How to Troubleshoot a Down Gateway in a LAN
Broadband routers act as a gateway, or access point, to the Internet connection provided by a cable or DSL modem. In most network setups, the router receives an IP address from the modem, then uses DHCP, or Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, to provide the IP address to computers connected to the LAN. Issues with the DHCP server component or gateway in the router result in computers that cannot connect to the Internet, even if there is no problem with the modem or Internet connection. However, troubleshooting common router problems is relatively simple and only takes a couple of minutes.
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Instructions
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Turn off both the modem and the router. Wait about 60 seconds and turn the devices back on again. Go to one of the computers connected to the router and try to connect to the Internet. Simply resetting the modem and router may fix many gateway-related issues that prevent Internet connections through the router.
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Go to one of the computers connected to the router. Open a Web browser, type the configuration manager IP address for the router into the address bar and press "Enter." On many routers, the IP address is "192.168.0.1" or something similar. Refer to the user manual for the device, or look for the IP address on the bottom or rear of the router.
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Log in to the configuration area of the router with the default username and password as stated in the user manual for the router. Alternatively, enter your custom username and password if you changed the values from their default settings.
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Click the "Status" or "Connection Statistics" link on the configuration page. On the "Status" or "Connection Statistics" page, there should be a "WAN Configuration" or "Internet Connection" status message that indicates that the router has an active Internet connection through the modem. If the connections displays as "Not Active" or "Disabled," click the "Connect" or "Reconnect" button. Wait a couple of minutes and try to get online from the connected computer.
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Click the "DHCP" or "DHCP Server" link. Ensure that the DHCP Server setting on the router is "Active" or "Enabled."
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Click the "Save" or "Save and Reboot" menu option if you make changes in the configuration settings for the router.
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Right-click the network icon on the quick launch bar of the Windows taskbar -- just to the left of the speaker icon -- and click "Open Network and Sharing Center."
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Click "Change Adapter Settings," then right-click the "Local Area Connection" adapter. On the popup menu, click "Properties." Highlight the "Internet Protocol Version 4" entry in the Local Area Connection Properties window, then click the "Properties" button.
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Enable "Obtain an IP address automatically," as well as the "Obtain DNS server address automatically" option. Click the "OK" button. Restart the computer and attempt to connect to the Internet through the router.
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Tips & Warnings
If the above steps do not resolve gateway issues with the router, contact your ISP and verify that your Internet connection is active and working properly.
To determine if the router is defective, disconnect the router from the modem. Connect a computer directly to the cable or DSL modem and see if you can establish an Internet connection. If you can connect to the Internet by connecting directly to the modem, then the issue is with the router.
