Broadband issue - router, password...something

The Black Oil

Hello,

On Friday evening, my broadband went on the blink on the computer I'm on now - I checked in the network settings and it said something about not being able to get online due to a self-assigned IP address. Turned the router and computer on and off once or twice, also tried a few other things, putting the password in again, no luck. My internet radio had been on at the time and it continued to work after the router was powered off and on. Another computer (laptop) was off at the time, I turned it on and it was fine. I was able to get online. Anyway, I shut down the main PC at that stage as it was late. Next morning I tried again, but wasn't able to get the machine online. I contacted eircom support and we did get it sorted. Between one thing and another, it may have been password issue, but I don't really understand this as I hadn't changed the password recently (maybe a few months ago or further back). What was on 192.168.1.254 was what I thought I had entered a few months ago and therefore accurate, so why would it suddenly act up?

Jump forward to last night, again my internet drops off, though this time there is a red light on the router, which wasn't the case the last time. I power it on/off, try a few things as before with no luck. I decide to reset the router (using the small red hole at the back), turn the computer on/off. I bring down the laptop (as before, it was turned off, but this time it was unable to get online) to the router and connect it via a LAN cable. Now it has a different password - one that was used ages ago. So, I take this password, enter it into the PC I'm typing on at the moment and we're back in business, thankfully.

Can you please shed some light on this? Is it because I did a full reset that it went back to the old password? I now have to input this old password into each internet device we have. What if this happens again and it starts looking for another password?

eircom: Ant

Hi The Black Oil,

The following should help explain why your modem reverted back to it's original setttings after you hard-reset the modem:

A hard reset simply changes the modem back to it's original factory settings (specified by eircom). It will have the effect of resetting any changes you may have made back to their original setup. For example, if you had changed the original 'admin' router password; Or if you changed your wireless key from it's original factory setup, it will revert back to it's previous wireless key. Similarly, if you opened ports or changed Nat address settings on your modem, then when you reset the modem you may need to reset these again.


A red Internet light on the modem generally indicates there is an authentication problem. This might have been a fault on the exchange or may be the modem trying to negotiate a protocol with the Auth server; with the wrong login information.

Eitherway, I hope the above helps explain what happens to the modem after a full hard-reset, as opposed to just powercycling the modem.

Kind regards,
Ant

The Black Oil wrote: »

Hello,

On Friday evening, my broadband went on the blink on the computer I'm on now - I checked in the network settings and it said something about not being able to get online due to a self-assigned IP address. Turned the router and computer on and off once or twice, also tried a few other things, putting the password in again, no luck. My internet radio had been on at the time and it continued to work after the router was powered off and on. Another computer (laptop) was off at the time, I turned it on and it was fine. I was able to get online. Anyway, I shut down the main PC at that stage as it was late. Next morning I tried again, but wasn't able to get the machine online. I contacted eircom support and we did get it sorted. Between one thing and another, it may have been password issue, but I don't really understand this as I hadn't changed the password recently (maybe a few months ago or further back). What was on 192.168.1.254 was what I thought I had entered a few months ago and therefore accurate, so why would it suddenly act up?

Jump forward to last night, again my internet drops off, though this time there is a red light on the router, which wasn't the case the last time. I power it on/off, try a few things as before with no luck. I decide to reset the router (using the small red hole at the back), turn the computer on/off. I bring down the laptop (as before, it was turned off, but this time it was unable to get online) to the router and connect it via a LAN cable. Now it has a different password - one that was used ages ago. So, I take this password, enter it into the PC I'm typing on at the moment and we're back in business, thankfully.

Can you please shed some light on this? Is it because I did a full reset that it went back to the old password? I now have to input this old password into each internet device we have. What if this happens again and it starts looking for another password?

The Black Oil

Hi Ant,

I figured as much re the hard reset, thanks.

However, this morning I didn't have to put the old password into some computers, but had to on others, which is a little confusing, though not unexpected.

On one laptop (Windows 7), once it was done, it described it as being 'open'. I hope that doesn't mean in the security aspect of things. I'm not too familiar with Win7. If I go into 192.168.1.254 and change the network key again, I presume I'll have to re-input the new key on all the computers/devices. I don't mind doing this - I'm a little wary of relying on the original/factory password, but I might leave things as is to prevent confusion amongst other users. Also, is WEP most advisable, if not, can a combination of numbers/letters be used on WPA or whatever is better?

eircom: Ant

Hi TheBlackOil,

Thanks for reply. Technical Support would recommend that you change your wireless encryption to WPA - PSK.
Preferrably, use your own chosen unique wireless key.

If any body needs to do this, please see : www.eircom.net/tutorials - 'Change Wep to Wpa'

Best regards,
Ant

The Black Oil wrote: »

Hi Ant,

I figured as much re the hard reset, thanks.

However, this morning I didn't have to put the old password into some computers, but had to on others, which is a little confusing, though not unexpected.

On one laptop (Windows 7), once it was done, it described it as being 'open'. I hope that doesn't mean in the security aspect of things. I'm not too familiar with Win7. If I go into 192.168.1.254 and change the network key again, I presume I'll have to re-input the new key on all the computers/devices. I don't mind doing this - I'm a little wary of relying on the original/factory password, but I might leave things as is to prevent confusion amongst other users. Also, is WEP most advisable, if not, can a combination of numbers/letters be used on WPA or whatever is better?