DSL modem problems

[jarren]

Hello

I have had a wireless network (that I affectionately call the J-ENCYCLOPEDIA – see attached image) for quite a number of months now, and everything has been working fantastic. But just recently I've upgraded from using dial-up (through my AirPort Extreme) to DSL. So I went out and bought a DSL modem to utilise my new DSL connection, but after I plug the modem in I notice that it stops my Maxtor Shared Storage Drive from appearing on the network, as well as stops me from being able to print to my printer (that is connected to the AirPort Extreme) and stops AirTunes from appearing in iTunes. So... I unplug the DSL modem and everything starts functioning fine again... until I plug it back it and the same problems occur. Please help me, because this is so irritating that it's not even worth having the fast internet connection, it's sooo tempting to just go back to dial-up so it all functions fine again... which I would have done already if it wasn't for having paid so much money for the connection fees etc. So yeah, I'm desperately hoping there's some way to make it all work.

Thanks.

 

[Ric]

Hi there and welcome !

Nice diagram, very helpfull !

First, how do all the devices on the Network get their IP Addresses ?

Sounds like an IP. I would be tempted to turn off DHCP, and assign an individual IP address to each device.

When you plug in the new modem it will probably have a IP address of 192.168.0.1 this is possibly already used on your network, hence the drop outs as soon as you plug it in...

The new modem will also have DHCP turned on as a default...the chances are that another device on your network is also 'running' as a DHCP Server.

If you need help configuring it further let me know and we'll come up with something later today...

You will need to check out via the Admin functions of the Airport Extreme, Base Station which device is assigning IP addresses...

If you want I'll redraw your Network Map with the relevant IP numbers on for you later tonight !

regards

Ric

 

[jarren]

Thanks Ric

Yeah, everything is set to DHCP, and you're right about the modem defaulting to 192.168.0.1 – so it seems very plausible that you're right about everything

I'll do my best to try and reconfigure it :/

If I have any problems I'm sure you'll be hearing from me again, but thankyou heaps for your reply.

 

[Ric]

Hi there,

hows it going ?

let us know if you need a 'network diagram' doing...

regards

Ric

 

[jarren]

Thanks Ric

Everything is working! But the weird thing is that I set everything up so it was manually assigning IPs (details listed below) and everything started working, except for the internet. But the weird thing about that was that Skype could still connect to the internet. So from here I thought that I should come back to you and let you know what was happening, so I went and changed everything back to automatic so that I could use the internet again, but miraculously when I did, absolutely everything started funtioning fine. The only difference between my old settings and my new ones are that before I was using 10.0.1.1 style addressing, and now I'm using 192.168.0.1



DSL Modem (Netgear DG632)
IP: 192.168.0.1

AirPort Extreme
IP: 192.168.0.2
SUBNET MASK: 255.255.255.0
ROUTER: 192.168.0.1
DNS SERVERS: 192.168.0.1
(i had to enter a mac address for the router so i just punched in a bunch of numbers...)

AirPort Express
IP: 192.168.0.3
SUBNET MASK: 255.255.255.0
ROUTER: 192.168.0.2
DNS SERVERS: 192.168.0.2

J-Index (Maxtor SSD)
IP: ?

J-Book (iBook G4)
IP: 192.168.0.10
SUBNET MASK: 255.255.255.0
ROUTER: 192.168.0.2
DNS SERVERS: 192.168.0.2

E-Book (iBook G4)
IP: 192.168.0.11
SUBNET MASK: 255.255.255.0
ROUTER: 192.168.0.2
DNS SERVERS: 192.168.0.2

 

[Ric]

Hi there,

because the Netgear Modem is first in the chain (as it were) it is normally 192.168.0.1 and it's DHCP Server is turned on by default...that's why all your devices were given 192.168.0.x addresses.

Before the Airport was the 'main' DHCP server and that was assigning every device on the network 10.0.1.x numbers.

It doesn't really matter which you use...but you must use one system.

'Skype' is very clever and normally finds a way through...

DSL Modem (Netgear DG632)
IP: 192.168.0.1

AirPort Extreme
IP: 192.168.0.2
SUBNET MASK: 255.255.255.0
ROUTER: 192.168.0.1
DNS SERVERS: 192.168.0.1

AirPort Express
IP: 192.168.0.3
SUBNET MASK: 255.255.255.0
ROUTER: 192.168.0.1
DNS SERVERS: 192.168.0.1

J-Index (Maxtor SSD)
IP: ? Is there a way of assigning an IP address ?

J-Book (iBook G4)
IP: 192.168.0.10
SUBNET MASK: 255.255.255.0
ROUTER: 192.168.0.1
DNS SERVERS: 192.168.0.1

E-Book (iBook G4)
IP: 192.168.0.11
SUBNET MASK: 255.255.255.0
ROUTER: 192.168.0.1
DNS SERVERS: 192.168.0.1

Bits in bold I would change, they should be 192.168.0.1

The MAC address is the unique address of the Netgear box, have a look on the label underneath...if not go into the Netgear Admin Page...

I have blanked mine out for privacy...

By changing everthing back to "Automatic" you are allowing the Devices to be configured via the DHCP Server...

...this is fine but you should only have 1 DHCP server running...depending on how you have the Airport and Airport Express set up they may still be running DHCP Servers...and the reason that it is all working now is down to the order which you turned the devices "on".

If the everything was turned off...Netgear on first...then everything else...the Netgear would "assign" IP addresses to everything on the Network...(192.168.0.x) numbers...however if at some point you decide to turn off the Netgear or reboot it then the Airport's DHCP could possibly decide it's in charge and assign 10.1.1.x numbers...thus losing Internet Access again.

I'll draw a Toplogy later, and post some screen shots of what to change in the Airport Admin pages...

Then if you want to you can change it all to Manual...and it will always stay that way...then if you add a new device 'you' just assign it a new IP Address...

This way is a little more secure...you can add the known IP Addresses (your Macs) into the Airport Admin Software to stop 'others' from accessing you network.

regards

Ric

 

[jarren]

Ah, ok. Thanks Ric.

I've just discovered how you can manually set the IP for the Maxtor SSD, but it's currently been assigned 192.168.0.4

 

[Ric]

Hi there,

you can leave the Maxtor at 192.168.0.4 if you want, just make sure nothing else has the same IP address.

regards

Ric