NTL - installing a router, dispensing with SMC EZ Connect USB

[BionicJohn]

(If this should be posted in another forum, please let me know.)

I have WinME (yes, I know) and am currently connecting to NTHell (in the UK) via a Set Top Box (STB) with the CAT5 internet connection plugged into a USB port using an SMC EZ Connect USB. This set up works fine.

I have installed a network card and added a router, both of which are new. I tested them on another system and they work fine. They are both installed correctly, and the router can be accessed via IE6 on

http://192.168.1.1

without any problem. So all the hardware is in place and works.

I power down, remove the SMC EZ Connect from the USB port and plug the incoming CAT5 cable into the router. I then boot up the PC, and then re-boot the STB.

I am now expecting to be able to surf, but get "Page cannot be displayed".

NTL tech support treat me like an idiot, and tell me it is because I have AV software running and I need to UNINSTALL AVG and UNINSTALL the zonealarm firewall. This is of course complete BS and makes not the slightest difference. "Page cannot be displayed" still appears despite following their outrageous advice and rebooting the PC and the STB several times.

I have put back the SMC EZ Connect (with the firewall and AV), and everything is OK. I am using this connection to seek advice here.

It would seem that NTL identify the PC via the MAC address, but I can not figure how to get NTL to identify a new/change of MAC address.

Any advice welcome.

I can easily post up screen shots if that help.

LIVERPOOL FC - 5 times Champions of Europe. 1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, 2005.
Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[BionicJohn]

I'm moving on…

This looks more like what the Tech Support should have told me:

http://www.ntlworld.com/helpsupport/ethernet/changing.php

LIVERPOOL FC - 5 times Champions of Europe. 1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, 2005.
Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[BionicJohn]

Now sorted.

It seems the trick is to leave the STB swtiched off for a good 15+ minutes to ensure all settings are lost.

Then to switch on the STB, wait for 10 minutes or so to ensure everything's loaded, switch on the Router and again wait severalminutes for everything to stabilise, and then switch on the PC and wait for everything to load,

Only then run WinIPcfg, release and renew the settings, and all should be well.

Problem? Impatience!

Surf on…

LIVERPOOL FC - 5 times Champions of Europe. 1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, 2005.
Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[cyberspace]

What a clart on that sounds John!

Why is ISP "tech support" often such rubbish?!

I remember an issue I was having with the LINE on my stepmums <betternotsaywhoitis> broadband as the modem wasn't syncing.

"Reboot your pc"
"reinstall the modem "
blah blah

They wouldnt accept that it was the line, they must just think everybody is a total noob lol.

I just insisted that I wasnt going to do what they were telling me to do and could they please check the line....and eventually, lo and behold there was indeed a fault on the line....useless eh

In a seperate matter when my grandad was having trouble, <they> also claimed that "ADSL would not work when connected to an extension reel" great eh.

Systems Administrator
BSc Network Computing, CCNA. Both in training!

 

[BionicJohn]

Hi, cyberspace,

It's that ISP tech support is so bad, and this time compounded by the fact the guy was in Mumbai.

He would not accept that I was calling because I tried all the obvious. And when he couldn't ping my PC, he assumed that it was because the PC was at fault, not any other link in the chain.

All I needed to know was how to get the STB to recognise a new piece of hardware. This, it seems, is privileged information the user is not to know - unless he/she threatens to close the account.

when my grandad was having trouble, <they> also claimed that "ADSL would not work when connected to an extension reel" great eh.

Where do they get this nonsense from.

LIVERPOOL FC - 5 times Champions of Europe. 1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, 2005.
Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[cyberspace]

I would love to know, but that extension reel nonsense is echoed accross the land! I used to work at Dixons as a salesman/resident techy part time while at uni, and lots of people used to come in asking about ADSL and how to overcome the 'exension reel problem' and other such absurdness.

I would love to know where tech support get their facts from. Loads of it is just rubbish to make you buy kit that they say will only work with that connection, which people do fall for as the don't know any better.

Systems Administrator
BSc Network Computing, CCNA. Both in training!