Problem with Cisco router (800 series)

[drakir_nosslin]

Got a call from my sister today, and apparently they have some trouble with a cisco router that refuses to work. Now, I don't have that much experience with cisco, so I figured that I'd ask here as well as doing some research on my own.

It seems like the router doesn't get an IP at all, but when the folks at the ISP try to trace it they can see it active in their system. So, it is online, and has connection, but it doesn't show an IP.

Have someone seen this problem before? I'm thinking that it might have something to do with a firewall or similar.

Or if someone has the time to point me in the direction of a good cisco-site where I can learn some more I'd be happy!

Thanks
/Rikard

EDIT: It's an 870w

[valadil]

What's the layout of the network? Presumably it's cable > cable modem > cisco router > clients. Has she tried plugging a computer right into the cable modem? If that computer can connect, then the router is potentially at fault. Also has she tried swapping out ethernet cables?

I've never had issues with cisco routers so I haven't had to troubleshoot them. I'd suggest cisco's own site for reference. http://tools.cisco.com/search/JSP/search-results.get?strQueryText=870w&Search+All+cisco.com=cisco.com&language=en&country=US&thissection=f&accessLevel=Guest&x=0&y=0

[Escef]

Check the cables. That should always be step one in trouble shooting.

If a check of the cables doesn't yield a solution, I recommend the equivalent of brute force: reset the router. Just clear the sucker's settings right out and return to factory defaults. From there you can set the network back up as you please. The whole process should take less than 20 minutes.

If neither of the above work, try a different router, it could be that the Cisco is malfunctioning.

Also, go to the manufacturer's website and download the manual. It might have some info hidden in it that you might find useful. A Google search for your router and problem may turn up message boards where people have had the same problem and fixed it.

[drakir_nosslin]

Ok, so now we've tried with a different router, and that works, but it doesn't have the same capacity, so that one can't be used. Both the cisco and the the other one (Zyxel) have internal modems. I think that I'll head over tomorrow and try to disable the cisco modem and just use it as a router. That might work.

Thanks for the advices, the cables seems to work fine though.

Right now the LAN works towards the cisco, so it doesn't seem to be malfunctioning completely. I'll call cisco tomorrow and see what they can say, but last time my sis called, they couldn't help :smalltongue:

[Zeb The Troll]

Got a call from my sister today, and apparently they have some trouble with a cisco router that refuses to work. Now, I don't have that much experience with cisco, so I figured that I'd ask here as well as doing some research on my own.

It seems like the router doesn't get an IP at all, but when the folks at the ISP try to trace it they can see it active in their system. So, it is online, and has connection, but it doesn't show an IP.

Have someone seen this problem before? I'm thinking that it might have something to do with a firewall or similar.

Or if someone has the time to point me in the direction of a good cisco-site where I can learn some more I'd be happy!

Thanks
/Rikard

EDIT: It's an 870wI'm a little confused here. On one hand you say it's not getting an IP address, but on the other hand you say that the ISP can see it on the network. If so, it MUST have an IP address.

Unless I'm missing something.

I've not worked with this router in particular (note: I can't actually find an "870W" only "870 series", are you sure that's the right model number?), but the basics of the pieces are pretty much the same. How is it that you determined that it doesn't have an IP address? Did you ask the ISP what they see as it's IP address?

Am I understanding right that the internal network is working fine, just that no one can communicate with the internet? Is this the case for both wired and wireless clients? What type of broadband are you using (FiOS, cable, DSL)?

[Emlyn]

A couple of questions.

1. What is the default gateway on the computers?
2. Can you get into the routers configuration?
3. How long has she had the router?

[drakir_nosslin]

Hello! Thanks for the replies and time for an update. I just visited my sister, and apparently I'm today's (yesterday's) hero at her workplace :smallcool:

After having their own computer guy checking the router, one guy from the ISP and one guy certified from cisco and still not getting it to work I fixed the problem. Over the phone. Yea, I don't get it either, but somehow all those people missed that it's possible to disable the modem in the router and connect an external one and just use the router function. Now it works and the cisco guy has been there again and concluded that the modem in the unit is faulty and he'll replace it next week.

I'm just surprised that none thought of the solution earlier. And, yea, I know that there isn't a model called 870W, I still don't know what model it is, nor what kind of configuration they use. I really don't know anything, but sometimes logic is the only thing you need.

Anyway, thanks a lot for the tips, I'm putting together a checklist now for future problems like this, it's gonna make things so much easier next time.

EDIT: And yea, the problem with the IP was really strange, I think that I got some incorrect information, since it was second or third hand at best, but hey, it works now...