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Question

Different IP's connected to WIFI

Feb 2, 2015 7:28AM PST

Hello all,

I've got a bit of a strange problem. I regularly connect to an open, free to use wifi network. Lately I've noticed that my laptop and phone have external IP addresses, in the past they have always been router addresses (192.168.x.x)

When trying to connect a 3rd device, it automatically gets a router address, with no internet connection, but the possibility of connecting to the routers setup. (The routers setup page even displays no internet on the wifi, under connected devices all 3 devices show up, 2 with external IP's and one with a router IP)

An educated guess would tell me that the modem is connected to the routers LAN port and not WAN. My question is why are some devices seemingly using the routers wifi but bypassing the network setup and other devices do the opposite. (What criteria is used to decide which device does what) And secondly, can this be altered so that all my devices get external IP's?

Thanks for any help!

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
I don't see make, models.
Feb 2, 2015 8:15AM PST

Also, why guess if the modem is connected to the LAN port? There are modems with builtin DHCP servers and routers so having more than 1 DHCP server can create something like you noted. It's an invalid setup. Correct that first.
Bob

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Netgear wnr2000v3, don't know what kind of modem it is
Feb 2, 2015 9:03AM PST

Thanks for the reply, I hadn't though of the possibility that the modem was running a DHCP server as well as the router. As I said, this is an openly free accessible network, but I don't have access to the hardware. The reason I think the modem is wrongly connected on the router is because the router tells me there is no internet connectivity on the internet port.

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Then it's just a bum setup?
Feb 2, 2015 9:11AM PST

Time to use some other network. I carry my own hotspot for this and other reasons. Since we (you and I) can't control this bum network what to do?
Bob

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Answer
can this be altered so that all my devices get external IP's
Feb 2, 2015 9:18AM PST

Q. can this be altered so that all my devices get external IP's?

A. You could try assigning the IP information MANUALLY. This is well documented territory and would be specific to that location. I won't be able to guess the correct settings. It does run the risk of making a bad situation worse.

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You could try assigning the IP information MANUALLY
Feb 2, 2015 6:16PM PST

Thanks for the replies. I thought it was a bit of a disaster situation. It does seem to be a bit of strange setup, or a plain mistake. Assigning the IP information manually seems slightly above my networking knowledge but at least I am a bit wiser!

Thanks a lot!