Linksys WAP54G Help

I'm trying to get into the web-based setup for this Access Point, but I am having no luck.

I wasn't the one who set it up, so I'm at a loss as to how to get into it. The default IP has been changed it seems.

The reason I want to get into it is so that I can see how the last person set it up, as I want to expand my company's wireless network with new APs, but I'm not sure of the correct settings (I'm an intern, btw).

Any advice?

 

Did you try 192.168.1.101? That's the one for this AP if automatic configuration was chosen. In this case the default gateway is 192.168.1.1 and the AP would be 192.168.1.101.
If manual config was chosen 192.168.1.245 is the IP to check.

 

Just tried a ping on it. No replies, just time outs.

Also, I've been trying while being connected wirelessly, as well as directly into the WAP's single port. No luck either way.

 

Both 192.168.1.101 and 192.168.1.245?
Are you connected to this AP?

 

Yes. I have a laptop that is connected to the AP wirelessly. I can also connect it directly if needed.

When I ping 192.168.1.101, no replies. Same with .254.

 

See what's your IP and check the first two and last two in this range.
I doubt advanced settings of your connections would help- default gateway, DNS and DHCP would probably point to the actual router/gateway not the AP but you can check it anyway.
What settings do you need from the AP? There's not much useful things there- the only one is the actual gateway's IP but you can check that one on your own PC.
Take a look at this- it's virtual UI for WAP54G v3- you'll see what can be set there.

 

My computer's IP is 192.168.1.46. Default Gateway is 192.168.1.1.

All assigned by DHCP, which is 192.168.1.3.

I want to look around so I can see how the AP is setup so I know how to setup more. I don't know if it's set to static, or automatic DHCP, etc.

 

Have you checked 192.168.1.3?
If it's not default gateway but assigned you an IP it should be your AP.

 

192.168.1.3 is my DHCP/DNS.

 

I understand that but your DHCP is who gave you the IP- in this case probably the AP in question.
Have you tried to access it via browser (I wouldn't trust ping entirely- it might be blocked)

 

Trying 192.168.1.3 in the browser gives me a HTTP 400 Bad Request.

Also, other than my computer, at most there are only two other computers connecting to this AP.

 

OK second to lat easy thing to do- I probably should have started with this.
Launch command prompt and type in "arp -a"
You'll get all the devices in your network- including the AP.

 

Code:

Interface: 192.168.1.46 --- 0x3
Internet Address     Physical Address     Type
192.168.1.1           (not including)        dynamic
192.168.1.3                                      dynamic
192.168.1.7                                      dynamic

Formatting is off, but whatever.

This is what I see after running that command.

.46 is my computer. There is another laptop connected that ends with .67, but isn't included in the above list.

 

It should be one of those. If you can't access neither you should connect via Ethernet cable to the AP- wireless access can be blocked.

You've edited out MAC addresses but if you type in first 6 chars here you are going to get the producer of the device- you are looking for Linksys.
You can omit those with MAC address of ff-ff-ff or something like that.

 

Well, based on that, the 192.168.1.1 is the Linksys AP. Hmm.

I get replies when I ping that address, but from the browser I get nothing.

 

If you have permission from your boss, consider just resetting the hardware. Might be the easiest way. Make sure you check and see if any of the other computers have static IPs and try to figure out as much about the network as you can before you do that, though. And I'd suggest doing it on a Friday evening after everyone has gone home

 

Look at your Gateway IP... that is your router/AP's web interface address. Also, some network equipment like that, once set in a specific mode, is unreachable through HTTP configuration, requiring Telnet or SSH to modify settings. Totally resetting the equipment will usually give you back the web interface, but it also DELETES every setting.

EDIT: Reminds me of Bridge mode. On Bridge mode, one piece of network equipment always becomes transparent.

 

The problem with resetting the hardware is that I don't know the settings to get it back up and running.

This is precisely why I want to get into the setup, so I can study how it is setup so I can get other APs, set them up, and improve our wireless network.

 

Do you know the local topology? I'm assuming that these are all going to operate on the same Subnet?

 

AFAIK there are no subnets setup.

My computer (maybe one or two others) -> WAP -> wallport -> patch panel (though I'm not sure where, the last guy didn't label much) -> switch -> router (I think) -> two T1s.

We have a Cisco ASA, but I haven't completely figured out what we're using it for, or what all is connected to it, or even how it fits into our network. We're moving forward with a project that I am hoping will consolidate a lot of our infrastructure and simplify administration while also making it more robust.

 

Given that you can't get any kind of access to the router, I'm guessing that it's set up as just an access point. You may be able to access it via the IP that the Cisco or other internal DHCP server is giving it (or it's statically allocated), but you won't be able to get to it through any gateway address or anything. It's basically "invisible" to the network, just passing everything over to the internal service providing boxes. You might try an nmap or something and find the MAC addresses and then cross-reference that with the MAC range that Linksys is allocated in order to find the internal IP that the WAP has, and then try to connect to that. But it may just not show up on the network at all.

A good indication that it's set up like that is if the wired IP configuration is the same as the wireless IP configuration, gateways and everything.

 

It is an access point. It is a Linksys WAP54G. The AP has only one port other than the power.

I can find the MAC of the AP and the IP associated with it, but it still does not get me access to the setup page.

 

I just read through everything again... you say you tried to ping the 192.168.1.245 address and it didn't respond. I assume you tried just going to that with a web browser, though? It may not respond to ICMP packets.

Given that it's just an access point and there's almost nothing you can do to configure it (you know the SSID and WPA password and all, right?), a reset isn't going to do anything bad that you can't undo. You won't take down a DHCP server or DNS resolution or anything actually integral to the network. I really think it may be your best way forward in case the WAP is configured weird somehow, or it's just experienced some kind of error that broke the firmware and makes it impossible to log in.

You will not be able to connect to it by just plugging into the port from your computer, because there won't be a DHCP server on that "network" even if it is an autosensing port. You'll have to manually configure the IP for your ethernet port in order to directly connect and the configure it. You can't just plug them together and get into it.

How to configure a linksys WAP54G (access point)

 

Yeah, I know SSID and the key to allow connectivity. I have a laptop that uses the wireless provided by the AP exclusively.

I don't know how the AP is configured, that is why I'm sketchy on just wiping it.

 

1. A Cisco ASA is only useful if it's monitored all the time, and maintenance can be done 24/7. It's one of those pieces of network equipment that's really high maintenance. For your type of network, I'd say it's 526% overkill. Your network seems to be set up without much afterthought as to how it's going to be maintained. Also I'm guessing the AP is in "Repeater" mode, where the core switch is doling out IP's and is keeping an active table of it's devices.

2. Here's a rough topo that I whipped up in like 3mins...



3. The key to understanding your network is visualizing it. Go inspect the various equipment. See which lines go where, and what is connected to what port. Then draw it out. It REALLY helps. Label IP's on those interfaces if possible.

 

Yeah, I'm still not 100% sure how the network is setup at this point. The guy that set it all up, who was here for about five years, ended up leaving about 5 weeks before I showed up.

That one guy was my company's IT department. And now, that's me. He didn't leave a lot of documentation behind, so it has been a lot of guess work for myself and my boss.

I'm still trying to find which connections go where, why we have certain equipment (like the ASA), and how best to improve our network. Like you said, the network wasn't setup with much thought involved.

 

I'm just saying that since it's only an Access Point and not a router that may have routes, ports and other things forwarded, et cetera, the only configurable things really are the SSID and the encryption. Since you know what those need to be, a hard reset cannot get you into a situation that you can't restore things to the way they are.

 

Are you the IT? How big is your network? How many VLAN do you have? What is your core switch? ASA is just a firewall. In order for you to solve the problem, you have to have network layout. I look at your thread. You hardly tell the detail information.

You have to tell me how your network is set up first before anything can be evalulated or solved. What is your router set up looks like? How big is your company?

 

Nevermind, you are an intern. My bad, please ignore my post.

 

Uhhh- that sounds bad...

Anyway- he shouldn't publish too many details of his company's network anyway. First off all it may prove dangerous- especially if posted from a company IP that can be tracked back and secondly because if his boss or coworker tries to find a solution to the problem end ends up in this thread he may get in trouble for sharing too much information.

 

What do you mean that sound bad? I didn't tell him to tell me every detail on the network if he knows what to say. Second, if I have problem with my network, I would not ask the question in this forum. I would talk to Cisco engineer or Microsoft Engineer or professional forum.

The IP address isn't everything if you know how to secure it. You can query my company IP all day long, but what else you are going to do about it?

 

I meant it sounded like "nevermind I just noticed you're only an intern"
I don't see the moment where we've switched discussion to your company- all I remember is that OP's network is has not been built in a professional manner and his IP + detailed architecture of his network + bad intentions could equal problems. Besides such information should be handled on a need to know basis anyway.

 

Okay, we are cool. Since you are the moderator, I have to be extra nice with you. I agree with what you said, but let me make the point here.

I just use my company as an example. You don't have to tell everything about the network layout, but you have to give information that helps with decision making. You know what I mean? His problem is very easy to fix when I read it carefully. I will just leave it at that. I don't want to make too much argument here since today is Friday.

 

You don't need to be cautious because my name is in green
And I know why you gave your company as an example- my point was that Matt's company network wasn't set up with much attention so I'd avoiding saying too much.
If you can help him in any way please do- don't make me Mordac Preventer of The Information Technology by stopping you.

 

LOL. All this conjecture about something so simple. What I would do is this...

1. Find out what network volumes are shared and what is their purpose, address, and physical location.

2. Find out what network printers are where, and who uses them.

3. Check what is connected where and TRY to determine the addressing scheme.

4. Unplug it all, tear it down, and re-build it how it makes sense to you. Just make sure that what you're getting into will be solvable by morning.

5. Restore local shares, and printers, and possibly release/renew all local IP's that are using DHCP.

Your network doesn't seem to be too large, so if your boss expects you to be able to do your job and the old tech didn't leave any notes or local topology diagrams, you have to do what you have to do. He either has to understand that, or pay a LOT more money for a new professional installation. I know how these things go. I've been exactly where you are right now several times.

 

I understand that but your DHCP is who gave you the IP- in this case probably the AP in question.
Have you tried to access it via browser (I wouldn't trust ping entirely- it might be blocked)

 

The AP is not a router or DHCP server. It is an access point. The model he is using is incapable of running a DHCP server and handing out addresses. The gateway and everything else is a red herring... those are all other devices on the network.

 

This may be the route I take. I'll lose a weekend, but it would certainly help.

Our network isn't very large: 6 servers, and roughly 100 users in 3 locations. But being the only IT guy (and an intern at that), it seems very large.