Knowledge Base

MSBBN: Cannot connect to the Internet through Microsoft Broadband Networking hardware

Article ID: 810963

Article Last Modified on 2/6/2007

APPLIES TO

Microsoft Broadband Networking 10/100 Ethernet 5-Port Switch MN-150
Microsoft Broadband Networking 10/100 Ethernet Notebook Adapter
Microsoft Broadband Networking 10/100 Ethernet PCI Adapter
Microsoft Broadband Networking 10/100 Ethernet USB Adapter
Microsoft Broadband Networking 10/100 Ethernet Base Station
Microsoft Broadband Networking Wireless Base Station MN-700
Microsoft Broadband Networking Wireless Desktop Kit MN-840
Microsoft Broadband Networking Wireless Notebook Adapter MN-720
Microsoft Broadband Networking Wireless Notebook Kit MN-820
Microsoft Broadband Networking Wireless USB 2.0 Adapter MN-710

SYMPTOMS

When you try to connect to the Internet through a network that uses any of the Microsoft Broadband Networking hardware devices listed in the "Applies To" section, you may not be able to do so.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, use the following methods in the order presented until the issue is resolved.

Reset the broadband modem

For most external modems, you can turn off the power to your modem for 10 seconds, and then turn the power back on. This should reset your modem. Consult your product documentation for information about how to reset your modem.

Reset the base station

Open the Base Station Management Tool, and then click Management.
On the Management menu, click Reset.
On the Reset Base Station page, click Reset.

While the reset is in progress, the power light on the base station blinks and then turns orange. When the light is solid green, the reset is complete.

Bypass the wireless network

To determine whether the problem is located on your network, connect your computer directly to your broadband modem by using a direct cable connection. The method of connecting and configuring the connection depends on your hardware and your Internet service provider (ISP). For information about how to make this connection, contact technical support for your ISP, or see your product documentation.

If you are cannot connect to the Internet directly through your broadband modem, the problem may be with your Internet connection, not with your network. Contact your ISP for information about how to resolve this issue.

Check the base station WAN settings

The wide area network (WAN) settings for your network are provided by your ISP. The settings vary, depending on whether your ISP account provides a static IP address, a dynamic Internet connection, or a Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE) connection. Contact your ISP to find out what these settings are.

To view a summary of your WAN settings on the home page of the Base Station Management Tool:

Reconnect to your wireless network if you disconnected your computer for the procedure in the "Bypass Your Wireless Network" section of this article.
Open the Microsoft Broadband Networking Utility (BNU), and then click Base Station Management Tool on the Tools menu.
Verify that the settings are consistent with what your ISP provided you.

Note If the Internet connection is disabled, the WAN settings are unavailable.

Disable the firewall

If you have third-party firewall software installed on the computer, disable it. For information about how to disable third-party firewall software, see your product documentation or contact the software vendor.

If the Internet Connection Firewall feature is turned on for your network connection, turn it off. To do this, follow these steps.

Windows Vista

Click Start, type firewall.cpl in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
In the Windows Firewall dialog box, click Turn Windows Firewall on or off.

If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.

In the Windows Firewall Settings dialog box, click Off, and then click OK.

Microsoft Windows XP

Click Start, click Run, type firewall.cpl, and then click OK.
In the Windows Filewall dialog box, click Off, and then click OK.

Check for IP Address

Determine if the base station has a wide area network (WAN) Internet Protocol (IP) address. To do so, follow these steps:

Open the Base Station Management tool.
On the Home page, check the settings under Wide Area Network (WAN) Settings. If your computer does not have a WAN IP address assigned to it, contact your Internet service provider (ISP)

Clone the MAC Address

Some Internet service providers record the media access control (MAC) address of the adapter that you use when you first connect to the Internet. A MAC address is a unique numeric identifier for a hardware device, such as a base station or network adapter. Depending on your ISP account, you may experience problems if you use the base station's default MAC address to connect to the Internet. To avoid this problem, clone the MAC address of the adapter that is installed in the computer where you initially set up the broadband connection. When you clone the adapter's MAC address, it replaces the base station WAN MAC address, so each device on the network, including the base station, appears to have that same MAC address. To clone a MAC address:

Open the Base Station Management Tool, and then click Wide Area Network. If you are using the computer that you used to set up the broadband Internet connection, go to step 3.
In the MAC address box, type the MAC address of the adapter that is installed in the computer that was originally used to set up the Internet connection. The MAC address typically appears on a label on the bottom of your adapter.
Click Clone MAC address.

Note It is a good idea to record the MAC address of the adapter that you clone, so that if you lose your settings or you no longer have the adapter, you do not lose your ability to connect to the Internet.

Keywords: KB810963

Microsoft KB Archive/810963

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