I am no longer able to access the Internet.

When your computer connects to the Internet, a number of devices have to work together.

  1. Your computer connects to your Wireless MAXg Access Point via a wireless connection.
  2. Your Wireless MAXg Access Point connects to a router or DSL router via an Ethernet cable.
  3. Your router connects to your cable/DSL modem and/or your cable/DSL modem connects to your Internet Service Provider (ISP) via your cable/phone network.

The first step in solving this problem is to diagnose the cause. There are several places where the connection from your computer to the Internet might fail.

First, check the indicator lights of your various devices. If one or more of these devices indicate a problem, it is a good indication of where you should focus your troubleshooting efforts.

  1. If your computer uses a wireless connection to your access point, does the wireless utility indicate there is a good connection to your access point?

    2. If your computer cannot communicate with the access point, it cannot access the Internet.

  2. Are your Wireless MAXg Access Point's LEDs for Power, Wireless, and Ethernet lighted?

    3. If the Access Point is turned off, or the wireless radio is not operating, or it has no connection to the Internet (via your cable/DSL modem or a router), your computer will not be able to access the Internet.

  3. Do your cable/DSL modem's power and status LEDs indicate a connection? (Please refer to your modem's documentation for information on its status indicators.)

    4. If your modem is turned off or cannot communicate with your ISP, your access point will be unable to access the Internet.

Follow these steps to check the various devices and determine which one is not connecting properly.

Step 1: Can your computer connect to your Wireless MAXg Access Point?

Does your wireless utility report a successful connection to your access point?

If your wireless utility reports a successful wireless connection, it’s possible that your computer has connected to a neighbor’s access point instead of yours. You can use your wireless utility to check the Network name (SSID) of the access point you’re connected to. If it’s connected to the wrong access point, you can use the utility to force your computer to try to connect to your access point. (Please refer to the documentation of your wireless adapter.)

If you do not have a wireless connection to your Wireless MAXg Access Point, you can try the following solutions:

  1. Ensure that your computer is close enough to your access point to receive a signal and that there is nothing interfering with the signal, such as a microwave oven or a concrete wall.

    2. If your access point broadcasts its network name, you can use your computer's wireless utility to scan for it. (This is typically called a "site survey.") If your utility cannot detect your access point, it may be a signal problem.

  2. Ensure that your wireless adapter is using the correct network name and security settings for your access point.

    Settings such as network name, security method (WPA(PSK), WPA2(PSK), WEP, etc.), and security keys must all match. If your access point is using WPA encryption, each wireless card or adapter must support WPA encryption. If you are using a Wireless PC Card, PCI Adapter, or USB Adapter that does not support WPA encryption, you will need to use WEP encryption. Please refer to the Configuration section of this User Guide for information on changing the security settings.
  3. If you have enabled MAC filtering, is this computer permitted to connect to your access point?

    4. Please note that MAC filtering refers to specific wireless adapters. If you use MAC filtering and have changed wireless adapters, you must add the MAC address of the new wireless adapter to the access point.

Step 2: Can your Wireless MAXg Access Point connect to your router or DSL router?

Check whether your router or DSL router is communicating with your access point.

  1. Record the LAN MAC address, printed on the bottom of your access point.
  2. Using a computer that is connected to your router or DSL router with a cable, run the MAXg Device Detection Utility. The MAC address and IP address of each device communicating with your router is displayed.

If the MAC address of your access point is not displayed in the MAXg Device Detection Utility, the router is not communicating with the access point. Reset the access point as follows.

  1. With a thin tool, such as a paper clip, briefly press the RESET button on the back of the access point. Hold it in for one to two seconds to restart the access point. Do not hold the button in for longer than five seconds or any custom settings will be reset to the factory defaults.
  2. Wait about 30 seconds.
  3. Run the MAXg Device Detection Utility.
  4. If the IP address of the access point is displayed, start a Web browser and enter the IP address of the access point. If the Wireless MAXg Access Point's Web User Interface is displayed, continue to Step 3: Can Your cable/DSL modem connect to your ISP?

If the access point's IP address or status page is not displayed, the router is still not communicating with the access point. You will need to make sure that DHCP is enabled on the router and restore the access point's default factory settings. Restoring the access point's default factory settings will delete any custom settings and require you to set it up as if you were installing it as a new device.

  1. On the router's LAN configuration properties, make sure DHCP is enabled.
  2. With a thin tool, such as a paper clip, press the RESET button on the back of the access point for between five and ten seconds to restore factory defaults.
  3. Wait about 30 seconds.
  4. Run the MAXg Device Detection Utility.
  5. If the access point's IP address is displayed, start a Web browser and enter the IP address of the access point. If the Wireless MAXg Access Point's Web User Interface is displayed, continue to Step 3: Can Your cable/DSL modem connect to your ISP.
  6. If the access point's IP address is not displayed, it is possible that the access point has failed. Please contact U.S. Robotics Customer Support.

Step 3: Can your cable/DSL modem connect to your ISP?

At this point, your router or DSL router should be communicating with your Wireless MAXg Access Point and the access point's LAN connection should be configured correctly. If you still cannot access the Internet, it is possible that the cable/DSL modem has lost its connection, is not working properly, or there's a problem with your ISP.

  1. Ensure that an Ethernet cable is connected between your access point's LAN port and the router's or DSL router's Ethernet port. Make sure that the corresponding LEDs are lighted.
  2. Ensure that your cable/DSL modem is connected to your wall jack. (A cable modem uses a coax cable, and a DSL modem uses an RJ-11 cable.)
  3. Restart the cable/DSL modem. (There may be a power switch or reset button on the modem or you may have to unplug/re-plug the modem's power adapter. Consult your modem's documentation.)
  4. Restart your router.

If your cable/DSL modem says it is connected to the Internet and the access point has a LAN IP address, try to access the Internet. If you still cannot access the Internet, please start at the beginning of this tutorial to determine the new point of failure. (It’s possible that your wireless connection needs to be re-established.)

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