Need simple, repliable plug-and-play WAP / switch
Here's my situation:
My parents (2 states away) have a cable modem with 1 ethernet output.
I took their old DSL modem/WAP, put it into bridge mode & changed Ethernet 1 to the uplink. That let it give Internet to both their PC & their iPad. It was working fine when I left Saturday.
My dad came home yesterday and the old DSL model is no longer giving internet to the PC or over wireless. I had him try all the basics; restarting everything, release/renew IP. I can't effectively have them troubleshoot any further than that over the phone and I don't know anyone technically savvy to send over there.
My solution: I want to buy them the dead-simplest reliable WAP/switch available and send it to them, preferably from Amazon Prime. Any suggestions?
My parents (2 states away) have a cable modem with 1 ethernet output.
I took their old DSL modem/WAP, put it into bridge mode & changed Ethernet 1 to the uplink. That let it give Internet to both their PC & their iPad. It was working fine when I left Saturday.
My dad came home yesterday and the old DSL model is no longer giving internet to the PC or over wireless. I had him try all the basics; restarting everything, release/renew IP. I can't effectively have them troubleshoot any further than that over the phone and I don't know anyone technically savvy to send over there.
My solution: I want to buy them the dead-simplest reliable WAP/switch available and send it to them, preferably from Amazon Prime. Any suggestions?
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A little bit less simple, slightly more expensive but also a bit faster and more reliable is the Netgear WNDR3700. Review
Finally, I'm going to do something I've never done before (and probably never will again). If you're willing to overpay (seriously, it's probably twice as expensive as it should be), get them an Apple AirPort Extreme. Apparently these things are as simple as it gets. Insert obligatory dig at Apple users here :P.
buy wireless router
setup at your house (it is probably possible to setup a web-based access for this)
ship to parents
unplug everything
plug in ethernet cable from modem to new router
plug in power on modem then on router
verify connectivity
I'm in agreeance with @RyanMM's solution, although it requires just a bit of knowledge of how the ISP needs to have that router configured. I'm sure they are on dhcp, but primarily you need to look at how the ISP authenticates it's DSL customers. Ie.do you need to spoof a mac address, and/or call the ISP and tell them you have a new routing device please reset the mac address you use to auth, and/or do they actually need to specify a user/pass in the router.
If we're gonna draw this out, and I like it :
The setup as I read it
ISP > modem from ISP > the "old 'dsl modem/wap'" (which would be easy to decipher with a make/model) > device connected via ethernet and device connected via wireless
The definition of a modem is a device which translates from an analog signal to a digital signal (in most cases, a telephone line for DSL, coaxial line or cable, or fiber line for fiber to the home [though this last option usually involves a separate box that goes fiber > coaxial > you or fiber > ethernet > you]). The existing device certainly may have the ability to act as a modem, but it would not be accurate nor useful to refer to it as a modem in the context, because that is not how it is acting and doesn't help troubleshoot the issue.
What I suspect is happening is that the actual modem (in this instance) expects to see one device on the other side (either a single PC or router connected via ethernet) and may be getting the wrong sort of signals due to the interface being set as a bridge. Each device is looking to the modem for connectivty and it [the modem] can't sort out between them since that sort of routing uses NAT to sort multiple devices behind a single internet connection (and NAT is a routing feature, not available "just" modems). So it might have worked initially but the failed as both devices tried to use the modem. I'm obviously not certain given a lack of details and examination of the system, but I think we've already suggested the best solution and I know I'm being pedantic now :D:D
modem = analog to digitial
router = moves data from segregated networks and allows things like multiple devices accessing the internet through a single source
switch = puts multiple devices into the same pool of network space, allowing communication but does not provide routing functions
bridge mode = pools multiple network segments as if they are the same, but does not provide routing (which is need)
bridge mode would be used for something like this:
ISP
^
router
^
ethernet cables to a wireless access point (which is also a router, but you don't need routing functionality and already had it sitting around) and other ethernet connected devices like a desktop or printer
^
wireless devices like ipads or laptops or printers
ISP > modem from ISP > the "old 'dsl modem/wap'" > whatever
Where I was imagining it like so:
ISP > the "old 'dsl modem/wap'" > whatever
The difference is you are literate, and I am not because I failed to read the second half of this sentence:
My parents (2 states away) have a cable modem with 1 ethernet output.
bro-fist
TURKEY!! gobble gobble gobble
I appreciate @ardichoke reminding me of Airport, I know that it was difficult for him. I opted for an Airport Express because it's less money and they really don't need more than that. Apparently you can set it up from your iPad with a couple touches, which is pretty rad. It's only $30 more than the Cisco Valet, and $30 is worth avoiding double-shipping or an hour on the phone doing tech support.
"Yeah, I plugged it in, but the light is amber. I have Internet on the PC but there's no wireless."
"OK, grab your iPad."
4 minutes later everything worked. So. Good.