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From: Jeff Liebermann on 21 Apr 2008 11:42
On Sun, 20 Apr 2008 19:49:50 -0700 (PDT), fig000
<neilnewton001(a)yahoo.com> wrote:

> Thanks for answering so incredibly quickly.

Sorry. I'll answer more slowly next time.

>1. I held the init button down for more than 15 seconds and, like you
>heard no beeps but saw a red light flashing.
>1. Now it seems I can no longer get into the console using 192.168.1.1
>on a desktop machine that is hardwired into the buffalo (it sends me
>to ask.com with some links). I could do this when I first got the
>buffalo.

The default IP address for most Buffalo is 192.168.11.1. The older
Airstation is 192.168.1.1. Since you didn't bother to disclose the
exact model number, I can't supply a URL for the Buffalo install
instructions.

Make sure you're using a wired ethernet connection for initial
configuration, not wireless.

>2. My laptop now shows two version of the network. One is "wrt" (the
>original name of the network) and the other is called "dd-wrt".

Ok. Your friend installed alternative firmware. The default IP
address for DD-WRT is 192.168.1.1 The default login is "root" with a
password of "admin". See:
<http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page>

I'm not sure what "wrt" means. It might be OpenWRT or a variety of
other alternative firmware mutations. You can identify which is yours
by turning it off, and seeing which one disappears from the wireless
list.

Make sure you're using a wired ethernet connection for initial
configuration, not wireless.

>Despite the fact that the laptop seems to think there's a connection,
>no web page will come up.

You need to configure the WAN (internet) interface for DHCP to go with
your cable modem.

>This happened to me before when I first got
>the buffalo and I had to mess with the mac address to make it work.

Messing with the MAC means that you need to clone the MAC address of
your PC. Your unspecified cable provider apparently uses the MAC
address for authentication. It should be on the WAN (internet)
configuration page. Make sure you're using a wired ethernet
connection for initial configuration, not wireless, using the same PC
that you originally used to setup to clone the MAC address. If
unavailable, use some other PC that's not going to walk away (i.e.
desktop). After cloning the MAC address, power DOWN both the modem
and the router so that the new MAC addresses are registered in both on
power up. If you cable modem has a big backup battery (as in Arris
VoIP routers), you'll need to tap the reset button to reboot. Then,
call your cable broadband vendor to have them re-authenticate your
connection.

>However that was in the console and I can't get into the console.

What's a console?

>Not
>sure the mac address is the problem but since the buffalo is reset, it
>stands to reason that something will have to be changed again.

Look for "Clone Mac Address". That copies the MAC address from your
PC to the routers WAN (internet) port so that your cable company
thinks it's talking directly to your computah.

>Maybe I should buy a linksys :-).

You give up far too soon. When you get DD-WRT on the screen, look in
the upper right hand corner for the version number. The current
version is DD-WRT v24 RC6.2. When you can identify the exact model
Buffalo product, I'll point you to the location of the latest firmware
to install.

>I agree with you wholeheartedly about not using a used access point. I
>had anticipated this but ignored the issue. Now I'm paying for it.

Paying for it? I like that idea. Send money via PayPal to my email
address.

Nothing wrong with using used access points. Your problem is that you
didn't document your setup, save your settings, or even record your
passwords. I have mine on a spreadsheet. I think there are currently
200 logins and passwords listed (most with different passwords). Get
organized.

--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl(a)cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558
From: fig000 on 21 Apr 2008 20:31
Jeff,

The console is the configuration page; that's what people I know
call it. I was able to get to it using 192.168.1.1 even a week ago. A
mistake on a family member's part reset the everything. I don't know
how they did it. As of now going to that 192.168.1.1 now takes me to
ask.com. I'm not sure why.

I'm not experienced witht wireless access point so please excuse my
stupidity. WRT is the actually name given to the access point by the
person who set it up for me a firmware brand or anything like that.
It's just a coincidence that it has WRT in the name. WRT is what came
up last night in the list of wireless networks when I used my laptop.
After I reset the buffalo, I saw two versions with the names: WRT and
DD-WRT. Today it seems that that WRT is no longer available but DD-
WRT is still there. I can see that that might indicate that I'm using
some form of what you called wrt but I don't remember having to deal
with that when I set this up the first time. I simply go into the
configuration screen and played around with the mac address (no
cloning as far as I remember) and got it to work.

My provider is Knology.

The model number is : WHR-G54S.

I am using a wired connection for connnection. I have an old
computer that was connected to our cable box. When I got the buffalo I
connected it to the cable box and then connected the buffalo to the
computer. Actually everything worked right back then, after I sort of
randomly changed the mac address (I think I incremented the last digit
by one but I can't be sure).

I would try the admin and root credentials to configure the buffalo
and I do seem to remember the DHCP property but I can't get into what
I call the console. I've tried both 192.168.11.1 and 192.168.1.1. Both
bring me to ask.com with "listings" for those ip addresses.

I did have a list of all the paramaters but someone lost it for me
(my grandson).

Anyway, I'm taking stock and I have a feeling that I've dug myself
too deep to get out of this. There are too many topics I don't
understand including the mac address cloning for me to be sure that I
understand what I have to do. I appreciate your help and will try any
suggestions you have but I may have to buy another one. Since I can't
get to the places where I can configure the buffalo using the ip
address I'm sort of stuck in the water.

Thanks again and let me know if you have any other suggestions.

Fig000



On Apr 21, 11:42 am, Jeff Liebermann <je...(a)cruzio.com> wrote:
> On Sun, 20 Apr 2008 19:49:50 -0700 (PDT),fig000
>
> <neilnewton...(a)yahoo.com> wrote:
> >  Thanks for answering so incredibly quickly.
>
> Sorry.  I'll answer more slowly next time.
>
> >1. I held the init button down for more than 15 seconds and, like you
> >heard no beeps but saw a red light flashing.
> >1. Now it seems I can no longer get into the console using 192.168.1.1
> >on a desktop machine that is hardwired into the buffalo (it sends me
> >to ask.com with some links). I could do this when I first got the
> >buffalo.
>
> The default IP address for most Buffalo is 192.168.11.1.  The older
> Airstation is 192.168.1.1.  Since you didn't bother to disclose the
> exact model number, I can't supply a URL for the Buffalo install
> instructions.  
>
> Make sure you're using a wired ethernet connection for initial
> configuration, not wireless.  
>
> >2. My laptop now shows two version of the network. One is "wrt" (the
> >original name of the network) and the other is called "dd-wrt".
>
> Ok.  Your friend installed alternative firmware.  The default IP
> address for DD-WRT is 192.168.1.1  The default login is "root" with a
> password of "admin".  See:
> <http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page>
>
> I'm not sure what "wrt" means.  It might be OpenWRT or a variety of
> other alternative firmware mutations.  You can identify which is yours
> by turning it off, and seeing which one disappears from the wireless
> list.
>
> Make sure you're using a wired ethernet connection for initial
> configuration, not wireless.  
>
> >Despite the fact that the laptop seems to think there's a connection,
> >no web page will come up.
>
> You need to configure the WAN (internet) interface for DHCP to go with
> your cable modem.  
>
> >This happened to me before when I first got
> >the buffalo and I had to mess with the mac address to make it work.
>
> Messing with the MAC means that you need to clone the MAC address of
> your PC.  Your unspecified cable provider apparently uses the MAC
> address for authentication.  It should be on the WAN (internet)
> configuration page.  Make sure you're using a wired ethernet
> connection for initial configuration, not wireless, using the same PC
> that you originally used to setup to clone the MAC address.  If
> unavailable, use some other PC that's not going to walk away (i.e.
> desktop).  After cloning the MAC address, power DOWN both the modem
> and the router so that the new MAC addresses are registered in both on
> power up.  If you cable modem has a big backup battery (as in Arris
> VoIP routers), you'll need to tap the reset button to reboot.  Then,
> call your cable broadband vendor to have them re-authenticate your
> connection.  
>
> >However that was in the console and I can't get into the console.
>
> What's a console?
>
> >Not
> >sure the mac address is the problem but since the buffalo is reset, it
> >stands to reason that something will have to be changed again.
>
> Look for "Clone Mac Address".  That copies the MAC address from your
> PC to the routers WAN (internet) port so that your cable company
> thinks it's talking directly to your computah.
>
> >Maybe I should buy a linksys :-).
>
> You give up far too soon.  When you get DD-WRT on the screen, look in
> the upper right hand corner for the version number.  The current
> version is DD-WRT v24 RC6.2.  When you can identify the exact model
> Buffalo product, I'll point you to the location of the latest firmware
> to install.
>
> >I agree with you wholeheartedly about not using a used access point. I
> >had anticipated this but ignored the issue. Now I'm paying for it.
>
> Paying for it?  I like that idea.  Send money via PayPal to my email
> address.
>
> Nothing wrong with using used access points.  Your problem is that you
> didn't document your setup, save your settings, or even record your
> passwords.  I have mine on a spreadsheet.  I think there are currently
> 200 logins and passwords listed (most with different passwords).  Get
> organized.
>
> --
> Jeff Liebermann     je...(a)cruzio.com
> 150 Felker St #D    http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
> Santa Cruz CA 95060http://802.11junk.com
> Skype: JeffLiebermann     AE6KS    831-336-2558

From: Jeff Liebermann on 21 Apr 2008 21:23
On Mon, 21 Apr 2008 17:31:45 -0700 (PDT), fig000
<neilnewton001(a)yahoo.com> wrote:

>The console is the configuration page; that's what people I know
>call it.

Was this a mainframe shop? That's the only computah I know that
actually has a real desk type console. For PC's it's the boot screen
the displays boot messages. See:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_console>

>I was able to get to it using 192.168.1.1 even a week ago.

That was before it was reset?

>A
>mistake on a family member's part reset the everything. I don't know
>how they did it.

They didn't do anything. I've had the WHR-G54S and WHR-HP-G54 series
boxes reset themselves to defaults by themselves. I have no clue how
it was done. I suspect power glitches as there was electrical wiring
exercises or power failures in progress during several resets. It's
also far to easy to punch the easily accessible reset button.
Incidentally, all mine were with DD-WRT firmware, so it's not a
firmware bug.

>As of now going to that 192.168.1.1 now takes me to
>ask.com. I'm not sure why.

I do. See below.

>I'm not experienced witht wireless access point so please excuse my
>stupidity.

I'll excuse inexperience and lack of arcane knowledge. Stupidity
implies an unwillingness or inability to learn, which is NOT
excuseable.

>WRT is the actually name given to the access point by the
>person who set it up for me a firmware brand or anything like that.

Is that *YOUR* wireless router or the neighbors. I'll guess from your
description that it's yours. When you reset it, it reverted to
DD-WRT, the default for DD-WRT firmeware. Is that yours or the
neighbors? If you're looking in the list of available networks,
refresh it, as it may have the old name still in it.

>It's just a coincidence that it has WRT in the name. WRT is what came
>up last night in the list of wireless networks when I used my laptop.
>After I reset the buffalo, I saw two versions with the names: WRT and
>DD-WRT. Today it seems that that WRT is no longer available but DD-
>WRT is still there.

That's correct. WRT was the old name that was cleared when you
punched the reset button. The default name for DD-WRT is DD-WRT.

>I can see that that might indicate that I'm using
>some form of what you called wrt but I don't remember having to deal
>with that when I set this up the first time. I simply go into the
>configuration screen and played around with the mac address (no
>cloning as far as I remember) and got it to work.

Yep. It really is quite simple. However, you'll also have to do the
wireless configuration later.

> My provider is Knology.

<http://www.knology.com>

What state?

I note that Knology offers static IP addresses. Do you pay for a
static IP address (i.e. business account)?

> The model number is : WHR-G54S.

Thanks.

>I am using a wired connection for connnection. I have an old
>computer that was connected to our cable box. When I got the buffalo I
>connected it to the cable box and then connected the buffalo to the
>computer. Actually everything worked right back then, after I sort of
>randomly changed the mac address (I think I incremented the last digit
>by one but I can't be sure).

That's fine as long as the cable company does NOT use the MAC address
for authentication.

> I would try the admin and root credentials to configure the buffalo
>and I do seem to remember the DHCP property but I can't get into what
>I call the console. I've tried both 192.168.11.1 and 192.168.1.1. Both
>bring me to ask.com with "listings" for those ip addresses.

Let me guess. You're using Internet Exploder 6 or 7? For those, you
have to inscribe the full URL as in:
http://192.168.1.1/
If you forget the http or the ending "/", the stupid browser thinks
you're trying to lookup a buzzword and goes to your default internet
search provider. At some time, you installed ASK.COM as your default
search provider. You may want to change this to something else, or
simply disable searching from the URL window.

> I did have a list of all the paramaters but someone lost it for me
>(my grandson).

"The dog ate my homework"? There should be something on the router
setup in the Knolgy support page. After a dozen clicks and menus, I
found:
<http://support.knology.net/content/>
Start here, as if you were making a new connection:
<http://support.knology.net/content/setup.new.connection.cfm>
Looks like you MUST clone the MAC address. Make sure you do it with
the original computer that was used to setup the system. If you can't
recall, or were twiddling the MAC address, just call Knology support
and have them reset their end of the authentication mess.

It also appears that you must setup the WAN connection for DHCP.
Instructions are on that page.

>Anyway, I'm taking stock and I have a feeling that I've dug myself
>too deep to get out of this.

It's easy. You just bombed on the first step. Use the full URL. If
you're wondering what the real IP address of the router is, do this:
Start -> Run -> cmd <enter>
IPCONFIG
The IP address on the gateway line is your routers IP address.

>There are too many topics I don't
>understand including the mac address cloning for me to be sure that I
>understand what I have to do.

Yeah, yeah. Look at it this way. Would you rather talk to someone in
India? I didn't think so. So, sit down, read what I wrote, follow
the instructions, and cease complaining.

>I appreciate your help and will try any
>suggestions you have but I may have to buy another one.

Can I buy your old one (cheap)? I like Buffalo products.

>Since I can't
>get to the places where I can configure the buffalo using the ip
>address I'm sort of stuck in the water.

The water is fine after you get used to the temperature.

>Thanks again and let me know if you have any other suggestions.

Do the following:
1. Find the gateway IP address with IPCONFIG.
2. Use the full URL for connecting to the router.
login: root passwd: admin
3. Setup the WAN page for DHCP.
4. Clone the MAC address of your computer.
5. Check if it works.
6. If not, call Knology support and have them reset their end.
7. If it does work, continue.
8. Go to the wireless page and setup the SSID. Use WRT if you must.
9. Go to the wireless security page and make sure you're using either
WPA or WPA2 encryption.
10. Test wired and wireless connectivity.
11. When it's working, you get to do it all again (suprise).
12. Go to:
<http://www.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv2/down.php?path=downloads%2Frelease+candidates%2FDD-WRT+v24+RC6.2%2FBroadcom%2FBuffalo%2FWHR-G54s/>
and download the file: dd-wrt.v24_generic_nokaid.bin
13. Go to Administration -> Firmware Upgrade
and upload the new firmware. Select "reset to default settings".
14. When you think it's done, *STOP*.
Do not touch the keyboard or mouse. Go away for about 5 minutes
while the router does what appears to be nothing. That's 5 full
minutes by the clock. Then hit "ok" or "continue" or "whatever".
14. When everything comes back, put the original settings that worked
back into the router and live happily ever after.


--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl(a)cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558
From: seaweedsl on 22 Apr 2008 11:33
On Apr 21, 8:23 pm, Jeff Liebermann <je...(a)cruzio.com> wrote:

> Can I buy your old one (cheap)? I like Buffalo products.
>

Hey! You beat me to the punch. I was going to offer to pay for half
of a new crippled Linksys in exchange for a good ol WHR-G54 -
preflashed with DD-WRT !

But I think you have successfully convinced fig000 that he should keep
what he's got. It's true fig000 - you accidently have what everybody
recommends; a nice reliable Buffalo, with DD-WRT already installed.

One thing, though Jeff. Do you really think it's important that
fig000 upgrade the DD-WRT firmware from a probably stable version 23
to a V24 release candidate? Is having the extra V24 features
important to fig000 or is there some V23 issue that was fixed? I
tend to think that he has enough to sort out without getting involved
in that.....

Anyway, I want to second Jeff's comments that fig000 does not give up.
Buying another router will not help. One way or another, you have to
learn how to configure a router for your home. By luck, you have the
most reliable,well-known and user-supported routers - a DD-WRT.
Hang in there. When you hit a wall, come back and ask for help and
you will get past it. Jeff may tease you a bit, as he has fun
helping, but he/we will get you through it. Just keep asking, no
worries.

Steve
From: Jeff Liebermann on 22 Apr 2008 14:34
On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 08:33:14 -0700 (PDT), seaweedsl
<seaweedsteve(a)gmail.com> wrote:

>One thing, though Jeff. Do you really think it's important that
>fig000 upgrade the DD-WRT firmware from a probably stable version 23
>to a V24 release candidate? Is having the extra V24 features
>important to fig000 or is there some V23 issue that was fixed? I
>tend to think that he has enough to sort out without getting involved
>in that.....

Yes. In my never humble opinion, v23 was never all that "stable". I
had odd things happening like VPN (PPTP) connection failures, erratic
reboots, SNMP oddities (forgot the details), WPA2-AES encryption
problems, and some other stuff that I can't recall. When v24
initially arrived, it was awful. I waited until the various release
candidate versions appeared in late 2007, and started up the v24 tree
on a few system, including my own. Much better. There were a few
hiccups, but I think v24 RC6.2 is quite good, reliable, and stable.
I've upgrade most of customers and coffee shops to this (no_kaid)
version and haven't seen any complaints. I don't use all the
available features in a single wireless router, but have tried just
about all of them at one time. Yeah, I think v24 is worth the effort,
but I wish I could be more specific as to why.

>Anyway, I want to second Jeff's comments that fig000 does not give up.
>Buying another router will not help.

Sure it will, if he sells me the old one.

>One way or another, you have to
>learn how to configure a router for your home. By luck, you have the
>most reliable,well-known and user-supported routers - a DD-WRT.
>Hang in there. When you hit a wall, come back and ask for help and
>you will get past it.

Well, it's a somewhat older version. I kinda prefer the WHR-HP-G54
because of the increase tx power.

>Jeff may tease you a bit, as he has fun
>helping, but he/we will get you through it. Just keep asking, no
>worries.

Tease? I've been accused of humiliating, insulting, harassing,
denouncing, and excessively criticizing readers, but never teasing.
I'll add it to my list. In this case, I tried to instill a mild case
of guilt for giving up early and not trying to get it working. Also
the all too common fear of calling support in India. We'll see if it
works.

>Steve

--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl(a)cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558
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