Speedstream router issues, I think.

Sorry, I wasn't sure how to title this one. Here is the problem.

I have two computers, a desktop and a laptop. I also have a Speedstream 5200 router/modem with the firmware update released for models sold before June of '04. I initially installed this update on the laptop. After doing so, it would take literally an hour of fumbling with it to get it to connect, but it still would eventually. As of a few days ago, it won't connect at all.

Here is an interesting bit of information. I tried to connect to the internet on the desktop computer to see if I could find help for the laptop. It wouldn't connect either (the same problem, as far as I could tell). However, I accidentally opened up Firefox after I realized the connection wasn't going to happen. And it worked.

Right now, I am on my desktop (where my actual connection is actually disconnected), but I am online. I tried the laptop to see if it would allow me to browse the web while supposedly disconnected, and it wouldn't. I have no idea what could be causing the laptop to not work or the desktop to be connected without...well, being connected.

I've checked the Network Connections folder and everything appears as it used to appear. The only thing that claims to be connected is the Speedstream USB adapter connection (which always connects when the usb for the router is plugged in). This whole situation makes me very nervous and confused.

I'm not sure how to get the laptop to connect or figure out why I am able to be online without my connection being connected. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

Alright, sorry. I think I've figured out at least part of the problem. On the SpeedStream Router Management page, it shows that I have it enabled as a router only, whereas it used to be a modem only. I think that is why one computer is connected without being connected as it used to be. I know, I'm an idiot for not thinking about that. I still can't get on the laptop, however. I've tried accessing the same page and everything, no luck.

I ran the diagnostics on the Management page and everything passes except the following two lines, which fail -

DNS.... Ping the primary Domain Name Server
and
Internet.... Ping a well-known Internet host

Maybe I need to manually enter in DNS addresses somewhere. I'm not sure, but I hope not because trying to get in touch with Alltel is like trying to win the lottery...

 

What's the IP address of your modem?
The modem should give out the DNS address when your computer receives a reply to its DNS request.
If you executs an ipconfig /all from the command prompt, what do you get?

 

If you mean the ip address I use to connect in the Management page, it's 192.168.254.254. The ipconfig execution [which is the same for both computers, besides the host name] showed this -

--------------------------------

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name -
Primary DNS Suffix -
Node Type - Unknown
IP Routing Enabled - No
WINS Proxy Enabled - No
DNS Suffix Search List - domain.invalid

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection
Media State - Media Disconnected
Description - Intel[R] PRO/100 VE Network Connection
Physical Address - 00-08-02-CF-07-FF

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 3
Connection-specific DNS Suffix - domain.invalid
Description - Speedstream Ethernet USB Adapter 2
Physical Address - 00-20-EA-F9-C4-62
Dhcp Enabled - Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled - Yes
IP Address - 192.168.254.1
Subnet Mask - 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway - 192.168.254.254
DHCP Server - 192.168.254.254
DNS Servers - 192.168.254.254
Lease Obtained - [this changes almost everytime I check this] Monday, June 12, 2006 5am
Lease Expires - Monday, January 18, 2038 10pm

--------------------------------

I should also mention that now, on the computer that will connect, pages will randomly stop loading or fail to load at all. The only way to get the internet working again when this happens is to restart the computer and unplug/restart the router/modem.

 

When you connect to the modem via its "management page" can you find a status link? The modem device should have an IP address and DNS addresses that will be used when your connected workstation wants to get to the Internet. The IP addresses you have shown as a result of the ipconfig are PRIVATE addresses and not allowed on the Internet and will be "substituted" by the IP address that the modem has acquired.

This could be an indication that the modem is losing its IP address or DNS addresses.

 

Do you have both usb and enet plugged if so remove one or the other as the speedstream isn't designed for that.

 

I've looked through everything on the Management Interface. I can't find anything that I would call a status link, and I checked every instance of an IP address through the settings, but they were all the same as the ones I already listed.

Definitely not. I only have the USB hooked up.

 

So heres the deal, your modem is acting as a router, and automaticly logging on to the alltel network thus you need nothign on your pc to connect. If you want to have to "dial" a connection everytime you will need to reset your modem back to a bridge.

 

Right, right. I know as much. The problem is that one of my computers will connect [in bridge or router mode], and one won't connect at all in either mode. And now I have that added problem of the connection not staying up when it is on. I don't have them going at the same time and I have the same settings for the connection on both computers. Both recognize the router and all of the lights are green, but on one computer I cannot actually connect to webpages despite this.

Thanks for the 'dialing' clarification, though. Maybe I'll just have to not use the internet on the laptop and get used to dropping connections on the desktop.