Educate me!

[madjack956]

I need someone who knows whats up with computers and gadgets to shine some light on a problem I have.

Im old and not tech savy, so bear with me please.

I have Time Warner cable service with a Netgear wireless router that connects 3 hp laptops, (Windows 7) and an ipad.

I also occasionally online game Xbox 360.

Today I started having problems connecting to the internet so I called TW and they had me cable connect my laptop to their modem. I got internet service again, so they said it was my router to give Netgear a call because it needed to be reconfigured.

I called them, we did some tests and they said my router was fine, it just needed to be reconfigured and it would cost me 199.00 for a 24 month plan.

I got a wife that's been sick for 4 years and lots of bills so I balked and told them I could buy a new one for less and get my internet back without being shook down by them. She told me I would be wasting my money because there was nothing wrong with my router. I said yes there was I cant log on to the web.

So, before I spend money I don't really have, I though I would ask the people in the know. Is all this necessary or is there an easy fix to reconfigure a router.

thanks!

Jack

[Andric]

yes, a very easy way. You might have to re-set the router back to your factory defaults.

How far down in the Orange Curtain are you?

[Andric]

Reason why I can swing by and do it real quick next time I'm down there or talk you through it over the phone which might take longer.

[Jason95357]

Unfortunately, many routers have firmware (software) that has security holes. Bad guys use these holes to take over these routers to either send spam or try to infect your computer by sending you to malicious websites. While the end goals of the bad guys may fail, they still may damage the router.

Resetting to factory defaults may or may not fix this. The best thing is to replace the router. This can be done for ~$40. You really want one that is currently getting software bug fixes.

Just like you need to replace all your Windows XP PCs (or upgrade them), you need to replace your routers when the software on them is no longer maintained, as over time there will be security holes discovered in them and bad guys will abuse them.

You really need to budget to replace your router every 2-3 years. That's about the life span of how long manufacturers produce software updates. Also, you need to apply these updates - but most routers have an "easy button" in them to allow you to tell them to upgrade.

If your router hasn't had a software upgrade in 1+ year, it's time to save up to replace it when it stops working.

[jfwlb]

Jack,

199.00 for a service plan to re-configure your router is pure bull****.

I can also help you out if needed. PM me.

Worst case scenario I have a couple of different modems I am not using and would be happy to give on to you and set it up. Whoops! I just noticed you said you have cable internet. I don't have any cable modems but I can still help out troubleshooting if you want.

Let me know.

John

[Jason95357]

Best advice - get a stand-alone cable modem (not router) that your ISP says they support. You can get a Motorola Surfboard for like $90. Replace that first and get a $40 router.

[jeremyy]

netgears die over time some say they dont while others say they do.
i would pick up a new unit off the amazon warehouse deals to be honest.
i believe i have this one - http://amzn.com/B001AZP8EW

most of the stuff today is plug-n-play easy stuff.

i bought my own cable modem which i have owned for 5years, saving me about 300bucks when i paid 50bucks for it.

[high_revs]

madjack,

i would...
1. connect one of you laptops to the cable modem first so you can get stuff from the internet. just get a ethernet cable and connect direct to modem. turn off wifi on this laptop to be safe and you're not connecting to the router.
2. search for a firmware from netgear's website. find your model, download to your laptop.
3. just so your internet connect isn't interrupted (some cable modems require you to reboot again if you unplug and re-plug, in my limited experience), use one of your other laptop to connec to your router. put the downloaded firmware to a flash drive (usb) and copy. pull that flash drive and put in the pc connected the router. (remember, the router is not connected to the modem. you ahve a direct connect from cable modem to one laptop, and then anoher laptop to the router).
4. "flash" your netgear router. i can't remember the ip# for netgear (haven't owned one in maybe almost 8 yrs). but the user interface should be connectable from the 2nd laptop via 192.168.x.x (my asus is 192.168.1.1)
5. there should be part of the user interface where it'll ask you to upgrade firmware. go there, point it to the flash drive, and upgrade it.
6. perform a factory reset. there should be a screen in some kind of adminstation tab to do a factory reset (wipe everything and start over from scratch as if you are setting up the router new).

now you can do the factory reset w/o downloading a new firmware. but it's good to just download the firmware and upgrade it.

hopefully that helps you. $199 is pure BS for what netgear is charging you. this is mostly a 30 mins ordeal. make sure to backup your setup 'after' you run setup again. if anything ever happens, you can always perform a factory reset and then restore that setup.

w/o anyone actually diagnosing your router, you're not really sure you need a new one (yet).

[Percenter3]

Dont pay it. Router might just need to be reset, firmware updated, or it could be a DNS or ip config problem on your laptop.

[lorax3]

$199 is robbery. As noted above resetting your router is really easy. I would start with a hard reset of the router before venturing out and trying to buy a new one.

Generally there is a recessed button (need to use to paperclip to push it) on the back of your router that if held long enough (10 -20 seconds) it will completely reset your router to factory settings. This means you will have to re-setup your wireless network, network password, or any other network settings you made.

Once reset you should update router firmware (internal software that makes the router operate) to whatever the newest version is. The firmware is available for free on the manufacture's website.

There are plenty of members here willing to help.

[the86d]

madjack,

i would...
1. connect one of you laptops to the cable modem first so you can get stuff from the internet. just get a ethernet cable and connect direct to modem. turn off wifi on this laptop to be safe and you're not connecting to the router.
2. search for a firmware from netgear's website. find your model, download to your laptop.
3. just so your internet connect isn't interrupted (some cable modems require you to reboot again if you unplug and re-plug, in my limited experience), use one of your other laptop to connec to your router. put the downloaded firmware to a flash drive (usb) and copy. pull that flash drive and put in the pc connected the router. (remember, the router is not connected to the modem. you ahve a direct connect from cable modem to one laptop, and then anoher laptop to the router).
4. "flash" your netgear router. i can't remember the ip# for netgear (haven't owned one in maybe almost 8 yrs). but the user interface should be connectable from the 2nd laptop via 192.168.x.x (my asus is 192.168.1.1)
5. there should be part of the user interface where it'll ask you to upgrade firmware. go there, point it to the flash drive, and upgrade it.
6. perform a factory reset. there should be a screen in some kind of adminstation tab to do a factory reset (wipe everything and start over from scratch as if you are setting up the router new).

now you can do the factory reset w/o downloading a new firmware. but it's good to just download the firmware and upgrade it.

hopefully that helps you. $199 is pure BS for what netgear is charging you. this is mostly a 30 mins ordeal. make sure to backup your setup 'after' you run setup again. if anything ever happens, you can always perform a factory reset and then restore that setup.

w/o anyone actually diagnosing your router, you're not really sure you need a new one (yet).

Whenever you plug anything into a cable modem (assuming it isn't their router that is always plugged in, and the cable modem doesn't have 4 ports to plug into), and you are working you will have to release the address before plugging in another device.

So say I have a cable modem with one Ethernet port, and plug my computer in and get it working... if I plug-in another computer to the single cable-modem port, it will not work right away, as it still has an open lease from the prior device plugged into it. Same with routers, you may need to call them to release your address every time you change the device plugged into a single port on the Ethernet port of the cable modem (if you don't know how to release your lease that is current, then you may have to call them toi "Release your address" or "DHCP lease" [one of those terms usually gets the job done on the phone with an ISP, but not so much if they are in India] on the address, or wait with the newly plugged-in device for 24 hours minimum).

Always cycle power in this order (starting at the wall side and working toward the computer) when you have issues:
1) Pull the plug (out of the wall, not the modem) for the cable modem out of the wall.
2) Pull the plug from the wall for the router (not the back of the router).
(2a. if you have an additional switch pull and replug the power for this into the wall.)
3) Plug the cable-modem's power back into the wall.
4) Plug the router's power back into the wall.

[high_revs]

yes.. i did read mac's post as he has a cable modem and a router, both separate.

i guess i've been luckily with my own modems (motorolas, two of them and the 2nd was an upgrade after the first one lasted me 8 yrs? and it still works just not the current docsys version to gethigher speeds). i just reboot the laptop when i plugged in and got the pc connected. but that's with my modem and comcast.

wouldn't pulling the power plug work? i follow the same sequence as you but different steps. i actually reboot the router (60 seconds) and in that 60 seconds, i wait until close to about 40 seconds and pull the power from my cable modem. wait 10-15 seconds, then power up modem.

i actually rarely do that. just to reboot if suddenly it's really slow based on speedtest.net and/or speedtest.comcast.net. speakeasy tests always seem slow to me. and if i point to sf on speakeasy or speedtest.net, it's always slower speeds vs. san jose/palo alto.


i forgot that routers also have a physical reset switch. i usually reboot mine or do factory reset via UI.