No internet with HomePlug AP

[Joe Locke]

I'm currently trying to connect the Wireless Access Point to my D-Link Wireless Router to make the range of my wireless network larger and strengthen the signal to a desktop downstairs. I was hoping someone might be able to help out and walk me through how to set this access point up? Thanks in advance.

I currently have a D-Link wireless router (SSID of D-Linked) sharing to a laptop (wireless adapter built in) and a desktop (usb wireless adapter).
The router is 192.168.0.1 and each device, laptop and desktop are set to aquire ip address automatically.
The signal to the desktop unit is weak so I purchased a Home Plug Access Point. I plugged it in the wall and instantly both units saw the device as SSID of "default" and showed a strong signal.
The instructions said to change ip address from obtain auto to 10.0.0.10 on the desktop so that I could access the access point at 10.0.0.3. This already drops the laptop from being able to connect to my wireless router.
When I connect to SSID "default" it connects but I do not have access to the internet.
What am I missing?
Instructions for access point are not clear but said once wireless access point was set up to go back and set to obtain ip address automatically. When I do this, I get limited or no connectivity to wireless access point.
I changed the D-Link wireless router to an address of 10.0.0.1 since the wireless access point was 10.0.0.3. In the wireless router I turned off radio so it wouldn't broadcast SSID and I named the wireless access point the same as the wireless router, "D-Linked".
The laptop still has a manual address of 10.0.0.10 with gateway to 10.0.0.1. It says I'm connected but I have no internet access.

I'm counting on the quick replies of longtime users, Newt? or ANYBODY that can help me out.
I need to get this working as soon as possible.

[cszeto]

Cross-posting/reposting doesn't get answers any quicker. It just confuses things, if different approaches are explored. Please pick one of the threads and stick to it for future postings on this subject.

http://forums.practicallynetworked.com/showthread.php?threadid=9345

There are also "common courtesy" aspects for others using these forums. So what that means... Unproductive postings (cross-posting, double posting, thread hi-jacking, etc.) ultimately degrade the effectiveness of the forums as an information source for all others.

[Joe Locke]

Wow. And taking the time to bark at me when my post clearly fits into both catagories instead of offering some kind of solution is really helping my situation, isn't it?

[cszeto]

Your situation actually has very little to do with wireless as you just "mangled" your IP plan when accessing your Homeplug device(s) to set its encryption settings. Read your directions carefully, it is probably just instructing you to change your system's IP settings temporarily to managed the Homeplug device which is set to the "10 net" at the factory versus set to DHCP.

As you have stated, the instructions are not clear to you, so your best bet is to contact the manufacturer as it is unclear as to what else may also need to be configured while you are accessing the Homeplug device. You have also stated that your lack of wireless functionality is a direct result of your configuration changes, so a reset to defaults or reverting to a backup of the working settings will restore the original functionality prior to your Homeplug configuration efforts.

Spamming the forums with multiple repeat cross-postings will not help as the chances are that the Homeplug manufacturer (which is not clearly identified within your postings) does not monitor these forums.

[Joe Locke]

Wireless router, wireless access point - I thought it had something to do with wireless. Maybe moreso the HomePlug aspect, hence both postings. Hopefully if one didn't find it in one subject, they would in the other. I get it, I'll play by the rules.

How'd I "mangle" my IP plan? My router was 192 net and I changed it to 10 net to match the ap. I did temp change the computer with usb wireless so I could access the ap as stated by instructions. Once I set SSID (I did not set encryption) I did what it said and put it back to obtain ips and got the limited connection error.

The instructions weren't that they didn't say what to do, it was the obvioux broken English that made it unclear. ie. "...must be applied using Apply button for take effect." "If your network without DHCP service, then you have assign one fixed IP..."

I have since put the wireless router back to 192 net. I manually set the laptop to 10 net to access the ap, reset the ap to 192 net (192.168.0.3) so I no longer have to use a different net addy to access ap, and then told it SSID of DLinked. (tried both same channel and different channel, 6 and 11) Once I did that, I switched to obtain auto and it AGAIN gives me limited or no connectivity. If I force a 192 ip address to the laptop, it connects and I can not go to any website...

What am I missing?! Does my gateway have to be the ip addy of the ap or the router? Does it matter that both router and ap are broadcasting? It always seems to pick up the stronger of the 2, the ap.

Unplug the AP from the wall and with ip address set to something or ip address set to auto, the laptop connects again and can access internet.
Make sense?

[cszeto]

Question: "How'd I "mangle" my IP plan?"

Answer: "Does my gateway have to be the ip addy of the ap or the router?"

"I get it, I'll play by the rules."

"There are also "common courtesy" aspects for others using these forums. So what that means... Unproductive postings (cross-posting, double posting, thread hi-jacking, etc.) ultimately degrade the effectiveness of the forums as an information source for all others."

The gateway is the device with the access to the Internet, which should be your original router, not the HomePlug/Access Point. If setting the computer back to the original setting of "Obtain an IP..." no longer works, then the HomePlug/Access Point may be set incorrectly and adversely affecting your network. Tough guess to the actual situation as you still have not identified manufacturer and model, which may have additional features, even then it may ultimately require assistance from the manufacturer depending on the level of available documentation (especially to those who do not own the actual product).

You are dealing with a pretty exotic device as this particular model appears to be a combination HomePlug/Access Point, where those are typically separate devices. If the manufacturer is also unable to support the device that they created/marketed, then you may already have your answer looking right at you as a consumer...

[Joe Locke]

http://www.sparklan.com/product_details.php?prod_id=43
http://www.sparklan.com/data/prod_data/14/prod_data.pdf

Is there a courtesy about giving vague smart-a answers?
I only asked the question about the gateway ip LOOKING FOR IDEAS for solutions...maybe questions to get me to think a little more and answer it myself. I was thinking that if the AP piggy backed off the router, maybe it's ip had to be the same as the router too. (The SSID has to be!) Maybe the answer in your vagueness is looking at me right in the face that you have no idea and you're just a 2 dollar an hour security guard vs. a system moderator that wants to try and help people. The effectiveness of the forum, at least this thread has been hampered by you. You haven't productively answered questions or offered any real ideas other than read the manual. I READ THE MANUAL!
"...unable to support the device that they created/marketed, then you may already have your answer looking right at you as a consumer..."this makes no sense at all.

I imagine I'll be booted, feel free to delete the thread.
Thanks for nothing.

[cszeto]

This thread may actually be useful for others, since it demonstrates where taking 5 posting to finally identify the manufacturer and actual product is not the best way to seek help. It also identifies the lack of effective documentation and support of the particular manufacturer, so others can hopefully weigh that in should they be considering products from the same manufacturer.

You may not be satisfied with this experience, the factors that I just pointed out may have a huge contributing factor. It is impossible to assist when key information is withheld and just as tough when the manufacturer offers little support to start with in the forms of:

- Adequate documentation
- Limited support options
- Complete product line

Ultimately, the product you chose is probably not properly supported via its documentation and the manufacturer's support infrastructure. Forums like this have no affiliation with the manufacturer, so providing support in lieu of the manufacturer is extremely difficult at best. Hopefully you are able to address these issues with the manufacturer, if you choose to keep the product.