Question Patch Panel - Second Router Recently Stopped Working

[No_clear_direction]

I have researched this to the death so will ultimately end up confusing the situation. I have literally no idea, total noob.

My apartment has a patch panel with 2 ethernet ports in each room, I'm upstairs so had a friend set an old Netgear CVG824G as... I'm not even sure tbh whether it was actually bridged or just a WAP.

I'm thinking bridged because the IP was set to 192.168.0.100, which as I understand it, can't quite work? I've since gotten a new main modem/router but didn't have any issues, the netgear just connected straight up to it.

A couple of days ago internet got choppy and suddenly the netgear was down for the count and didn't come back (circumstantially my roommate's tv became an access point for a brief period of time around the same point)
Now I can't get it back in sync. I can confirm up to the patch panel is working (do not know if the patch panel has become damaged at all).

The Netgear IP address is now very firmly stuck at 169.254.120... etc and I've followed every fixit guide available, nothing helped.

The previously set IP address for the netgear no longer works to get to the user interface so I can't change the IP address and its default is the same as the main router which I think is also posing an issue (although it is my understanding with its current IP I won't be able to access the web interface at all)

On a seperate thought pattern in relation to the patch panel, there are 6 outputs on the top panel but only 5 cords to each room in the apartment plugged into the panel below that - and this is very likely a stupid question, but wouldn't they correlate and both have 6? (Not counting the 7th in the above because its under inputs and separate)

Oh and the base one is a Sagemcom F@st something something, I can go read it if needed.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/fcyKmc59UkwbvMEe7

Also apologies for every time I misrepresent something, mislabel or just confuse stuff in general

Edit
Using a HP notebook 2000 with Realtek PCIe FE Family Controller driver

 

[kanewolf]

I have researched this to the death so will ultimately end up confusing the situation. I have literally no idea, total noob.

My apartment has a patch panel with 2 ethernet ports in each room, I'm upstairs so had a friend set an old Netgear CVG824G as... I'm not even sure tbh whether it was actually bridged or just a WAP.

I'm thinking bridged because the IP was set to 192.168.0.100, which as I understand it, can't quite work? I've since gotten a new main modem/router but didn't have any issues, the netgear just connected straight up to it.

A couple of days ago internet got choppy and suddenly the netgear was down for the count and didn't come back (circumstantially my roommate's tv became an access point for a brief period of time around the same point)
Now I can't get it back in sync. I can confirm up to the patch panel is working (do not know if the patch panel has become damaged at all).

The Netgear IP address is now very firmly stuck at 169.254.120... etc and I've followed every fixit guide available, nothing helped.

The previously set IP address for the netgear no longer works to get to the user interface so I can't change the IP address and its default is the same as the main router which I think is also posing an issue (although it is my understanding with its current IP I won't be able to access the web interface at all)

On a seperate thought pattern in relation to the patch panel, there are 6 outputs on the top panel but only 5 cords to each room in the apartment plugged into the panel below that - and this is very likely a stupid question, but wouldn't they correlate and both have 6? (Not counting the 7th in the above because its under inputs and separate)

Oh and the base one is a Sagemcom F@st something something, I can go read it if needed.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/fcyKmc59UkwbvMEe7

Also apologies for every time I misrepresent something, mislabel or just confuse stuff in general

The second picture is an ethernet patch, the first picture is a phone junction. Port #5 on the ethernet patch is connected to something.
When troubleshooting in-wall cabling, I find a simple tester like this -- https://www.amazon.com/Klein-VDV526-052-Scout-Junior-Tester/dp/B004CI9NRM to be invaluable. You plug the meter in one end and the included "remote" in the other.

I would walk the Netgear unit to the main router and direct connect it. That will allow you to eliminate any in-wall wiring or jumper cables.

 

[No_clear_direction]

The second picture is an ethernet patch, the first picture is a phone junction. Port #5 on the ethernet patch is connected to something.
When troubleshooting in-wall cabling, I find a simple tester like this -- https://www.amazon.com/Klein-VDV526-052-Scout-Junior-Tester/dp/B004CI9NRM to be invaluable. You plug the meter in one end and the included "remote" in the other.

I would walk the Netgear unit to the main router and direct connect it. That will allow you to eliminate any in-wall wiring or jumper cables.

I see!
Would they not both still have 6 though?

Yes, port 5 is connected to the main router downstairs and the upstairs netgear router connected to the corresponding port upstairs.

I have taken it directly to the main router, and connected it. The problem persisted in that I still can't get into the netgear router to change its IP address from a local one (169.254.. number) though

 

[kanewolf]

I see!
Would they not both still have 6 though?

Yes, port 5 is connected to the main router downstairs and the upstairs netgear router connected to the corresponding port upstairs.

I have taken it directly to the main router, and connected it. The problem persisted in that I still can't get into the netgear router to change its IP address from a local one (169.254.. number) though

Usually if you are using an old router as a WIFI access point, you have to set the IP manually before you turn off the DHCP server. I would start with factory resetting the CVG824G. Then without connecting anything but your PC, bring up the GUI. In the LAN section set the IP of the router to the same subnet as your primary router, but outside the DHCP range of the primary router. Then disable the DHCP server. Connect the CVG824G LAN port to your primary router. You should now be able to use the static IP you set to access the CVG824G. You should also be able to access your primary router and the internet.

 

[No_clear_direction]

Usually if you are using an old router as a WIFI access point, you have to set the IP manually before you turn off the DHCP server. I would start with factory resetting the CVG824G. Then without connecting anything but your PC, bring up the GUI. In the LAN section set the IP of the router to the same subnet as your primary router, but outside the DHCP range of the primary router. Then disable the DHCP server. Connect the CVG824G LAN port to your primary router. You should now be able to use the static IP you set to access the CVG824G. You should also be able to access your primary router and the internet.

So I did all that, while in the process of connecting it to the main router it came to my attention my roommate had reset the router and thus the admin password, which I think is what screwed the second router in the first place. After resetting the main router I connected the netgear router to it and the connection ran through it no problem, i brought the router upstairs and plugged it all back in, ran ipconfig to check it as it hadn't connected yet and the ip address has gone back to the 196.254 address. Is it possible some other setting on the F@st 5366 router is causing it?

It was working totally fine last week 乁( •_• )ㄏ

 

[kanewolf]

So I did all that, while in the process of connecting it to the main router it came to my attention my roommate had reset the router and thus the admin password, which I think is what screwed the second router in the first place. After resetting the main router I connected the netgear router to it and the connection ran through it no problem, i brought the router upstairs and plugged it all back in, ran ipconfig to check it as it hadn't connected yet and the ip address has gone back to the 196.254 address. Is it possible some other setting on the F@st 5366 router is causing it?

It was working totally fine last week 乁( •_• )ㄏ

If it works when directly connected, but not upstairs then the cable is the most likely culprit.

 

[No_clear_direction]

If it works when directly connected, but not upstairs then the cable is the most likely culprit.

I tested the cable downstairs that goes to the patch panel and plugged it directly into my laptop and it seemed to work

Any idea why the second router reverted to that IP address after I set it?

 

[No_clear_direction]

Nevermind!
Think I figured out why. The adapter had a set preferred IP address, and when it couldn't reach the DHCP something about it tries to revert to that and then ultimately assigns it an internal IP address

 

[No_clear_direction]

Okay scratch that..maybe ..

The adaptor was set to automatically obtain IP address and then when I clicked advanced it said DHCP enabled under preferred IP addresses

Changing to a specific IP address removed DCHP enabled from the list.

I wouldn't have expected the adaptor would have pull over the router settings...