Can't access wireless router

I have just bought an Acer Aspire One. It came with Linpus Linux Lite v1.0.7E and Mozilla Firefox v2.0.0.14. The internet works OK via my modem when wired, but I cannot access via the wireless router.

When attempting to access using the wireless switch, the Connection Manager shows a green tick against my wireless icon. I also get a pop-up message saying "Connection Established. You are connected to the wireless network....".

However, when I attempt to access the internet, I get the "Server cannot be found " message.

Can anybody help? (PS I am afraid I am seriously non-technical)

 

You say you are seriously non-technical: this may be tricky as troubleshooting networking tends to get technical....

First, we need to check you are properly connected to your router. The easy way to do this is going to involve using the terminal: press ALT-F2 and type 'terminal' in the window, then click 'run'. Now type this into the terminal (just type what's in the box, not the 'Code / Select All' bit):

Code:

sudo route

You should get a reponse something like this:

Code:

Destination     Gateway         Genmask         Flags Metric Ref    Use Iface
192.168.1.0     *               255.255.255.0   U     0      0        0 ath0
default         192.168.1.1          0.0.0.0         UG    0      0        0 ath0

(The stuff will line up properly in the actual terminal - that box doesn't format it quite properly).

Now, on the line which starts 'default' there's a number - in my example it's 192.168.1.1. Try this:

Code:

ping 192.168.1.1

but substitute whatever numbers you got. You are expecting a response like this:

Code:

PING 192.168.1.1 (192.168.1.1) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=1.16 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=2.45 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=1.13 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=2.71 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=1.19 ms

--- 192.168.8.1 ping statistics ---
5 packets transmitted, 5 received, 0% packet loss, time 0ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 1.130/1.731/2.716/0.702 ms

If you get that, then we know you are connected to the router and can send and receive data from it, which is the first step. Let me know how this goes, then we can try getting beyond the router and into the Wide World!

 

Thanks very much for your sympathetic help to a non-techie.

I did what you said. After typing sudo route, I got the screen that looked like the one you indicated. However, next to default there was no number - instead it said "cpc3-rdng16.0.0.0.0.0.0"

However, I noted from your exanple that the default was the same as the number under destination except for the last digit. My destination number was 86.9.220.0, so I pinged 86.9.220.1

I got the response as indicated (64 bytes from.......". However, it didn't stop at 5 responses - when I switched it off it was till showing continual responses and the sequence number was over 700!

Is that OK?

 

You're welcome!

Hmm. Those responses are interesting.... Good call on what to do there, by the way, for a self-proclaimed non-techie!

The first line should give you the numbers relating to the network you are in, and the second ("default") tells you where the router is that you need to connect to. The odd thing here is that your Aspire One (AAO) has the numbers for your ISP's network and their local "router" - you're pinging an NTL/Virginmedia connection in Reading. These numbers have presumably been provided to your AAO by your router, unless there's a setting wrong (see below).

What I'd expect to happen is that your router would give you the details for an internal network (so a network within your house only; this network may consist only of your router and your AAO!). There are only three ranges of numbers which can be used for this: one range starts 192 (like mine) and the other options start 10 and 172 - so straight away you can see that one starting 86 isn't your internal one. Your AAO is then asking the VirginMedia "router" for the address of internet servers, and it doesn't provide them; that's not its job! So when you try to conect to anything, you get 'Server not found'.

I think the first check to make is that your network settings are right (if they are, we may have to look at the router settings, and that may be more difficult as routers vary and yours probably isn't the same as mine). Left-click the network icon in the tray and click on 'Connection Manager', select your home network and disconnect it, then use 'edit' and check what's on the 'TCP/IP' tab. Are both boxes set to the 'automatic' option? If not, set them both to 'automatic' and try reconnecting. Can you connect to websites now?

If that is not the answer, then let's look a little further. Find out what IP address your AAO is using by typing this into a terminal:

Code:

sudo ifconfig

The first part of the response should start "ath0" and the line below that will start 'inet addr:' . Could you copy and paste that line back in here for me?

The point here is that your router must have assigned some IP address to your AAO for it to conenct at all, and that address should be fairly closely related to the internal address of the router; if we can get your system set up so that it can connect to your home network, by manually setting the router address rather than using the 'automatic' options, without having to start delving into router configurations from 150 miles away, that will be a win!

Sorry, that was my fault. I should have told you to use "ping -c5" instead of just "ping" - the -c 5 limits it to five pings. It'll go on for ever otherwise! You can use CTRL-C to stop it; that applies to most Linux console programs.

 

david

sorry I have been unable to respond earlier, but i have been away from home with no access.

I have confirmed the TCP/IP address is set at "Automatic". When I entered sudo ifconfig, I got the following message:

[user@localhost ~]$ sudo route

Kernel IP routing table

Destination Gateway Genmask Flags Metric Ref Use Iface

192.168.1.0 * 255.255.255.0 U 0 0 0 ath0

default 192.168.1.1 0.0.0.0 UG 0 0 0 ath0

[user@localhost ~]$ ping -c5 192.168.1.1

PING 192.168.1.1 (192.168.1.1) 56(84) bytes of data.

64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=1.30 ms

64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=2 ttl=64 time=1.29 ms

64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=3 ttl=64 time=1.27 ms

64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=4 ttl=64 time=1.27 ms

64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=5 ttl=64 time=1.27 ms



--- 192.168.1.1 ping statistics ---

5 packets transmitted, 5 received, 0% packet loss, time 3999ms

rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 1.270/1.284/1.302/0.034 ms

[user@localhost ~]$ sudo ifconfig

ath0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:22:69:08:9AA

inet addr:192.168.1.2 Bcast:192.168.1.255 Mask:255.255.255.0

UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1

RX packets:82 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0

TX packets:78 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0

collisions:0 txqueuelen:0

RX bytes:8680 (8.4 KiB) TX bytes:7852 (7.6 KiB)



eth0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:1E:68:B4:38:32

UP BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1

RX packets:1629 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0

TX packets:1563 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0

collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000

RX bytes:1319436 (1.2 MiB) TX bytes:361499 (353.0 KiB)

Interrupt:17 Base address:0xa000



lo Link encap:Local Loopback

inet addr:127.0.0.1 Mask:255.0.0.0

UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:16436 Metric:1

RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0

TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0

collisions:0 txqueuelen:0

RX bytes:0 (0.0 b) TX bytes:0 (0.0 b)



wifi0 Link encap:UNSPEC HWaddr 00-22-69-08-9A-DA-98-93-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00

UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1

RX packets:48704 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:8950

TX packets:1120 errors:1 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0

collisions:0 txqueuelen:199

RX bytes:6546745 (6.2 MiB) TX bytes:81650 (79.7 KiB)

Interrupt:18 Memory:e04e0000-e04f0000



[user@localhost ~]$


thanks for your help

 

Hi - just seen your post and got to be out in a few minutes!

At first sight those responses look fine; could you do one more for me? While you're wirelessly connected to your router, what does

Code:

sudo cat /etc/resolv.conf

produce?

 

Thanks for taking the time again. I did what you suggested and got the following;

[user@localhost ~]$ sudo cat /etc/resolv.conf

# generated by NetworkManager, do not edit!



nameserver 192.168.1.1

 

Take the damn thing back whilst your retailer will still give you a refund.

 

OK, so what we've got so far is this:

- The ping confirms you're reaching your router
- The ifconfig confirms you're set up on an address within your local network (starting 192....)
- the resolv.conf confirms that your AAO is asking your router for DNS information
- and finally, jjj's highly incisive comment tells us he's a twit.

But it seems the AAO is not getting DNS information from your router, otherwise you'd be able to browse.

I'm going to ask you to check one more thing and try a fix. Check that you can in fact ping outside your local network - do this:

Code:

ping -c 4 194.168.8.100

Assuming you get a response showing ping packets being sent and received, then you can reach that machine, which is one of Virginmedia's name servers - so your AAO is connected to your router, your router will let it connect to the outside world, but the router won't convert things like www.google.com into the numbers the Internet needs.

In that case, we can fix it by telling the AAO to go direct to Virginmedia for its name serving. We'll enter VM's main two nameservers manually into the connection details.

- Left-click on the network icon, select 'Connection Management', then choose your network and disconnect.
- Click 'Edit' and go to the 'TCP/IP' tab.
- Half way down the screen, select 'Use the DNS Server address as follows'.
- Enter 194 168 8 100 into the first set of boxes
- Enter 194 168 4 100 into the second set of boxes
- Click 'Finish', close the Connection Manager, and try reconnecting.

Now try browsing, and see if it works.

 

Hi,
I don't want to rain on David's helpful technical approach, but have you tried the simple option?
I had the same problems and have fount that the Virgin/NTL will allocate an Address to whichever device is wired to it, and then if you swap devices it will no longer connect to the internet. I.e. you unplug your computer then plug in the router, the router will not get an internet connection as the modem is "paired" with the computer.
When you then connect to your router wirelessly it can find the router but not the internet.

The answer is :
Disconnect the Virgin modem from the mains.
Disconnect the Ethernet cable from the modem to the router.
Wait 30 seconds.
Reconnect the mains to the modem, wait for the lights to settle down.
Reconnect the Ethernet cable between the modem and router.

And Robert is your mothers brother, it should be all honky-dory.

Hope this solves your problems.

Toby

 

THanks again

I tried what you said and got the following message:


[user@localhost ~]$ ping -c 4 194.168.8.100

PING 194.168.8.100 (194.168.8.100) 56(84) bytes of data.

From 192.168.1.1 icmp_seq=1 Destination Host Unreachable

From 192.168.1.1 icmp_seq=2 Destination Host Unreachable

From 192.168.1.1 icmp_seq=3 Destination Host Unreachable

From 192.168.1.1 icmp_seq=4 Destination Host Unreachable



--- 194.168.8.100 ping statistics ---

4 packets transmitted, 0 received, +4 errors, 100% packet loss, time 3000ms



[user@localhost ~]$

 

What that seems to be telling us is that you can ping your router, but that nothing is getting beyond the router. I think at this point all I can suggest is a close check of router settings - or perhaps try the more 'hardware' approach suggested by Mr T!

 

Toby

Thanks very much for your suggestion. I did what you said and I now have wirelsss internet access!!

 

David

Thanks very much for your helpful advice. In fact, I did what Toby suggested (switch everything off and connect everything one at a time) and it worked.

 

Where is wifi ( atho) manual ? .

Im technical . cant find anything interesting to read ...

Resorting to reading script files !


BTW i own 10 AAO Linpus . When i get a crash , i simply reboot . takes 2 to 3 minutes ( ! dont interupt it !) ...

It seams to be repairing the damage , because i have never had to use recovery disk .