Hacking a wireless router?

[[email protected]]

I picked up a Dell TrueMobile 2300 wireless broadband router at the
local thrift store for $1.98 last week. I played around with it long enough to
come to the conclusion that since I don't have a broadband modem, the router is
useless for me.

I had hoped that I could simply leave the ethernet port that should have
gone to a modem unconnected and still use the router as a wireless hub. That
didn't seem to work. I plugged my computer into one of the "normal" ethernet
ports and tried to go through the installation procedure in the manual. Nothing
I tried seemed to work. I couldn't get the router to talk to me at all.

My working theory so far is that there is a somewhat sophisticated
processor inside the router that stops during it's boot phase if it can't find a
broadband modem connected to it.

Is that the case? Or is my newfound plaything simply braindead?

Jim

 

[Walter Harley]

[...] I plugged my computer into one of the "normal" ethernet
ports and tried to go through the installation procedure in the manual.
Nothing
I tried seemed to work. I couldn't get the router to talk to me at all.

My working theory so far is that there is a somewhat sophisticated
processor inside the router that stops during it's boot phase if it can't
find a
broadband modem connected to it.

Is that the case? Or is my newfound plaything simply braindead?

With every home-networking router I've had (wired and wireless), I was able
to ping the router itself from the network ports, regardless of whether it
was connected to something upstream. I think your $1.98 has gone the way of
the other dot-com investments of its era.

 

[[email protected]]

[...] I plugged my computer into one of the "normal" ethernet
ports and tried to go through the installation procedure in the manual.
Nothing
I tried seemed to work. I couldn't get the router to talk to me at all.

My working theory so far is that there is a somewhat sophisticated
processor inside the router that stops during it's boot phase if it can't
find a
broadband modem connected to it.

Is that the case? Or is my newfound plaything simply braindead?

With every home-networking router I've had (wired and wireless), I was able
to ping the router itself from the network ports, regardless of whether it
was connected to something upstream. I think your $1.98 has gone the way of
the other dot-com investments of its era.

Hadn't thought of that. I think the default address is in the docs
somewhere.

..............

Pinged 192.168.2.1 (the default) and it just timed out. 8-(

Question... When I "ping" from a command line prompt, does the ping
always go out over the ethernet port? What if I have a dial-up session open at
the same time?

Jim

 

[Howard Henry Schlunder]

[...] I plugged my computer into one of the "normal" ethernet
ports and tried to go through the installation procedure in the manual.
Nothing
I tried seemed to work. I couldn't get the router to talk to me at all.

My working theory so far is that there is a somewhat sophisticated
processor inside the router that stops during it's boot phase if it
can't
find a
broadband modem connected to it.

Is that the case? Or is my newfound plaything simply braindead?

With every home-networking router I've had (wired and wireless), I was
able
to ping the router itself from the network ports, regardless of whether it
was connected to something upstream. I think your $1.98 has gone the way
of
the other dot-com investments of its era.

Hadn't thought of that. I think the default address is in the docs
somewhere.

.............

Pinged 192.168.2.1 (the default) and it just timed out. 8-(

Question... When I "ping" from a command line prompt, does the ping
always go out over the ethernet port? What if I have a dial-up session
open at
the same time?

Jim

When you try to access any IP address, the TCP/IP stack will look in it's
Routing Table and determine which network adapter to transmit your message
from, and which IP address to specifically transmit it to (unknown IP
addresses are sent to your local gateway, known ones are transmitted
directly). You can look in your own routing table by using the command line
"route print". You can also make manual changes to the routing table, but
usually it is easier to just change your IP address and let the TCP/IP stack
update the routing table.

It is quite possible that your routing table doesn't allow your message to
be sent out your Ethernet adapter, and thus is arriving at the wrong
destination. The router is likely fine. Try setting your local IP address
to 192.168.2.2 and see if you still can't ping or access the router.

 

[Mike Young]

Pinged 192.168.2.1 (the default) and it just timed out. 8-(

Question... When I "ping" from a command line prompt, does the ping
always go out over the ethernet port? What if I have a dial-up session
open at
the same time?

If the router supports DHCP, configure eth0 for DHCP and reboot. If it
doesn't, manually assign a class D address on the same network (e.g.:
192.168.2.1).

`ipconfig /all` will tell you quite a bit about how your network is setup.

`route print` will tell you what traffic goes through which interface.

`traceroute` tells you shows each hop on ...

I think you're in over your head, though.

Me personally, I would just spend the $20 for a NIB NATS router and hub. You
might also try a hard reset on the device before giving up. I would probably
strip the discrete components and call it a wash. Heat the board in a
toaster oven to reflow the solder, and give it a good whack. Whatever falls
off are keepers; the rest go in the trash with the board. Standoffs and
hardware go in the parts jar. (Don't forget: Buy a new toaster oven for the
kitchen. And dress appropriately before flinging solder everywhere.)

 

[Jim Thompson]

If the router supports DHCP, configure eth0 for DHCP and reboot. If it
doesn't, manually assign a class D address on the same network (e.g.:
192.168.2.1).

[snip]

Isn't the more common default 192.168.0.1 ??

You might try that.

...Jim Thompson

 

[Jasen Betts]

Pinged 192.168.2.1 (the default) and it just timed out. 8-(

Question... When I "ping" from a command line prompt, does the ping
always go out over the ethernet port? What if I have a dial-up session open at
the same time?

the ping goes out whichever interface is configured for that IP address.
so your ethernet card is configured as 192.168.2.2 (etc...) it'll go that way.

stick your head roud the back of the computer ans watch the activity light
on your ethernet port.

Bye.
Jasen

 

[[email protected]]

I think you're in over your head, though.

Like Homer (Simpson) said when the guy at the boat rental office told
him he couldn't operate a boat while intoxicated, "I take that as a challenge!"

Me personally, I would just spend the $20 for a NIB NATS router and hub. You
might also try a hard reset on the device before giving up. I would probably
strip the discrete components and call it a wash. Heat the board in a
toaster oven to reflow the solder, and give it a good whack. Whatever falls
off are keepers; the rest go in the trash with the board. Standoffs and
hardware go in the parts jar. (Don't forget: Buy a new toaster oven for the
kitchen. And dress appropriately before flinging solder everywhere.)

More good advice, never fry bacon before you put your pants on.

Jim

 

[[email protected]]

If the router supports DHCP, configure eth0 for DHCP and reboot. If it
doesn't, manually assign a class D address on the same network (e.g.:
192.168.2.1).

[snip]

Isn't the more common default 192.168.0.1 ??

You might try that.

...Jim Thompson

Tried both of them. Still timed out. Once I find my DOS reference book
and refresh my memory on how to redirect command line screen outputs to a file,
I'll paste the results of "route print" in a reply.

Jim

 

[[email protected]]

the ping goes out whichever interface is configured for that IP address.
so your ethernet card is configured as 192.168.2.2 (etc...) it'll go that way.

stick your head roud the back of the computer ans watch the activity light
on your ethernet port.

Bye.
Jasen

The activity light blinks about fifteen times at a once per second rate
with very short blinks, but only immediately after the router is reset. After
that, the activity light stops and doesn't resume even for the "ping" command.

Looks like the router is trying to communicate but my computer isn't
cooperating.

Jim

 

[Ken Taylor]

The activity light blinks about fifteen times at a once per second rate
with very short blinks, but only immediately after the router is reset. After
that, the activity light stops and doesn't resume even for the "ping" command.

Looks like the router is trying to communicate but my computer isn't
cooperating.

Jim

Jim. maybe you've tried, but according to:
http://support.dell.com/support/top...ument?dn=1089191&l=en&langid=1&c=us&cs=&s=gen

use your browser to go to my.router and you should get a login page: 'admin'
and 'admin' are the default username/password.

Ken

 

[Howard Henry Schlunder]

Have you tried a hard reset? If you haven't the prior owner could have set
the default address to any unknown address and made it inaccessible. Hard
resets are normally done by keeping the device powered on and then pressing
a difficult-to-access momentary switch on the device. You may need to hold
the momentary switch down for a few seconds.

To redirect std output from the screen to a file, use the ">" character.
eg: "route print > MyRoutingTable.txt". If you wish to append std output
from the screen to a (possibly) pre-existing file, use two of the ">"
characters. eg: "route print >> MyRoutingTable.txt"

If the router supports DHCP, configure eth0 for DHCP and reboot. If it
doesn't, manually assign a class D address on the same network (e.g.:
192.168.2.1).

[snip]

Isn't the more common default 192.168.0.1 ??

You might try that.

...Jim Thompson

Tried both of them. Still timed out. Once I find my DOS reference book
and refresh my memory on how to redirect command line screen outputs to a
file,
I'll paste the results of "route print" in a reply.

Jim

 

[[email protected]]

Have you tried a hard reset? If you haven't the prior owner could have set
the default address to any unknown address and made it inaccessible.

Yep. The manual gives details for that. I tried it several times.
Still no joy but I'm not giving up.

To redirect std output from the screen to a file, use the ">" character.
eg: "route print > MyRoutingTable.txt".

Thanks, I remembered | or "pipe" but > was eluding me.

The router will set its self up If I could just access it as a web site.
Perhaps I could find the set-up files for a generic broadband modem and use them
to configure the ethernet port along with TCP/IP protocols and such.

Jim

 

[[email protected]]

Jim. maybe you've tried, but according to:
http://support.dell.com/support/top...ument?dn=1089191&l=en&langid=1&c=us&cs=&s=gen

use your browser to go to my.router and you should get a login page: 'admin'
and 'admin' are the default username/password.

Ken

That's the first thing I tried. The proceedure is written on a label on
the bottom of the router. IE couldn't find my.router either my its name or the
192.168.2.1 address. I'm beginning to think that I just don't have all the
protocols set properly for the ethernet port.

Jim

 

[Robert Latest]

On Mon, 24 Oct 2005 11:45:51 GMT,

That's the first thing I tried. The proceedure is written on a label on
the bottom of the router. IE couldn't find my.router either my its name or the
192.168.2.1 address. I'm beginning to think that I just don't have all the
protocols set properly for the ethernet port.

Perhaps you should first try out your computer with a WL router that you
know works.

robert

 

[Nick.]

The activity light blinks about fifteen times at a once per second rate
with very short blinks, but only immediately after the router is reset.
After that, the activity light stops and doesn't resume even for the
"ping" command.

Looks like the router is trying to communicate but my computer isn't
cooperating.

Can you use it in place of a normal hub? (forget wireless, IP addresses
etc. at the mo, this should test the hardware ports)

Is your ethernet port set to use DHCP (get an IP address automatically)?

It may be that the router has been set to disable DHCP and given an
arbitary IP address. You may have to reset the router to factory default
(notmally holding a reset button for a while)

If the router has been reset and your ethernet card set to dhcp, you
should be ale to run ipconfig in a dos prompt (assuming you are using
Windoze) and the ethernet interface should have a 192.168.2.something
address.

Is your browser configured to use a proxy server? If so, turn it off while
trying to log in to the router.

 

[Zak]

I picked up a Dell TrueMobile 2300 wireless broadband router at the
local thrift store for $1.98 last week. I played around with it long enough to
come to the conclusion that since I don't have a broadband modem, the router is
useless for me.

You can probably use it as an access point.

I had hoped that I could simply leave the ethernet port that should have
gone to a modem unconnected and still use the router as a wireless hub. That
didn't seem to work. I plugged my computer into one of the "normal" ethernet
ports and tried to go through the installation procedure in the manual. Nothing
I tried seemed to work. I couldn't get the router to talk to me at all.

My working theory so far is that there is a somewhat sophisticated
processor inside the router that stops during it's boot phase if it can't find a
broadband modem connected to it.

Is that the case? Or is my newfound plaything simply braindead?

Google for openwrt and Dell TrueMobile 2300 on how to use the processor
in different ways. Good chance that running a DHCP server on your
computer will give teh router an address...


Thomas

 

[Arie de Muynck]

Pinged 192.168.2.1 (the default) and it just timed out. 8-(

Install Ethereal on your computer, start it collecting packets, then turnon
the router.
Normally equipment starts sending some packets to poll for duplicate IP
address: that tells you its own MAC and IP addres.

Regards,
Arie de Muynck

 

[[email protected]]

Install Ethereal on your computer, start it collecting packets, then turnon
the router.
Normally equipment starts sending some packets to poll for duplicate IP
address: that tells you its own MAC and IP addres.

Regards,
Arie de Muynck

OK. I now have a file of captured packets. There is a lot of stuff
going on but I can't figure it all out yet. I saved the file and when I reload
it back into Ethereal, it shows up the same way it did when it was live.

If I posted the file somewhere, (it's only 3 KB) could you look at it
and give me some pointers as to what is going on?

It's clear that the router *isn't* dead, it's just looking for things
that my computer isn't (yet) able to give it.

Jim

 

[Howard Henry Schlunder]

OK. I now have a file of captured packets. There is a lot of stuff
going on but I can't figure it all out yet. I saved the file and when I
reload
it back into Ethereal, it shows up the same way it did when it was live.

If I posted the file somewhere, (it's only 3 KB) could you look at it
and give me some pointers as to what is going on?

Sure. Post it someplace.