WRT54G works well, WAP54G fails

[Rod Bishop]

My network worked with a Linksys wrt54g with a linksys wap54g to get a greater cover area for my home. The wrt54g still works well but the wap54g quit connecting and I can no longer access the wap54g to check the configuation.
I tried the conection directly to the port in the wrt54g router, nothing. I tried directly to the pc, nothing.

The address of the Linksys AP (wap54g) should be 192.168.1.245, but when I ipconfig with the AP directly into the PC the ip says 169.254.80.207.

Any help would be great.

 

[beers]

That's an APIPA address since your PC cannot receive a DHCP address.

You'd have to statically set a 192.168.1.x IP on your PC when directly connecting in order to test.

 

[Rod Bishop]

Could you walk me through it? This is all new to me. I've had a good working home network for several years. My company updated everything at the office and were tossing a bunch of PC stuff and the Linksys WAP54G was one of them. I replaced the Linksys range extender with this Linksys AP and my network range improved up till about a month ago.
I somehow lost the AP working I think to a power outage and it has never worked since. I can see the WAP54g at my wireless laptop but I can no longer get the internet on it. It says connected but limited.

I tried to reset the AP but it didn't help me any. It might have gone to a previous default before I aquired it.

I looked up APIPA and got more confused.

 

[voyagerfan99]

Set a static IP Address of 192.168.1.10 with a subnet of 255.255.255.0 and leave everything else blank. Then connect the AP to your computer via ethernet and navigate to the default AP IP address if 192.168.1.245. You should then be able to access and configure the AP.

Here's the manual for that AP.
http://downloads.linksys.com/downloads/userguide/1224638675572/WAP54G_V30_UG_A-WEB,0.pdf

 

[Rod Bishop]

Do i set this in the netgear modem or the linksys wrt54g settings?

The IP on the wrt54g is 10.10.10.1

 

[voyagerfan99]

Make all changes on your computer and the access point. When you reset it it goes to the default IP address of 192.168.1.245.

Once you get into the AP give it an IP Address on the 10.10.10.X network space.

 

[Rod Bishop]

I finally got into the WAP54G (AP) like y'all said and it worked! I changed the address to 192.168.1.245 and both my distant laptops updated right where they sat last night.
Today I just tried them again and it's like before, "Limited Access" is back.

I use my Iphone without a sim card, to check the Linksys AP and now the IP address says 169.254.65.251,
Why did it lose the Linksys factory settings?

 

[Rod Bishop]

I got the WAP54G to accept the new IP 10.10.10.110, and I can get into the AP while plugged into the router with a 10' ethernet cable, at the router location.
But when I connect the ethernet cable at the site of the AP location at the other end of the house, I cannot open the WAP54G, and I cannot connect to the internet either.
I just replaced both ends of the ethernet cable with new clips. The ethernet cable going to the AP location is only 6 months old. The AP location is about 60' from the router. The Linksys AP to the Linksys router system has been in place for 6 months.
Looks like when I unplug the AP at the router and move the AP to the new location, something changes.

 

[Rod Bishop]

While the AP is plugged into the router near the router, everything works fine and the internet too, but when the AP is plugged into the router from the AP new location with the new 60' cable, it fails to connect to the internet.

 

[beers]

Do you have a cable tester or can verify the run with a laptop or something? Sounds like it's losing the wired uplink which explains the lack of dhcp on the client

 

[Rod Bishop]

Good idea! I'll try that when I get home tonight

 

[Rod Bishop]

I connected a laptop to the new ethernet cable and it works great, so that means the cable is OK. But why does the Linksys AP (WAP54g) work on a cable nearer the router but not on a 60' cable?
I know the AP itself is sending out a signal because I can pick up the signal 100' past the AP cable location, but no internet connection anywhere from the AP itself, except in the same room as the Linksys router (WRT54g).

 

[voyagerfan99]

The AP sounds flaky. Are there any firmware updates for it?

 

[Rod Bishop]

No updates for it, it's a version 1.1, but it works great in the same room, but not where I need it to work. When I do connect the AP to the router, I can see the range and the signal strength from 100' past the end of the house with my Iphone.
I can connect to the AP with my iphone, and I can see my security cameras on my network, but the iphone when I click on Safari it says "NO because it's not connected to the internet."
It was working up to a few weeks ago.
Connection is good, signal strenth is great, but no internet at the AP.

 

[voyagerfan99]

Something is wrong with the IP settings then because it can access your local network but not the internet. Log into the AP settings and verify it has the correct default gateway and DNS settings, or change them to Automatic.

 

[Rod Bishop]

I did it again this morning, set up the PC settings, accessed the AP, and changed the IP address as told, and changed back the PC to automatic.
I unplugged the AP and relocated it in the end room of the house and plugged it into the ethernet, and the power.
I tried the internet but te AP says it's not connected to the internet.
I can access the AP and reset it again anytime as requested now. The Linksys router works fine, and the PC's work fine (from the router) but the Linksys AP still does not have the internet, but it has a great signal, all five bars on reception.

It seems like when I unplug the AP to move it, it loses the instructions. When I bring the AP back to the router's room and plug it in the internet works again.
What am doing wrong?

 

[Rod Bishop]

I'm about to give up on the Linksys AP, I have several used wireless routers, Dlink, Netgear, Quest, and Westell brand. I guess I'll try to convert one to an AP if I can find out how to do it. I read somewhere that can be done.

Which brand is better?

 

[beers]

It sounds like your wireless client is associating with the router instead of the WAP when they're in the same area (even with SSID being the same, there are different MACs that the client associates with). It seems to me that the WAP never really works correctly.

Usually APs are pretty straightforward since the wired and wireless interfaces bridge into the same LAN broadcast domain.

I'd see if you have a spare router to test with instead and use that as an AP.

 

[Rod Bishop]

That's exactly what I setup today. I used a Dlink router and set it up as a repeater. The refig went easily, and I connected it to the ethernet cable in the far room.

To my surprise the converted Dlink router does the same thing as the the Linksys WAP54g.

I have an excellent signal, better than the Linksys AP, but i get the same limited connection or local only prompt as I did with the Linksys.
Could it be something in the Linksys Router that causing either AP to react the same way?

 

[johnb35]

Do you have the 2 connected by ethernet cable? If so, router 1 IP address should be for example 192.168.1.1 and router 2 ip address should be 192.168.1.2. Connect ethernet from lan port on router 1 to lan port on router 2, turn dhcp off on router 2.