Lol Internetz Problem

[mg23]

So the other day I was calmly surfing the forums when BAM! My internet dies. I run on a wireless network so I quickly run to my main modem to see which of my family members decided to destroy my connection. Noone was there, and it apparently just shut off by itself. My dad called CableOne, only to find it wasn't them, and there was something wrong with our router. The cable modem itself works fine when directly connected to the computer, but when connected to the router it dies. Another thing that's weird is I have two other networks listed under my wireless connections - two networks I've never seen before. I click on one and bam, I've got internet again. But, I have no idea how I'm getting internet. I turned off my cable modem just to see if it would turn off my own internet, and it didn't do a thing. I don't know how I could be leeching off someone else's internet since I don't think anyone around me understands what the internet is.

So basically, I'd love to know why I can't get my router to work, and I'd love to know how I can get internet without my cable modem giving me a connection. Before someone asks, Medlar runs off the same cable modem I do, but he doesn't have the other wireless networks I do, so I can't just accept what I have now. I'm not really asking for a solution to how to fix my internet and stuff, but I'd like to ask what you guys think of the whole situation, since it's confusing and stuff.

[Modest Genius]

well the extra wireless networks will be next doors who are too stupid to secure it

[Mirsky]

Hard connect (i.e. using a network cable) a PC to the router while it's plugged into the modem. Sign onto the admin page for the router, use your web brower and point it to the routers IP. (depending on the make this will change, for example Linksys routers use 192.168.1.1).

Type in the admin id and password. If you don't know what it is ask the family member that setup the network or just try ID = admin and PW is blank.

There should be a link to a status page that will give you the addresses of both the router's external IP (i.r. the IP assigned by the cable modem) and the client's connected to the router.

If you can't see an external IP and your router is set to its default behaviour, which is retrieving an IP via DHCP, then your router is likely to be defunct.

If you can see an external IP and you can't see your PC connected to the internal network then there's a problem with the wireless connection. This is generally tricker to sort out.

As Modest said the other network you see is probably you neighbours. If you can sign in and browse without needing a password then it's unsecured. For shits and giggles, connect to that network and try the IP above... if the n00b really hasn't secured his network you now have access to his router and play all sorts of games.... changing the ID, the password, restricting access by MAC address and so. (note: the preceeding paragraph was intended as a joke...do not actually try and hack your neighbours network...it's not big, it's not clever and it's probably illegal!)

[Modest Genius]

If you can't see an external IP and your router is set to its default behaviour, which is retrieving an IP via DHCP, then your router is likely to be defunct.or its always possible that the ISP doesnt use DHCP or checks MAC addresses (meaning you need to use the MAC clone)

[Mirsky]

To my knowledge almost every cable co in the US uses DHCP to assign IPs. You only get static IPs with business services.

As for MAC filtering by the ISP that could be a possibility but I wouldn't think that they'd suddenly turn it on and NOT let the consumer know when they phone up to complain their net connection is down. Besides, its pretty simple to test, set the MAC spoofed address of the router to that of the modem.

[Modest Genius]

you underestimate the capability of utility companies to do completely arbitrary things merely to annoy the customer

but yeah, it would be weird