Results 1 to 4 of 4

Thread: Interesting event: Unpowered router as an antenna...

  1. #1
    Ineedanewusersname's Avatar
    Ineedanewusersname is offline Member/Winner 2013 Satfix NFL Pool for week # 1 & week #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Posts
    213
    Satfix Buxs
    19,931
    Thanks
    40
    Thanked 229x in 116 Posts
    Items Medal 3
Gift received at 10-01-2013, 11:22 AM from darlinkat
Message: Well you are the champion lolFootball
Gift received at 10-01-2013, 11:18 AM from darlinkat
Message: You are the champion !!!!

    Default Interesting event: Unpowered router as an antenna...

    About 3 years ago I set up a home network for a family who live out in the "sticks". They were unable to get cable/DSL so they had to use a dish based antenna system for their internet connection.

    They live in an old farm house that only had one RJ11(?) connector, no Ethernet wiring and of course no monies to add same. I had some old extras parts so I set them up with a wireless system; a WRT160N, to use in connecting to the internet, a WRT54g router (addressed as a bridge) -both with DD-WRT software and a WET54G bridge.

    With no RJ45 wiring available, I set the Network up as an ICS connection using an XP Pro desktop as the Network base and 2 other XP laptops as a clients. Surprisingly all was well for three years with no problem and no calls for help.

    When XP was dropped, they finally lost their internet connection so lucky lucky me, I received a call for help.

    When I arrived, my first thought was to power reboot the router (NOT reset) as he said nothing was done in last three years. So then I proceeding to unplug the power cord from the router, WRT160N, and move the cable from the the Internet connection to an WLAN port, so I can check the programming and around 20 to 25 seconds into this procedure, the internet came back on....WTF

    I was able to duplicate this by again just by moving the router cable. Well I said as I cracked open another beer, let us check the other laptop for connection. I powered up the other laptop, checked the ISP address and it was; 192.168.1.XXX , gateway was 192.168.1.1 and it was in DCHP mode. I then plugged that laptop into its' bridge and when it connected the ISP and the Gateway changed to 192.168.0.XXX thus bypassing the router.

    One client was 10 feet and the other was 25 feet, as the crow flies, from the WRT160N router.

    Other notes: the XP Ethernet internal board was a Broadcom 5700 series, running X32 OS Pro, Sp3
    I always set my home network to a static address but I remember him calling me after a power failure and I had him change both of the laptops to DCHP so I would not have to go and visit.

    I have since gave them my old Win7 X64 laptop for their network server and they are happy.

    I checked the program in the WRT160N and it matched the original, no changes. Left as was.

    I did set it up as MAC filtering connection only, as I normally do( but latter I found out that they had been "borrowing" thy neighbors airways....so maybe a hacked someway).

    I do not do this for a living and only lucked into this event by being in the right place at the wrong time.



    SO WHY was they able to connect to the internet with the router power cable unplugged? Was able to duplicate after the router power cycle but not after desktop reboot.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Posts
    9,003
    Satfix Buxs
    4,002,465
    Thanks
    3,658
    Thanked 8,666x in 3,246 Posts
    Items PhoneHeartVintage truck
Gift received at 12-23-2012, 09:06 AM from ICEMAN
Message: thank you budTVCoffee makerPinkfloydthe travel gnomeTractor

    Default

    Some (but not all) routers with a 4 port internal 10/100 switch can/will draw DC power off the LAN cards in the PC or laptop connected via hard line CAT-5.

    You can see this on some PC's with a LAN card with LED indicators, they can/will stay green with the PC off.

    Some PC's have a "Wake on LAN" option in the BIOS, this will wake up a PC or laptop in the sleep mode or sometimes powered off, the same for some routers.

    If the system had a hardwired PC and it was on then this may be the case.
    ♫♫♫ I’m a lumberjack and I’m OK ♫♫♫ I drink all night and sleep all day. ♫♫♫



    Coming soon to a crop circle near you.....

    There is a 66 and third % chance that I'm on the right planet...

    "I'm happier then a Jackalope in a balloon factory"

    "First rule of testing satellites"
    "If its working fine now, then don't mess with it"

    "Second rule of testing satellites"
    "If you did mess with it, and now it doesn't work, can you blame someone else?"

    "Third rule of testing satellites"
    "If you did mess with it, and it doesn't work now, and you can't blame someone else"
    "Can you HIDE it"?

  3. The Following User Says Thank You to Terryl For This Useful Post:


  4. #3
    Ineedanewusersname's Avatar
    Ineedanewusersname is offline Member/Winner 2013 Satfix NFL Pool for week # 1 & week #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Posts
    213
    Satfix Buxs
    19,931
    Thanks
    40
    Thanked 229x in 116 Posts
    Items Medal 3
Gift received at 10-01-2013, 11:22 AM from darlinkat
Message: Well you are the champion lolFootball
Gift received at 10-01-2013, 11:18 AM from darlinkat
Message: You are the champion !!!!

    Default

    Interesting..thanks. But there was not any LEDs lite.

    I will look into the Broadcom/WRT160N and maybe the XP desktop BIOS as a last resort, as I am curious.

    The XP desktop has been recycled but when I can, I will try same with the Win7 laptop.
    Last edited by Ineedanewusersname; 03-05-2015 at 01:48 AM.

  5. #4
    Ineedanewusersname's Avatar
    Ineedanewusersname is offline Member/Winner 2013 Satfix NFL Pool for week # 1 & week #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Posts
    213
    Satfix Buxs
    19,931
    Thanks
    40
    Thanked 229x in 116 Posts
    Items Medal 3
Gift received at 10-01-2013, 11:22 AM from darlinkat
Message: Well you are the champion lolFootball
Gift received at 10-01-2013, 11:18 AM from darlinkat
Message: You are the champion !!!!

    Default

    I got a response from Broadcom (XP) and their response was it was not their problem. I tried The Win7 Ultimate addition and gIot the same result (so it was not the SW edition). I then tried a Win7 Sp1 Ultimate laptop (with a integrated Intel 4965AN board) and I was able to repeat the same. I tried to contact Intel via the internet/forum and what I received was that unless I was an OEM supplier with an approved email account then I could not expect an reply, which of course I did not.

    I "assume" that I found a software bug and another thing for us to add to our list: unplug/powerdown.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •