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router AX1800 does not detect cable (and can't connect to the internet)
Hi,
I have an AX1800 wifi router (model: RAX10) that I want to use to create a small wifi network for a classroom.
The router can't connect to the internet, and says that the cable is not plugged. The internet LED is off.
What I've tried:
- connect with many other cables, still nothing.
- connect any other device to the internet on the same plug: works perfectly, including "new" material (new for the network), with basic automatic settings.
- connect my device on another network, it works (!).
Since any other device seems to connect just fine, I also tried giving the MAC address of a laptop (that could connect) to the router (mac spoofing). Still nothing.
You might say that there's an issue with the network I'm connecting to, and I should restart the network (as I've read). This the network of a high school, and I'm not an administrator (and so far, the admin has not answered me...). I cannot just "shut down" the whole school network to see what would happen.
I want to point out that I have another netgear router, that does exactly the same thing (plugged on the network, and provides a small wifi network for another room), and works perfectly. It is not the same model though (R7000P if that's relevant).
If any device (router, laptop) can connect to the network, why can't this router do the same?
Thanks in advance,
Hi,
I finally figured out what was (probably) wrong.
I talked to the admin guy, and unfortunately, he had no clue. I tested a lot of things, including resetting the router, changing the "type", etc.
But someone working in electronical ingeneering had an idea.
(And by the way, yes, my administration, the admin-sys guy, they all know what I'm doing (maybe not all the technical details), I appreciate your concerns on that but seriously, I'm not risking my job here).
It seems that the electrical power coming from the plug on the wall is not strong enough to be "detected" by this router. I don't know exactly what the thresholds and norms are, and how devices detect them, but some devices (most of them) can detect it and, and this router can't.
I do not have the device to test the power directly, but it finally makes sense: the router says that the cable is unplugged because testing the electrical power is one way (the only way?) for a device to detect that "something" is plugged.
It explains why it worked perfectly in another building, same network but somehow the signal is better there.
It explains why most of devices could connect easily, except this one, and changing MAC address and everything in the router's configuration did not change anything.
Since I cannot magically repair/fix whatever is in these wires behind the wall, I got a simple switch, plugged it to the wall and to the router. This switch provides a signal strong enough to be detected by the router, and it works perfectly from now on. We have a couple switches lying around so nothing is wasted. Yay!
I explained my "solution" to the admin-sys guy, who went like "oh... that might explain why we have some network issues in this part of the building". I guessed I helped him understand some issues...
I'm posting this here in case it could help someone else. To test it, find a switch, plug the switch to your internet source and to your router, and try connecting.
4 Replies
Does it work in access point mode?
The IT admin would need to be contacted.
For mulitple reasons.
1. its already got a router/dhcp/nat running on the network. Adding another only causes problems.
2. If you're setting up your own, theres probably a pretty strict firewall and it could be blocking it because some routers can be set with vpn connections
Thanks for your quick answer.
Will try the access point mode (but not before tomorrow or friday).
I don't think it would interfere with the actual network, since with the router I'm creating a small local network and then the router does its job, which is routing the requests. The router does not try to give IP addresses through the original network, it only gives IPs to the machines that connect to this small network.
The second router works just fine, and has been working like that for a year without any issue
(I need fixed IP addresses for my local network, by the way).
It is possible that there is some "blocking" from the firewall (schools are set with soooo many proxies and firewalls I sometimes wonder how we still get internet...), and for some unknown reason my router is blocked. How does the original network is supposed to guess that I'm plugging a router and not a regular device? And why this router and not the other one? I thought only the MAC address was known... and since I've tried the mac address of a laptop...
(So far, no answer from the admin and honestly, I'm not even sure he can help...)
Thanks!
Sekhy wrote:
Thanks for your quick answer.
Will try the access point mode (but not before tomorrow or friday).
I don't think it would interfere with the actual network, since with the router I'm creating a small local network and then the router does its job, which is routing the requests---which still involves the primary connection with dhcp/firewalls/etc. The router does not try to give IP addresses through the original network, it only gives IPs to the machines that connect to this small network.---not quite how that works.
The second router works just fine, and has been working like that for a year without any issue---maybe it was setup or allowed by the current Admin or prior admin.
(I need fixed IP addresses for my local network, by the way).
It is possible that there is some "blocking" from the firewall (schools are set with soooo many proxies and firewalls I sometimes wonder how we still get internet...), and for some unknown reason my router is blocked. How does the original network is supposed to guess that I'm plugging a router and not a regular device?---Again, maybe a prior admin let it happen or had less strict rules and just imported them when they moved to a new setup. Unknown without talking to the admin And why this router and not the other one? I thought only the MAC address was known... and since I've tried the mac address of a laptop...
(So far, no answer from the admin and honestly, I'm not even sure he can help...)---your IT admin is your best bet. Adding a 2nd router to a school system is a recipe for issues (both networking ones and legal if rules aren't followed) and I'd highly recommend getting in contact with and working with the IT admin for it. With everything being monitored as much as it is in schools, having a 2nd network that could "potentially" work around that (not saying you are), could cause you job issues. Not worth it. Work together with your admin. It might take a bit to get a hold of them and you might have to be consistent in trying. But jobs are kind of important.
Thanks!
