need help with my modem/router's wifi, please.

Day before yesterday my internet was messing up so I unplugged the combo modem/router power cord for 10 seconds to try to reset it.
After a couple of times doing that with no luck, I took a paperclip and did a hard reset (I think it's called) on the back, holding it pressed for a minute.
After all the lights came back on, I had internet access again, but my buddy's android phone and my laptop wouldn't connect to my wifi, even though it said I had excellent signal strength.

I went onto the modem configurator page online using an ethernet cable, but when I got inside, I realized I shouldn't be messing with it, as I'd really fuck something up.

Today, I unplugged all of the cords from the back and replugged them after a few seconds.
My buddy's wifi was able to connect to my network, but my laptop still could not.

Can any of you computer guys give me some help?

I'm using Windows 7, and the modem/router is a ZyXel PK5001Z from CenturyLink.


Let me know what further info you need me to provide to help diagnose the problem.

Thanks in advance, guys.

 

Hi, when you reset the device you most likely changed your WiFi to some default settings. I have noticed that some laptops are more picky about getting all the settings right than Android phones. Like my phone doesn't care if the network is using AES or TKIP where as my laptop doesn't connect if that setting is wrong.
If the interface/configure page for ZyXel PK5001Z is similar to those ZyXel products I have configured then I say go back in and to the WiFi page and change the security settings to WPA2 (if you have that option) and a password of your choice. You will of cause have to enter the new password into every device that is supposed to use your WiFi.
I would also think seriously about changing the password for making changes to the modem/router.
Best of luck and have fun.

 

Thanks for the reply, Zweiblumen. I went in and set it to WPA2-Personal and checked to see if it was on AES or TKIP. There was a third setting for Both, so I left it on that.
I then changed my password, but Windows still won't connect to my wifi.

Do you think my laptop's settings need to be changed?

 

I would verify that all the settings match and reenter the WiFi password. If your computer uses some 3rd. party software to manager WiFi connections then you might have to delete the entry for your WiFi and recreate. My laptop has uses some 3rd party network manger and if something changes then it takes sometime for everything to work together again.
Have fun.

 

*sigh* I'd probably end up dividing by zero if I went messing around in there.

Thanks for your advice, Zweiblumen.
I'll just have to see if I can get a clear speaking tech support person from my ISP on Monday to walk me through it.

 

Since this thread has a generic title, Imma put in my issue in here as well.

Got a Belkin Surf N150 wireless router so that, in addition to my Desktop, our smartphones, my tablet and her laptop can all be connected to the internet at the same time. Not happening so far.

The issue is the local ISP's (Etisalat), apparently weird, setup. They supply their own Etisalat-branded modem router to their Broadband customers and connect it to the ADSL socket.

The Desktop is connected via ethernet to the Etisalat router and requires a PPPoE login (if I got that right), and ends up looking like this while connected to the Internet:



I have plugged the Belkin into the Etisalat router and saved the PPPoE login details in the Belkin. Like so:



However, it doesn't succeed at logging in and getting connected to the Web. No idea why.

Instead, I've currently bridged the Etisalat router's connection to my Desktop through the Belkin, and am still logging into the Broadband network as in the first image above.

All I want, is for the Belkin to connect to the Internet and make that connection available as a WiFi hotspot.

My Nazi friend with his dumbass MacBook Air was able to do it and everyone's devices were perfectly able to connect to the Internet without logging in or any other issues. Connect to his hotspot, which is connected to the Broadband network, and done.

What am I doing wrong?

...

I'm horrible with this techie stuff.

 

There is one thing more that I remembered/came across with the 3rd party software. It power downs the WiFi adapter when it thinks there is no need for it and that has given me problems similar to what you are describing.

 

Well, I never claimed my reading comprehension was all that great.
I must be missing it, because I can't figure it out.
If you can help, please do.

 

I looked up what cloning the mac address was, did the ipconfig/all thing and found the address, but when I went into the router settings, I couldn't find a place to manually enter the numbers.

I think this is beyond me, guys.

Thanks for trying to help. I appreciate it.

 

Thanks, cynthetiq. I've been through all of that. Didn't help.
Still says Windows can't connect.

 

Do you have the option of connecting the Windows machine to a different wireless network or even temporarily turn off all security on the wireless network. This is starting to sound a bit strange.

 

I assume your PC can see the network when you view available networks.

Disable then enable wifi on your PC.

 

Thanks, guys, for the advice and help.
A very helpful lady at CenturyLink had me unplug the power on my router/modem, then turn off my laptop.
After returning power to my router and turning on the computer, I found out that it had no effect on it.
She was then going to transfer me to her wireless expert when she decided to try one more thing.
She wanted to reset something on her end, a channel or something, and whatever she did, it worked.
I now can connect wirelessly again.

I would feel better if I could have fixed it myself, or with you guy's help, rather than big brother throwing a switch, but what can you do?
Baa-aa...
--- merged: Feb 6, 2013 at 4:02 PM ---

Btw, I tried doing that and ended up accidentally disabling my ethernet adapter.
Luckily, after ten minutes I was able to fix it. *sigh*