Problem setting up Smart wireless modem...

Sesheta

We've just got in Smart's 6mg package after too many years of bloody Ripwave and mobile internet but it's proving a nightmare to set up. It was supposed to be connected on the 25th and despite the fact the broadband light on the modem has been lit for the last couple of days it won't assign us an IP address to go online.
We put in a call to tech support - impressively getting someone to answer each time we've called so far but they've decided it's either a problem at their end or with the router (we've also got a wired modem from them which we tried connecting with without luck). They escalated the call but it's been two days now and the buggers haven't called back.
It's so frustrating having the connection showing up in wireless networks but totally inaccessible.
Could anyone tell me a) is this kind of hassle normal with Smart and b) does anyone have any ideas that would get us online sooner?
Know it's a long shot but every time I call them they just say to wait for them to call us.

Spear

Sesheta wrote: »

We've just got in Smart's 6mg package after too many years of bloody Ripwave and mobile internet but it's proving a nightmare to set up. It was supposed to be connected on the 25th and despite the fact the broadband light on the modem has been lit for the last couple of days it won't assign us an IP address to go online.
We put in a call to tech support - impressively getting someone to answer each time we've called so far but they've decided it's either a problem at their end or with the router (we've also got a wired modem from them which we tried connecting with without luck). They escalated the call but it's been two days now and the buggers haven't called back.
It's so frustrating having the connection showing up in wireless networks but totally inaccessible.
Could anyone tell me a) is this kind of hassle normal with Smart and b) does anyone have any ideas that would get us online sooner?
Know it's a long shot but every time I call them they just say to wait for them to call us.

Did you receive the message from Smart that your setup was completed?

spurious

You could also try the Smart support forums.

Sesheta

I got a text a couple of days ago saying our order had been completed. That's when I plugged in the modem and all the lights were lit and it started showing up. That was three days ago now though and the broadband light has started flashing again.

I'll take a look at their support forums as well.

dub45

Have Smart supplied you with a log on and password?

Sesheta

We finally got a call back from tech support. Seems like the problem is with the wiring in this bloody house. OK so the phone upstairs is so old that it doesn't even have a phone jack to connect it to the line. The husband is off seeing if he can get the right cable to replace it...otherwise not sure who we're going to have to call (I'm hoping against hope it won't be Eircom!)

dub45

Eircom have no role to play at all with your internal wiring.

Have Smart actually supplied you with your log on and password?

Sesheta

Yeah we have the log on and password. We can get the modem plugged in and it shows up as a wireless network but it won't connect to the IP address where we could type in the log on and password.
According to Smart the connection was completed a couple of days ago and they don't know why it's not working.

dub45

Sesheta wrote: »

Yeah we have the log on and password. We can get the modem plugged in and it shows up as a wireless network but it won't connect to the IP address where we could type in the log on and password.
According to Smart the connection was completed a couple of days ago and they don't know why it's not working.

And what happens when you connect to the router by ethernet?

Sesheta

Same thing. Actually beginning to think it might be the truly crappy wiring in this house. All the wiring, including the phone wires in the house is at least 20 years old...looks like we're going to have to get someone in I think.

Snaga

While your phone line may be bad by the sounds of it, that wont cause problems with you connecting to the Admin page on the modem from one of the physical LAN ports.

Does your laptop get an ip address when you cable it directly to the modem?

If not - I think you need to go back to the support line and try and get a new modem - or at least get them to troubleshoot a bit further.

Sesheta

Well we've had a technician out and the husband's laptop is now working with lovely fast wireless broadband so the modem's fine and the line's fine. Problem is that my laptop is still refusing point blank to have any communication with the modem even though it can see that there is a wireless connection and recognises the modem as a wireless network. It's the same story when it's plugged in using Ethernet...it just won't go to the modem's logon page to allow me to input our user name and password. Is there any hope with this...I wan't my laptop online too! Fed up with bloody 3 bloody mobile broadband! And I won't get a look in at the husband's laptop now it's all fast and shiny!

crawler

It sounds like Windows firewall or Norton Internet security is "accidently" blocking access.

If you have Norton installed, temporarily disable it and try it out. PLEASE though be sure to re-enable your security once sorted out.

Sesheta

Tried turning off the firewall (I don't have Norton) but it didn't make a difference. Looking at the connection it sees it, tries to get an IP address then ends up with limited or no connectivity. I've put the firewall back on...this is very frustrating!

crawler

Hmmm...

OK - if you are using XP can you do the following:-

Click Start
Click run
In the box type in "cmd" press enter
You should get a black screen
Type in "ipconfig /all" without the "" - there is a space before the / which is important
Press enter

Take a screen shot of the result and post up here please

(Relax - should be fixable)

Sesheta

thanks a million for this...

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\ > ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : XXXXX -9a71e19
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : NVIDIA nForce Networking Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-16-36-DF-63-A7

PPP adapter 3 USB Modem:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : WAN (PPP/SLIP) Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-53-45-00-00-00
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.206.127.113
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 10.206.127.113
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 172.31.140.69
172.30.140.69
Primary WINS Server . . . . . . . : 10.11.12.13
Secondary WINS Server . . . . . . : 10.11.12.14
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 802.11a/b/g WLAN
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1A-73-18-F1-BB
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration IP Address. . . : 169.254.116.77
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

Not quite a screen shot but all the information's there I think.

crawler

No problem...

Right - you are not getting an IP address from the modem - hence, you are getting limited or no connectivity. An IP address starting with 169.254 is the one windows assigns when it cant get an ip.

there are a number of reasons that causes this so lets try them one by one....

Again Start, Run, Cmd

This time type:-

ipconfig /release all - press enter then type (spaces important)
ipconfig /renew all - press enter

then run the ipconfig /all and post result here

Sesheta

Here we go...

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\> ipconfig /release all

Windows IP Configuration

The operation failed as no adapter is in the state permissible for
this operation.

C:\Documents and Settings\> ipconfig /renew all

Windows IP Configuration

The operation failed as no adapter is in the state permissible for
this operation.

C:\Documents and Settings\> ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : XXXXX-9a71e19
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : NVIDIA nForce Networking Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-16-36-DF-63-A7

PPP adapter 3 USB Modem:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : WAN (PPP/SLIP) Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-53-45-00-00-00
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.206.127.113
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 10.206.127.113
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 172.31.140.69
172.30.140.69
Primary WINS Server . . . . . . . : 10.11.12.13
Secondary WINS Server . . . . . . : 10.11.12.14
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 802.11a/b/g WLAN
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1A-73-18-F1-BB
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255

C:\Documents and Settings\>

crawler

Looks like winsock-NAT or other corruption (grrr microsoft)

Right....first option

Go here - download the patch, restart the computer

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=17d997d2-5034-4bbb-b74d-ad8430a1f7c8&DisplayLang=en

Sesheta

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Wow - even getting back here was quicker! According to Irish ISP Test I now have a download speed of 532 MPS!
It connected magically as soon as I restarted! So what's a corrupted winsock anyway?

crawler

Takes a bow

Ah, just one of those things you never need to know....

A bit like the "large hadron collider" - Google it, depress yourself

Happy Smart Customer = me happy.

Enjoy.

Oh, will you post up the ipconfig /all result now please? Just to be 100% - should have a 192.168 type address now

Sesheta

Ah see the large hadron collider I had heard of...anyway here's the result...

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\> ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : XXXXX-9a71e19
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : lan

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : NVIDIA nForce Networking Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-16-36-DF-63-A7

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : lan
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 802.11a/b/g WLAN
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1A-73-18-F1-BB
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.66
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 05 September 2008 17:14:24
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 06 September 2008 17:14:24

C:\Documents and Settings\

Thanks again!

crawler

Perfect!