On 2018 Aug 04 03:23:28, you wrote to me:

 >> what protocol is it using on your network compared with the other one?
 >> have you tried to re-add it to its home network by pushing that button
 >> many routers have that supposedly makes syncing the router login to the
 >> system easier?

 AA> Good suggestion with WPS. I failed to try it.

maybe too late, now, too...

 AA> The router/modem has a "wifi" button at the back which is
supposed to
 AA> work with WPS.  But since I was not able to login to the router, I
 AA> could not see if the feature was activated.

if they're using wifi off that router, it is probably active... it just
makes a simple negotiation between the router and systems looking for the
access information...

 AA> But I did two other things which has solved the problem: [1] I
 AA> configured the Win7 pc to use a specific local IP address,

that's one way to work around the problem...

 AA> [2] I noticed TWO entries for the home router SSID in the wifi
 AA> list/tables, and removed what appeared to be an older one that
 AA> represented a previous router from the same provider.

that would be a good thing, too... i'd have probably removed both of them
and then gone ahead with a full router reset and dealt with the resulting
setup problems on all the other devices... that way, i would know exactly
what's up with the network and would not have to play the guessing game or
cross my fingers and hope things work...

 AA> It still surprises me how easily another device joining the network
 AA> could bring the whole DSL service down!

it is unlikely that it brought down the whole DSL service... it is more
likely that it simply overwhelmed the router with requests... decent
logging on the router or even protocol sniffing the ether would show if
that was the case...

glad you got it working for them! good job!

)\/(ark

Always Mount a Scratch Monkey
Do you manage your own servers? If you are not running an IDS/IPS yer doin'
it wrong...
... I got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory.
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