How to find WAP which has DHCP disabled behind switch?

Soldato
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Nottingham
I have a router configured as a WAP which is behind a switch.

I have forgotten the IP address of the router and need to change the wifi key but owing to the config and to save faff, wish to avoid factory resetting it.

Any ideas as to how to find it as even though it has an IP, it if course is not broadcasting it.

I hope that makes sense.

Many thanks.
 
Soldato
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31 May 2005
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Nottingham
Use a subnet scanner.

If you can connect via wifi you should be able to see AP details from a device.

It just gives the details of the router/firewall, as though the WAP is not actually there :D

That is how I set it up though many moons ago so it is working.. I just forgot the IP AND the Wifi password so stumped myself.


Many thanks.

Giving it a go now.
 
Soldato
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Check the ARP cache of the router? May get lucky.
I take it you static ip'd it rather than letting it be DHCP client otherwise that could work checking DHCP leases.

Our add others have suggested a ping sweep.
 
Soldato
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I can't remember exactly how to do it but if you know the Mac address I believe that it's possible to effectively assign it an IP address by making a manual entry in the ARP cache on your computer. If you open a command prompt and enter ARP /? it should tell you how to make an entry.
 
Soldato
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Thanks, I will try that later.

If I connect directly via ethernet and run a subnet scan, is it likely to find anything?

Right now, it is acting as a pass through and is "invisible" to the network seeing as the router handles the IP assignment for the devices connected to the WAP if that makes sense?

Checked ARP cache on the router, and not there either :(

Determined not to reset out of principle now :D
 
Associate
Joined
7 Jan 2007
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Subnet scanner as said.

Then if there's a lot of potential results (unlikely on a home network), then use a port scanner to check the results to see which has port 80 open (assuming the default port has not been changed for the Web ui. Could be 443 if it uses https). This should narrow it down and you can then try through a Web browser.
 
Soldato
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To update and summarise.

Firstly, thanks to all who responded.

I tried EVERYTHING advised and more and for some reason, I could get get a whiff from the thing on the network, even when connected directly to a PC, wirehsark or the scanners would not pick it up.

I even connected a device to the router via wifi but when sniffing, the router acting as a WAP was completely transparent (Which is to be fair, what is should be doing).

In the end, the router was old and the wifi protocols were outdated and as luck would have it, I found an old Virgin Superhub 2 lying around so re-purposed that as a WAP and all good.

Just seems like it was the "perfect storm" of disabling DHCP and custom gateway address and your screwed on this specific router which by the way was a Netgear WNR2000.
 
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