Network Connectivity Troubleshooting

Fix network connectivity issues during Pimeleon router setup

Network Connectivity Troubleshooting

"The most complex problems have the simplest causes - usually a cable that's not plugged in." - Murphy's Law of Networking

Having trouble getting connected after installing your Pimeleon router? This guide helps resolve common connectivity issues during initial setup.

Quick Checks

Before diving into diagnostics, verify these basics:

Power - Router has stable power (use official Raspberry Pi adapter)
Cables - Ethernet cables firmly connected
LED Activity - Green LED blinking (SD card activity)
Network Lights - Ethernet port LEDs lit

Cannot Find Router on Network

Expected Behavior

After booting, the router should be accessible at:

Wired: 192.168.76.1
WiFi: SSID visible in WiFi list

If Cannot Ping Router

Step 1: Verify physical connection

# Check if computer's network interface is up
ip link show
# or on Windows
ipconfig

Step 2: Check IP address

# Your computer should have 192.168.76.x address
ip addr show
# or on Windows
ipconfig

If no IP address: DHCP isn't working, see DHCP Issues below

Step 3: Try direct connection

Connect computer directly to router with Ethernet cable
Disconnect from other networks
Wait 30 seconds for DHCP

Step 4: Manually set IP address

If DHCP fails, set static IP temporarily:

On Windows:

Network Settings → Change Adapter Options
Right-click adapter → Properties
IPv4 Properties → Use following IP:
- IP: 192.168.76.50
- Subnet: 255.255.255.0
- Gateway: 192.168.76.1

Then test:

ping 192.168.76.1

Cannot Access Web Interface

Symptoms

Cannot reach http://192.168.76.1/admin
Browser shows "Connection refused" or timeout
web dashboard won't load

Solutions:

Verify network connection:
- Check Ethernet cable is connected
- Computer should have IP in 192.168.76.x range
- Try accessing via IP instead of hostname
Wait for services to start:
- Allow 2-3 minutes after boot
- Check green LED is blinking (system activity)
Try different browser or device:
- Clear browser cache
- Try incognito/private mode
- Test from phone or different computer
Check system status:
- Pi should respond to ping: Test from command prompt/terminal
- Network interface lights should be active

No Internet Connection

Symptoms

Can connect to router
Can access router interface
Cannot browse internet

Diagnosis Steps

Step 1: Check the web dashboard

Access http://192.168.76.1/admin
Navigate to Tools → Network
Test DNS query - should show response times
Check upstream DNS servers are reachable

Step 2: Verify WAN connection

In web dashboard, go to Settings → System
Check Network Information section
WAN interface should show:
- Valid IP address (not 0.0.0.0)
- Default gateway configured
- DNS servers listed

Step 3: Test from your device

Open several different websites in browser
If pages don't load, check Query Log
Queries should appear in real-time

Common Issues:

WAN cable not connected: Check physical connection to modem/upstream
ISP configuration needed: Some ISPs require specific settings
DNS not working: Check Settings → DNS in admin interface
Firewall blocking: Verify Settings → DHCP shows correct gateway

WiFi Not Working

WiFi Network Not Visible

Check these first:

Is WiFi supported on your Pi model?
- Pi 3B+, Pi 4, Pi 5: Yes
- Pi Zero 2 W: Yes
- Pi 3 (non-plus): Limited support
- Pi 2 or earlier: No built-in WiFi
Wait 2-3 minutes after boot for WiFi to start
Check correct frequency:
- Default: 2.4 GHz
- Compatible with all devices
- Longer range than 5 GHz

Scan for network from phone/laptop:

Look for your router's SSID
Default SSID varies by installation

If still not visible:

Connect to router via Ethernet cable
Access admin interface: http://192.168.76.1/admin
Check Settings → System for WiFi interface status
Verify WiFi is enabled in system settings
Power cycle the router (unplug for 10 seconds)

Cannot Connect to WiFi

Verify password:

Check caps lock
Ensure correct password
Passwords are case-sensitive

Check device compatibility:

Router uses WPA2 security
Very old devices may not support WPA2
Try with modern phone/laptop first

Try forgetting and reconnecting:

Forget WiFi network on device
Rescan for networks
Connect again with password

DHCP Not Working

Symptoms

Cannot get IP address
Shows "Obtaining IP address..." indefinitely
Network shows "No Internet"

Quick Fix

On your computer, release and renew:

Windows: Open Command Prompt and run:

ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew

Mac: System Preferences → Network → Advanced → TCP/IP → Renew DHCP Lease

Linux: Network Settings → Your Connection → IPv4 → Automatic (DHCP) → Apply

If Still Fails

Check router DHCP service:

Access admin interface: http://192.168.76.1/admin
Navigate to Settings → DHCP
Verify DHCP server is enabled
Check DHCP range is configured (e.g., 192.168.76.100-250)
Look at DHCP leases section to see active assignments

Use static IP temporarily:

IP: 192.168.76.50
Netmask: 255.255.255.0
Gateway: 192.168.76.1
DNS: 192.168.76.1

DNS Not Working

Symptoms

Can ping IP addresses (like 8.8.8.8)
Cannot access websites by name
"Server not found" or "DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN"

Quick Fix

Test DNS via the web dashboard:

Access http://192.168.76.1/admin
Navigate to Tools → Network
Enter google.com in DNS query test
Should show successful resolution with response time

If DNS test fails:

In admin interface, go to Settings → DNS
Verify upstream DNS servers are configured:
- Suggested: Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) or Google (8.8.8.8)
Save and test again
If still failing, power cycle the router

Temporary workaround:

Configure device to use public DNS:

Primary DNS: 8.8.8.8 (Google)
Secondary DNS: 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare)

Performance Issues

Slow Connection

During initial setup, performance may be degraded due to:

System still initializing
Updates running in background
SD card being slower than SSD

Check system status in the web dashboard:

Access http://192.168.76.1/admin
Look at System section in sidebar (bottom)
Check:
- Load: Should be < 1.0 for normal operation
- Memory: Should have free RAM available
- Temperature: Should be < 70°C (158°F)

Temperature is shown in dashboard under System section. If high (>70°C), improve cooling with heatsink or fan.

High Latency

Check latency: Open command prompt/terminal on your computer and test:

To router: Should be < 5ms
To internet: Depends on your ISP (typically 10-50ms)

If high ping to router:

Check Ethernet cable quality
Try different cable
Test from different device

Getting More Help

Collect Diagnostic Information

Before seeking help, gather this info from the web dashboard:

Access http://192.168.76.1/admin
Version info - Check footer of dashboard
System status - Settings → System:
- Network Information section
- Interface status and IP addresses
- System load, memory, temperature
Service status - Dashboard shows:
- DNS filtering status (Active/Inactive)
- DNS status
- DHCP status (if enabled)
Query Log - Recent DNS queries and blocks
Screenshots - Capture any error messages