I am no longer able to access the Internet.

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

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

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

If you still cannot connect to the internet, manually step through the following procedures.

  1. Verify the wired or wireless connection to your router. If your computer cannot communicate with the router, it cannot access the Internet.

  2. If the LEDs for your router are not responding, verify your router is responding. This includes checking the LEDs to verify they are functioning correctly and to verify that the router is powered on responding. If the router is turned off, or the wireless radio isn't operating, or it has no connection to the Internet (via your cable/DSL modem), your computer won't be able to access the Internet either.

  3. If the LEDs for your router are responding, verify your router's connection to the Cable or DSL modem. Your router must be connected to and receiving information from the modem for a successful Internet connection.

  4. Verify your modem's connection to the Internet. Your Internet connection must be up and functioning.

 

Verify the wired or wireless connection to your router

If you use a wired connection:

  1. If you use a wired connection between your computer and your router, ensure the Ethernet cable is securely connected to your computer's Ethernet port and to a LAN port on the router.

  2. Verify that the corresponding LED for the LAN port is lit. Make sure your computer has an IP address in the same subnet as the router. If you still cannot get to the Internet, verify your router is responding.

If you use a wireless connection:

  1. If you use a wireless connection between your computer and your router, ensure the wireless utility reports a successful connection to your router.

  2. Ensure that your computer is connected to your router, and not another router like a neighbor's router. You can use your wireless utility to check the Network name (SSID) of the router you're connected to. If it's connected to the wrong router, you can use the utility to force your computer to try to connect to your router. See the documentation of your wireless adapter for information on how to check which router you are connecting to.

If you do not have a wireless connection to your router:

  1. Ensure that your computer is close enough to your router to receive a signal and that there is nothing interfering with the signal, such as a microwave oven or a concrete wall. If your perform a scan with your wireless utility (typically called a "site survey") and it can't detect your router, it may be a signal problem.

  2. Verify your router is configured to broadcasts its network name.

  3. Ensure that the wireless utility is using the correct Network name (SSID) and wireless security settings for your router.

    4. Settings such as network name, security method (WPA, WEP, etc.), and security keys must all match. If your router 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 not be able to connect to the router and will need to use WEP encryption. Please refer to the Configuration section of this User Guide for information on changing the security settings.

  4. Verify the computer permitted to connect to your router. If you have MAC filtering enabled on your router, you should verify that the MAC address of your wireless adapter is allowed access to the router. For example, if you have changed wireless adapters, you will have to add the MAC address of the new wireless adapter to the router.

  5. If none of these work, you can try a wired connection between your computer and your router by connecting an Ethernet cable between your computer's LAN port and a LAN port on the router. (Ensure that the corresponding LAN port LEDs are lit.) If a wired connection works, the problem is almost certainly with your computer's wireless connection to the router. You should then try the previous steps again.

If you can verify the connection between your computer and your router, it's likely the router is not connected to the Internet or is not functioning correctly. You need to verify your router's connection to the Cable or DSL modem and verify your modem's connection to the Internet.

 

Verify your router is responding

  1. Check that the router's LEDs for power, wireless, and Internet are lit.

  2. Start a Web browser. In the location or address line type 192.168.2.1 and press ENTER.

Note: If you have modified your router's IP address, enter the new IP address instead of 192.168.2.1.

If the router's Web interface appears and you still cannot connect to the Internet, the problem may be with its connection to your cable/DSL modem. Go to Step 3.

If the router's Web interface doesn't appear, you should release and renew your computer's network connection.

Release and renew your computer's network connection.

  1. Open a command prompt as follows:

    Windows Vista:

    1. Click Windows Start.

    2. In the Search box, type Command Prompt and press ENTER.

    3. In the result list, double-click Command Prompt.

    All other Windows operating systems:

    1. Click Windows Start > Run.

    2. In the Run dialog box:

      Windows XP, 2000, and NT: Type cmd and click OK.

      Windows Me, 98, and 95: Type command and click OK.

  2. Do one of the following:

Windows Vista, XP, 2000, and NT users:

Type ipconfig /renew and press ENTER.

Type exit and press ENTER.

Windows Me, 98, and 95 users:

Go to Windows Start > Run.

Enter winipcfg and press ENTER.

Press Release.

Press Renew.

Close the application.

  1. Your computer should acquire an IP address (such as 192.168.2.5) from the router.

  2. Try again to access the router configuration pages at 192.168.2.1.

  3. If the router configuration pages appear and you still cannot connect to the Internet, the problem may be with its connection to your cable/DSL modem. Verify your router's connection to the Cable or DSL modem.

  4. If the router configuration pages still do not appear, you need to restart your router.

    1. With a thin tool, such as a paper clip, briefly press the Reset button on the back of the router for 1 second.

    Note: If you press the Reset button for more than five seconds, the router will return to its factory default settings.

    1. Wait about 30 seconds for the LEDs on the router to stabilize.

    2. Release and renew your computer's network connection information again.

    3. Try again to access the router's Web address at 192.168.2.1

    4. If the router configuration pages appear and you still cannot connect to the Internet, the problem may be with its connection to your cable/DSL modem. Verify your router's connection to the Cable or DSL modem.

  5. If you still cannot access the router, the router may need to be restored to the default factory settings.

Note: When you restore to the factory default settings, you will lose all of your router's custom settings and will need to set it up again as if you were installing it for the first time. Alternatively, you can restore your settings if you have made a backup of your router settings.

  1. With a thin tool, such as a paper clip, press the Reset button on the back of the router for 7 seconds.

  2. Wait about 30 seconds for the LEDs on the router to stabilize.

  3. Try to access the router's Web address at 192.168.2.1

  4. If the router's Web interface still doesn't appear after you have restored to the factory default settings, it's possible that the router has failed. Please contact U.S. Robotics Customer Support.

 

Verify your router's connection to the Cable or DSL modem

  1. Check your cable/DSL modem's power and status LEDs to verify that the modem is powered on and connected to the Internet. Refer to your modem's documentation for information on its status indicators.

  2. In the router configuration pages, click the Status tab.

  3. Click Refresh to update the page with the most current status information.

  4. Go to the WAN section of the page and verify that the router has a WAN IP address (such as 235.42.181.5). This IP address indicates whether the router is connected to the cable/DSL modem.

  5. If the router doesn't have a WAN IP address, reboot the router.

  6. If you still cannot access the Internet, click the Internet tab and use the page to configure the router's Internet connection. (If you have a DSL modem, you may be required to enter the login information your ISP provided.)

Note: If the WAN protocol is static, you will need to make sure the WAN IP address of the router is a valid static IP address. A valid static IP address is one that is provided by your ISP or is in the same subnet as the device that is connected to the WAN port of the router.

  1. If the router still cannot obtain a WAN IP address, it is likely there is a problem with the cable/DSL modem or your ISP. Verify your modem's connection to the Internet.

 

Verify your modem's connection to the Internet

If your computer has a connection to your router and the Internet connection information on your router is configured correctly but you still cannot connect to the Internet, it's possible that the cable/DSL modem has lost its connection or isn't functioning properly, or there's a problem with your ISP.

  1. Ensure that an Ethernet cable is connected between your router's WAN port and the cable/DSL modem's Ethernet port and that the corresponding LEDs are lit.

  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 your 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. After the cable/DSL modem has restarted and connected to your ISP, click the Reboot button on your router's Device page.

  5. After the router reboots and the LEDs on the router have stabilized, if you still cannot access the Internet, please start at the beginning of this tutorial to determine if there is a new point of failure. It's possible that your wireless connection needs to be re-established.

  6. If the router still does not have an IP address after repeating this tutorial, the problem may be with the cable/DSL modem or your ISP. Please contact your ISP's Customer Support.

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