Ping but can't surf

JabbaTheHut

I am trying to set up a wireless connection between two houses about 5 miles apart. I don't have line of sight, so I am using a WRAP board as a repeater.

However, I'm still only at the bench testing level. I have everything set up in the garage,and can connect two computers,through the WRAP. I can ping each computer on this network,but when I go to surf on the comp that's using the other comps internet connection I can't surf.

The computer that's connected to the net directly surfs perfectly. As I said I can ping each other computer, but I need to surf using the other computer.I tried pinging the google ip address, but that doesn't work either. Funny thing is, sometimes it does work, but once I turn of both comps, it's all gone pear shaped again.I hope I haven't made this sound too confusing

What am I missing out on. I've been at this for the last while,on and off,and it's really starting to drive me nuts!!!!!!!! :mad:

djmarkus

sounds like you havent got your DNS set properly.

On the host computer check the dns settings using ipconfig /all

set the dns settings accordingly on the client machine.

JabbaTheHut

thanks djmarkus. I've tried that,but it still won't work. In fact, I got it to work before by leaving the default gateway on the host machine blank, but using the host's ip as the default gateway on the client. But that was before........

JabbaTheHut

As an update, I now can manage to navagiate to google,by entering google's ipaddress into the address bar. I found this out by accident after doing a tracert. But if I put in www.google.com it won't bring up google.

lucernarian

JabbaTheHut wrote:

As an update, I now can manage to navagiate to google,by entering google's ipaddress into the address bar. I found this out by accident after doing a tracert. But if I put in www.google.com it won't bring up google.

That's almost certainly a DNS issue. I think you may need to set up the computer connected to the internet as a router of some description. You could use Internet Connection Sharing in Windows, but I know little about that. Or you could buy a router and simply connect both PCs into it ant then connect to the 'net from there.

You do have broadband right?

JabbaTheHut

ahhhh. Now this is it. I don't have BB, and that's why I need to network these two computers. I'm attempting to share BB from one house with mine. But before I set everything up outside, I need to make sure it works on the bench first.

I agree that it does look like a DNS issue,but I don't know how to reslove it.


I've managed to solve the problem.............for now.............by using a DNS of 4.2.2.2

azezil

Have you entered your dns settings to both the client and host machines?

try a, ipconfig /flushdns from the command prompt

Ziycon

use the ip of the modem/router that is accessing the net at the other house this will then forward any packets or requests to the net!

Most likely set to standard default of 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.2.1

JabbaTheHut

Have you entered your dns settings to both the client and host machines?

Yeah azezil. I did that,but all I can do then is ping the host,and not outside of that. I'll try ipconfig/flushdns to see what that throws up.

use the ip of the modem/router that is accessing the net at the other house this will then forward any packets or requests to the net!

I'll have to get better organised Ziycon. I'll have to bring all the equipment with me to do that. I'll have to do it anyway, but I just wanted to make sure my entire setup will work before I go that far. You're right about the ip of the router being 192.168.1.1 . If it does forward the packets, then my worries are over.

It'll be a couple of days before I try that out though. Probably the weekend when I manage to get the time.

I'll keep you posted

azzeretti

I wouldn't bother using the internal router address for dns. Just add an external address like any public dns server, i.e eircom's (159.134.237.6) etc. This will get you surfing until you setup an internal dns server and start transfering zones etc.!

JabbaTheHut

As an update, I eventually managed to get the 2 comps (one the server connected to BB,the other the client)into the same room,and networked them so that the client will surf. Problem is,if I ping from the client to the server,the ping times are about 150ms,but only 10 when I ping in the opposite direction. Now while that's not too much to worry about, if I leave the client inactive(as in don't use it to surf) the connection drops,and the only way to get it working again is to ping frm the server to the client. The other way around results in "request times out"

I've got this far,surely what's causing this cannot be too much.........................I hope.

rogue-entity

You seem to be using Internet Connection Sharing on the "host" PC. You would be best to just use external hardware to create and share the connection so that you do not need the "host" PC to be on in order to use the internet.

The best way to do this IMO is to use a router and wireless APs to share the internet connection and create the wireless link. What you do on the "host" end is connect the ethernet port of the broadband modem directly to a switch. Connect the "host" PC to this switch via ethernet and connect a Buffolo Airstation wireless AP to the switch as well. Configure the modem to work as a router and enable its DHCP server, set it to use 192.168.0.1 for the LAN address and 192.168.0.2-200 as the IP range. This will give all connected devices a unique IP address where necessary.

The Buffolo Airstation can be connected to an external antenna, so just connect the antenna to complete the link. I dont know if these Airstations act as routers, or just add wireless features to a wired network. Non-Router versions are a lot easier.

At your end, all you need to do is tell your PC to get its IP and DNS settings from the network. Your PC should be connected by Wireless to the Antenna on your roof, via the WRAP to the antenna on the other house, and via the AP to his/her network. When your PC connects to the network, the DHCP request is forwarded via the wireless link to the router at the other end. And the router will dish out an IP and tell your computer to use it as a gateway and a DNS server. It should then let you connect to the internet as normal.

JabbaTheHut

Thanks rogue-entity. You're right,I am using ICS with the host computer. Is that causing my connection being unstable? I know the aerials would be a factor,but I'm getting an excellent conection with the wireless connection.If using the Airstation would make the connection more stable I would try it.

bushy...

Hi,i don't think ICS will be much use/fun since you'll need the pc running it on all the time.. What will the setup be when its all installed ?
Will the WRAP be at a third location somewhere between your place and your mates (w/BB)?

If it is maybe the best solution would be to get another wrap for his place ? try http://www.aerial.net (about 89euro + )
It would be a bit more reliable than most consumer gear
maybe use ME2000 ( http://www.me2000.net ) as the OS on it too ( free! ),works grand

JabbaTheHut

Hi bushy...

Yeah, the WRAP will be in a third location like so:

Host comp

---

WRAP

---

Client comp

I thought about getting a second WRAP alright. Like you say,about 89 euro or so. It ain't gonna break the bank, but I want to see how everything works out first before I spend more money.In the end I'll go with a second WRAP or rogue-entitys idea of the Airstation.

What I don't understand now is why the connection in the network is breaking down.

bushy...

Just ICS daftness imho ,anyway you could run into timing problems at long distances...i'd say go for the WRAP ,just a few things to watch , the clips that hold in the radio cards can be a bit delicate , and if your running them with POE (power over ethernet) split off the four wires for power and put a plug on it at the WRAP end ,sometimes the ethernet socket dies if you don't..
maybe the radiocard in the pc is going to sleep when its not being used ?

JabbaTheHut

Is ICS a dodgy way to configure net sharing? It would explain a few things alright, but the network itself, leaving out any net connection is breaking down. I'm gonna try change the channels on the second link to see if that's gonna help things. Like I said if I can get it stable I'll buy a second WRAP as a Server/Access point. Hope I don't sound confusing again.

I don't think I'll try POE. It seems to give a bit of trouble from time to time. I'll just go for the power supply.

bushy...

Wrap to Wrap it should be ok,more likely to be one of the radios in the pc's,i've put in a good few wraps and theyre good....what radiocards/OS are you using in the wrap atm ?

JabbaTheHut

I'm using Atheros CM9's in the pc's and the WRAP.
I'm using StarOS in the WRAP.I don't know enough to be able to run ME2000. I found StarOS easy to configure..................well, relativly easier.

However now I think I've solved the problem.

maybe the radiocard in the pc is going to sleep when its not being used ?

That got me thinking,and s I changed the Power Save Mode setting in the Atheros utility in the host from normal to off, and that seemed to sort everything out. Only thing is, I could see how it would drop the connection after a time of no use,but still hard to see how it gave higher ping times when pinging to it, than from it.

Still, if it solves the problem, that's the main thing.

I'm hoping to get the lot up and running over the weekend. I'll post back if I can get success.

JabbaTheHut

So I tried to get it all up and running,but with limited success. When I set it up,I got a perfect signal. 20db. However, when I went to surf on the client, it was really poor. Worse,by far,than 56k. Also,on the server side, a good few times the "network cable is unplugged" mesage flashed up a couple of times.Now I do have LOS, but there is a small hill that might be causing trouble.

But how is it that I have a perfect signal strength, but not able to surf.If I do ping frm one to the other, most of the time I get 2ms or 3 ms. But sometimes I get request times out.

Would the hill be causing my problem?

bushy...

Maybe the hill is giving you a bit of grief, works better if you have a clear "fresnel zone" , as far as the poor speed goes it sounds like a timing problem,the WRAP setup will do the distance ok , but with most ordinary gear the distance (timing) is set to something fairly low.
If you need to get another board for the other end have a look at Routerboards, http://www.mikrotik.com available here http://eshop.cznet.cz/index.php?cPath=41 too ,they come c/w OS licenced n ready to go , seem to be better quality, and way better OS too

JabbaTheHut

Sorry for the slow reply.Didn't notice the thread had run into another page.

Anywho, I *think* I have a fairly clear fresnel zone. I tried from a closer point, on a different hill, where I don't have any problem with any fresnel zone, but with no difference to the results. When you say a timing problem,what do you mean? I'm kinda lost there. The distance is about 5 miles.

bushy...

Have a look around the utility your using for the wireless cards in the PCs,see if there is a setting for ACK timing or distance.
In StarOs under "Wireless" >>>> Wpci atheros >>> config card have you set a countrycode, power override , and distance or left them @ "def" ?
What way have you laid IP's out on your links ?

JabbaTheHut

In the Atheros utility, there's no setting to change ACK timing or distance.

In StarOS I have :

BSS Channel : 2412

Transmit Rate : AUTO

Link Distance : def

Country Code : US

Tx Power Overrdide : def

InterBBS Relay is checked
Diversity is checked
Bursting,Fast Frame and Compression are all checked
Network Type is Access point and Operating mode is 802.11b

The server has an ip of 192.168.0.1
Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0

The StarOS WRAP has an ip of 192.168.0.55
Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0

The client machine's ip is 192.168.0.35
Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0

With this setup I on the bench everything worked fine. However,in practice it fails.

bushy...

In StarOS
1st radio card

BSS Channel : 2412

Transmit Rate : AUTO

Link Distance : def <<<<< change this to say 8 miles to start with

Country Code : US <<<<< change this to IE

Tx Power Override : def <<<<<<< change this to 18 to start with

In the second radio card set everything the same except the ESSID ( name ) set pc connected to second radio card to the same ESSID

---

The server has an ip of 192.168.0.1 <<<<<< leave this
Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0 <<<<<<< the way it is
gateway (should be the ip of your dsl modem)

---

In the WRAP ........

Give the radiocard facing the "server"
an ip of 192.168.0.2
Subnet mask 255.255.255.0

Give the ethernet port in the WRAP
an ip of 192.168.1.1
Subnet mask 255.255.255.0

Give the second radiocard in the WRAP
an ip of 192.168.2.1
Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0

---

Give the Client PC
an ip of 192.168.2.35
subnet mask 255.255.255.0
gateway 192.168.2.1

Now you need to add a few routes ... go to the wrap,

go to "Routing">>>"Static and default routes"

Click "Create"
Under "Gateway address" put in 192.168.0.1
click the green button "Make default route"

Then OK , and Activate the changes (under File at the top)

Now you need to add a route in the server pc , get a command line open on it and go

route -p add 192.168.2.0 mask 255.255.255.0 192.168.0.2

You should now be able to ping from either pc to the wrap and from pc --- pc
setup your ICS and you should be able to surf away
Then when its working turn down the "Tx Power Override" as low as reliable.

If your still in trouble come on IRC
irc.tuxbox.nu

....You may still have a damaged pigtail or something too btw,sometimes broken when you get them,it will work nearby but wont work over distance then ....

JabbaTheHut

Wow Bushy... Thanks a million. That's a whole lot of linfo. I've changed all the settings in the WRAP,and the client, so all I have to do is change the server,and do a bit of field testing. I hope the pigtails are ok as I got them from Aerial.net, so if their in trouble,then so am I. A bit of hassle to have them replaced.

I presume I set the first radio card to client, and the second to access point?
And thanks for all your help so far

bushy...

forgot that bit ! ... set both of them to accesspoint mode (on well separated channels) ....
use the "Site Survey " thing to find quiet channels
If your unluckly enough to have a dodgy pigtail i'll try n dig one up...

When you get it all working, you'll at least need wep/MAC locking ........

Wireless>>wpci1 >>> "advanced security and access control" for card #1
Wireless>>wpci2 >>> "advanced security and access control" for card # 2

you need to set each card separately

scroll to the very end and add these lines to the setup for each card

encrytion enable
authentication shared-key
cipher wep
keysource local
key 1 40 xxxxxxxxxx <<<<< replace xxxxxxx with your wepkey (in HEX)
key 1 default

acl strict
acl allow 00:6B:35:XX:XX:XX <<< replace xxxx's with the MAC address
acl allow 00:6B:35:XX:XX:XX <<<< of the two cards you have in your two pc's

go "Syntax check" then "Save" and Activate changes again

btw when you do get the WRAP running in the remote location,StarOs can crash if you keep adjusting settings over the wireless link,leaving you with no access to the wrap (except over ethernet or a powercycle will bring it back) , so every two or three changes reboot it remotely

bushy...

..... forgot to ask the distances between each hop server <<<< WRAP <<<<< client

If your still having trouble the part i would look at is ack timing (distance) on the two cards in the PC's,I'm not sure about windows&atheros (any links over distance i've been at have had staros,mikrotik or linux at each end)

JabbaTheHut

The distance from the Server to the WRAP is about 5 miles.

The distance from the Wrap to the client is about 500 yards. That's all I'm caught for. 500 stinking yards.

I'm gonna ahve a look at trying to adjust the ACK in windows. Someone must have done it before somewhere

bushy...

If you can't find a solution maybe stick one of these at the "server" end :
http://eshop.cznet.cz/product_info.php?currency=EUR&products_id=181&osCsid=fa2f8abec5ad47246705b3785f8ae1f5

yet more expense i know but it comes complete with an OS ,you already have a cm9/pigtail/antenna at that end,just add the board+psu and away you go ,you wouldnt need the PC at that end on all the time either.

JabbaTheHut

Thanks bushy. I'm gonna order one of those. They're out of stock at the moment. Donno how to pay though. they don't seem to take credit cards