Time Capsule not distributing IP addresses?

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Time Capsule not distributing IP addresses?

I'm currently using a timecapsule to extend my existing network and provide a second wireless network. Myrouter, acting as my DHCP server, is a Netgear DGN3500.

My TC is connected via Ethernetto this, and is creating it's own wireless network.

I'm noticing a problem wherethe TC is not handing out IP addresses - my iMac is saying "Self-assignedIP address" or "No IP address" and thus unable to connect to theinternet via the TC, but can work fine via the Netgear router. Similarly, myphone is often unable to connect to the TC due to not getting an IP address.The problem can usually be fixed, temporarily, by simply restarting the TC –although this is hardly a permanent solution.

There is a windows PC wired viaEthernet to the TC, which works fine on the internet and network.

Am I missing a setting somewhere?

Posted on May 29, 2011 9:52 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Bob Timmons

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159,146 points

May 29, 2011 9:56 AM in response to Zcomuto

If you have the TC connected to the Netgear router, make sure that it is configured in Bridge Mode to allow the Netgear to provide IP addresses for the entire network.

Open AirPort Utility - Click Manual Setup

Click the Internet icon

Connect Using = Ethernet

Connection Sharing = Off (Bridge Mode)

Update to save changes

Restart your entire network

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Answer 2

Zcomuto Author

Level 1

47 points

May 29, 2011 2:35 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Alright, cheers. That's helped for just now, at least didn't require a restart to get the router working. It was on distribute a range of IP's mode.

If the problem appears again, I'll post back.

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Answer 3

Zcomuto Author

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47 points

May 29, 2011 3:12 PM in response to Zcomuto

Unfortunatly, the problem returned - all my devices (bar, for some reason, my iphone and my wired PC) were unable to connect to the TC again, yet were able to connect to the same network via the netgear router.

I have a feeling that the TC is only assigning a single IP adress wirelessly - is there any way to fix this?

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Answer 4

May 29, 2011 6:05 PM in response to Zcomuto

I have a feeling that the TC is only assigning a single IP adress wirelessly - is there any way to fix this?

The TC is not assigning IP addresses if you have it configured correctly in Bridge Mode. That is the job of your Netgear router.

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Answer 5

Zcomuto Author

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47 points

May 30, 2011 6:00 AM in response to Bob Timmons

Perhaps this is the wrong place to ask this, but is there an obvious setting somewhere I'm missing in the netgear router? It has no problem dealing with wireless clients, it's just the TC which cannot seem to give more than one wirelessly. The wired computer client is always unaffected.

I'm getting "Airport has a self-assigned IP adress and will be unable to connect to the internet" permenantly now when trying to connect via my iMac, with no other wireless clients. Restarting isn't fixing the problem.

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Answer 6

Zcomuto Author

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47 points

May 30, 2011 6:10 AM in response to Zcomuto

Noticed something else which might give a bit of help: When the TC is restarted, it will only accept a single wireless client, that connects fine. Any further devices won't connect at all and end up getting auto-assigned IP adresses and no internet connection.

THis does not change until the TC is restarted: it doesn't matter if the first connecting device is turned off or not, the TC still accepts only that device.

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Answer 7

May 30, 2011 6:59 AM in response to Zcomuto

Please double check to make sure that the TC is setup in Bridge Mode, as what you are experiencing indicates that it may not be.

AirPort Utility - Manual Setup

Click the Internet icon

Connect Using = Ethernet

Connection Sharing = Off (Bridge Mode)

Update to save settings on the TC

Restart the entire network

If this does not help, I am out of ideas. I haven't worked with Netgear is some time and cannot remember much about the setup of the device. It is definitely up to the Netgear to provide IP addresses to any clients that connect to the TC, since the TC is in Bridge Mode.

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Answer 8

Zcomuto Author

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47 points

May 30, 2011 10:59 AM in response to Bob Timmons

alright, I reinstalled the firmware and restored to factory settings, and unfortunatly now I'm back to square one.

Innitially, my devices worked fine - 2 phones, an iMac (wireless) and my windows PC (wired) all worked fine through it, I thought problem solved. I also made sure it was on bridge mode, which it was.

However, after a couple of hours, all my wireless devices were suddenly unable to connect to the internet (self assigned / no IP) bar one of them.

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Answer 9

May 30, 2011 11:20 AM in response to Zcomuto

If the wireless devcies are not working, but the wired connection is working......

Then this starts to look more like a situation where you are picking up wireless interference.

Typically, when you restart a router, it "looks" for the best available channel to use. But, if other folks around you start using their wireless network, cordless phones, wireless security/camera systems, then things can get overcrowded and you lose your connection due to the interference.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1365?viewlocale=en_US

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Answer 10

Zcomuto Author

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47 points

May 30, 2011 2:08 PM in response to Bob Timmons

I've tried changing the channel settings on both TC and Netgear, as well as trying 5GHz networks, but the problem still exists.

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Answer 11

May 30, 2011 2:23 PM in response to Zcomuto

The Netgear and TC may be interfering with each other. The only way to find out is temporarily turn off the wireless on the Netgear router, use the wireless only on the TC for the test, and try that for awhile to see what happens.

I'm out of ideas after that.

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Answer 12

Zcomuto Author

Level 1

47 points

May 31, 2011 4:18 AM in response to Bob Timmons

Unfortunatly, the problem still exists when I swap the wireless on/off. The Netgear works fine, the TC does not.

Interstingly, I tried to put my netgear router in Modem-only mode and use the TC as my main router - it still didn't work, encountering exactly the same problems - i.e. wired clients work fine, wireless not so.

I'm begining to think there may be some kind of fault with the TC, or am I jumping to conclusions in thinking that?

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Answer 13

May 31, 2011 5:15 AM in response to Zcomuto

I'm begining to think there may be some kind of fault with the TC, or am I jumping to conclusions in thinking that?

I suppose that anything is possible, but since the TC acts as a "pass through" device to allow the Netgear to provide DHCP and NAT services to all devices, there is a lot more going on here than a simple association between just the TC and other wireless devices.

I'm afraid that all you can do is take the TC in to an Apple store to have them check the device, but you already know what will likely happen....the TC will perform perfectly there.

I can't explain why it would happen because two devices configured correctly should work together....but there are sometimes situations where two devices that work correctly by themselves do not work correctly when they get together.

The TC was designed to connect to a simple cable modem or DSL "bridge modem". It will usually work with another router or gateway, but it's not possible to say whether it will always work with another router or gateway.

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Answer 14

DDR2012

Level 1

4 points

May 13, 2012 6:17 PM in response to Bob Timmons

I have recently encountered the same issue, only my configuration is my TC is connected directly to the cable modem and I use the TC as the hub for my wireless network. My MacBook can connect wirelessly to the TC and out to the internet. However, my iPhone or iPad will no longer connect. Anyone have any ideas?

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Answer 15

May 13, 2012 7:35 PM in response to DDR2012

That is a completely different issue..

Lock the wireless channel. The iphone and less the ipad cannot cope with the auto channel settings in the TC.. this maybe after recent updates to firmware which were a large step backwards.

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