Wireless won't allow more than one computer.

[Larry S.]

A little history: Last spring I installed a Linksys router on my son-in-laws MAC. We had our difficulties but with help from Linksys we got it set up with the MAC operating on the ethernet input and my laptop using the wireless. Recently I decided to move the router location to improve its signal. That should have been nothing more than disconnectiong power and ethernet cables, moving the router and modem to a different location, and reconnecting. During the move, and while cables were disconnected, the MAC was accidentally turned on. I left it on when I connected the ethernet cable between it and the router. Wireless immediatley worked on my laptop running VISTA but the MAC would not connect to the internet. I struggled with the MAC and finally gave up and called in my son-in-law. He finally got the MAC back on the internet but not via ethernet but via wireless using Airport. This is what we originally wanted but at the time couldn't get Airport working. I thought we were home free but the next time I tried to use my laptop while the MAC was also using the wireless my laptop could not connect. It appears that somehow the MAC and PC will not operate on the router at the same time. I'm at a loss. Don't know if its a MAC, Windows or router issue. Thought I'd tap the knowledge of the group here. Any advice will be appreciated.

[johnm]

TRY HERE

Computers - How To Information | eHow.com
or
PCMech - Computers and Technology for Normal People

[short_stuff]

Larry S,
Here are a couple of steps you can do to see if you have the router set up or not:
1. With either the MAC or the laptop cabled-connected to the router, open an internet session and type in address 192.168.1.1 (no WWW in front of it). You should get a pop-up screen for logging in. you are logging in directly to the firmware in router. If you haven't password protected it, the logon id will be admin (lower case). The password should also be admin (lower case). Once you've logged in, look for Internet setup.
Look to see if you have Automatic Configuration - DHCP selected.
Look to see if you have MTU selected as AUTO.
Look to see if youhave DHCP Server enabled or not. It should be enabled. next, look to see what the Starting IP address is. it should start with 192.168.1.100. then, look to see what you have set up for Maximum number of DHCP users is. I have mine set for 50.
Next, go to your ADMINSTRATION tab. Check to see if you have HTTP or HTTPS selected. Mine is set for HTTP.

Save your settings, and reset your router. I always unplug my modem, and then my router. Then, I plug in my router and watch it start up. After about 60 to 90 seconds, I plug the power cable back into the router and let the router and modem sync up.
I have one desktop, one laser printer and two wireless laptops connected to my router at any given time and once I set it all up, it's worked like a champ.
If you need detailed instructions for your model of Linksys router you can get the router model number from the tab on the modem and then go to Linksys and navigate to pull down the detailed User Guide. You can also check to see if Linksys has a firmware update available for your router model.

Hope this helps.

Short_stuff

[Larry S.]

Thanks for the suggestions Short Stuff. I had difficulties checking the router settings and reconfigured it using my PC laptop and the original set up disc. Things seemed to be working correctly and I was happy. Then this morning my daughter fired up the MAC before I got on my laptop. When I tried to connect to the wireless net I couldn't connect and the MAC lost connection, too. As soon as I put the MAC to sleep my PC connected. Then I woke the MAC and it connected, too. Both seem to working as they should. The sequence of events seems to be: MAC on first and connected to the wireless, then bring up the laptop and attempt connecting to wireless. PC will not connect and MAC losses connection. If PC is connected first all works as it should. This is where I started. I think I need Mac help and no one here is MAC proficient.

Larry

[Scottb NY]

have you got the router set to issue more than 1 ip address? that is what it sounds like to me...

[Larry S.]

I have all the settings as Short Stuff recommended. How should I set the IP address?

[Scottb NY]

if they are set the way short stuff says, it should work. when the first machine connects, look at the ip information and see what address it has pulled. Command prompt then type IPCONFIG /all then try the other machine and see what it is saying.

[short_stuff]

Larry S.,
In your router configuration, on the Internet Setup page, you'll
see the following:

DHCP Server: Enable Disable
Starting IP Address: 192.168.1.
Maximum Number of DHCP Users: 50


Check to see what you have the Maximum Number of DHCP Users set for. I have mine set for 50.
If yours is set for something higher than 1 or 2, then there must be a setting in MAC that allows it to control the IP connection if it attaches first. This could be a security setting in MAC. And I confess, I don't know much (if anything) about MAC configurations.

Also, check out this link that I found:
How to connect windows computer to Mac wireless internet share | eHow.com

Hope this helps.

short_stuff

[Larry S.]

Thanks for the input Short Stuff. I have had the users set to 50 all the time. I went to Linksys help forum and found several posts with the same type issue with the router model I have. None were MAC related. So far the fix recommended did not solve my problem. The link you provided had some good info but didn't solve my problem. Where are all the MAC guys? I thought one of them could advise on setting the MAC up properly to see if the MAC is the problem or if it is a router issue. Right now the MAC is set for a closed network. Any chance that is the problem?

[BigRed CC Dually]

Apple Pc's NEVER have any problems Larry, haven't you been watching the Mac ads lately??

Just kidding you. Have you tried unplugging the modem and the router with all your computers off? Then power up the modem, router, and then the Mac to see if it connects. If it does then boot up the rest of the computers. By powering down and rebooting the router reissues new addresses. Hope this works for you, it has for me but I have no Apple products.

[short_stuff]

Bigred,
He's already done that. The problem occurs when the MAC is allowed to come online first and grab access to the router. It locks out the pc access. If he brings up the pc first, and then the MAC, then there aren't any issues.
Larry S.,
I would certainly investigate to see what the Closed Network setting means in MAC talk.
Have you searched any of the MAC forums online to see what other MAC/PC users are having to do to get around the problem? I admit, my search yesterday was a quick search. I didn't spend hours looking through the available info to see if anything matched your situation.
I did find this, though:
Yes, a closed network doesn't broadcast the name (SSID) of the network.
Apple - Support - Discussions - I think someone HACKED into my ...

And this:

Switch network settings with ease | Business Center | Working Mac | Macworld

You might log on to one of those sites and pose the question about whether a MAC Closed Network would keep pc's from getting valid IP addresses if the MAC hits the router first.

Since I don't have a MAC (or access to a MAC), I can't test any of those settings to see what could be getting in the way. Sorry.

short_stuff

[Larry S.]

Just to let your know I have the wireless working. Don't know what was done for sure but it is fixed. I called Linksys telephone support and spent an hour and half on the phone with a gal in the Philipines. I let her take control of my laptop via internet and she installed the latest firmware in the router and redid all the router settings. She then made some tweeks on the network settings on my laptop. I could see what she was doing on my screen and on some deletions she asked if it was OK with me. When she finished, my laptop was connected wireless but the MAC was not. Then she walked me through connecting the MAC to the wireless net. No setting changes on the MAC. Finally she had me shut both machines down and back on, twice, to see if all was working. Linksys charges $9.99 for this service and it was worth it. I've been impressed with Linksys telephone support eavery time I've used it. Thanks for all the help.

[short_stuff]

Glad you got it resolved. I've had good and bad support from overseas. I guess it all boils down to the experience of the tech on the other end.

short_stuff