[TelstraClear] HELP with TCL Cable modem connected to a router....

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ddan

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Topic # 5847 1-Dec-2005 22:13

Hi,
I have an interesting problem with my home network and TCL, and I was wondering if anyone else has a similar setup or struck the same issue recently.

I've had telstraclear cable for about two years and have always had it plugged into a linksys router then on to about 4 PCs in my home, this has been running fine for years with no problems. Actually it has been great, (2mb, 5gig plan very good.)

But last Monday I lost internet connectivity, after a bit of trouble shooting, I reset the router, checked all the settings, etc, etc... did the hard resets, powered off, blah, blah, but still no go.
Also the cable modem and internet worked fine when I plugged it directly into a PC.

So I assumed the router had died and replaced it with a new D-Link, but got the same problem, so in the off chance that it too was faulty I returned that and got another, again same issue. So its not the hardware. I also replaced my cables, and tried the router with different combinations of PC's, no go there either.

The annoying part is, if I connect the modem to a PC it works fine, so obviously the TCL help desk is a nightmare as they won't help me once they establish that that it works in a PC. Even had one guy hang up on me (ouch!)

When I connect the cable direct to the router, I seem to sort of get connected to their network, but I can't seem to get out, I can't ping the default gateway or dns servers, or see any machine on the internet, however I can ping other cable users on my subnet, which is weird? Ocassionally it will work for 3 or 4 seconds then stop again.

My current work-around is to have a PC plugged into the modem with ICS turned on, then with a second ethernet card in the PC, I plug that into the WAN port of my router and go from there, and this works no problem, so this also proves that the router is fine.

So this is very annoying. Especially since I have been doing this successfully for a couple of years, I am pretty familiar with how to setup routers and networks (not an expert) but I am confident its not a configuration issue at my end.
So does anybody else successfully use a router directly?

I have bluntly asked TCL if they are blocking routers somehow and they say no, and that its not even possible.
A tech even came out and replaced the modem for me because I pestered them so much.

Any help or suggestions would be very much appreciated, I have completely run out of ideas....

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Reply # 24155 2-Dec-2005 12:23

Interestingly I've had trouble with my Linksys router at home and D-Link at work both locking up frequently over the past few weeks. The problem is fixed after a reset but it's just whierd that it's happening every few days and has never happeded in the past.

I honestly can't offer any suggestions other than suggesting that it almost certainly has to be a configuration issue with your router. You haven't changed to one of the new plans at all have you?

alasta

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Reply # 24157 2-Dec-2005 13:16

Unfortunately, I can't help you based on the information you've provided, but I would recommend that you provide a detailed summary of the router settings, and the router logs (most routers generate them) as that would be extremely helpful in providing some clues.

ddan

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Reply # 24158 2-Dec-2005 13:16

No, same plan still, so same static IP etc.
What I find strange is that the router works fine when nested 1 layer back, with one of my PC's acting as the gateway and using internet connection sharing.
But does not work when it is given my static IP and the telstra gateway and dns servers.

ddan

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Reply # 24159 2-Dec-2005 14:03

Hi Alasta

The router is a Linksys BEFSR41
configured as follows:

Firmware Version: 1.05.00, Apr 01 2004
MAC Address: 00-0C-41-8C-0F-11
static Ip: 218.101.50.8 (mine)
subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway 218.101.50.1
dns1 203.96.152.4
dns2 203.96.152.12
MTU 1496
Local IP 192.168.1.1
subnet mask 255.255.255.0
DHCP Server: disabled (I manually configure all local ips on network)
Security (disabled all security features, block anonymous, filter multicast, filter internet nat)
No filters configured to deny local access
Turned off all port range forwarding, triggers and UPnP forwarding
NAT is enabled
Receive/transmit RIP version is disabled.

Thats about it, for my work-around I plug the modem into a PC, where the PC has my static IP address and correctly configure tcp/ip settings (same as above), turn on ICS, then plug the PC into the WAN port of the router (2 network cards), and set the routers static IP to 192.168.0.2, default gateway to 192.168.0.1 (local Ip still 192.168.1.1) and it works fine.

Some logs follow:

router log: (Not much in the log of interest:)
00:00:00 [192.168.1.1] : System is ready
00:00:00 System is warm start
00:00:00 Firmware Version : 1.05.00, Apr 01 2004
00:00:00 Internet(static) IP is 218.101.50.8
00:00:00 TCP from 218.101.97.91:1968 to 218.101.50.8:445
00:00:04 UDP from 192.168.1.103:4500 to 12.165.227.2:4500
00:00:05 UDP from 12.165.227.2:4500 to 218.101.50.8:63658

Some pings:
218.101.50.1 - timed out
218.101.50.3 - replies (this is some other cable user)
203.96.152.4 - dns1 times out
203.96.152.12 - dns2 times out

netstat returns the following:

Active Connections

Proto Local Address Foreign Address State
TCP rdann2:1490 localhost:62514 ESTABLISHED
TCP rdann2:1494 localhost:62514 ESTABLISHED
TCP rdann2:1495 localhost:62516 ESTABLISHED
TCP rdann2:1497 localhost:62516 ESTABLISHED
TCP rdann2:62514 localhost:1490 ESTABLISHED
TCP rdann2:62514 localhost:1494 ESTABLISHED
TCP rdann2:62516 localhost:1495 ESTABLISHED
TCP rdann2:62516 localhost:1497 ESTABLISHED
TCP rdann2:2688 rdannnz:ms-sql-s ESTABLISHED
TCP rdann2:2893 rdannnz:netbios-ssn ESTABLISHED
TCP rdann2:3164 rdannnz:ms-sql-s ESTABLISHED
TCP rdann2:3418 rdannnz:5900 ESTABLISHED
TCP rdann2:3504 rdannnz:5900 ESTABLISHED
TCP rdann2:3845 rdannnz:5900 ESTABLISHED
TCP rdann2:4174 rdannnz:ms-sql-s ESTABLISHED
TCP rdann2:4363 140.113.208.3:31742 SYN_SENT
TCP rdann2:4364 220.117.215.194:53113 SYN_SENT
TCP rdann2:4365 61.155.24.26:4674 SYN_SENT
TCP rdann2:4366 220.117.215.194:https SYN_SENT
TCP rdann2:4367 61.155.24.26:https SYN_SENT
TCP rdann2:4368 201.235.61.76:1359 SYN_SENT
TCP rdann2:4369 61.173.43.123:1258 SYN_SENT

localhost and rdannnz obviously are both local.

Are there any other suggested commands to run that might shed some light?
tracert times out.

C:\>tracert 203.96.152.4

Tracing route to 203.96.152.4 over a maximum of 30 hops

1 * * * Request timed out.
2 * * * Request timed out.
3 * * * Request timed out.
4 * * * Request timed out.
5

thanks.

ktwhy

11 posts

Geek

Reply # 24571 10-Dec-2005 16:26

I too have the same problem. Mine was working fine for a month and then all of a sudden it stopped connecting, but works fine plugged straight into the PC.

I am using a D-Link router DI-524. The PC shop where I purchased the router has also had one other customer with the same problem. This person had tried a D-Link and a Linksys router and had the same issues.

I have had a replacement router and also had the PC shop test the router as they are with TCL too. They only tested it using Dynamic IP as that is how their network is setup. It tested okay, proving there is no fault with the router. However TCL only provide customers with Static IP Addresses so that test didn't really solve anything for me.

I hope someone out there can shed some light on this issue, this is getting really frustrating.

sbiddle

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Reply # 24572 10-Dec-2005 20:17

Have you tried reflashing the firmware in the router? I would suspect there is probably a far newer firmware release also than the one you have - there are a few different models of the BEFSR-41 so looking at the site I can't tell if you have the latest firmware or not.

One other thing to try is disabling the MTU setting, both Linksys models I have here have options for disable/enable and then the size if you have enable selected so I suspect your router should be the same.

ddan

15 posts

Geek

Reply # 24575 10-Dec-2005 21:00

Hi, Thanks for that, I believe the firmware is the latest (befsr41 v.3. 1.05) and I did reflash it. Also I have tried the same setup with 2 different routers with the same result, which is why I am thinking its not router hardware related. (both others were new D-Links)
I also have tried with MTU enabled and disabled.

What is weird is that once I am connected I do have some connectivity into the TCL network, i.e. I can't ping the gateway but I can ping some other machines on the same subnet as me.

Also the router works fine if I use it in my local network, behind a PC.
So: TCL -> cable modem->PC->WAN-router->LAN works fine.
but: TCL -> cable modem -> WAN router -> LAN doesn't

still stumped....

damian

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Reply # 24576 10-Dec-2005 21:04

I have also started having the same problem, with router connected it stops after a few hours untill I reset the router, then it works again untill it times out.

sbiddle

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Reply # 24578 10-Dec-2005 21:19

I'm actually having issues with my Linksys router at home locking up frequently and also the D-link work work doing the same thing.

ddan

15 posts

Geek

Reply # 24580 10-Dec-2005 21:33

Hey Ktwhy,
That shop wasn't PCU in ChCh was it? I may be the 'other' customer?

I wonder if we're on the same subnet, my static ip is 218.101.50.8.
Also tried D-Link and Linksys

ktwhy

11 posts

Geek

Reply # 24581 10-Dec-2005 22:09

Hey ddan,

Yes it was PCU. They told me they hadn't heard from you so assumed you had sorted out your problem.

They are pretty sure it's a connection problem on the Telstra network which could be isolated to certain areas, as they have sold heaps of routers and have only had two with this problem.

My Static IP is 218.101.50.18

ddan

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Reply # 24582 10-Dec-2005 22:20

ahh, that is very interesting, as our ips are almost the same.
I think that this almost proves its a problem with telstra, I wonder if we could find anyone else on the same 'subnet' or whatever its called (218.101.50.x) and see if the problem is with everyone else too, then at least telstra would have to listen to us. I have rung at least 10 times and have been fobbed off everytime (even hung up on) ... very unhelpful.

(did u just see that cricket....!!! - unbelievable)

ddan

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Reply # 24583 10-Dec-2005 22:31

Hi Ktwhy
Are you in St Albans? I wonder if its a local issue and maybe we could find some more 'locals' with the same issue and then gang up on TCL. Unfortunately none of my neighbours that I know have telstraclear. Probably not many of us run routers directly as well.

I don't know how they dish out ip addresses? Maybe it has nothing to do with location?

I wonder how else we could contact other people on our network? net send or something, anyone have any ideas?

Maybe we could simply ring up and ask for a new IP address, or switch to a new plan and see if that helps.

ktwhy

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Geek

Reply # 24584 10-Dec-2005 22:34

Yeah, awesome result!

I didn't get much help from telstra either, but it has to be them. These routers were working before, then all of a sudden they don't.

ktwhy

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Geek

Reply # 24585 10-Dec-2005 22:39

I am in North New Brighton. Not sure how they give out the numbers.

I think maybe ringing them first to see if have different numbers makes any difference. If it is going to be as easy as changing our IP address, I'm in.

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