Thread: Unique problem with Linksys WRT54G

I have this inexplicable problem with my WRT54G.

I have BSNL provided UT-300R2U modem. This modem is setup in PPPoE mode. To this modem, I have connected the Linksys WRT54G wireless router. The wireless router is correctly configured in bridge mode (Automatic DHCP). The setup works fine for a few days (normally 4-5 days). After this period, the WRT54G fails to connect to the internet.

I mean that:

a) I am able to connect to WRT54G - wired or wireless. My PC gets the IP address (ip = 192.168.2.100, gateway = 192.168.2.1)
b) But I cannot access the UT-300R2U (192.168.1.1)
c) I cannot access the internet.
d) Funny thing is that WRT54G is connected properly. It has its IP as 192.168.1.2.
e) The ping test on 'Administration' page is able to ping to 192.168.1.1 and also external sites such as Google, Yahoo, etc.
f) I have come to the conclusion that NAT is failing.
g) To get around this problem, I do a factory reset and reload the configuration settings that I saved previously.

Earlier I thought that my WRT54G is old (version 2) and perhaps that is why it is giving this problem. I did the firmware update also but that did not help.

A search on the internet told me that many other users are facing similar issues. Even the latest version (8) has the same problems. Till date, I have not found a solution.

I might be wrong, but isnt WRT54G a gateway? Or is it really a router?

It is a Wireless router.

Here are some of my queries.

1) What is the PC(s) setup? I mean how many PCs are connected to the linksys/utstar.

2) Cant pppoe mode be directly configured on the linksys and cant all the rest of the PCs be connected to it? I mean to ask, what is the need for the UTStar in between?

1. I have one desktop and one laptop. Sometimes both are connected. Sometimes only one. But it does not matter how many devices are connected. The problem is universal to all.

2. The WRT54G is not a modem. It is a just a wireless router. Hence UT-300R2U is required. WRT54G can be configured in PPPoE mode as well. In that case, UT-300R2U has to be configured in bridge mode.

1.I can access 192.168.1.1 ( Beetel 110BX1 or Huwaei Mt 882
2.Vonage 192.168.15.1
3.Netgear WGR614V6 192.168.2.1

Settings with Modem In PPP/PPPoE mode.
Wireless Net work and LAN network ( two laptops )
TCP/IP properties Obtain IP address automatically.
If interested will check Net gear settings and post them .

Originally Posted by just4kix

I have this inexplicable problem with my WRT54G.

I have BSNL provided UT-300R2U modem. This modem is setup in PPPoE mode. To this modem, I have connected the Linksys WRT54G wireless router. The wireless router is correctly configured in bridge mode (Automatic DHCP). The setup works fine for a few days (normally 4-5 days). After this period, the WRT54G fails to connect to the internet.

Instead of DHCP, Try manual
sometimes DHCP gives problems as here there are two DHCP servers

I mean that:

a) I am able to connect to WRT54G - wired or wireless. My PC gets the IP address (ip = 192.168.2.100, gateway = 192.168.2.1)
b) But I cannot access the UT-300R2U (192.168.1.1)

your PC and router have different range, hence you can't access.
Try building your whole network on 192.168.1.xx

Most Access Points have option for changing the web admin URL


I propose the Following solution:
1) Set your ADSL modem UT-300R2U in PPPoE mode(Always On)
2) Connect LAN cable from UT-300R2U into the LAN port of WRT54G. remember, to put cable in any of the 4 LAN. don't connect in WAN port
3) Open config page WRT54G and change the Config URL to 192.168.1.2.
4) Now configure DHCP server to give IP in 192.168.1.3-192.168.1.255 range
5) You can connect PC to WRT54G via LAN cable using any of the other 3LAN ports in WRT54G

in your PC, use DHCP or enter this manually

Code:

IP:192.168.1.4
subnet:255.255.255.0
Default Gateway:192.168.1.1

you should be able to connect now. if not then post back

Originally Posted by essbebe

1.I can access 192.168.1.1 ( Beetel 110BX1 or Huwaei Mt 882
2.Vonage 192.168.15.1
3.Netgear WGR614V6 192.168.2.1

Settings with Modem In PPP/PPPoE mode.
Wireless Net work and LAN network ( two laptops )
TCP/IP properties Obtain IP address automatically.
If interested will check Net gear settings and post them .

Thanks essbebe for the suggestions. As I said before, BSNL modem is already in PPPoE mode and WRT54G is in Bridge mode. DHCP is "ON" on both routers. TCP/IP properties on desktop and laptop is set to automatic. Will check your posted picture later on from home as picture are blocked by Websense at office.

Originally Posted by Gary4gar

Instead of DHCP, Try manual
sometimes DHCP gives problems as here there are two DHCP servers


your PC and router have different range, hence you can't access.
Try building your whole network on 192.168.1.xx

Most Access Points have option for changing the web admin URL

Perhaps you have misunderstood my problem. I do not think DHCP is the problem.

a) UT-300R2U is configured in PPPOE. It's lan ip address is set to 192.168.1.1, DHCP=ON.
b) LAN out of UT-300R2U is connected to WAN (internet) in of WRT54G
c) WRT54G gets the WAN IP address as 192.168.1.2. It is setup in bridge mode.
d) WRT54G lan ip address is 192.168.2.1 and DHCP=ON.
e) The above configuration works for 3~5 days.
f) I am able to access 192.168.1.1 (UT-300R2U) during this time. Internet is also accessible.
g) After this, WRT54G is not able to connect local PCs to internet via UT-300R2U.
h) After the failure, I cannot access internet anymore. PC is connected to WRT54G but internet requests from PC are not forwared to internet. This is definitely NAT failure.

As I said, to get around this issue, I have to reset WRT54G and reconfigure all over again. Well, I have saved the settings to a file and I do not have to go thru the entire setup all over again. I just load the backup settings file and I am back in business.

Originally Posted by Gary4gar

I propose the Following solution:
1) Set your ADSL modem UT-300R2U in PPPoE mode(Always On)
2) Connect LAN cable from UT-300R2U into the LAN port of WRT54G. remember, to put cable in any of the 4 LAN. don't connect in WAN port
3) Open config page WRT54G and change the Config URL to 192.168.1.2.
4) Now configure DHCP server to give IP in 192.168.1.3-192.168.1.255 range
5) You can connect PC to WRT54G via LAN cable using any of the other 3LAN ports in WRT54G

in your PC, use DHCP or enter this manually

Code:

IP:192.168.1.4
subnet:255.255.255.0
Default Gateway:192.168.1.1

you should be able to connect now. if not then post back

This may be a solution. This will make WRT54G as wireless access point instead of a router. I am enjoying double router firewall at the moment. The first firewall is in UT-300R2U and the second one in WRT54G. I will loose the WRT54G firewall because of this. I will try this out.

What I must add is that the WRT54G periodic NAT failure is an irritant - it is not a show stopper.

Originally Posted by just4kix

I have this inexplicable problem with my WRT54G.

I have BSNL provided UT-300R2U modem. This modem is setup in PPPoE mode. To this modem, I have connected the Linksys WRT54G wireless router. The wireless router is correctly configured in bridge mode (Automatic DHCP). The setup works fine for a few days (normally 4-5 days). After this period, the WRT54G fails to connect to the internet.

I mean that:

a) I am able to connect to WRT54G - wired or wireless. My PC gets the IP address (ip = 192.168.2.100, gateway = 192.168.2.1)
b) But I cannot access the UT-300R2U (192.168.1.1)
c) I cannot access the internet.
d) Funny thing is that WRT54G is connected properly. It has its IP as 192.168.1.2.
e) The ping test on 'Administration' page is able to ping to 192.168.1.1 and also external sites such as Google, Yahoo, etc.
f) I have come to the conclusion that NAT is failing.
g) To get around this problem, I do a factory reset and reload the configuration settings that I saved previously.

Earlier I thought that my WRT54G is old (version 2) and perhaps that is why it is giving this problem. I did the firmware update also but that did not help.

A search on the internet told me that many other users are facing similar issues. Even the latest version (8) has the same problems. Till date, I have not found a solution.

It's probably a NAT failure like you said. But setting the connection type to automatic does not bridge a Linksys though. As far as I know it only turn the DHCP client on. You could try bridging the modem and setting the connection type in the Linksys to PPPoE and initiate from there. But then again if you still want to use the modem config page from time to time - bridging it is probably gonna turn that off.

Or why dont you try using a different set of IP range on the Linksys/LAN network like say 10.* or 172.16.*?

Originally Posted by just4kix

This may be a solution. This will make WRT54G as wireless access point instead of a router. I am enjoying double router firewall at the moment. The first firewall is in UT-300R2U and the second one in WRT54G. I will loose the WRT54G firewall because of this. I will try this out.

What I must add is that the WRT54G periodic NAT failure is an irritant - it is not a show stopper.

Why you need two firewalls?
A properly configured Firewall is more than enough

Originally Posted by hexwiz

It's probably a NAT failure like you said. But setting the connection type to automatic does not bridge a Linksys though. As far as I know it only turn the DHCP client on. You could try bridging the modem and setting the connection type in the Linksys to PPPoE and initiate from there. But then again if you still want to use the modem config page from time to time - bridging it is probably gonna turn that off.

Or why dont you try using a different set of IP range on the Linksys/LAN network like say 10.* or 172.16.*?

I tried the reverse configuration also, i.e., setting UT-300R2U in bridge mode and WRT54G in PPPOE. The same problem persists. There is no problem with the WRT54G configuration. If I login to WRT54G web page and go to 'Administration' menu, there is a 'Diagnostics' option. On that page there are
two choices - Ping and Trace Route. Both are working to ping/trace any website such as Google, Yahoo, IBF, etc. But PC still cannot connect to UT300R2U and thru that to internet.

I changed the LAN IP of WRT54G to 10.159.10.1. That also is not working - actually I did not expect it to work any way; whether it is 10.159.10.1 or 192.168.2.1, the subnet is different any way.

Originally Posted by Gary4gar

Why you need two firewalls?
A properly configured Firewall is more than enough

Yes. You are right. Just some additional security - being paranoid. I do not have any software firewall other than Windows. My AV is AVG Free (on my home desktop). I will be looking to buy a good AV soon. My office laptop has McAfee and it takes too much memory. I heard Norton AV also takes up lot of resources. I may be looking at Kasperkey in the future. Any suggestions there?

I would suggest u try Norton 2009 products. They seemed to have learned from their mistakes and are now releasing products which are less memory intensive and effective too.. Else u can opt for the big daddy Kaspersky !!

I first am sorry I currently am not in India, else I would have sent you a code to help you create the bridge properly, found it online somewhere. Its very simple, has a lot of configuration parameters, but is uploadable and your there.

Another work around I also tried using was to use the built-in PPPoE feature in the WRT54g router. So your wifi router will connect using you Dataone username and Password just like a computer's dialup. (Not as awesome as the bridging thing, but also works) However, now there would be no bridge between the USB adapter and the ethernet adapter on your cabel modem. so if you plan on connecting your PC, just connect it to you Wrt54g and also use Wifi at the same time. Since I'm assuming you are not using a 50 meter cable to connect your wifi router to your cable modem.

I hope this helps.

I tried all sorts of configurations:

a) UT-300R2U (Bridge) --> WRT54G (Bridge) --> Dialer on PC
b) UT-300R2U (Bridge) --> WRT54G (PPPoE) --> PC
c) UT-300R2U (PPPoE) --> WRT54G (Bridge) --> PC (current configuration).

All result in the same problem. The two devices are next to each other connected by a 1.5m RJ-45 cable. So that is not the issue.

I also have an Airlink 101 wi-fi router. This router works without a hitch.

Where you are pluggin the Lan cable from Modem to Access point?

WAN or LAN port?

Originally Posted by Gary4gar

Where you are pluggin the Lan cable from Modem to Access point?

WAN or LAN port?

WAN Port. I think I said so in my earlier post.

try LAN port, then your router will act as a hub, its a hassle free method

OK. Will try that.

Originally Posted by just4kix

I tried all sorts of configurations:

a) UT-300R2U (Bridge) --> WRT54G (Bridge) --> Dialer on PC
b) UT-300R2U (Bridge) --> WRT54G (PPPoE) --> PC
c) UT-300R2U (PPPoE) --> WRT54G (Bridge) --> PC (current configuration).

All result in the same problem. The two devices are next to each other connected by a 1.5m RJ-45 cable. So that is not the issue.

I also have an Airlink 101 wi-fi router. This router works without a hitch.

I almost had exactly the same problem as you and I found a fix. We do not have the same internet modem but I have the same wireless router (WRT54G V2). It is of note that the earlier versions of this router are actually better! They have better hardware than the cheap later revisions and are much more stable.

b) UT-300R2U (Bridge) --> WRT54G (PPPoE) --> PCs/wireless

This is the solution that worked best for me because my modem (not like yours) has extremely bad networking and is best used as a simple bridge. Let the WRT54G handle the NAT because that is what it was designed best for. The only problem is, like you, I was not able to access the internet through the WRT54G even though it was connected to the PPPoE. (I ran Ping/Tracert programs from inside the router much like you did and it proved it was fully connected to the internet)

What finally worked for me was upgrading the firmware to DD-WRT, which is a free alternative firmware that is much more capable than the one linksys provides. You can look this up on wikipedia or google to find the official site if you wish. I do not know why this solved my problem, since like you I actually thought the NAT component of the modem was failing (hardware) but it was apparently a software problem that cleared up with changing the firmware.

If you are still looking for a solution, I recommend you check this out. Of course you do lose the firewall capabilities of your modem since in bridging mode it is often referred to as a "dumb modem"; it does not do anything but pass packets on to the router. However, I am very satisfied with how it is set up now. Best of luck.

Thank you, zglkm. I will try this method.

Hey Guys,

It seems you guys do not know that Linksys has a Toll Free Technical Support in India. You guys should call that number and try. My experience with them has always been GREAT.

Call them on 1-800-419-5797.