Cannot connect to my home wifi network

Bleedred

Member
SoSH Member
Feb 21, 2001
9,963
Boston, MA
I was traveling this weekend and connected to my hotel network. Historically, I've never had to do anything to reconnect to my home network other than to login to the internet. It says I am not connected to my network, and asked me to enter the PIN from my router (I've never had to do this before). That didn't work (message: "windows can't get the new work settings from the router"). I have no idea what my "security key" is, so connecting that way is not an option

Why isn't it just letting me connect like I always have? Please help. Thanks

Edit: I have a Lenovo Thinkpad, if that matters
 

JakeRae

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 21, 2005
8,125
New York, NY
Hardwire connect to the router (use an ethernet cable). Reset your network settings. While you're at it, update the firmware on your router, since it probably hasn't happened in a while.
 

Bleedred

Member
SoSH Member
Feb 21, 2001
9,963
Boston, MA
Hardwire connect to the router (use an ethernet cable). Reset your network settings. While you're at it, update the firmware on your router, since it probably hasn't happened in a while.
I don't think I have an ethernet cable....and don't know how to update the firmware on my router (yes, you get the gist....I'm pretty f**king clueless)
 

Couperin47

Member
SoSH Member
While hardwire connect to the router is, obviously, the way to connect to it:

1. If he doesn't know his name and password, and they are not saved in his browser, good luck resetting anything in router without a hard factory reset. Hint: many home routers all use "admin" as the name and that can't even be changed. If you never setup a real password then either "password' or '12345678' are often what you get from the factory.

2. If the router is part of an ISP supplied modem/router then you can't upgrade firmware, they will do it from your headend, usually after a hard reboot.

3. If your router is anything from DLink, Netgear or many of the other majors, firmware updates can often either create more problems than they solve or simply swap issues. I strongly recommend finding the user support forums and making sure you know what you are getting into with firmware updates. Example: my current router is a Netgear and the last 3 firmware updates for my model had 2 withdrawn as they resulted in far worse performance and outright bugs than the earlier iterations, and the 3rd just swapped known issues.

Also be aware most router makers essentially do not understand the concept of a "model name", while this should provide the information as to the identity of your hardware, Netgear for example, persisted in using a model number like 614 for over 3 years with no less than 8 versions of the 614, none of which were compatible for firmware. Installing the firmware for a 614 v5 on a v4 model is a great way to either brick your router or start making it act very erratically and while, most of the time, it will notice and refuse to allow you to update with incorrect firmware, this is not 100% true.

What is the Make/Model of your router ?
 

Bleedred

Member
SoSH Member
Feb 21, 2001
9,963
Boston, MA
Most of what you wrote is gibberish to me, but my Router is provided by comcast: Netgear 54 Mbps wireless router WGR614 v8
 

Bleedred

Member
SoSH Member
Feb 21, 2001
9,963
Boston, MA
lol, I swear I had no idea what you had, I'd be very wary of upgrading your firmware if you have had no issues up to now, the label on the bottom should include your default login info: almost certainly admin and password.
what's the purpose of a "default login"? i.e. when I try to connect to a network, i have two options: (i) enter the PIN from the router label (which isn't working, as noted above); or (ii) use a "security key", which I don't know what that is. where does a "default login" come into play? Apologies for the remedial knowledge here.
 

judyb

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 18, 2005
4,444
Wilmington MA
I doubt this helps, but I have Comcast, and the thing I have to type in to connect when it doesn't on its own is called Network Key on the router label.
 

RIFan

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
3,087
Rhode Island
Look on the modem itself for the security key. The modem supplied by my cable company has all the info labeled on the modem.
 

Couperin47

Member
SoSH Member
It appears the Comcast 614 is probably a version using proprietary firmware, "Network Key" is not something to be found on any retail version.This means the last thing you should attempt is installing new firmware from Netgear and it really is time to contact Comcast.
 

Bleedred

Member
SoSH Member
Feb 21, 2001
9,963
Boston, MA
It appears the Comcast 614 is probably a version using proprietary firmware, "Network Key" is not something to be found on any retail version.This means the last thing you should attempt is installing new firmware from Netgear and it really is time to contact Comcast.
Ok, thank you. I appreciate the guidance.
 

TomTerrific

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
2,702
Wayland, MA
Ok, thank you. I appreciate the guidance.
I believe one issue you're confronting is that the firmware Comcast has installed overwrites the standard built-in keycheck. They do this because they would like to make it easy for you (i.e., they think you're a moron) and allow for a "simple" password. I'll bet this is what is being referred to as a "Network Key". They made me do this and like an idiot I relented--both the 2.6 GHz and 5.4 GHz networks off my router can be accessed using the same weak 8-character password that the tech had me choose and then set at the time of installation. I presume you did the same thing, and then forgot your simple password.

The difficulty then is that the WPA2 (most likely) password written on the bottom of your unit will no longer work to access the network(s). I just verified this by deleting my networks and trying to reconnect. Only the idiot password works, not the one on the bottom of the box.

This time when you go through Comcast and they reset your idiot password (which I'm sure they can do remotely), just write it down on the bottom of the box next to the "real" password.
 

Bleedred

Member
SoSH Member
Feb 21, 2001
9,963
Boston, MA
I believe one issue you're confronting is that the firmware Comcast has installed overwrites the standard built-in keycheck. They do this because they would like to make it easy for you (i.e., they think you're a moron) and allow for a "simple" password. I'll bet this is what is being referred to as a "Network Key". They made me do this and like an idiot I relented--both the 2.6 GHz and 5.4 GHz networks off my router can be accessed using the same weak 8-character password that the tech had me choose and then set at the time of installation. I presume you did the same thing, and then forgot your simple password.

The difficulty then is that the WPA2 (most likely) password written on the bottom of your unit will no longer work to access the network(s). I just verified this by deleting my networks and trying to reconnect. Only the idiot password works, not the one on the bottom of the box.

This time when you go through Comcast and they reset your idiot password (which I'm sure they can do remotely), just write it down on the bottom of the box next to the "real" password.
Excellent, I appreciate that heads up.
 

NortheasternPJ

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SoSH Member
Nov 16, 2004
19,271
It appears the Comcast 614 is probably a version using proprietary firmware, "Network Key" is not something to be found on any retail version.This means the last thing you should attempt is installing new firmware from Netgear and it really is time to contact Comcast.
It appears he should just throw out the Comcast gear, stop getting milked for $10+ a month and just buy something that doesn't suck and perform like shit.
 

Bleedred

Member
SoSH Member
Feb 21, 2001
9,963
Boston, MA
My kid (14 y.o.) knew the security key password and now it works!

As for why shouldn't I just junk the comcast router, I suppose I'll ask the naive question. What happens when I have router problems and I need to call someone?
 

SumnerH

Malt Liquor Picker
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Jul 18, 2005
31,888
Alexandria, VA
Never had to call, as I was using the wrong password last night (my kid was asleep)
If you had to call them, here's a way to simulate how helpful they are: let your phone go 5 days without charging. Place in 1 gallon of water for 15 minutes. Run through the dryer.

Now speak into the phone and state your problem.
 

TomTerrific

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
2,702
Wayland, MA
My kid (14 y.o.) knew the security key password and now it works!

As for why shouldn't I just junk the comcast router, I suppose I'll ask the naive question. What happens when I have router problems and I need to call someone?
Excellent. Glad to hear that worked out. I presume you wrote it down somewhere.

Now to your question.

As preamble, I am a longtime Comcast user, and for the first 10 or so years I purchased my own WiFi router that I attached to their modem, and then I got lazy (also, I moved) and for the past year and a half I've been using the modem and router they gave me when they set up my new service. BTW, I have Xfinity Triple Play, so all of my services (phone, internet, TV) go through Comcast.

In that year and a half, I have never had a problem with the WiFi router that powering the thing off and back on didn't resolve. Prior to that, I had numerous occasions where, for example, internet service went out but I still had TV. In that situation, I was able to check that the problem was Comcast's and not mine by simply pulling the ethernet cable (that goes from the modem to the router) out of the router and plugging it into my laptop. I honestly can't recall a single time that something went wrong with the WiFi router itself that wasn't just an ordinary freeze-up, i.e., the old power cycle trick resolved it.

If I weren't so lazy, I would readily go out and replace all their equipment now with purchased equipment. But, unfortunately, I am. However, other people are less lazy than I.

So, here are my caveats if I were advising such a person. The biggest hurdle will be actually setting up the modem and router the first time. In general, I've found this pretty easy and the instructions very straightforward. On the other hand I am 100% certain that my wife, an otherwise highly educated and high functioning individual, would completely freak out were she to try and do this. (You'll probably know if you're similarly inclined, and if so, I would advise you to stick with all Comcast equipment.) I am also 100% certain that my college-age son, who is not of an engineering bent and whose computer knowledge is limited to the Windows Office products, could also hook up said equipment, no problem. And that's because he's not a technophobe, even if he isn't very knowledgeable. Hopefully that gives you some idea of the difficulty of doing this. If your 14-yr old kid is at all comfortable with computers, he'll probably be able to do it.

Second, make sure you get a DOCSIS 3.0 compliant modem/router--this is the standard required by every ISP these days. They'll have a list of compatible modems, so just make sure the one you want to get is on their list before you get it. Also, make sure it's not the very cheapest model because you'll sacrifice speed and upgradeability as network speeds improve. For example, make sure it has gigabit ports on it. This shouldn't cost too much.

Finally, get an ethernet cable that you can plug into your modem/router and hook to your computer when needed, because as I explained above there are times when you need to check if the problem is your equipment or Comcast, and this is one of the best ways to do that. As for the power cycle thing, you can just pull the plug out of the wall, wait for all the lights to die, and then plug it back in.

That's it
 

JakeRae

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 21, 2005
8,125
New York, NY
My kid (14 y.o.) knew the security key password and now it works!

As for why shouldn't I just junk the comcast router, I suppose I'll ask the naive question. What happens when I have router problems and I need to call someone?
You have a 14 year old kid. Odds are they are more useful at troubleshooting any tech problems you might have with the router than Comcast will be.
 

The Napkin

wise ass al kaprielian
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 13, 2002
28,534
right here
My kid (14 y.o.) knew the security key password and now it works!

As for why shouldn't I just junk the comcast router, I suppose I'll ask the naive question. What happens when I have router problems and I need to call someone?
As opposed to how helpful Comcast was with this issue?
Never had to call, as I was using the wrong password last night (my kid was asleep)
You're making my point.
You thought you had a problem with Comcast's router. Instead of calling Comcast you asked SoSH for help and then your kid fixed it.Then you asked what would happen if you had a 3rd party router and had problems and had to call someone. Which you didn't do in the first place.