Wifi Problem

I have a home network using a wrt54g router. I am having a problem accessing the network with my cellphone. The cellphone is a Samsung Galaxy phone - it was previously used by my son, and he was able to access the network. He upgraded his phone and I took his old phone.

So, the phone recognizes the network and attempts to get an IP address, but it is unable to. I thought it might be an issue with the security - so I disabled the security and am still unable to access the network. I spoke with ATT (cellphone provider) support, cablevision support (internet provider), and Linksys support. ATT tried some resets on the phone and router, but it didn't help. Cablevision and Linksys were not helpful at all.

Frankly, I don't know what else to do at this point. It's especially perplexing since my son used this same phone for 2 years to access the same network/router.

Any ideas?

P.S. My son now has a Samsung Galaxy II and he is having the same problem accessing the network.

 

Hey there LenC,

Have you checked the router settings to verify that you are not using MAC filtering? MAC filtering is seperate from "normal" encryption settings like WPA.

I will be happy to help you solve this problem. Is it possible that you can attach screen-shots of your router configuation to this thread?

I "did" networking for a living before retiring a few years ago.

 

Regarding resetting the router, did you push and hold in the little reset button to restore factory default settings? Did you confirm the SSID, make sure security and MAC filtering were off and check the channel selection (ideally "auto")? Did you try connecting the phone to wifi elsewhere (Starbucks, etc) to confirm it works OK? If you're sure all of the above is as it should be and since you have two devices that cannot connect it suggests the problem is with the router. Bring in a third device that you know connects properly to wifi. If it can't connect either then you're probably looking at a bad router.

 

LenC

Have you tried a static ip ?
I remember some people with the ZTE blade (which I used to have) having problems with DHCP, I've read of numerous people in the past with DHCP issues with Android.

Cheers, Nick.

 

Resetting the router is a good place to start like previous posters said. If that doesn't work, you can check out this thread regarding two possible fixes for Samsung Galaxy.

http://androidforums.com/samsung-galaxy-s3/574442-samsung-galaxy-s3-wifi-problem.html

If that's the wrong type of phone in that thread or it doesn't work, then you can search for other possible fixes in google- type in "Samsung Galaxy <ReplaceThisWithWhateverVersionYouHave> wifi problem"

 

I'm beginning to wonder if this isn't a problem with my router just being old. I had a similar problem about a year ago when I couldn't get an Apple TV unit to work. Maybe I need a new router? I also thought about upgrading firmware - but I really don't know what I'm doing in that regard. Two of us work from home so it would be a total and immediate disaster if I borked the entire setup. In response to your questions and comments...

1) Mac filtering is off

2) I did reset the router.

3) BrandiCandi's links didn't help me. When I dialed those #s, I just got an error message. Maybe those numbers work for a specific provider. I (sadly) am with ATT.

4) I don't know what static IP means vs. DHCP. I will try to do some reading on that topic.

5) I don't think LowWaterMark's thread is relevant for my issue. My phone is connecting with the router - it's just not getting an IP address.

6) When I am at home later, I will post some screenshots of my router configuration as kcdcq requested.

Again, my first thought is the router is too old. But the phone did work fine on this very same netwrk as recently as 6 months ago. Very puzzling.

Thanks everyone for your help. I really do appreciate it.

Len

 

I've posted 2 screenshots below. I'm not sure which ones you'd like to see, but let me know and I will post them.

By the way, one other thing I did was to temporarily disable security. That didn't help.

 

I am going to echo Nick's comment here and ask if you have tried not using DHCP and gone with a static IP? Occam's razor dictates since your computers are working fine and the phone did work that it is not the router but the phone.

If you do not want to disable DHCP, a little digging on my part has confirmed this seems to be a common problem, common enough to warrant its own application (-https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.wahtod.wififixer&hl=en-) you can give that some looking in to.

 

LenC,

You could save yourself a lot of time and aggravation if you just bought a new more-modern router.

With that said, I highly recommend that you go to your nearest Target, Walmart, or Staples store and purchase the Belkin N600 DB Wireless Dual-Band N+ Router for $70. I have been recommending and installing this router for some time now and it is an excellent router for the price. In my own tests, it had the same througput as the Asus RT-N56U ($130) router and better range on both bands.

Now that we have my $.02 out of the way:
What I would do now if I was in your shoes is to update the firmware in your router to the latest level and test connectivity again.

 

The OP mentioned that his son's phone is also having the same problem.

 

Who also happens to be using the same brand of phone.

 

Try resetting the router using the reset switch (the small recessed button on the back) and reconfigure from scratch.

 

kdcdq, would that Belkin router you recommend give significantly better range than a Netgear b/g router? And how would you rate that Belkin router compared to a Cisco Valet N router? Any major difference? Or do you think both would give a lot more range than the Netgear b/g? Thanks.

 

Yes sir, depending on whose numbers you listen to (and believe), Wireless N+ has 4-9 times as much range as the old b/g routers. I didn't realize just HOW much better they are until I replaced my old router.

I have no experience with the Cisco Valet N router. I do have LOTS of experience with Netgear, TrendNet, Asus, and Belkin routers however.

The additonal range of the new routers is a reflection of better (more) transmit power, MIMO antennas, error correction, etc. Any modern N+ router will beat the pants off of an older b/g router. Also, many newer routers have IPV6 in them (including the Belkin 600 DB with the latest firmware).

 

Okay - I think it's time for a new router. Kdcdq highly recommended the Belkin router, so I'm seriously considering that. I do have one question. Here are some recommendations o from CNET:

http://reviews.cnet.com/best-wireless-routers/

They are substantially more expensive. What do I get for the increased cost?

 

I did some research and answered my own question as to what additional features might be available at higher price points - don't really need them.

I do like the N600 over the N450 because of the availability of the USB port. I'll read a bit more (and probably confuse myself) but will most likely go with kdcq's recommendation. It's available locally.

Thanks everyone! I'll post my results in a few days.

 

Okay, a follow up; what do you think would be a better option for getting much better signal strength on main(1st) floor? Leave router in basement where it is but upgrade to N router(maybe Belkin you suggest) or continue to use current old b/g router but move it from basement to main floor? I know I can do both options together but I just want to understand better the relative merits of power versus location.

Also, if I unplugged my current b/g router and tried a newer N router to see the difference and for whatever reason I wanted to switch back to old b/g later would the b/g need to be completely reset from scratch or would it retain all the settings from prior when reconnected? Just curious.

Thanks again.

 

I will give a short dissertation on the practical advantages of Wireless N over G:

1. Range of Wireless n Network is double (or more) the range of Wireless g networks in most tests.

2. Wireless n dual band works in 2.4GHz and 5 GHz frequencies where wireless g works in 2.4 GHz.

3. Data transfer speed of Wireless N (max 600 Mbps) is higher than that of wireless g (max 54 Mbps).

roark37,
If I were in your shoes, I would move your router from the basement to the main floor regardless of whether you upgrade to a wirless n router. Either way, signal strenth is very important to transfer speed.

Also, don't worry about losing you settings in your old router if you install a new one; routers have flash memory (like a USB flash drive), so your router configuration will be maintaned even when unplugged.

 

First off thanks again kdcdq as I appreciate all the advice. I thought of something else though; I am using a 6-7 year old Motorola SB5100 cable modem. Again like the b/g router it has really been reliable but is that also possibly slowing things down for my home network and should I upgrade that as well?

I also just did a speed test at speedtest.net and got 13mbps for my download speed and that is using pc connected to my router with ethernet though not wifi. I don't know if that site's speed ratings are accurate but would my download speed be considered slow for broadband?

Thanks.

 

In my experience, I have same seen no practical difference in download speeds between newer or older cable modems. This also applies to brands of cable modems. Most of the improvements in the newer cable modems seems to be in the error-recovery arena.

Comcast gives me a fairly reliable 20-21mbps for measured downloads speeds in AZ, MA, and TX (yes it's true, I get around). You might want to check with your ISP to see what their advertised bandwith is supposed to be. Speedtest.net is pretty much the "standard" for measuring bandwidth these days.

 

Lenc,

To get faster speeds of 11n, you will also need to get suitable wireless adaptors.

I used to have a wrt54g router and even the cheapest dlink n router, dir 615 gave me far better signal strength/quality at 11g speeds (which equated to marginally faster transfer rates at 11g).

 

Nick -

I understand the need for suitable wireless adapters, but I'm not sure what you meant in your next sentence. Please explain.

Thanks,
Len

 

hey Len- i'm using a wrt54g also, and am quite pleased with it - i connect to the wifi with my cellphone no problem, which is a samsung transform.

the router does not have the stock firmware though, i use ddwrt firmware on my router. you could always try flashing the router's firmware and see if that helps, before you spend 70 bucks to replace a router that otherwise works fine for you

edit - i notice from your screenshots that your router's firmware is from 2006, there may be an updated version even of the stock firmware that could resolve your problem- you'd have to look on the bottom of your router and see what version of the wrt54g you have, then check the linksys site to see if there's a newer firmware