The Apple Graphite AirPort Base Station, Windows Vista, and failing to connect to the internet

Recent experience with the Apple Graphite AirPort Base station and the newest MS OS Vista found me googling without an answer. This is likely to be a rare combination these days, so it isn't a surprise to not have a solution out there. This is used for wireless modem sharing up my parent's (in-law) cabin where the cost of high-speed Internet is preventative.

The basic symptom was that the "Internet" wasn't functioning on the Vista machine. It could connect fine with the AirPort base station, but would get no further. Digging deeper it appeared that DNS was not functioning for the Vista machine. A little more digging and installing a separate copy of Vista using bootcamp for Mac confirmed it was reproducible.

Another step in the digging was to try an nslookup from a functioning machine -- note Windows XP, MAC OS X all work while simultaneously Vista does not.

Welcome to Darwin!
macpowerbookpro:~ user$ nslookup www.google.com
;; reply from unexpected source: 198.6.100.140#53, expected 10.0.1.1#53
;; reply from unexpected source: 198.6.100.140#53, expected 10.0.1.1#53

This seemed to be potentially at the root of the problem. I suspect that Windows XP/Mac OS X don't mind a response from a DNS server that it didn't ask. Vista is a bit more particular about it.

The temporary solution is to put the nameservers that your ISP has directly in the TCP/IP configuration of Vista (see image below). I admit there is probably a more complete solution, but this will keep one going until that is solved.

Keywords: Apple Graphite AirPort Base Station, Windows Vista, Internet connection problems, DNS problem, DNS lookups fail.

D-link Emulators

Bumped into this because of a LinuxLore browser.

D-link is now providing user interface emulators for many of its products. Not a bad idea in the try-it-before-you-buy-it world. And for many of us out here, we've encountered awful interfaces for some of these consumer level products that have impaired the product's function enough that one wished they never bought it.

Link to D-link Emulators

Interestingly enough, trying out the DCS-950G Wireless Internet Camera's interface on Firefox has shown me there is potentially a bug there. I couldn't log-in.

Keywords: D-link network gear, d-link emulators, dlink emulators, Dlink network gear, dlink product demos, dlink

DSM-G600, DWL-G820 and DI-724GU default username and password

Occasionally Google indexes this blog and determines that my site has the default admin username and passwords (root, administrator, ...) listed for the following devices: DSM-G600, DWL-G820 and DI-724GU. Up until now, many of you have come here and not found that information. Since I like to help out, I will make it true (what Google wants, you'll get -- in a good way).

Please note that everyone out there will highly recommend that you immediately change the passwords for your networking equipment. There is no need to grant access to every one that can Google to this page or read the manuals.

The information:
D-Link Wireless 108G QoS Gigabit Router -- DI-724GU:
username: admin
password: {blank}
DI-724GU Product Manual link

D-Link Wireless Network Storage Enclosure -- DSM-G600 revision B:
username: admin
password: {blank}
DSM-G600 revision B Product Manual link

D-Link AirPlus Xtreme G Wireless Gaming Adapter: -- DWL-G820:
username: admin
password: {blank}
DWL-820 Product Manual link

You may start to notice a trend in the default usernames and passwords. I cannot say for sure, but if you have a D-Link product it might be a good first start.

Keywords: D-link default username and password, Dlink DSM-G600 default username and password, Dlink DI-724GU default username and password, Dlink DWL-G820 default username and password, D-link DSM-G600 default username and password, D-link DI-724GU default username and password, D-link DWL-G820 default username and password, D-link consumer network gear default username and password.