I've been on Earthlink DSL for years using a Microsoft MN-700 router.
The actual connection is provided by COVAD and it's PPPoE or at least it
as been. I'm running Windows XP.

This morning the connection was down. I thought at first Earthlink was
down as they were last week several times (though the DSL carrier
remained on).

But no, I could get online via a direct connection but no luck with the
router. Earthlink customer support (India) had me set up a new direct
connection and in this one they had me set specific DNS but I can
actually connect with that or my prior direct connect settings which got
DNS from the network.

But no luck with getting the router back online with either kind of DNS.

I suspect that something in Earthlink's settings has changed but they say
nothing has changed.

They also said they can't support my router and offered to send me a
"free" router which I would then pay $7 a month extra for, forever. I
said no thanks.

One might reasonably suspect that my router is faulty, right? But I
pulled a brand new MN-700 out of the box, gave it the most recent
Microsoft firmware update and I cannot connect with it either. They
can't both be bad.

One odd little thing is that when I changed the router setting from PPPoe
to Dynamic PPP it looked like an internet IP address came up on the WAN
settings (tho it still said disconnected and indeed there was no
connection). Probably meaningless.

Obviously there is something different between the settings for getting
online directly and how my router is set up.

Or is Earthlink pulling some sort of scam to prevent people from using
other routers?

no but somtimes a firm ware update can kill a router after days or hours
somtimes instantly.
but with most routers you can roll back the update .


--
AL'S COMPUTERS
"Steve Kraus" <screen@SPAMBLOCKfilmteknik.com> wrote in message
news:tYx6h.6369$l25.436@newsread4.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> I've been on Earthlink DSL for years using a Microsoft MN-700 router.
> The actual connection is provided by COVAD and it's PPPoE or at least it
> as been. I'm running Windows XP.
>
> This morning the connection was down. I thought at first Earthlink was
> down as they were last week several times (though the DSL carrier
> remained on).
>
> But no, I could get online via a direct connection but no luck with the
> router. Earthlink customer support (India) had me set up a new direct
> connection and in this one they had me set specific DNS but I can
> actually connect with that or my prior direct connect settings which got
> DNS from the network.
>
> But no luck with getting the router back online with either kind of DNS.
>
> I suspect that something in Earthlink's settings has changed but they say
> nothing has changed.
>
> They also said they can't support my router and offered to send me a
> "free" router which I would then pay $7 a month extra for, forever. I
> said no thanks.
>
> One might reasonably suspect that my router is faulty, right? But I
> pulled a brand new MN-700 out of the box, gave it the most recent
> Microsoft firmware update and I cannot connect with it either. They
> can't both be bad.
>
> One odd little thing is that when I changed the router setting from PPPoe
> to Dynamic PPP it looked like an internet IP address came up on the WAN
> settings (tho it still said disconnected and indeed there was no
> connection). Probably meaningless.
>
> Obviously there is something different between the settings for getting
> online directly and how my router is set up.
>
> Or is Earthlink pulling some sort of scam to prevent people from using
> other routers?

Steve Kraus <screen@SPAMBLOCKfilmteknik.com> hath wroth:

Why so many newsgroups?

>But no, I could get online via a direct connection but no luck with the
>router.

| http://www.microsoft.com/products/info/product.aspx?view=8&pcid=13194ee9-f7e7-4785-9cbf-f5ed24e8eff4&type=ovr
Clone the MAC address of the connecting PC in the MN700 setup. I'm
not sure if the MN-700 firmware supports this but most routers do have
the feature.



--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

Hi

You indicated that you could get on line directly with the computer by
passing the Router..

If they are using PPPOE and you do not use a Router you need to
authenticate with the PPPOE software application, do you have it running?
I.e. How you authenticate when connecting directly.

Jack (MVP-Networking).



"Steve Kraus" <screen@SPAMBLOCKfilmteknik.com> wrote in message
news:tYx6h.6369$l25.436@newsread4.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> I've been on Earthlink DSL for years using a Microsoft MN-700 router.
> The actual connection is provided by COVAD and it's PPPoE or at least it
> as been. I'm running Windows XP.
>
> This morning the connection was down. I thought at first Earthlink was
> down as they were last week several times (though the DSL carrier
> remained on).
>
> But no, I could get online via a direct connection but no luck with the
> router. Earthlink customer support (India) had me set up a new direct
> connection and in this one they had me set specific DNS but I can
> actually connect with that or my prior direct connect settings which got
> DNS from the network.
>
> But no luck with getting the router back online with either kind of DNS.
>
> I suspect that something in Earthlink's settings has changed but they say
> nothing has changed.
>
> They also said they can't support my router and offered to send me a
> "free" router which I would then pay $7 a month extra for, forever. I
> said no thanks.
>
> One might reasonably suspect that my router is faulty, right? But I
> pulled a brand new MN-700 out of the box, gave it the most recent
> Microsoft firmware update and I cannot connect with it either. They
> can't both be bad.
>
> One odd little thing is that when I changed the router setting from PPPoe
> to Dynamic PPP it looked like an internet IP address came up on the WAN
> settings (tho it still said disconnected and indeed there was no
> connection). Probably meaningless.
>
> Obviously there is something different between the settings for getting
> online directly and how my router is set up.
>
> Or is Earthlink pulling some sort of scam to prevent people from using
> other routers?

> no but somtimes a firm ware update can kill a router after days or
> hours somtimes instantly.
> but with most routers you can roll back the update .

Yes, but there was no change to the existing router. I believe I gave it
an update when I got it a couple years ago but haven't touched anything
lately. The update I referred to was to a new one out of the box to which
the wizard program was having a hard time talking to (wizard was probably a
more recent version and couldn't communicate with old firmware).

I had not made any recent changes to the router with which I connected fine
for a couple of years. I pulled out the new one just to check against the
existing one having failed in some way. But neither connects so it's got
to be something in the settings although why my settings would suddenly be
wrong I do not know. It's been working well for me...even once set a port
forward to let a friend FTP some files off my machine. But as I said, no
changes in a very long time.

> Why so many newsgroups?

Desperation, Jeff. LOL I'm watching my software firewall fend off strange
outside requests one after another. God only knows what is getting through
w/o the hardware firewall the router provides.

>But no, I could get online via a direct connection but no luck with
>the router.

My gut feeling is that you are probably on to something. Now if I can
figure out how to do that.

Wish I knew why suddenly settings that worked for years are now wrong.

> You indicated that you could get on line directly with the computer by
> passing the Router..

Correct.

> If they are using PPPOE and you do not use a Router you need to
> authenticate with the PPPOE software application, do you have it
> running? I.e. How you authenticate when connecting directly.

When you say 'authenticate' do you mean login with name & password? I'm
using the networking stuff built into XP. It looks pretty much like a
dialup connnection except it's over the Ethernet cable to the DSL modem.
You have to click to open it and click to connect. You get the little
linked computers icon down in the tray.

Of course with the router the connection was always there as the router had
the login & password and kept it online. When you set the router to PPPoE
there's a place to fill these things out.

Here at my place of business I have SBC/Yahoo DSL and it's PPP. I'm using
the same router here but even without the router the connection was simply
always on; nothing to click on.

Hi

Yap, Authenticate means a form of ID, and or PW.

As you indicated when using a computer directly on the modem you can use
Windows PPPOE, and when using a Router you type the ID and PW to the Router’
s PPPOE menu and switch off Windows PPPOE (or any other type of software
that might be use for this purpose).

On the other hand, many Internet Cable Provider use the MAC address the
first computer that you use to initiate the connection as a form of
authentication. I never heard of DSL using MAC address, but hey, the world
is “Big and Strange”, so almost every thing is possible. ;)

Some connections (usually a more expensive business accounts) might not need
authentication and are On all the time.

However, if you use more than one computer, there are other type of
implementation that some ISPs might use in order to be more “in control” (or
may be make more $$). Might be that is what happen to your service.

Jack (MVP-Networking).

"Steve Kraus" <screen@SPAMBLOCKfilmteknik.com> wrote in message
news:Xns987C848FFB289screenSPAMBLOCKfilmt@207.217.125.201...
>> You indicated that you could get on line directly with the computer by
>> passing the Router..
>
> Correct.
>
>> If they are using PPPOE and you do not use a Router you need to
>> authenticate with the PPPOE software application, do you have it
>> running? I.e. How you authenticate when connecting directly.
>
> When you say 'authenticate' do you mean login with name & password? I'm
> using the networking stuff built into XP. It looks pretty much like a
> dialup connnection except it's over the Ethernet cable to the DSL modem.
> You have to click to open it and click to connect. You get the little
> linked computers icon down in the tray.
>
> Of course with the router the connection was always there as the router
> had
> the login & password and kept it online. When you set the router to PPPoE
> there's a place to fill these things out.
>
> Here at my place of business I have SBC/Yahoo DSL and it's PPP. I'm using
> the same router here but even without the router the connection was simply
> always on; nothing to click on.

> Here at my place of business I have SBC/Yahoo DSL and it's PPP. I'm
> using the same router here but even without the router the connection
> was simply always on; nothing to click on.

I misspoke when I said PPP. My other DSL (at my business) is dynamic. The
problem connection at home is PPPoE.

On Thu, 16 Nov 2006 02:41:20 GMT, Steve Kraus
<screen@SPAMBLOCKfilmteknik.com> wrote in
<kdQ6h.6694$0r.4527@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net>:

>> Here at my place of business I have SBC/Yahoo DSL and it's PPP. I'm
>> using the same router here but even without the router the connection
>> was simply always on; nothing to click on.
>
>I misspoke when I said PPP. My other DSL (at my business) is dynamic. The
>problem connection at home is PPPoE.

PPPoE = dynamic
Did you mean DHCP dynamic, versus PPPoE dynamic?

--
Best regards, FAQ for Wireless Internet: <http://Wireless.wikia.com>
John Navas FAQ for Wi-Fi: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi>
Wi-Fi How To: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_HowTo>
Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>

Hey, what role, if any, does the DSL modem play in this or is it purely a
digital/analog converter? Does it have anything to do with IP's and MAC
addresses and so forth. The one involved is a SpeedStream 5360. It
doesn't have the ability to log into it like some do.

Someone said something about cloning the PC's MAC address on the router.
That seems to be something that applies to a dynamic connection; it doesn't
come up when set to PPPoE.

On Thu, 16 Nov 2006 17:01:29 GMT, Steve Kraus
<screen@SPAMBLOCKfilmteknik.com> wrote in
<Xns987D6F4BC77B2screenSPAMBLOCKfilmt@207.217.125.201>:

>Hey, what role, if any, does the DSL modem play in this or is it purely a
>digital/analog converter? Does it have anything to do with IP's and MAC
>addresses and so forth. The one involved is a SpeedStream 5360. It
>doesn't have the ability to log into it like some do.
>
>Someone said something about cloning the PC's MAC address on the router.
>That seems to be something that applies to a dynamic connection; it doesn't
>come up when set to PPPoE.

It only applies to cable modems.

--
Best regards, FAQ for Wireless Internet: <http://Wireless.wikia.com>
John Navas FAQ for Wi-Fi: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi>
Wi-Fi How To: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_HowTo>
Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>

> PPPoE = dynamic
> Did you mean DHCP dynamic, versus PPPoE dynamic?

Yeah probably.

I'm at a loss how to proceed. My pro networking friends are out of ideas.
One suggested having Earthlink check the authentication logs for time where
I know I am making several attempts with the router to connect but what are
the odds that the fellows in India can even access these? I'll gladly go
out and buy a new router (I'm thinking LinkSys) but not sure why that
should work if two MN-700's don't but who knows. Barring that I guess I
would have to cancel Earthlink and get someone else. But if the someone
else (including AT&T/SBC, owner of the line) is also just using the
existing Covad stuff then maybe the problem will persist.

Have you tried cloning the mac address yet? It's worth a try and it's
possible that the DHCP server has been locked to one or two mac addresses.

--
David Hettel

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group for everyone
to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions addressed directly to me in
E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

DISCLAIMER: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranty of any kind,
either expressed or implied, made in relation to the accuracy, reliability
or content of this post. The author shall not be liable for any direct,
indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the use of, or
inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this post and confers
no rights.



"Steve Kraus" <screen@SPAMBLOCKfilmteknik.com> wrote in message
news:Xns987E7175B511BscreenSPAMBLOCKfilmt@207.217.125.201...
>> PPPoE = dynamic
>> Did you mean DHCP dynamic, versus PPPoE dynamic?
>
> Yeah probably.
>
> I'm at a loss how to proceed. My pro networking friends are out of ideas.
> One suggested having Earthlink check the authentication logs for time
> where
> I know I am making several attempts with the router to connect but what
> are
> the odds that the fellows in India can even access these? I'll gladly go
> out and buy a new router (I'm thinking LinkSys) but not sure why that
> should work if two MN-700's don't but who knows. Barring that I guess I
> would have to cancel Earthlink and get someone else. But if the someone
> else (including AT&T/SBC, owner of the line) is also just using the
> existing Covad stuff then maybe the problem will persist.

On Fri, 17 Nov 2006 17:21:23 GMT, Steve Kraus
<screen@SPAMBLOCKfilmteknik.com> wrote in
<Xns987E7175B511BscreenSPAMBLOCKfilmt@207.217.125.201>:

>> PPPoE = dynamic
>> Did you mean DHCP dynamic, versus PPPoE dynamic?
>
>Yeah probably.
>
>I'm at a loss how to proceed. My pro networking friends are out of ideas.
>One suggested having Earthlink check the authentication logs for time where
>I know I am making several attempts with the router to connect but what are
>the odds that the fellows in India can even access these? I'll gladly go
>out and buy a new router (I'm thinking LinkSys) but not sure why that
>should work if two MN-700's don't but who knows. Barring that I guess I
>would have to cancel Earthlink and get someone else. But if the someone
>else (including AT&T/SBC, owner of the line) is also just using the
>existing Covad stuff then maybe the problem will persist.

Run the Wireless Wiki Fix DHCP script
<http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/FixDHCP_script>,
and post the exact results here.

--
Best regards, FAQ for Wireless Internet: <http://Wireless.wikia.com>
John Navas FAQ for Wi-Fi: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi>
Wi-Fi How To: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_HowTo>
Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>

Just to followup:

The problem was solved and turned out to be as simple as not putting the
service provider name in the field provided. I was sure I'd tried that
several times over and I don't know why it would have changed or if it even
did since I no longer remember if I had it in there originally or not but
certainly something was preventing reconnection that morning. But
whatever; in the end it was blanking that field that got me back on.

Along the way I noted that the additional email addresses one can create
with an Earthlink account do indeed work for DSL login as well as the
master name although I don't know why this would ever be useful.

On Thu, 23 Nov 2006 18:17:51 GMT, Steve Kraus
<screen@SPAMBLOCKfilmteknik.com> wrote:

>he problem was solved and turned out to be as simple as not putting the
>service provider name in the field provided. I was sure I'd tried that
>several times over and I don't know why it would have changed or if it even
>did since I no longer remember if I had it in there originally or not but
>certainly something was preventing reconnection that morning. But
>whatever; in the end it was blanking that field that got me back on.

End user error as that field is supposed to remain blank on Earthlink
ADSL since it is marked as optional in almost all Routers and
Earthlink does not use it. You would have no way in earth to know the
name of the access concentrator you connect to in the first place and
they do change from time to time.

Steve Kraus wrote:
> I've been on Earthlink DSL for years using a Microsoft MN-700 router.
> The actual connection is provided by COVAD and it's PPPoE or at least it
> as been. I'm running Windows XP.
>
> This morning the connection was down. I thought at first Earthlink was
> down as they were last week several times (though the DSL carrier
> remained on).
>
> But no, I could get online via a direct connection but no luck with the
> router. Earthlink customer support (India) had me set up a new direct
> connection and in this one they had me set specific DNS but I can
> actually connect with that or my prior direct connect settings which got
> DNS from the network.
>
> But no luck with getting the router back online with either kind of DNS.
>
> I suspect that something in Earthlink's settings has changed but they say
> nothing has changed.
>
> They also said they can't support my router and offered to send me a
> "free" router which I would then pay $7 a month extra for, forever. I
> said no thanks.

I really don't get them thinking they can get away with this. The
router pictured in their ads for this $7/mo. service on their page look
*exactly* like my Linksys WRT54GS router that I bought a couple of
years ago and attached to my Covad-supplied SpeedStream DSL modem
myself. Earthlink blabbers about obtaining the ability to attach
multiple computers to the DSL line as the "benefit" to this $7/mo.
charge, but I did all that myself without incurring that charge.

Earthlink are starting to look more and more like crooks to me.


>
> One might reasonably suspect that my router is faulty, right? But I
> pulled a brand new MN-700 out of the box, gave it the most recent
> Microsoft firmware update and I cannot connect with it either. They
> can't both be bad.
>
> One odd little thing is that when I changed the router setting from PPPoe
> to Dynamic PPP it looked like an internet IP address came up on the WAN
> settings (tho it still said disconnected and indeed there was no
> connection). Probably meaningless.
>
> Obviously there is something different between the settings for getting
> online directly and how my router is set up.
>
> Or is Earthlink pulling some sort of scam to prevent people from using
> other routers?

"Steve Kraus" <screen@SPAMBLOCKfilmteknik.com> wrote in message
news:tYx6h.6369$l25.436@newsread4.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> I've been on Earthlink DSL for years using a Microsoft MN-700 router.
> The actual connection is provided by COVAD and it's PPPoE or at least it
> as been. I'm running Windows XP.
>
> This morning the connection was down. I thought at first Earthlink was
> down as they were last week several times (though the DSL carrier
> remained on).
>
> But no, I could get online via a direct connection but no luck with the
> router. Earthlink customer support (India) had me set up a new direct
> connection and in this one they had me set specific DNS but I can
> actually connect with that or my prior direct connect settings which got
> DNS from the network.
>
> But no luck with getting the router back online with either kind of DNS.
>
> I suspect that something in Earthlink's settings has changed but they say
> nothing has changed.
>
> They also said they can't support my router and offered to send me a
> "free" router which I would then pay $7 a month extra for, forever. I
> said no thanks.
>
> One might reasonably suspect that my router is faulty, right? But I
> pulled a brand new MN-700 out of the box, gave it the most recent
> Microsoft firmware update and I cannot connect with it either. They
> can't both be bad.
>
> One odd little thing is that when I changed the router setting from PPPoe
> to Dynamic PPP it looked like an internet IP address came up on the WAN
> settings (tho it still said disconnected and indeed there was no
> connection). Probably meaningless.
>
> Obviously there is something different between the settings for getting
> online directly and how my router is set up.
>
> Or is Earthlink pulling some sort of scam to prevent people from using
> other routers?

Maybe, you need to look at the MTU settings on the router and make and
adjustment.

http://www.dslreports.com/tweaks/MTU

Although the link above is talking about O/S, you should be able to apply
them to the router. You should be able to take a computer and do the "Ping",
since you mentioned PPPoe.

It's a stab at it. I use EL's dialup and those clowns don't know what's
happening on their own network, which the NG serves were down for over a
week since 12/8/2006, so if a change did happen, they wouldn't know about
it.