OT. Problem logging into my router

[Richard Evans]

Hi all, This is off topic but I thought it was worth asking as somebody
might have some ideas.

The problem is that the other day I tried to log into my Link-Sys
broadband router, from my laptop (using Windows XP) and it failed to log
in. It always used to work just fine, but now it suddenly doesn't seem
to accept my username and password.

Today I tried logging in using my old desktop (using Windows ME) and
logged straight in on my first attempt. So I went back to my laptop to
try again, and it still refuses to log in.

So at least I do have a way to access my router settings, but it is
going to be rather a pain to have to go and start up my old desktop,
just to access my router.

So I'm a bit confused here. Why does it work fine on my old desktop, but
refuse to work on my laptop. I think it may be something to do with an
update to Windows XP, as I normally keep my laptop up to date will all
the critical updates and I think I probably installed one such update
since the previous time I accessed my router successfully.

One final possible clue. I tried using internet explorer from my laptop
(I normally use Netscape 7) and internet explorer displayed the
following warning: "Warning: This server is requesting that your
username and password be sent in an insecure manner (basic
authentication without a secure connection)." (I typed in the correct
username and password and it failed to connect) Obviously I have no
problem with the log in information not being encrypted, as I am only
logging in over my internal network, but I'm wondering. Perhaps a recent
XP security update might be blocking the sending of un-encrypted
passwords. Perhaps there is a way to turn down the security setting on
my laptop for connections on my internal network, perhaps that might fix
the problem.

Any ideas?

Richard E.

[Malcolm Knight]

internet explorer displayed the following warning: "Warning: This
server is requesting that your username and password be sent in an
insecure manner (basic authentication without a secure connection)."

That's just Internet Explorer 7 being unnecessarily fussy. It means what
it says; that the password could be sniffed out somewhere along its
transmission path. Lots of web pages bring up exactly the same 'error'
since IE7.

Perhaps a recent XP security update might be blocking the sending of
un-encrypted passwords.

Doubt it; all my websites using the same 'Basic authentication' still
work with all the latest updates.

Perhaps there is a way to turn down the security setting on my laptop
for connections on my internal network, perhaps that might fix the
problem.
Any ideas?

No sorry.

[Richard Evans]

It appears that the problem is with my Symantec internet security.

I just tried turning it all off for a period of 5 minutes, and all of a
sudden there were no problems accessing my router. Petty Symantec didn't
show some sort of warning that it was blocking something, as then I
would have realised sooner.

Looks like I'll have to go through my Symantec settings and try to
figure out how to tell it that I don't need any internet security when
accessing the address of my router.

Richard E.

[Malcolm Knight]

Post by Richard Evans
It appears that the problem is with my Symantec internet security.

Symantic is at the root of very many PC evils. I've even known it (on
other people's PCs, it's bargepole territory for me) block access to the
Norton subscription renewal page.

[Richard Evans]

Post by Malcolm Knight

Post by Richard Evans
It appears that the problem is with my Symantec internet security.

Symantic is at the root of very many PC evils. I've even known it (on
other people's PCs, it's bargepole territory for me) block access to the
Norton subscription renewal page.

Well now all of a sudden I have lost access to my router again, even if
I tell it to switch the firewall off. It seems that it doesn't like
having security features switched off.

I once tried to stop it from scanning outgoing mail as I was sending
some large files, and it was causing some confusion. Despite switching
off everything it still kept scanning all outgoing mail. That time I
gave up and used my desktop instead.

It's still a good thing to know that it is there in the background
protecting everything, but it can sometimes be a real pain trying to
stop it from blocking things that really don't need to be blocked.

Richard E.

[Frank]

Post by Malcolm Knight

Post by Richard Evans
It appears that the problem is with my Symantec internet security.

Symantic is at the root of very many PC evils. I've even known it (on
other people's PCs, it's bargepole territory for me) block access to the
Norton subscription renewal page.

Well now all of a sudden I have lost access to my router again, even if I
tell it to switch the firewall off. It seems that it doesn't like having
security features switched off.
I once tried to stop it from scanning outgoing mail as I was sending some
large files, and it was causing some confusion. Despite switching off
everything it still kept scanning all outgoing mail. That time I gave up
and used my desktop instead.
It's still a good thing to know that it is there in the background
protecting everything, but it can sometimes be a real pain trying to stop
it from blocking things that really don't need to be blocked.
Richard E.

How fascinating, try the correct newsgroup or forum.

[Richard Evans]

Post by Frank

Post by Malcolm Knight

Post by Richard Evans
It appears that the problem is with my Symantec internet security.

Symantic is at the root of very many PC evils. I've even known it (on
other people's PCs, it's bargepole territory for me) block access to the
Norton subscription renewal page.

Well now all of a sudden I have lost access to my router again, even if I
tell it to switch the firewall off. It seems that it doesn't like having
security features switched off.
I once tried to stop it from scanning outgoing mail as I was sending some
large files, and it was causing some confusion. Despite switching off
everything it still kept scanning all outgoing mail. That time I gave up
and used my desktop instead.
It's still a good thing to know that it is there in the background
protecting everything, but it can sometimes be a real pain trying to stop
it from blocking things that really don't need to be blocked.
Richard E.

How fascinating, try the correct newsgroup or forum.

I did put the letters OT at the start of the subject title. Perhaps you
have managed to work out what they stand for.

I asked here as I know there are quite a few technically knowledgeable
people here, who might have some ideas. So why go hunting for another
newsgroup.

Besides I could argue that since I quite often use my internet
connection to listen to digital radio services, it is not entirely off
topic.

Richard E.

[Silk]

Post by Richard Evans
It's still a good thing to know that it is there in the background
protecting everything, but it can sometimes be a real pain trying to
stop it from blocking things that really don't need to be blocked.

You may find there's never been a better time to check out one of the
newest Linux distributions. They'll usually install and run on most
hardware without a hitch, will run much faster and have immunity from
viruses, spyware etc.

[d***@yahoo.co.uk]

Post by Richard Evans
Hi all, This is off topic but I thought it was worth asking as somebody
might have some ideas.
The problem is that the other day I tried to log into my Link-Sys
broadband router, from my laptop (using Windows XP) and it failed to log
in. It always used to work just fine, but now it suddenly doesn't seem
to accept my username and password.
Today I tried logging in using my old desktop (using Windows ME) and
logged straight in on my first attempt. So I went back to my laptop to
try again, and it still refuses to log in.
So at least I do have a way to access my router settings, but it is
going to be rather a pain to have to go and start up my old desktop,
just to access my router.
So I'm a bit confused here. Why does it work fine on my old desktop, but
refuse to work on my laptop. I think it may be something to do with an
update to Windows XP, as I normally keep my laptop up to date will all
the critical updates and I think I probably installed one such update
since the previous time I accessed my router successfully.
One final possible clue. I tried using internet explorer from my laptop
(I normally use Netscape 7) and internet explorer displayed the
following warning: "Warning: This server is requesting that your
username and password be sent in an insecure manner (basic
authentication without a secure connection)." (I typed in the correct
username and password and it failed to connect) Obviously I have no
problem with the log in information not being encrypted, as I am only
logging in over my internal network, but I'm wondering. Perhaps a recent
XP security update might be blocking the sending of un-encrypted
passwords. Perhaps there is a way to turn down the security setting on
my laptop for connections on my internal network, perhaps that might fix
the problem.
Any ideas?
Richard E.

Richard,

Searching various newsgroups and forums it seems there are problems
with Internet Explorer 7 (with recent updates) and accessing the
browser based configuration pages for some printers and routers, this
is most likely the problem you are experiencing.

I have the same issue with a HP Laserjet 2600n, I get a http error 400
when using IE7, no problems using Firefox though. Might be worth
trying Firefox ( http://www.mozilla-europe.org/en/products/firefox/ )

Good luck

[Richard Evans]

Post by d***@yahoo.co.uk
Richard,
Searching various newsgroups and forums it seems there are problems
with Internet Explorer 7 (with recent updates) and accessing the
browser based configuration pages for some printers and routers, this
is most likely the problem you are experiencing.
I have the same issue with a HP Laserjet 2600n, I get a http error 400
when using IE7, no problems using Firefox though. Might be worth
trying Firefox ( http://www.mozilla-europe.org/en/products/firefox/ )
Good luck

Thanks for the suggestion, however I suspect that this is not the
problem, as I originally tried to access it using Netscape 7.2 which is
also a mozilla based browser.

I only tried using internet explorer because Netscape failed to connect
and often where one browser fails another works. I mentioned Internet
Explorer because it at least gave some sort of an error message, while
Netscape simply wouldn't log in, giving no message.

Might be worth trying Firefox anyway when I have time to install it.
However I now suspect that the problem is actually with my Symantec
internet security.

Thanks.

Richard E.