My DSL connection failed. They reset it, but now the router no longer works. The DSL works if I plug one computer into the modem.

The ATT man told me I have to bypass the PPPOE in the router to make it work.

How do I do this? I have a CISCO BEFSR41 wired router.

What do you mean bypass PPPOE? Did you change service? PPPOE authenticates your device to the service, it's required....

Does he mean bridge it?

Well, first off, never listen to ATT tech support. They are 1st level technicians who read triage.

Let's start with your type of service, model of modem? Is modem in bridge or router mode? PAste the config of the router here (removing personal details).

The problem is that somehow the configuration of the router was erased when they reset the modem. All of the settings are empty blanks.

Last monday (4/1), I had nothing but errors "The connection has been reset" all day. Nobody could do any work on the Internet. The connections between internal computers still worked. So I called ATT, thinking the guy that was up on the pole the week before messed up the connection. They reset the modem. Then nothing worked - even using the printer through the network.

The serviceman came the next day. He said he was not allowed to repair it if the router was there. We took the router out, with just one computer connected to the modem. After entering the new password, the modem started working.

Afterwards, the router totally breaks the connection if inserted. And even with just the modem, I still occasionally get an error "The connection has been reset" but very rarely.

I have DSL from ATT - lowest speed service
Modem is Siemens 4100
Router is Cisco BEFSR41
3 computers, all of different brands, connected to router.
Shared printer connected to one computer (the reason I need a router, not a switch)
One shared flash drive

Originally, the software provided with the router automatically set it up. It will not do that now. It is asking for information I do not have.

login type (PPPoE, single ip, RAS, PPTP, L2TP, MTU, and two more with names of countries)
ip address
subnet mask
default gateway
static dns 1
static dns 2

I was told that I need to bridge (the guy said bypass) either the router or the modem.

Neither device seems to have a setting for bridging the device (unless it is an acronym I don't know).

I can't access the settings now without breaking this connection (I have just the modem hooked up).

Don't listen to the tech, he's an idiot.

You need the modem. The modem must have rj11 on one side to the wall for service, and a single RJ45 ethernet port on the other side for you LAN. From the Modem, you plug into the router's WAN port, everything else goes into LAN. I think you have this setup already.

Without router, a PC can use the modem perfectly to get outbound. How is the PC configured? DO you just plug it in and it works? Do you need to run a PPPoE client? Is there software. How you setup a PC will determine how you setup the router. Both will use the same method to authenticate to the DSL service. This is the info you need for the router.

If the router is completely hosed, you can always opt to reset the router and start over. Only do this if you can't access the router's web interface from the LAN.

If you have trouble, you can find me in the daniweb chat room.

The hardware is exactly the same as it was before this happened.
The PC configurtation was not changed from how it was before this happened.

The problem is that I do not know what was in the router before this happened, to put it back in.

The router software is asking for the following values:

login type (PPPoE, single IP, RAS, PPTP, L2TP, MTU, and two more with names of countries)
IP address
subnet mask
default gateway
static dns 1
static dns 2

What belongs in these settings? I don't want numbers as much as I need to know where those numbers come from.

Which login type do I use?

Is the IP addres the address of the modem?

Do I need to bridge either the router or the modem?

If so, how do I do that?

I can't chat because others need the computer (with two computers unable to connect).

On a computer that worked, look in networking, the conenction type that is in use for the internet is what we want to look at. If the connection is PPPoE, the computer should reflect that.

Here's the guide for you unit:
http://support.radioshack.com/support_accessories/doc66/66591.pdf

IT says:
You will need the following data from your ISP (Internet Service Provider) to
install the Cable/DSL Router:
•Your broadband-configured PCs’ Computer Name and Workgroup Name
•Your broadband-configured PCs’ fixedInternet IP Address
•Your Subnet Mask
•Your Default Gateway
•Your Primary DNS Server IP address(es)

The installation technician from your ISP should have left this information with
you after installating your broadband connection. If not, you can call your ISP
to request the data

Well, there is more to the story. That man on the pole I mentioned earlier DID cause the trouble. He left the splice box open. Two sparrows ripped into the wiring and built a nest in there. Every time it rained, the DSL stopped working. They fixed that today. But I was not here to talk to the repairman.

I was not given any settings when the DSL was installed. I was given a CD that sets it up automatically. But it doesn't work anymore, because my ISP changed hands after I started the service.

They won't tell me those settings. They want to sell me THEIR new combination modem/router instead, or charge me for someone to come make the settings for me.

I have that same instruction book on a CD.

Can I read those settings from the modem? I do know how to access its registers. What I don't know is whether I need the internet settings or the settings to access the modem itself. And do I need to change any settings in the modem? Naturally, the router and modem have different names for some of the settings.

I am getting all kinds of conflicting information from different sources here. The phone company does tells me I should bridge the router. The router company tells me to put the modem settings in the router and bridge the modem. Neither one will tell me how to bridge their own device, and I see no settings for bridging in the instruction "manual" (a file) of either.

Everyone seems to have the same "remedy" for the problem: Pay them $100: The ISP wants $100 for their new modem/router. The ISP wants $100 for a technician to come set up the old router (rather than giving me the info to do it myself). The store who sold me the router wants $100 for a service call to set up the router (because I've had it longer than a year). And the manufacturer of the router wants $100 for information on how to get the information to put in the router (because the router is out of warranty).

I can't afford the $100.

You can't 'bridge' a modem, it's already passing through the connection.

What I keep mentioning is that if a PC plugged into the modem (no router) works, then the PC must have some settings configured. All you need to do if find and copy the important information to the router.

OK I found that.

Maybe bridging us not the right term either.

It was explained that only one of the two devices is allowed to establish the throwaway IP number with the ISP using PPPoE. How do I tell the other one to not do this?

Problem solved. AT&T changed the way DSL works just enough that the 7-year-old modem mo longer works correctly. They sent me a new modem, and the new modem contains a router. There is only one set of addresses for both.

The new modem also has a SETTING for disabling DHCP IP generation. Neither the old modem nor the old router has such a setting in its menu (or it's an acronym I don't recognize as that).

I am going to leave this open for further suggestions, as I still want to learn about this.

DHCP generation? NEver heard this term before.... is it a DHCP server and you can disable it?

I may not have the exact term.

It's where a temporary IP number is generated each time you log in, so your real IP number is kiept secret.

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