Ntl/virgin Set-top Box + Router = No?

[Simon]

Right, i have NTL/Virgin media internet.

I've had a router now for well over a year, it worked at first with both my laptop and PC, PC being wired and laptop on wireless, but then after a while it started to disconnect me every 2 or 3 hours so i took out router, tried it again a month or two later and it did the below. Tried it again few weeks ago and it did same, but really would like to get it working!

Here is what i do.

1. Unplug everything, turn of everything
2. Plug ethernet from set-top box into the 'internet' port on router
3. Run wire from router to PC
4. Laptop has wireless USB dongle
5. Turn everything back on

This is where it gets interesting.

1. Go to router admin and clone my laptops mac, as thats where the internet went directly into before
2. Go to internet on laptop, or PC, and get the 'register your computer' screen from NTL
3. Register from the laptop
4. Turn everything off and back on
5. Go to internet, asks me to register again
6. I register again and it says there was an error and the computer couldn't be registered (still on laptop here)

I also go onto router and renew all the DHCP to get the right DNS servers and it changes them all, still asks to register both the laptop and PC. I've cloned my Mac number so it shouldn't ask me to register!

If i don't clone my Mac and the router uses its own, i can't get to anything on the internet at all.

NTL/Virgin claim it isn't their problem for some reason.

If it makes any difference, i have a Linksys WTGxxx something wireless router, for cable internet.

[Tomm]

Unless the set top boxes (STBs) are completely different to the cable modems (which I doubt is the case), then you don't need to clone a mac address.

Just turn the STB off and then on again. It'll simply register the first mac address it detects.

Sometimes it can be finicky about the order you turn things on (It should be STB, router, PC). I don't know if spoofing the mac address will create any conflicts on your network? I'd just return it to default if I were you.

But I've never had to 'register' my connection (Except maybe the first time I ever used it). I've even moved house 3 times and not had to re-register (as long as you use the same modem in the same general area, it will work). So I'm not quite sure what that's all about.

[tomturd]

I don't know if spoofing the mac address will create any conflicts on your network?

It would do as the router wouldn't know where to send packets to (I believe..)

[Simon]

Right, just plugged it all in and stuff, with my computer wired in. Can get to router and could ping google, couldn't get to any sites though. Just moved the cable from PC to laptop and it works, this is how i'm posting.

I don't want that though, obviously, so what's going?

I've turned it all off and back on in different orders, still can't get anywhere on wired PC, but can on wired laptop?

Is it because the laptop was registered as the computer of the house? Surely i should be able to register the PC somehow or get it working, or do i have to re-register with the PC then plug it in, then setup wireless again?

Argh.

[Mike Deere]

We had that problem, for some reason the account/line needed "reactivating" but it doesn't tell you that when you try it online. Just give them a call, explain the problem and act dumb. They'll sort it out for you.