Locked out of router...

[Tim+]

I’m in the midst of migrating my mother’s phone and broadband service and
discovered today that firstly the migration has failed/been delayed for
some reason and that I can’t access my mother’s TP link router.

The old 192.168.1.1 business just doesn’t work, not even after powering the
router down for 5 minutes and rebooting it. The access address has never
been changed and the login screen never appears.

I’m guessing that the only option left is a hard reset which I’d rather not
do at the moment as the internet is still working fine.

Any suggestions on why I’m locked out any any other suggestions of things
to try first?

(The access address and passwords are recorded on the underside of the
router so I know I’m using the correct address. 192.168.0.1 doesn’t work
either.)

Tim

--
Please don't feed the trolls

[Bob Eager]

Did you set up a route on that subnet from the machine you are trying to
use to access it?

[Andy Burns]

Tim+ wrote:

> The old 192.168.1.1 business just doesn’t work

> 192.168.0.1 doesn’t work either.

Did you try 192.168.1.254, or 192.168.0.254? (with your PC in the
appropriate subnet).

A cat5 cable and wireshark could show you the address the router is using.

[Theo]

Andy Burns <use...@andyburns.uk> wrote:
> Did you try 192.168.1.254, or 192.168.0.254? (with your PC in the
> appropriate subnet).

Is DHCP functioning? In which case you should know what subnet you're on,
based on the address handed out and netmask?

> A cat5 cable and wireshark could show you the address the router is using.

Additionally
nmap -sP 192.168.0.0/16
will ping all the addresses within the 192.168.*.* space.

although you probably only need to probe the subnet you're on.

Theo

[Roderick Stewart]

Try "ipconfig" from a command prompt to check the router's address in
case somebody has changed it. You should see something like this-

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

The default gateway is the address of the router.

If you don't see this, or the IPv4 address begins with 169, or the
first three numbers are not the same as in the gateway address then
your computer hasn't got a proper connection to the router so you
won't see the login screen until this is fixed.

Rod.

[NY]

"Tim+" <tim.d...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1869869793.629829751.361...@news.individual.net...

OK. Things to try (from a DOS command prompt):

1. ipconfig

In the section for the type of connection that you are using (Ethernet or
Wireless), check that

IPv4 Address and Default Gateway are 192.168.x.y addresses and that both
have the same value of x (the third byte).

The gateway address is the address of the router.

If your IPv4 address starts 169.x.x.x then your PC hasn't been given a valid
IP address by the router.

It's possible that both IPv4 and gateway addresses start 10.x.y.z. This is
fine as an alternative to 192.168.x.x. In this case the "x" (second byte)
must match for the two addresses.


2. ping 192.168.1.254

using the appropriate value of the Default Gateway

You should get four replies.



When you say "the old 192.168.1.1 business", do you mean that you were
browsing to that address in Firefox, Chrome etc? Assuming that ping works,
you *should* be able to browse to that address.


If you are currently connected by Wireless, try using an Ethernet cable
instead. To play it safe, disable the computer's wifi adaptor in case wifi
*is* working and the PC starts trying to talk out of both wifi and Ethernet
at the same time which can cause it (and you!) to become confused.


Do you have another computer to try, to eliminate anything odd on the
computer you're using?

[Woody]

If it is a TP-Link router it will NOT be using 1.254 at the end - that
is something BT (and now Plusnet) use. TPL normally use 1.1.

The router will, somewhere, have a reset button. Power the router down,
press the button and hold it pressed, power up, then release the button
after about 15 seconds. This should wipe the router settings and get you
back to 192.168.1.1 Username and password should both be admin.

[Tim+]

Andy Burns <use...@andyburns.uk> wrote:
> Tim+ wrote:
>
>> The old 192.168.1.1 business just doesn’t work
>> 192.168.0.1 doesn’t work either.
>
> Did you try 192.168.1.254, or 192.168.0.254? (with your PC in the
> appropriate subnet).

PC? Accessing it over Wi-Fi from my phone (and my mother’s iPad).

[Tim+]

That’s all Greek to me. I’m gonna say no. ;-)

[Tim+]

Roderick Stewart <rj...@escapetime.myzen.co.uk> wrote:
> On 16 Dec 2020 16:49:18 GMT, Tim+ <tim.d...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>
>> I’m in the midst of migrating my mother’s phone and broadband service and
>> discovered today that firstly the migration has failed/been delayed for
>> some reason and that I can’t access my mother’s TP link router.
>>
>> The old 192.168.1.1 business just doesn’t work, not even after powering the
>> router down for 5 minutes and rebooting it. The access address has never
>> been changed and the login screen never appears.
>>
>> I’m guessing that the only option left is a hard reset which I’d rather not
>> do at the moment as the internet is still working fine.
>>
>> Any suggestions on why I’m locked out any any other suggestions of things
>> to try first?
>>
>> (The access address and passwords are recorded on the underside of the
>> router so I know I’m using the correct address. 192.168.0.1 doesn’t work
>> either.)
>>
>> Tim
>
> Try "ipconfig" from a command prompt to check the router's address in
> case somebody has changed it. You should see something like this-
>
> Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
> IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.2
> Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
> Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

Not sure my phone has a “command prompt”.

[Tim+]

NY <m...@privacy.invalid> wrote:
> "Tim+" <tim.d...@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1869869793.629829751.361...@news.individual.net...
>>
>> I’m in the midst of migrating my mother’s phone and broadband service and
>> discovered today that firstly the migration has failed/been delayed for
>> some reason and that I can’t access my mother’s TP link router.
>>
>> The old 192.168.1.1 business just doesn’t work, not even after powering
>> the
>> router down for 5 minutes and rebooting it. The access address has never
>> been changed and the login screen never appears.
>>
>> I’m guessing that the only option left is a hard reset which I’d rather
>> not
>> do at the moment as the internet is still working fine.
>>
>> Any suggestions on why I’m locked out any any other suggestions of things
>> to try first?
>>
>> (The access address and passwords are recorded on the underside of the
>> router so I know I’m using the correct address. 192.168.0.1 doesn’t work
>> either.)
>
> OK. Things to try (from a DOS command prompt):

No PC, only mobile phone or ipad.

[Sn!pe]

Tim+ <tim.d...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Roderick Stewart <rj...@escapetime.myzen.co.uk> wrote:
> > On 16 Dec 2020 16:49:18 GMT, Tim+ <tim.d...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >>

> >> I?m in the midst of migrating my mother?s phone and broadband service and

> >> discovered today that firstly the migration has failed/been delayed for

> >> some reason and that I can?t access my mother?s TP link router.
> >>
> >> The old 192.168.1.1 business just doesn?t work, not even after powering the

> >> router down for 5 minutes and rebooting it. The access address has never
> >> been changed and the login screen never appears.
> >>

> >> I?m guessing that the only option left is a hard reset which I?d rather not

> >> do at the moment as the internet is still working fine.
> >>

> >> Any suggestions on why I?m locked out any any other suggestions of things

> >> to try first?
> >>
> >> (The access address and passwords are recorded on the underside of the

> >> router so I know I?m using the correct address. 192.168.0.1 doesn?t work

> >> either.)
> >>
> >> Tim
> >
> > Try "ipconfig" from a command prompt to check the router's address in
> > case somebody has changed it. You should see something like this-
> >
> > Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
> > IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.2
> > Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
> > Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
>
> Not sure my phone has a "command prompt".
>
> Tim

If it's an iDevice: check the Wi-Fi settings for [your network]
in Information (i in circle) in the Settings app.


--
^Ï^ <https://youtu.be/_kqytf31a8E>

My pet rock Gordon just is.

[Tim+]

Cheers. I’ll check that next time I’m up. Can’t imagine why it might have
changed though.

[NY]

"Tim+" <tim.d...@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:574340021.629841596.828...@news.individual.net...

> No PC, only mobile phone or ipad.

Ah, that makes it lightly more difficult. What OS ins the phone? Android or
IOS? If it's IOS. I'll need to bow out and let an Apple expert suggest apps
that can display the phone's and the gateway address (the equivalent of
ipconfig on Windows or ifconfig on UNIX). Being cynical, I wonder if such
apps even exist for IOS since Apple try to protect the user from "the
technical details" and may block any apps that try to interrogate the TCP/IP
stack (or refuse to certify the app, which amounts to the same thing!).

[Graham J]

Tim+ wrote:

> No PC, only mobile phone or ipad.

On the assumption that both the iPad's and the router's WiFi are
working, and you have the iPad set up correctly using the appropriate
SSID and security key, the iPad should tell you the IP address that it
has been issued with, and the IP address of the router.

Look in in Settings - WiFi and you should see the network name (SSID).
Tap the information icon - it should show Configuration is automatic,
the IP address, subnet mask and router IP address.

Knowing the router's IP address open a browser at that address and see
if you get a login prompt.

Depending on your phone, you should be able to achieve the same diagnostics.

If that fails, reboot the router and try again.

If that fails, factory reset the router and try again.

I have known routers (specifically Technicolor TG588v v2) that do not
respond on the LAN unless they have a working ADSL or VDSL service into
the WAN port.

Does the router have a light showing that the DSL service is connected?
You might have to read its manual or tell us the make & model.

If your iPad can't connect to the router's WiFi and you have proved it
works on somebody else's WiFi then you need to find somebody who knows
what they are doing, has a PC, and a network cable so can connect to
your router by wire. This person should bring a spare router that can
be used to test your line.

Where do you live? If you're anywhere near Thetford I might be able to
help.

Do you have the ISP's login and password? (Might not be necessary for BT)


--
Graham J

[Chris Green]

I have TP-Link outdoor devices that default to 192.168.0.254 so I
think one needs to know the specific TP-Link router to be sure.

> The router will, somewhere, have a reset button. Power the router down,
> press the button and hold it pressed, power up, then release the button
> after about 15 seconds. This should wipe the router settings and get you
> back to 192.168.1.1 Username and password should both be admin.

OP has said that he doesn't want to do a full reset at the moment.

--
Chris Green
·

[NY]

"Chris Green" <c...@isbd.net> wrote in message
news:eu8qah-...@esprimo.zbmc.eu...

Yes, before you do a full reset you need to know the ADSL username and
password so you can change the default values of these fields to the ones
that the ISP is expecting. The username may be more than just the name that
appears in your email address: for example Plusnet uses the syntax
"user...@plusdsl.net" for a user with a given username.

Since the router connects to the internet at present, and would lose access
as soon as you reset it until you add the correct ADSL username / password,
I'd leave well alone and exhaust all other avenues first.

[NY]

"Graham J" <nob...@nowhere.co.uk> wrote in message
news:rrds48$vi2$1...@dont-email.me...

> Tim+ wrote:
>
>> No PC, only mobile phone or ipad.
>
> On the assumption that both the iPad's and the router's WiFi are working,
> and you have the iPad set up correctly using the appropriate SSID and
> security key, the iPad should tell you the IP address that it has been
> issued with, and the IP address of the router.
>
> Look in in Settings - WiFi and you should see the network name (SSID).
> Tap the information icon - it should show Configuration is automatic, the
> IP address, subnet mask and router IP address.
>
> Knowing the router's IP address open a browser at that address and see if
> you get a login prompt.

Also if you can find a third-party network management app that can do things
like pinging another computer (or the router), then you can try pinging the
router's address. With some router faults, you can ping the router even when
the router's web server doesn't work.

We've established that there's a working wifi connection because the
phone/iPad can access the web. And that does make it pretty likely that DHCP
is giving the phone a valid IP address which the router knows how to route
traffic from phone to WAN (ie the internet).

It may be that the router's IP address isn't what you think it is, and that
would be ascertained with ipconfig or similar technology (eg the Settings /
Wifi menu) - the gateway address. I forget the precise details on an Apple
device. I always have to go hunting. I remember that there is one setting
(it might be something to do with email servers) which is is a thoroughly
counter-intuitive location in the Settings menu hierarchy.


I've not heard about the problem of some routers not letting you access them
on the LAN side if the WAN side isn't working (ie you don't have a working
DSL connection) - a nice little "gotcha" and one that may be rather terminal
if your internet connection fails and you want to check that your config
settings are correct...

[Bob Eager]

You probably can't from the phone, anyway.

[Graham J]

NY wrote:

[snip]

>
> We've established that there's a working wifi connection because the
> phone/iPad can access the web. And that does make it pretty likely that
> DHCP is giving the phone a valid IP address which the router knows how
> to route traffic from phone to WAN (ie the internet).
>

Where did we establish that?

Are we assuming this to be true just because the OP can post here? He
might be posting from another location or service given that it's his
mother's internet connection that he's trying to debug ... and that he
appears to have gone there speciallly ...


--
Graham J

[Tim+]

Graham J <nob...@nowhere.co.uk> wrote:
> NY wrote:
>
> [snip]
>
>>
>> We've established that there's a working wifi connection because the
>> phone/iPad can access the web. And that does make it pretty likely that
>> DHCP is giving the phone a valid IP address which the router knows how
>> to route traffic from phone to WAN (ie the internet).
>>
>
> Where did we establish that?

I did say in my first post that the internet is working fine.

Unfortunately I won’t have access again until next Tuesday. Might have to
take my wife’s MacBook with me.

[Graham J]

Does the MacBook have an Ethernet connector? If so make sure you take
an Ethernet cable.

This is so you can connect to the router and if necessary configure its
wireless settings.



--
Graham J

[Roderick Stewart]

On 16 Dec 2020 20:00:46 GMT, Tim+ <tim.d...@gmail.com> wrote:

>> OK. Things to try (from a DOS command prompt):
>
>No PC, only mobile phone or ipad.

Borrow a laptop. You won't find it easy to investigate this from a
phone. It's probably possible, but I wouldn't even try.

I think you will almost certainly need a computer of some sort, and an
ethernet cable, if you end up following the "last resort" advice and
do a factory reset, because you would then need to log in to the
router and re-enter your account details. That's another thing; make
sure you know your account details.

There are usually lights on a modem/router to show what it's doing,
including one to confirm it has a valid connection with the internet.
If that one is OK, I'd be reluctant to jeopardise it until I'd
investigated the local connection as far as possible. I think
borrowing a laptop and an ethernet cable will be less trouble than
trying to reconfigure an internet connection using a phone.

Rod.

[NY]

"Roderick Stewart" <rj...@escapetime.myzen.co.uk> wrote in message
news:mqbmtfpa0fvus26f2...@4ax.com...

As Roderick has said, a laptop with an Ethernet connection is probably the
best and most flexible tool, but you're not completely stuck if you can't
borrow one. You can still diagnose some of this from an Android phone, an
iPhone or (probably) an iPad.

I use a free app called Network Analyzer https://techet.net/netanalyzer/
which is available for both Android and iPhone. There's a paid-for Pro
version which you probably don't need; I use the free Lite version.

It displays your IP, the gateway and DNS IPs (these last two will usually be
the same), wifi channel and signal strength etc. And it allows you to ping a
remote address (eg the router's gateway address) to confirm that simple TCP
comms is working before you try to browse to the router's web page.

[Graham J]

It would be worth testing this on your own router at home before you go.
That way you will be familiar with what you have to do.

If the MacBook does not have an Ethernet port you can buy a USB adapter.



--
Graham J

[critcher]

TP link use a program called tether to reach their routers, download
from android to phone and see if you can connect to router.

[Brian Gregory]

On 16/12/2020 16:49, Tim+ wrote:
>
> I’m in the midst of migrating my mother’s phone and broadband service and
> discovered today that firstly the migration has failed/been delayed for
> some reason and that I can’t access my mother’s TP link router.
>
> The old 192.168.1.1 business just doesn’t work, not even after powering the
> router down for 5 minutes and rebooting it. The access address has never
> been changed and the login screen never appears.
>
> I’m guessing that the only option left is a hard reset which I’d rather not
> do at the moment as the internet is still working fine.
>
> Any suggestions on why I’m locked out any any other suggestions of things
> to try first?
>
> (The access address and passwords are recorded on the underside of the
> router so I know I’m using the correct address. 192.168.0.1 doesn’t work
> either.)
>
> Tim
>

I guess one possibility is that it had some kind of unfixed
vulnerability and has been hacked to become part of a bot net or something.

--
Brian Gregory (in England).