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Vigor & Cable Modem Setup Troubleshooting Guide

Normally, the setup guide here should get your Vigor router talking you your cable modem, via Ethernet and happily surfing. If this doesn't happen, then firstly check the router's online status screen. In a working scenario, your WAN interface should have an IP address shown, like this :

If an address isn't shown, do check the setup progress again, following the steps exactly. After booting the router, an IP address should appear in WAN status within approximately one minute. If this does not happen, then some WAN DHCP logs may be useful - you can email these to your support contact together with a description of the problem.

Do also exclude the possibility of the wrong cabling; the Ethernet LED on the router and modem should light, and go off when you remove the Ethernet cable.

About the DHCP Client

For the connection between your modem and router, the router is a DHCP client - it asks for, and is given an address by the cable modem (DHCP server). Don't confuse this with the router acting as a DHCP server on its own LAN interface, where the PCs are the clients.

How to use Telnet

You will need to use the router's Telnet interface :

If you are using Windows 2000/XP, then the default Telnet program is 'DOS' based and doesn't allow you to capture the logs (very useful!) so instead use Windows Hyperterminal in Telnet mode :

Similar Telnet programs are available for other Operating Systems. Once inside Telnet, with a connection to the router open (a Vigor2200> prompt should appear) you can start a text caputure, so that all output is saved to a text file, ready for emailing :

Capturing DHCP Client Logs

Having got to the point at the end of the 'foolproof method' in our setup guide, reboot the router (turn it off and on again). Wait approximately one minute, and then open telnet and start a text capture (as described earlier).

Enter the following commands, pressing enter after each :

Vigor2200> sys ver
vigor2200> ip dhcpc status
Vigor2200> log -wt
Vigor2200> log -c

Then close the text capture and email the file to your support contact. Don't forget to also include details of the problem, your purchase details and the router/modem model in use.

More advanced users can also produce Ethernet sniff logs using the excellent Ethereal. In Ethereal, don't enable MAC name resolution, Network name resolution or Transport Name Resolution.

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