TrueMobile 2300 No DHCP functionality

njdjr,

I haven't heard of any reports that the TM2300's DHCP server fails on the wired side. Are you sure you got rid of all the SBC/Yahoo software? Here's an article at DSL Reports explaining how to clean things up. The only Win2K settings for the wired adapter are "obtain an IP address automatically" under TCP/IP properties for the adapter.

There's another issue that may arise. Some SpeedStream 5100's apparently include a DHCP server. If that's the case with yours, you'll either need to run the SpeedStream in "bridge" mode, and have the TM2300 do PPPoE negotiation, or, alternatively, run the 2300 in access point mode and have DHCP and PPPoE negotiation provided by the SpeedStream.

Jim

Thanks for the reply.  The article you link to is exactly what I followed to remove the SBC software. 

I think you are on to something with the DHCP on the SpeedStream as that is how I'm getting my ip at this very moment.  Here's what I get from an ipconfig /all (Note I am only plugged into the SpeadStream right now; the TM2300 is totally out of the picture)

C:\Documents and Settings\njd>ipconfig /all

Windows 2000 IP Configuration

        Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : NORM
        Primary DNS Suffix  . . . . . . . :
        Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
        IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
        WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
        DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : domain_not_set.invalid

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

        Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : domain_not_set.invalid
        Description . . . . . . . . . . . : 3Com 3C920 Integrated Fast Ethernet Controller (3C905C-T
X Compatible)
        Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-B0-D0-A1-26-45
        DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
        Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
        IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.74.70.187
        Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
        Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 68.74.70.186
        DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
        DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 206.141.192.60
                                            206.141.193.55
        Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, September 28, 2004 5:52:13 AM
        Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, September 28, 2004 6:02:13 AM

C:\Documents and Settings\njd>

njdjr,

The machine is receiving a routeable IP address via DHCP from SBC/Ameritech! Very interesting!

Do you have the 5100a or the 5100b?

It looks to me like it's a 5100b, and it's in the factory default configuration:

Factory Configuration is PPP is on the modem and public IP address for computer
Lan DHCP lease time is 10 minutes
DHCP server supports 1 and only 1 PC and there is 1 ethernet port.
Enter your username and password in the modem.

That quote is from this DSL Reports article. Note that the DHCP lease time in your ipconfig output is ten minutes, and the IP address your Win2K system received is public (routeable on the Internet). That's why I think it's a 5100b.

The last section of that article ("Router Info:") seems to best explain how to set up the TM2300 under this heading: Let the modem do the PPP and issue a public IP to wan/internet port of router

That seems to me to be the most straightforward way of using the TM2300, since it doesn't require any configuration changes on the SpeedStream. Had you tried configuring the 2300 for "DSL without PPPoE" on the Internet side and the DHCP server enabled on the LAN side?

(edit) Your original post implied that the wireless adapter could obtain an IP address from the TM2300, but not the wired adapter. If the wireless adapter was able to reach the Internet successfully through the 2300, then the 2300's configuration is likely OK as it is. We also know that the Ethernet adapter in your PC works, since it can connect to the SpeedStream and receive a routeable IP address.

That suggests either a problem with one of the Ethernet ports on the 2300, or possibly an Ethernet cable problem. Have you tried other LAN connectors on the 2300?

(Also removed comment about Ameritech, since this sounds like vanilla SBC DSL after review.)

Jim

Message Edited by jimw on 09-28-2004 02:30 PM

Well, after trying a bunch of different things (cables, PPP location, banging my head on the desk) I have things working.

In the 5100b (yes, I have the 5100b not 5100a) I selected to put the "PPP on the Computer" which actually means I can put it on the TM2300.  The I set up the TM2300 to do the PPP.  After I got everything configured (basically defaults except for the two items mentioned above) I powered everything down and gave it a 3-5 minute cool down (I needed another diet coke for caffine to stay awake).

I powered up the computer, then the DSL modem which I let cook for another few minutes until the DSL light came on solid for a little while.  Then I turned on the TM2300.  Things still didn't work at this point.  Now, all of a sudden my computer wasn't getting an IP over DHCP again (I did establish consistent connections PC <-> router with DHCP working great earlier tonight).  I tried a static IP 192.168.2.2 which let me see the router but not the internet.  However I did notice that the System Diag did report the router getting an IP on the WAN side now (which it wasn't before).

For yucks, I set the TCP/IP back to obtain IP automatically at which point it wanted me to reboot.  Instead, I disabled the Network connection and then re-enabled it.

Finally, then, it worked. (17,000 easy steps later )...

Now, I can finally get back to setting up my wireless security system.  What setting do you recommend there?

Thanks, again.

njdjr,

I'm glad you found your way through that thicket! Hopefully not too much damage was done to either the head or the desk!

Here's a good paper from the US National Institutes of Standards and Technology on wireless network security. It's a lengthy document (in PDF format), but since wireless security is fundamentally a risk analysis issue, that's not unexpected.

There are shorter lists of things to do, but that paper lays out the issues very well. Note its size - it's over 100 pages long. Some of it addresses issues that home users don't have, but there's a lot of insight into what people need to think about when considering wireless security.

I'd be interested in your comments on the paper.

Jim

Well, that's a pretty long read. 

For now anyway, I'm doing 13 char WPA, changing the SSID to some non-meaningful string and removing the broadcast feature of the wireless.  If nothing else it will keep casual folks from stumbling onto me.

Thanks again for all your help.  I'll let you know when I have read the paper.

 

njdjr,

There's a long section on Bluetooth, so it's not as bad as it seems. I like the fact that it takes a "risk analysis" approach - that's the right way to think about wireless.

I found a short thread at DSL Reports that agrees with the approach you took to sorting out the SpeedStream/TM2300 disagreement. Nothing new...just thought you might be interested!

Jim

I'm Back ...

Now that the connection between the TrueMobile 2300 and desktop (wired connection) seems to be working I'm trying to get the wireless to work.

My laptop (Inspiron 8600) has the 1300 Mini-PCI Trumobile 1300 card in it.
My OS is Windows XP Pro SP1.

I use this laptop at work and it can connect to the Linksys system at work ok and can even pick up my neighbor's linksys which nicely assigns me an IP. The radio utility shows the connection to the TM2300 a having excellent signal strength but I don't get a good IP address from it.

On the laptop sometimes I get:
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration IP Address. . . : 169.254.153.154
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

or I just get 0.0.0.0's with a DHCP server of 255.255.255.255

The wireless light on the TM 2300 never seems to come on.

Any Ideas...?

njdjr,

It might be a good idea to start a new thread now that the DHCP problem's solved and you've moved on to wireless, but here are a few thoughts.

From an earlier post...

For now anyway, I'm doing 13 char WPA, changing the SSID to some non-meaningful string and removing the broadcast feature of the wireless. If nothing else it will keep casual folks from stumbling onto me.

XP dislikes SSID broadcasts off when it's first establishing a wireless connection. Microsoft claims that's "by design", but I think it's a bit of added security, albeit by obscurity. Try turning SSID broadcasts back on in the 2300.

If that doesn't improve things, back out WPA. That obviously undoes everything that's been suggested, but the first thing to establish is that the 8600/TM1300 can connect to the 2300. It's easier (as you already know!) to start from a point where things are working than to find one's way out of a "failure to connect" situation.

You should also check to be sure the TM 2300 firmware and TM 1300 software are current. Do you have the "wireless rollup" update from Microsoft installed? It was released after SP1.

Jim

njdjr,

It may be time to consider other wireless routers. You'll be able to gather lots of opinions on which manufacturers and models by looking around here and at DSL Reports. We're running a Linksys WRT54g at one of our sites. The only problems encountered have had to do with sudden loss of radio signal from the router, maybe because it overheated. But we've not attempted anything fancier than WEP with it, because the client machines are all Win2K.

Jim

Well,

 

Although DHCP for the wire seems OK, I now have some other problem getting access ot the internet. (I'm writing this from work as I can't currently get connected at home).  I'm assuming that DHCP is OK on the wire because from my desktop I can issue ipconfig /release and ipconfig /renew without problem and get to the TM2300 setup page at 192.168.2.1.

The most frustrating part is.....

I DIDN'T CHANGE ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This think seems flakier than a Kellogs plant. 

I'll double check the PPP settings when I get home.  If all that goes well, I'll set it up to broadcast and then drop WPA if that doesn't work.

Thanks for you help.  I'll keep plugging away... (Eventually I wanted to hook my wife's MacIntosh to this thing but I'm now having second thoughts.