Can't connect to new B3. Bricked out of the box?
Posted: 14 Jun 2011, 11:08
Hi forum,
Just unpacked the B3, but I can't seem to get the initial connection to it working. For the record, it's a 2TB model without wireless.
For the setup I need to connect to it somehow with a browser, for which I need either to know its IP address and/or make sure it has one at all. However at this point it looks like it doesn't seem to either get or assign IP addresses. Here's what I've tried so far:
1. "Server" mode behind existing router
1.1 Connected B3's LAN port to LAN port on my router. The router is an AVM Fritz!Box 7390 that has a built-in DHCP server, so I figured the B3 should get an IP address from the router via DHCP as per the manual, p. 19. The WAN port remains empty. This is identical to scenario 3 in the manual, p. 10.
1.2 Powered on B3, waited a minute or so for the front LED to turn blue, LED on LAN port shows connection.
1.3 The router has a list of the connected DHCP clients. The B3 doesn't appear, so it apparently didn't get or didn't query an IP address via DHCP from the router. Without an IP address there is no way of connecting to it.
Dang, that didn't work. Powered down the B3 via the power button.
Looked on the B3 for a sticker with the MAC address so I can hardcode it into my DHCP server. Well, just about any manufacturer puts the MAC address on their devices, but Excito doesn't. Note: this is a premium-priced product, so a sticker with the two or three MAC addresses for the various interfaces might be a nice little customer-friendly add-on for the next production run.
2. Standalone B3, client via DHCP
OK, so the B3's DHCP client doesn't seem to be working. But supposedly the B3 is capable of acting as a router itself. So let's have the B3 assign me an IP address so that I can connect to it and change it to fit my network setting.
2.1 Connected B3's LAN port to ethernet socket on my laptop. WAN port empty. The laptop runs XP, the network card was configured to get the IP address and DHCP server automatically (configuration as per the B3 manual, p. 23-24).
2.2 Powered on B3, waited for LED to turn blue. LED on LAN port and on laptop's ethernet socket show connection.
2.3 Windows notices that a cable is connected, starts querying for IP address, doesn't get it. After a while I get "limited connectivity" warning. No IP address, no connection to B3.
Dang, that didn't work. Powered down the B3 via the power button.
3. Standalone B3, client via hardcoded IP address
OK, so the B3's DHCP server doesn't work either. But supposedly the B3, when it doesn't get an IP address via DHCP, should fall back to 192.168.10.1 as per the B3 manual, p. 19! So we could just use this hardcoded address instead, couldn't we?
3.1 Connected B3's LAN port to ethernet socket on my laptop. WAN port empty. Reconfigured laptop's ethernet card to IP address 192.168.10.5 (shouldn't matter as long as it's in the same subnet), subnet mask 255.255.255.0 (assuming that the B3 uses a /24 by default just like everybody else), no standard gateway, no DNS server.
3.2 Powered on B3, waited for LED to turn blue. LED on LAN port and on laptop's ethernet socket show connection.
3.3 Windows notices a cable is connected.
3.4 Fired up the browser, tried to open http://192.168.10.1. No connection
3.5 Tried to add 192.168.10.1 to the standard gateway and DNS fields in various combinations - technically it shouldn't be necessary as we're in the same subnet (so no gateway needed) and connect using the raw IP address (so no DNS needed), but hey, maybe it needs it for some reason.
3.6 Fired up the browser, tried to open http://192.168.10.1, http://b3, http://b3.local etc. No connection.
Dang! That didn't work either!
So for all practical purposes I have a brand-new B3-shaped brick with a blue LED,
At this point I'm out of ideas, unless someone can enlighten me how to get it a useful IP address. Or is this already a case for customer service?
Just unpacked the B3, but I can't seem to get the initial connection to it working. For the record, it's a 2TB model without wireless.
For the setup I need to connect to it somehow with a browser, for which I need either to know its IP address and/or make sure it has one at all. However at this point it looks like it doesn't seem to either get or assign IP addresses. Here's what I've tried so far:
1. "Server" mode behind existing router
1.1 Connected B3's LAN port to LAN port on my router. The router is an AVM Fritz!Box 7390 that has a built-in DHCP server, so I figured the B3 should get an IP address from the router via DHCP as per the manual, p. 19. The WAN port remains empty. This is identical to scenario 3 in the manual, p. 10.
1.2 Powered on B3, waited a minute or so for the front LED to turn blue, LED on LAN port shows connection.
1.3 The router has a list of the connected DHCP clients. The B3 doesn't appear, so it apparently didn't get or didn't query an IP address via DHCP from the router. Without an IP address there is no way of connecting to it.
Dang, that didn't work. Powered down the B3 via the power button.
Looked on the B3 for a sticker with the MAC address so I can hardcode it into my DHCP server. Well, just about any manufacturer puts the MAC address on their devices, but Excito doesn't. Note: this is a premium-priced product, so a sticker with the two or three MAC addresses for the various interfaces might be a nice little customer-friendly add-on for the next production run.
2. Standalone B3, client via DHCP
OK, so the B3's DHCP client doesn't seem to be working. But supposedly the B3 is capable of acting as a router itself. So let's have the B3 assign me an IP address so that I can connect to it and change it to fit my network setting.
2.1 Connected B3's LAN port to ethernet socket on my laptop. WAN port empty. The laptop runs XP, the network card was configured to get the IP address and DHCP server automatically (configuration as per the B3 manual, p. 23-24).
2.2 Powered on B3, waited for LED to turn blue. LED on LAN port and on laptop's ethernet socket show connection.
2.3 Windows notices that a cable is connected, starts querying for IP address, doesn't get it. After a while I get "limited connectivity" warning. No IP address, no connection to B3.
Dang, that didn't work. Powered down the B3 via the power button.
3. Standalone B3, client via hardcoded IP address
OK, so the B3's DHCP server doesn't work either. But supposedly the B3, when it doesn't get an IP address via DHCP, should fall back to 192.168.10.1 as per the B3 manual, p. 19! So we could just use this hardcoded address instead, couldn't we?
3.1 Connected B3's LAN port to ethernet socket on my laptop. WAN port empty. Reconfigured laptop's ethernet card to IP address 192.168.10.5 (shouldn't matter as long as it's in the same subnet), subnet mask 255.255.255.0 (assuming that the B3 uses a /24 by default just like everybody else), no standard gateway, no DNS server.
3.2 Powered on B3, waited for LED to turn blue. LED on LAN port and on laptop's ethernet socket show connection.
3.3 Windows notices a cable is connected.
3.4 Fired up the browser, tried to open http://192.168.10.1. No connection
3.5 Tried to add 192.168.10.1 to the standard gateway and DNS fields in various combinations - technically it shouldn't be necessary as we're in the same subnet (so no gateway needed) and connect using the raw IP address (so no DNS needed), but hey, maybe it needs it for some reason.
3.6 Fired up the browser, tried to open http://192.168.10.1, http://b3, http://b3.local etc. No connection.
Dang! That didn't work either!
So for all practical purposes I have a brand-new B3-shaped brick with a blue LED,
At this point I'm out of ideas, unless someone can enlighten me how to get it a useful IP address. Or is this already a case for customer service?