Changed modems/router, no internet, pls help me deny Comcast $7/mo

[bull2118]

First off I apologize, I know this has been covered a thousand times (any google search will reveal.) Problem is the myriad answers combined with a wife who is intolerant of my do it yourself-ness.

knowledge level is one step above rock.

In an effort to pay Comcast as little as possible (a bucket list thing for me) I replaced their Motorola surfboard/router all-in-one with a

Motorola surfboard SB6141 from Costco (FYI, $75 right now.)
Linksys WRT54G ver2. wireless router

Windows 7 shows full green bars but has that damned! annoying little yellow exclamation mark and says no internet connection

However, when I open a browser I get a Comcast "activate your equipment" page for the new modem (so there is obviously some connection right?)

I activate the modem and get the internet on my laptop when it is Ethernet plugged into the modem, but the wireless does not function. When I do the Win7 diagnostic I get a "DNS server unavailable" message.

The properties on my wireless show "Obtain IP address automatically" and "Obtain DNS server address automatically" checked and I have reset my router, modem, and computers.

I don't know if it matters but my router has been sitting in storage since 2010

 

[lif_andi]

Try using google dns:

8.8.8.8

and

8.8.4.4

can you ping 8.8.8.8 from your wireless ?

If you don't know how to ping you type in cmd into the win7 search box, type cmd, from there you type: ping 8.8.8.8

 

[ch33zw1z]

After you activate with the PC connected directly to the modem, you need to fully power cycle the modem and establish the connection with the router first:

-Unplug power, ethernet, and coax from the modem
-unplug power, ethernet from the router
-Plug in coax, ethernet(still unplugged from any devices), and then power into the modem. Wait for the modem to fully initialize, watch the lights on the front until they settle down
-Now plug ethernet into the router WAN port. Then plug in power. Most routers by default will pick up an IP for DHCP from the modem. Wait for the router to fully initialize

Now you can try to access the internet. Start with wired connections and verify one at a time.

Still have issues? Open command prompt, type "ipconfig /all" and post the results.

 

[SecurityTheatre]

Get a new wife. Shouldn't be more than $50, right?

Then do some research. :-D

(seriously, other advice here is good)

 

[Cabletek]

First off I apologize, I know this has been covered a thousand times (any google search will reveal.) Problem is the myriad answers combined with a wife who is intolerant of my do it yourself-ness.

knowledge level is one step above rock.

In an effort to pay Comcast as little as possible (a bucket list thing for me) I replaced their Motorola surfboard/router all-in-one with a

Motorola surfboard SB6141 from Costco (FYI, $75 right now.)
Linksys WRT54G ver2. wireless router

Windows 7 shows full green bars but has that damned! annoying little yellow exclamation mark and says no internet connection

However, when I open a browser I get a Comcast "activate your equipment" page for the new modem (so there is obviously some connection right?)

I activate the modem and get the internet on my laptop when it is Ethernet plugged into the modem, but the wireless does not function. When I do the Win7 diagnostic I get a "DNS server unavailable" message.

The properties on my wireless show "Obtain IP address automatically" and "Obtain DNS server address automatically" checked and I have reset my router, modem, and computers.

I don't know if it matters but my router has been sitting in storage since 2010

So you need to CALL comcast and tell them you BOUGHT your OWN modem, they will ask you for the MAC address and MODEL. Until you do this ,you modem is an unknown device trying to connect to the comcast network, but will be denied. Last I saw Motorola calls their mac the HFCMac, but cable mac, or CMac may also be what they call it now, the sticker on the modem probably has 3-4 mac's on it.

IN any event go through the page [which asks for your account number and phone #] after you get the device on your account, and it will provision to your account and then let you onto the internet. If yo do not know your account number, check your bills, its on there.

 

[SunnyD]

So you need to CALL comcast and tell them you BOUGHT your OWN modem, they will ask you for the MAC address and MODEL. Until you do this ,you modem is an unknown device trying to connect to the comcast network, but will be denied. Last I saw Motorola calls their mac the HFCMac, but cable mac, or CMac may also be what they call it now, the sticker on the modem probably has 3-4 mac's on it.

IN any event go through the page [which asks for your account number and phone #] after you get the device on your account, and it will provision to your account and then let you onto the internet. If yo do not know your account number, check your bills, its on there.

Actually, it appears he's already activated it.

However, when I open a browser I get a Comcast "activate your equipment" page for the new modem (so there is obviously some connection right?)

I activate the modem and get the internet on my laptop when it is Ethernet plugged into the modem, but the wireless does not function. When I do the Win7 diagnostic I get a "DNS server unavailable" message.

OP... after you plug the modem back into the router, power cycle BOTH the modem and the router (in fact, unplug power from both for about 30 seconds). Plug the modem back in first, let it sync with the cable network for about a minute, then plug the router in and let it boot up. Then check to see if you have connectivity.

Also make sure the ethernet cable going from your modem is connected to the WAN port of your router, not one of the group of 4 lan ports.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

On your client, go to the properties of your network adapter and go to the tcp/ip properties and enter 8.8.8.8 and 4.2.2.2 for the dns servers and see if that resolves it, if so you can go into your router and change the dhcp setup to start passing this info to all of your clients