WPNT834 Manual: Troubleshooting the ISP Connection

If your router is unable to access the Internet, you should first determine whether the router is able to obtain a WAN IP address from the ISP. Unless you have been assigned a static IP address, your router must request an IP address from the ISP. You can determine whether the request was successful using the Web Configuration Manager.

Launch your browser and select an external site such as www.netgear.com

Access the main menu of the router's configuration at http://www.routerlogin.net.

Under the Maintenance heading, select Router Status.

Check that an IP address is shown for the WAN Port.
If 0.0.0.0 is shown, your router has not obtained an IP address from your ISP.

If your router is unable to obtain an IP address from the ISP, you may need to force your cable or DSL modem to recognize your new router by performing the following procedure:

Turn off power to the cable or DSL modem.

Turn off power to your router.

Wait five minutes and reapply power to the cable or DSL modem.

When the modem's lights indicate that it has reacquired sync with the ISP, reapply power to your router.

Then restart your computer.

If your router is still unable to obtain an IP address from the ISP, the problem may be one of the following:

Your ISP may require a login program.
Ask your ISP whether they require PPP over Ethernet (PPPoE) or some other type of login.

If your ISP requires a login, you may have incorrectly set the login name and password.

Your ISP may check for your computer's host name.
Assign the computer Host Name of your ISP account as the Account Name in the Basic Settings menu.

Your ISP only allows one Ethernet MAC address to connect to Internet, and may check for your computer's MAC address. In this case:

Inform your ISP that you have bought a new network device, and ask them to use the router's MAC address.

Configure your router to spoof your computer's MAC address. This can be done in the Basic Settings menu. For more information, see How to Bypass the Configuration Assistant.

If your router can obtain an IP address, but your computer is unable to load any Web pages from the Internet:

Your computer may not recognize any DNS server addresses.

A DNS server is a host on the Internet that translates Internet names (such as www addresses) to numeric IP addresses. Typically your ISP will provide the addresses of one or two DNS servers for your use. If you entered a DNS address during the router's configuration, reboot your computer and verify the DNS address as described in Preparing a Computer for Network Access. Alternatively, you may configure your computer manually with DNS addresses, as explained in your operating system documentation.

Your computer may not have the router configured as its TCP/IP gateway.

If your computer obtains its information from the router by DHCP, reboot the computer and verify the gateway address as described in Preparing a Computer for Network Access.