IP and DNS from the first Router.

I'm confused about how to configure the AP vs how I've configured the
W98's wireless.

The default configuration of the AP for accessing its http is
192.168.1.250 and it is configured for its IP to be static. When I look
at the DHCP clients in the router's http, it shows every computer which
has accessed it, including my friend's computer which isn't here any
more. The router hasn't been shut down since he left.

So, the list of clients currently seen at the router are two wired
computers which are accessing, the friend's wireless LT computer which
is gone, and the 98 wireless 101 which can't access the internet. The
router doesn't see the AP 250 at all, but it seems that the AP is
'transparent' because the router looks thru' the AP to see the 98
wireless, unless that item on the list is there because of it accessing
the wireless of the router earlier as a 101.

Should I configure the access point to have a static IP such as 250
which is where I was told I could access it? Why doesn't the AP show up
as a client in the router's lineup at 250?

I think I need to find a webpage that talks specifically about wireless
card configuration via an access point. I've considered taking out the
access point and using the wireless of the router, but there is a
'geography' or location problem. The router isn't in a good place for
having any range, whereas the AP is better positioned.


--
Mike Easter