Using 2Wire model 1800HG DSL modem WPA-PSK TKIP

[oldaolgeezer]

I thought I'd describe a possible workaround for using
WPA-PSK TKIP through a 2Wire model 1800HG DSL modem when
having family visitors with various WIFI electronics.

Over the last few years, when family members wish to use my
WPA-PSK TKIP WIFI through my 2Wire model 1800HG DSL modem, I've been
subjected to whimpering from my relatives "my device can not
connect to your DSL modem!"

These visitors had double checked that they were using my SSID and
my "correct" WIFI password and had "restarted" or "rebooted"
their electronics without any success!

The visitors had this issue no matter what software or hardware brand
electronics they owned. (I noted this occured regardless of the
latest MAC laptops, iphone or ipod models or Android tablet or
Windows 7 or Puppy laptops etc. Some of the devices had even
used my WIFI on a previous visit.)

Searching the web for possible solutions showed some suggestions
such as to set your DSL model's wireless IP address to "static".
(While this might work, I felt some of my visiting family members
would have frustration in changing the IP address on their own devices.)

I first blundered upon a "workaround" by briefly disconnecting my
2Wire model 1800HG DSL modem from the AC wall outlet. (This had
a disadvantage of the time delay while the DSL modem rebooted
and reconnected to the ISP and then restarted its WIFI service.)
But this did allow visitor's devices to connect to my WIFI
without any changes.

Since then, (using one of the two PC's CAT5 wired to the DSL modem),
I discovered that I could enter 192.168.1.254 in my Firefox
browser and "disable" just the wireless on my "Home Network" and then
"enable" wireless again. (I tell my family visitors not to
change their devices, merely let their devices continue to try to
connect to my WIFI and after a minute or two their devices
"magically" connect!)

On a recent family gathering, the 2Wire model 1800HG DSL modem
had 10 active wireless devices and two wired PC working (abet
slowly) !

Hope this helps some other 2Wire model 1800HG DSL modem owner.

[rcrsn51]

My daughter once had the same problem with her wireless router. She tried everything short of re-installing Windows on the client machine. Then she finally rebooted the router.

I wonder how common this is?

[oldaolgeezer]

The 2Wire model 1800HG DSL modem, with its builtin wireless,
seems to "remember" every DHCP IP address and host name it has
ever given out at our house.
(I recognize some of the host names from years ago.)

The 1800HG claims that it still has more than 130 DHCP IP
addresses still available.

I suspect that the issue may be related to DHCP Lease Time
(currently set for 48 hours) and the "remembered" host name and
IP address. Even though visitors, returning after a number of days,
need just the 1800HG's wireless function disabled/enabled to
get connected again. (Their devices stored my SSID and
my "correct" WIFI password from their last visit.)
Already functioning connected wireless family members
only feel a brief delay until the the wireless is re-enabled for
everyone.

Thus the issue is a recurring minor annoyance.

[rcrsn51]

The 2Wire model 1800HG DSL modem, with its builtin wireless, seems to "remember" every DHCP IP address and host name it has ever given out at our house. (I recognize some of the host names from years ago.)

What happens if you unplug the router and let it sit for a few minutes? Surely it must eventually forget this stuff when it is powered down.

[oldaolgeezer]

What happens if you unplug the router and let it sit for a few minutes? Surely it must eventually forget this stuff when it is powered down.

The 2Wire model 1800HG DSL modem has been occasionally powered off (sometimes for up to two weeks at a time), but, like an elephant, it doesn't forget.

A few years ago when the wireless issue first came to my attention, I would unplug the 1800HG and when it rebooted, I noticed that my android tablets could get a wireless connection without setting their ethernet to use a static IP address (as was frequently suggested in tablet forums at that time for a number of wireless modem/router brands.)

As family members handheld wireless devices became more common, I was unpluging the 1800HG more often, usually at the time of their first day visiting.

As I said in the original post, I recently found that I only needed to stop and start the wireless feature of the 1800HG to enable wireless devices of many brands to connect. (My directly cabled PC's continue working while the wireless feature is stopped and started.)