router with mind of its own - please help o you plusnet gurus...

[#1]

Network name i set [years ago now] has suddenly reset itself to 'Plusnet Wireless'
[it was switched off for a couple of days, but if i rememeber aright this issue dates to just before that; life [& work] was a bit hectic for a few days and i was hoping it would just quietly revert to normal service
something in the setup on my main machine knows the password, because it's still connected
BUT IT HAS CHANGED [or, just as likely, reverted to a default or other previous setting]
I now no longer know that password, or remember where to look it up
[i know i've read all this stuff somewhere on the pages upon pages of support documentation]
which is especially galling as my other computer, the laptop i use for Skype and IPlayer and nice things like that, is STILL looking for the old network and doesn't know this new/old password, neither does my pocketbook, nor my mobile phones
[NB. all computers here are intel-powered macs running snow leopard]
[the router is the Thomson from a couple of years ago]
can someone please tell me the following
• where i find the instructions for resetting my router and re-establishing my old home network name & passwords [it's the router control screen]
• where/how i find out [or intelligently guess] what this password it has imposed is
• what happened there [i like to try and understand these things]
• if this is a common glitch, or a symptom of something else [if it's common, it's a bit bloody frustrating]
• and can someone reassure the paranoid bit of me who thinks this sounds too much like the consequence of some sort of attack. the firewall was turned off, which i don't remember doing [but it's possible i did - i thought it was on the medium setting] NB i do sometimes use services and programs that require incoming access
FWIW. recent changes have been: a wifi enabled pocketbook EReader; some line problems leading to very glitchy service over a couple of days [the happy answer would be that it must have been just a breakdown at that point]; the laptop does leave the house to play and might have met something alien, but then it doesn't seem to be that machine that's having the problems
big thanx
moonson

[#2]

Try at http://www.plus.net/support/broadband/hardware/ see if there's anything there to help.
P.S. I'd run a full virus check on not just your laptop, but all your devices to ensure you haven't "met something alien".
Also make sure your home network connection details aren't stored in an unencrypted manner on any of your devices.

[#3]

Hi there,
It sounds like the router has factory reset itself.

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• where i find the instructions for resetting my router and re-establishing my old home network name & passwords [it's the router control screen]

See the link provided buy anotherone

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where/how i find out [or intelligently guess] what this password it has imposed is

You can do that my logging into the configuration page for the router, on there the passkey/password is visible and can be changed.

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• if this is a common glitch, or a symptom of something else [if it's common, it's a bit bloody frustrating]

Definitely frustrating, but not a common issue no.

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• and can someone reassure the paranoid bit of me who thinks this sounds too much like the consequence of some sort of attack. the firewall was turned off, which i don't remember doing [but it's possible i did - i thought it was on the medium setting] NB i do sometimes use services and programs that require incoming access

Although possible it's very unlikely indeed and probably just a fault with the device. That doesn't mean to say that it's ready for the bin, do try logging into the router to check or change the wireless pass key, if that doesn't work try forcing a factory reset.
Hope that helps.

[#4]

BIG thanks both of you. My question about 'is this common?' wasn't dissing the equiipment, it was part of trying to guess whether i'd been invaded...

[#5]

Wouldn't this router be like any PC or even digital box for that matter in that it probably has a small rechargeable battery in it that helps keep settings intact when unplugged.
Batteries gradually hold less and less charge so after a few years a couple of days unplugged zap goes the settings.

[#6]

No billnotben, there would not be a battery in it.

[#7]

I thought virtually every device that held user settings had a cmos battery somewhere on the circuit board so the settings wouldn't be lost when the device was powered off.

[#8]

The settings in a modem/router are generally held in Non-Volatile RAM  (NVRAM), a battery is not required.

[#9]

You're undoubtedly right. I just popped the top off a spare v7 of mine and could see no sign of any sort of cmos.

[#10]

strangely I've just got home from a w/e away and the the kids were complaining of no internet all day. Turns out my 585 v7 has also reset itself. What might cause it to do this?

[#11]

When you say it's "reset itself" can you be more precise? Was it synced to the exchange so the sync light was on, but the Internet light wasn't or was it something else?

[#12]

it was connected fine (wired) but had goner back to factory default wireless SSID (plusnetwireless) and p/w and channel. it was as if I had done a factory reset but I hadn't!
PT

[#13]

Hmmm, same as the OP then. What version modem/router and firmware?
I wonder if this is related to that buggy firmware in the other thread. Looks like Adam need to note this on Monday.

[#14]

Product Name: TG585 v7
Software Release: 8.2.6.5

[#15]

Hi folks,
This is a new one on me. I'm not sure what to suggest really other than seeing if it happens again. In order to find your wireless password you can do this by going to the home network menu in the router GUI.
Jojo