Resetting the gateway, modem...

Thread Starter

Externet

Joined Nov 29, 2005
2,202
Hello.
Please move to a proper place if there is one for computing/networking

Have what it is called a 'Gateway' at home for internet service, not a 'router'. Gets the provider coaxial from the utility pole and has four RJ45 jacks.
NO wireless of any kind at all, no wifi, no bluetooth, and I do not want them... Have ONLY ethernet wired 3 devices connected to the internet :
-one linux laptop,
-one chromebook,
-and one television tuner connected to internet.
Nothing Windows at all.

Can someone explain the correct sequence to power cycle the devices to fix the typical
"no internet" or
"no ethernet" or
"no networking" or
"DNS error" ? <---- this is the most pissing one showing up too often :mad:

Sometines the errors above show up, and by random trying power cycling, sometimes get fixed in one computer, fails on the other, pull my hair..., gets fixed if there is a lot of repeated praying going on... I want to know the correct way.

To cycle power at the Gateway; do all peripherials need to be off or on ? Or should I turn the peripherials off before the Gateway ? do the peripherials shoud be on in 'browser on' mode, asleep, hybernating ... ?

What goes on that sometimes fixes problems and sometimes does not ?

Please educate me, am the flag bearer of computer idiots.
 

Reloadron

Joined Jan 15, 2015
7,501
What you have is a a gateway is a router-modem combo, sometimes called a gateway router or a gateway modem (or even gateway modem router). Essentially, it combines the two in a single physical piece of hardware. This consolidates your technology so it takes up less space and requires fewer messy cables.

What should be happening is as each device looks to go online it should issue an IP address, a local address like 192.168.x.x. No Internet can have several causes but comes down to the device connecting is not being issued an IP or is not seeing an internet connection. The DNS error is a Domain Name System error and simply put the device is not getting assigned an IP address. Again while frustrating there can be many causes. Your gateway router should have an IP address allowing you to go into it and see what it is doing as far as issuing IP addresses to your network devices. Some include an error log which may help. Since you setup the network you should have the IP address for your gateway router.

Been years since I used Linux so I really can't be of much help on that side of things.

Ron
 

SamR

Joined Mar 19, 2019
5,031
Who provided the gateway (you bought or ISP provided)? Make, Model? I use a separate Cable Modem and Router/hub. All of my problems are with the Modem and most often caused by it's losing the signal from the ISP. The first thing to do is unplug it, wait ~10-30 seconds, and plug it back in. If the problem was internal to the modem it resets and connects. If the problem is the ISP then it can't resolve it until the ISP is fixed. The other option is to call customer support and have some idiot read their script to tell you to do the same thing so I don't even bother calling them. All they do is answer the phone for support and they have no earthly idea as to whether the ISP is up or down. YMMV

EDIT: Typically devices connected to the router poll it until connected and do not need to be restarted. They should connect on their own if there is anything answering the polling if they lose signal without needing to be restarted.
 
Last edited:

eetech00

Joined Jun 8, 2013
3,859
Hello.
Please move to a proper place if there is one for computing/networking

Have what it is called a 'Gateway' at home for internet service, not a 'router'. Gets the provider coaxial from the utility pole and has four RJ45 jacks.
NO wireless of any kind at all, no wifi, no bluetooth, and I do not want them... Have ONLY ethernet wired 3 devices connected to the internet :
-one linux laptop,
-one chromebook,
-and one television tuner connected to internet.
Nothing Windows at all.

Can someone explain the correct sequence to power cycle the devices to fix the typical
"no internet" or
"no ethernet" or
"no networking" or
"DNS error" ? <---- this is the most pissing one showing up too often :mad:

Sometines the errors above show up, and by random trying power cycling, sometimes get fixed in one computer, fails on the other, pull my hair..., gets fixed if there is a lot of repeated praying going on... I want to know the correct way.
It sounds like the gateway is getting reset either by the internet provider or by an issue with the gateway. Occasionally, the gateway will obtain a new set of addresses for clients. This includes DNS server addresses, and is a normal occurence.
When that happens, the computers get notified by the gateway and auto renew their address information. The fact that sometimes some computers work and others don’t indicate some are renewing and some are not. This happens occasionally and is normal.

To cycle power at the Gateway; do all peripherials need to be off or on ? Or should I turn the peripherials off before the Gateway ? do the peripherials shoud be on in 'browser on' mode, asleep, hybernating ... ?

What goes on that sometimes fixes problems and sometimes does not ?

Please educate me, am the flag bearer of computer idiots.
if you need to cycle power on the gateway:

1. Be prepared to reboot all computers and any device that obtains IP information from the gateway.

2. Cycle the power on the gateway. Wait for it to completely finish booting. It will need a few minutes to finish configuring itself to be able to provide addresses to the Clients (computers and devices).

3. Reboot the first computer and wait for boot to complete.

4. Test internet access on the first computer.
If all is working correctly, internet access should be successful.

5. reboot the each of the remaining computers and devices one at a time, testing each after reboot.

If the first computer (step 4) doesn't work, assuming your wiring is good, then:
5a. either the computer didn't renew its IP address information.
or
5b. The gateway is not issuing IP address information to clients.

For resolving problems at step 5, you'll need to learn how to manually check and renew the IP address information for each device that is not working.
You may also need to learn how to check the DHCP server properties in the gateway to verify it working.

Usually, as long as nothing has been custom configured on the gateway, step 3-5 isn't needed. The devices just "work" after step 2

Good luck.
 
Last edited:

djsfantasi

Joined Apr 11, 2010
9,156
After following this procedure, you may learn which of your devices that require a reboot and which don’t.

My iPhone, Windows 10 laptop, Echo Dot and one TV do not require a reboot/power cycle. A second TV requires a power cycle.
 

sagor

Joined Mar 10, 2019
903
Sometimes, those devices are powered by a wall-wart power adapter. I've seen those start to fail by overheating, then they reset when they cool off. Other times, they just lose regulation and create "dirty power". Check the power supply if possible, and try an appropriate substitute.
 

Thread Starter

Externet

Joined Nov 29, 2005
2,202
Thanks, gentlemen.
the device connecting is not being issued an IP
With three devices on the LAN, one or two do get to work, they get "their IP issued". but others randomly not. How is that ?
I can get into the Gateway to see its reports, but am not good at interpreting all I see in it.:(

Who provided the gateway (you bought or ISP provided)? Make, Model?
The internet provider did, with wireless disabled ----> https://d15yx0mnc9teae.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/ubee-dvw32cb-userguide.pdf


sometimes some computers work and others don’t indicate some are renewing and some are not. This happens occasionally and is normal.
Compfusers... that seems to be the hurdle. for everything to renew, takes the lottery :( Getting into each compfuser settings to disconnect network and reconnect again works 1 in a 100 attempts. Unplugging/reconnecting the RJ45s about the same. (All cables and equipment are in good unmolested condition or new, no bandaids)


...powered by a wall-wart power adapter.
This one has its internal supply, fed by 120VAC.

Been unable to log to this forum for most of the day. Retrying different 'reset' sequences finally got in, but do not know why.:rolleyes: and now the Chromebook and the Linux unit are on-line; but the TV 'tuner' lost internet as a trade.
 
Last edited:

SamR

Joined Mar 19, 2019
5,031
The internet provider did, with wireless disabled ---->
Then I'd be ringing their bell! Cable Modems do fail and it's usually no skin off their back to replace it with a new one. Hopefully, they have someone who knows how to correctly set one up to work properly. Most ISPs provide them as plug and play without any user configuration. The only diagnostics were typical OS utilities, Ping, and Trace Route.
 

eetech00

Joined Jun 8, 2013
3,859
Compfusers... that seems to be the hurdle. for everything to renew, takes the lottery
:( Getting into each compfuser settings to disconnect network and reconnect again works 1 in a 100 attempts. Unplugging/reconnecting the RJ45s about the same. (All cables and equipment are in good unmolested condition or new, no bandaids)
there is an easy way to handle that, but you have to know the commands. As I mentioned earlier, you need to learn the commands to check/renew the IP addresses in order to troubleshoot,

Since you have a small number of devices, another way to get around this problem is to configure a “STATIC” ( or “fixed”) IP configuration on each device.
Then you don’t have to deal with the issuing of the IP configuration by the gateway.
 

djsfantasi

Joined Apr 11, 2010
9,156
there is an easy way to handle that, but you have to know the commands. As I mentioned earlier, you need to learn the commands to check/renew the IP addresses in order to troubleshoot,

Since you have a small number of devices, another way to get around this problem is to configure a “STATIC” ( or “fixed”) IP configuration on each device.
Then you don’t have to deal with the issuing of the IP configuration by the gateway.
Until you add another device.

Unless you also configure a static range that is excluded from DHCP.

Now you’re getting beyond what I would expect from a basic user.

The gateway’s DHCP server sounds like it’s malfunctioning. Replace the gateway.
 

eetech00

Joined Jun 8, 2013
3,859
Until you add another device.

Unless you also configure a static range that is excluded from DHCP.

Now you’re getting beyond what I would expect from a basic user.

The gateway’s DHCP server sounds like it’s malfunctioning. Replace the gateway.
Yes..and normally I wouldn't recommend static addresses, even with a small number of devices, but the TS is having so many issues, so often, that it may be better to turn off DHCP and not rely on it. So I think in this case, it may be worth the effort, and it would only need to be done once for each device and once for the gateway.
 

djsfantasi

Joined Apr 11, 2010
9,156
Yes..and normally I wouldn't recommend static addresses, even with a small number of devices, but the TS is having so many issues, so often, that it may be better to turn off DHCP and not rely on it. So I think in this case, it may be worth the effort, and it would only need to be done once for each device and once for the gateway.
I agree. If the TS has the skills necessary.
 
ISP's don;t know what their doing.

For the DNS problem, try using Googles free DNS servers 8.8.8.8 and/or 8.8.4.4.

in linix there should be a DHCP setting that says Addresses Only. Use then and manually enter the above name server addresses.
If not, use one address of your router,which might be 192.168.1.1 and one of Google's..
You can use the ISP's name server if you know it, but the router should get the name server info and you can point to it.
that would be your "gateway" setting.

this
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ dig ns1.verizon.com

; <<>> DiG 9.8.1-P1 <<>> ns1.verizon.com
;; global options: +cmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 61831
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 0

;; QUESTION SECTION:
;ns1.verizon.com. IN A

;; ANSWER SECTION
ns1.verizon.com. 84394 IN A 192.76.85.7

;; Query time: 4 msec
;; SERVER: 127.0.0.1#53(127.0.0.1)
;; WHEN: Thu Jan 14 22:46:53 2021
;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 49

Hasn't happened for a long time. It should be under 25 ms. Maybe my complaint to the FCC was heard. They said it was a valid complaint. I wasgetting responses in the hundreds of ms. They disabled ping maybe 6 months ago.

I have one router that doesn;t like power glitches.

My samsung "smart"DUMB TV hates two wireless networks with the same name. It won;t connect.

Use NDT's diagnostic tool: https://speed.measurementlab.net

As you can see my Internet sucks: Download is supposed to be 6.

1610683291221.png
 
Last edited:

SamR

Joined Mar 19, 2019
5,031
Ping was my friend when I did networking on our company system. ISPs block it because it takes up server time to respond and with lots of subscribers it adds up especially if they all decide to ping their server.
 

djsfantasi

Joined Apr 11, 2010
9,156
You can’t configure DNS to use an external server as a primary, else communications between local devices will fail. Local devices must use the gateway as their primary DNS and the gateway to route to external devices. A proper DHCP server will take care of this.
 
You can use the other packet type and sometimes get through. Traceroute doesn't work either.
When your ISP is [expletive deleted] nothing works.

DSL is particularly wierd running in bridge.

Your public IP address could be in a different state. It's now starting to be in the same state. It's the DSLAM and they want to re-use as many IP addresses there.

So, the paths are wierd.
 
You can’t configure DNS to use an external server as a primary, else communications between local devices will fail.
I do that all the time. the router gets the DNS by DHCP from the ISP. You can generally point to your router as the DNS or NTP server. That would use the one it got from DHCP from the ISP.

I can configure my computer to not use the ISP's provided DNS, but to use one I provide. I usually use one 8.8.8.8 because I can remember that one. I only do it when I have problems.

i think things like netnanny work by getting the DNS results filtered through their DNS system. Not sure though.

==

Pings with long packets on a good system will find bad cables.

I basically maintained the local devices and asked for names to be added to the DNS. I managed the IP assignments for our department given a pool to work with. We had a class C address space.
 

Thread Starter

Externet

Joined Nov 29, 2005
2,202
I did try the 8.8.8.8 -nothing happened-

Then I'd be ringing their bell! Cable Modems do fail and it's usually no skin off their back to replace it with a new one. Hopefully, they have someone who knows how to correctly set one up to work properly.
About a year ago the ISP technician came to fix a similar problem. As could not figure out sheeeet, replaced the modem and cable. I was observing him consulting his supervisor on the phone and cycling power several times while 'praying'
When he left, said it was an internal problem with one of my peripherials and I needed to contact a computer service center as there was nothing wrong with the new ISP equipment.
Well, the guy spent 1 hour trying to setup my equipment on WIFI that the ISP locked out of service by my request and Windows networking settings for it, When there is nothing working Windows in my house nor WiFi. The guy did not know how to make internet work by ethernet. Only knew his 99% of customers setup. "Had to be WiFi on Windows" like 'nobody is so stupid to not use the comfort of WiFi'

Will digest your good suggestions at my humble pace, learn to control the Gateway and understand what I will be doing, and will see how far can I get. ;)
 
Last edited:

SamR

Joined Mar 19, 2019
5,031
When he left, said it was an internal problem with one of my peripherials
I really miss the days when you actually got an engineer when you called customer support. Also when the field techs were almost as knowledgeable or had an engineer on tap for them to call for backup. Drones reading scripts really tic me off...
 

Reloadron

Joined Jan 15, 2015
7,501
I don't know with a Linux system the commands. There should be something similar to ipconfig/release and ipconfig/renew. There is a host of other useful commands for diagnostics. With Linux it's ifconfig command in Linux with Examples rather than an ipconfig. Years ago I had a good time with Linux but been so long and so much has changed.

Ron
 
Top