Wireless router follies

[Dreamstalker]

I was helping a friend with a new laptop/wireless router purchase; all seems to go well in the setup until we get to the router.

Step 1: Modem doesn't recognize router. OK, no biggie. Unplug the modem until it's "forced" to clear its MAC cache (easier said than done with the modems that $ISP's "Triple Play" service uses).

Step 2: That's fixed, but now the router doesn't recognize that a computer's hooked up to it (for some reason the setup CD demanded a hardwired connection).

Step 3: Two proven-bad cables later and the CD still doesn't recognize anything's there. Find a new cable and decide to try configuring the router directly. That works. Still no wireless. At least we figured those cables can't be used and the CD is pointless.

Step 4: Reboot modem and router, refresh the network list in Windows. Hers isn't showing up. I try to set up the network manually..."The network name already exists". Hmmm...

I noticed "Other network" showing up in the in-range wireless list, and just for the hell of it decided to see what it was. Yup, it was hers

At least she understood what happened, and while this was going on I was able to get the rest of her computer set up and configured the way she wanted

[TheSHAD0W]

My home router began crapping out a few days ago, freezing up for a few seconds every couple of minutes, so I started prepping another spare router to replace it. Unpacked it from its box, plugged it into a netbook using the cable that came with it... And it wouldn't connect. Double-checked everything, power-cycled both netbook and router, no joy. Tried another cable, and connected right up.

Yup, new-in-box router came with bad cable.

[Dreamstalker]

That's what happened here as well. Once I figured out what happened I was embarrassed as hell, but she said she was just happy she didn't have to do it herself (I was going to not charge for the portion of the time I spent fiddling aimlessly, but she said my rates and onsite service were far cheaper/better than Worst Try or phone support).

At least if it happens again I know what to check first; this router was a dual-band N so there was also possibly a problem there (laptop might have been looking for the SSID on 2.4GHz while router was broadcasting at 5).