Expanding my Internet connections with a 2nd router (solved)

[ChrisGreaves]

I had thought that expanding my connections would be as easy as plugging the internet signal into the DI-604 and using it as a 4-way splitter. Is my reasoning wrong?
If my reasoning is correct, then perhaps there is a problem with the DI-604 router.

The ISP is Rogers cable – Internet/TV/Phone company in Toronto.
The telephone signal arrives via a 3-way splitter to a "Touchstone Telephony Modem” (lower item in the image); the telephones work. This modem has a USB socket and an Ethernet 10/100 socket, neither of which is in use.

The Internet signal arrives via the 3-way splitter to a WebStar modem (upper item in the image). The modem has a USB socket and an Ethernet socket; the Ethernet socket is connected by a (blue) cable to the laptop and provides a working internet signal.

This is my current setup, as shown in the image, and it is how/why I am able to post this.

The Webstar modem has only one Ethernet socket, and I have three networked computers.
Through the BELL system I had all three computers hooked up to the internet and to the LAN through a single router.

Now I’m trying to expand the WebStar service through a second router.

My second router is a D-Link DI-604 router, shown at the right-hand side of the image.
Currently only the Big Beige Box (yellow cable) is plugged in.

I take the blue cable from the WebStar modem and plug it into the DI-604 adjacent to the yellow cable; I am now occupying 2 of the 4 Ethernet sockets in the DI-604.
I take the other end of the beige cable from the WAN socket on the DI-604 and plug it into the WebStar socket recently vacated by the blue cable.
My reasoning is: The signal coming out of that WebStar socket provided an internet signal. The beige cable now routes that signal into the WAN socket and hence out through the two (connected) Ethernet cables to 2 of my 3 computers.
Reality is that I get no internet access this way (as in “the blue cable is no longer carrying a signal to the laptop”).
As well I get no access to my LAN (although I might have to reboot or re-set the networking, I know).
My immediate problem then is “Get an internet signal to both computers”. Currently neither computer gets an internet signal.

(Full-size image 3.5 MB available here

HPIM2385 (Small).JPG

[DaveA]

After you make these cable changes have you restarted the modem, as it is not seeing the connected router?

[StuartR]

Can you check the little lights where each Ethernet cable plugs in. This will let us know whether the physical layer is working correctly.

How do your various computers get their IP addresses? My guess is that this is where your problem lies.

Please use the ipconfig command to check the IP address of your laptop when it is connected to the Webstar modem. Then reconfigure everything - MAKE SURE YOU REBOOT ALL THE COMPUTERS so that they get their IP address from the DI-604 - and then use ipconfig again to find out what address the laptop is now using.

[ChrisGreaves]

After you make these cable changes have you restarted the modem, as it is not seeing the connected router?

Thanks Dave. (I see the note from Stuart below ..). I

• re-plugged the cables this morning, setting them into my proposed configuration,
• powered OFF the modem and the router,
• waited the recommended 60 seconds,
• powered ON the modem and the router,
• waited the recommended 60 seconds,

but get no signal. (So I am back to my one-computer configuration).

[ChrisGreaves]

Can you check the little lights where each Ethernet cable plugs in. This will let us know whether the physical layer is working correctly.

Thanks for the checklist Stuart; I'm going to respond step-by-step, mainly because I find this confusing (although very glad of a helping hand!).
There are no lights on the back of the laptop where the Ethernet plugs in, so I assume you mean "on the modem".

As I type, preview and submit this, the four lights on the front

• Power
• PC
• Data
• Cable

are all lit (green) and steady.

WebStar.JPG

On the back, there are no lights, but in order I see

• Power
• Reset
• Ethernet
• USB
• Cable

Webstar2.JPG

[ChrisGreaves]

Please use the ipconfig command to check the IP address of your laptop when it is connected to the Webstar modem.

The IP address is 99.233.115.97, but isn't this the IP address from the outside world's point of view?
I have a feeling that the IP address is a "movable target".

Webstar3.JPG

(A pause while I reconfigure and re-boot, then on to the next step .....)

[StuartR]

Did you reboot all the computers after making these changes?

The lights I was referring to are usually VERY SMALL and right next to where the Ethernet cable plugs in. I don't see them in your photo, but you may want to check the bit under the cable that I can't see, and to check on your laptop too. Here is a picture I found showing the typical placement of these lights.

[ChrisGreaves]

... Then reconfigure everything - MAKE SURE YOU REBOOT ALL THE COMPUTERS so that they get their IP address from the DI-604 - and then use ipconfig again to find out what address the laptop is now using.

WebStar4.JPG

Everything is changed!
There is no "Rogers ISP" address, which in a way doesn't surprise me because when I took this IPConfig snapshot after reconfiguring cables to the proposed scheme, the laptop (blue cable) was plugged into the DI-604, which gets its cable from the Webstar.
I can't come up with a rational explanation for the changes in the other values, except a wave-of-the-hand to say that "things have changed".
The IPConfig command, issued from the DOS prompt on the laptop, is telling me what the laptop sees, is that correct? That is, this latest snapshot is the laptop's view of the DI-604 router, whereas the previous snapshot was the laptop's view of the WebStar.
(I am now back to my original configuration, and able to post).

[ChrisGreaves]

Did you reboot all the computers after making these changes?

Yes. It is a relatively painfully slow process, because with each reboot I am also doing the OFF/ON modem trick, trying to make sure that everyone gets a fresh start and introduction.

... check the bit under the cable that I can't see, ...

Done, attached.
I can't see a hint of anything that would emit light. It's all gun-metal gray metal right up to the socket.
The blue-outline is where I plug the laptop cable (blue) when I'm trying to use the DI-604 router. The red outline is where the same cable goes when I am online in the current (old) configuration.

WebStar5.JPG

... and to check on your laptop too..

And here is a close-up of the laptop, again, metal right up to the edge. The blue outline is where I plug the laptop (blue) cable when I am in the current (old) configuration.
And FWIW I've not been aware of any lights there, not that I spend a lot of time behind the laptop ...

WebStar6.JPG

[StuartR]

When you are connected to the DI-604 you should be using a 192. address, so that looks good. The other values are given to you by the DHCP server on the DI-604 - so that is all good too.

When you have the PC (or laptop) connected to the DI-604 you should be able to go to the web page at 192.168.0.1 to see the various settings on the DI-604. The default username for this is admin with a blank password. Can you connect to this and check it is working, then we can have a look at some of the settings on there to see what is going on.

[ChrisGreaves]

WORDS FAIL ME

... go to the web page at 192.168.0.1 to see the various settings on the DI-604. The default username for this is admin with a blank password. Can you connect to this and check it is working, then we can have a look at some of the settings on there to see what is going on.

Admin/<blank> did not work.
I toyed with the idea of a paper-clip in the Reset hole but gave admin/"password" a shot, and I'm in!
I Ran the wizard "Autodetecting WAN"
Select Internet Connection Type (WAN)
Select the connection type to connect to your ISP. Click Next to continue.
Dynamic IP Address Choose this option to obtain an IP address automatically from your ISP.(For most Cable modem users)
Static IP Address Choose this option to set static IP information provided to you by your ISP.
PPPoE Choose this option if your ISP uses PPPoE.(For most DSL users)
PPTP PPTP Client

I chose "Dynamic IP Address" and at some point the wizard talked about checking-the-WAN.
I remembered the WAN connection on the back of the DI-604 router.
So I plugged the beige cable in (I'd only transferred the blue laptop cable at this point), waited 60 seconds, clicked "back", then "next" to take another run at the WAN-check, and carried on with "click restart to reboot" (the router) and WADDYAKNOW?

The Laptop is alive with the sound of Internet! (Mercifully short clip)
And my Big Beige Box has internet connection too!

I am close to speechless (sound of across The Lounge) and feel as if I should lie down for ten minutes to calm myself down.

This whole thing has been bugging me for over a month, since I switched ISP and Rogers replaced the BELL 4-holer with a 1-holer.

It's been said before, and I'm sure it will be said again, but I'm happy to add my voice ...
YOU GUYS ARE GREAT/TOPS/BOSS/ROYAL/THE BEST

I still have the LAN/networking of 3 computers to resolve, but I'm going to take a run at that myself first to see if I can't get closer to that goal.


( :cloud99: if there were one ...)

[StuartR]

Great news, well done that man!

[ChrisGreaves]

Great news, well done that man!

by "that man" I hope you mean DaveA and Stuart R

[DaveA]

I did not have much imput, but glad to see that you are happy.

[ChrisGreaves]

I did not have much input,

Au contraire, mon capitain.
"If my reasoning is correct, " was my main problem.
Your quick response (with suggestions) and Stuart's ditto told me that my reasoning is correct and that it was worthwhile to persevere.
Without that initial confidence, progress is doomed. Never underestimate the power of faith.
Without both of your assurances I would probably have stayed with sneaker-net for another 6 months.

[Leif]

Great news, well done that man!

by "that man" I hope you mean DaveA and Stuart R

And I was rooting for you all the way, Chris

[StuartR]

Just what we need, a mole in fancy dress rooting around Chris's router.

[Leif]

As you can tell from my userpic, I was directing the traffic