Basic router question: Must "1st" pc be on for 2nd to connect?

[Sheila Qwann]

I recently got a Netgear WGR614v6 router which I am using to connect a pc in one room & a mac laptop in another to Comcast cable internet. Although the router is wireless, I am using it hardwired for the added security. Wireless is turned OFF. The pc was the 1st computer connected to the account, and was the machine from which the router was installed. It seems that the mac laptop ("2nd comp") cannot get online unless the pc is turned on 1st. This is not the case with the pc, which can connect by itself. Is this normal? Is there any way to allow the laptop to connect w/o the pc being on? Not a huge matter, but I would like to be able to run either machine by itself.

TIA

Sheila

[jcnoernberg]

No, you don't have to have a certain computer on for the others to work, as long as you have it hooked up as follows:

cable modem > router > PCs

maybe your internet is hooked upto one pc, then that feeds the router?

[Sheila Qwann]

Thanks for the reply. Setup is as you describe, cable from wall goes to modem, ethernet cable goes to router input from modem, ethernet cables go to machines at ports 3 (mac laptop/2nd) and 4 (pc/1st).

Sheila

[Erik]

Are you sure that the cable modem is plugged into the WAN port and that all PCs are plugged into LAN ports?

[Sheila Qwann]

Are you sure that the cable modem is plugged into the WAN port and that all PCs are plugged into LAN ports?

Erik-Yes, I'm sure it's all connected the way it should be. I tried it again this morning, & this time the laptop DID connect w/ the pc OFF, so maybe it was some other anomaly?

Thanks for your reply

Sheila

[KenGr]

Hi Sheila:

Are you using your router as a DHCP server? It sounds like something is off on the mac's networking settings.

If this problem occurs again, try pinging the router from the mac. Don't turn on the 1st pc. If you can ping the router but can't get out I would check the gateway and DNS settings.

[Sheila Qwann]

Hi Sheila:

Are you using your router as a DHCP server? It sounds like something is off on the mac's networking settings.

If this problem occurs again, try pinging the router from the mac. Don't turn on the 1st pc. If you can ping the router but can't get out I would check the gateway and DNS settings.

Ken-Thanks for the reply. The situation did occur again this morning. Under "router status"/"Internet port" the router settings include "DCHP: DCHP CLIENT", Under "LAN port" DHCP is set to ON. Other router setting are UPnP: ON, Remote management: OFF, WAN setup: Connect automatically, as required, Use router as DHCP Server (with a starting & an ending IP address given), and Use Dynamic DNS: unchecked. I'm not very familiar with the Mac, though I do know how to access the network settings. What settings should I be looking at?

Thanks!

Sheila

[KenGr]

Hi Sheila:

What I would be interested in knowing for both the pc and the mac are the following:

IP Address
DNS Info
Gateway

Both systems should be getting this information from the router. On the pc run ipconfig /all
and post the results

I'm not all that familier with the mac's, so I cannot tell you exactly how to get the networking info.

Have you tried reseting the router?

[Sheila Qwann]

Hi Sheila:

What I would be interested in knowing for both the pc and the mac are the following:

IP Address
DNS Info
Gateway

Both systems should be getting this information from the router. On the pc run ipconfig /all
and post the results

Thanks Ken & all for the replies on this. I've just gotten back from a business trip, so only got a chance to revisit the situation a couple days ago. For whatever reason, it (the pc on 1st) situation appears to have vanished. I am still having a speed issue though, which I will post in another topic here. BTW when I run "ipconfig /all", a "dos like" window pops up, but too quickly to read let alone copy :rolleyes:

Sheila

[FastLearner]

type this at a command line prompt and hit Enter:

ipconfig /all > c:\ipconfig.txt

This will write your current network settings to a text file in the c:\ directory.

Then use Windows Explorer (press the Windows key + "e" at the same time) to open up the text file that is saved. Copy and paste the results here (please do this with both computers).

[Sheila Qwann]

type this at a command line prompt and hit Enter:

ipconfig /all > c:\ipconfig.txt

This will write your current network settings to a text file in the c:\ directory.

Then use Windows Explorer (press the Windows key + "e" at the same time) to open up the text file that is saved. Copy and paste the results here (please do this with both computers).

Thanks for the reply, I do get the window as with just "ipconfig /all" but the text file is not being produced. This particular problem (pc on 1st) seems to have resolved though anyway. ;)

Sheila

[FastLearner]

Do you have administrative privileges on the machine in question? Are you in an Active Directory domain?

[Sheila Qwann]

Do you have administrative privileges on the machine in question? Are you in an Active Directory domain?

I do have admin privileges, not sure what you mean by an "active directory domain"?

Thanks,

Sheila

[FastLearner]

not sure what you mean by an "active directory domain"?


Sorry, most folks refer to it as an NT domain. I only ask because there may have been a group policy denying you from seeing your own IP info, although this is not so likely if you are connected in a home environment...:)

[FastLearner]

BTW when I run "ipconfig /all", a "dos like" window pops up, but too quickly to read let alone copy

This can happen when you are running the ipconfig command from the "Run" box. Instead run ipconfig at the command prompt. Click Start, Run, and type "cmd" (without quotes) and press ENTER. At the command prompt, type ipconfig and press ENTER. If you want to run ipconfig from the "Run" box, type cmd /k ipconfig

Source: http://ecross.mvps.org/faq.htm