Subnet prefix length +Gateway + Preferred DNS for static IP!?

[Frizzer107]

The backstory here is quite long but I'll try to keep it short. 

Basically, my new internet connection got installed today. Because I already had a good router lying around, I ordered a modem (Zyxel VMG1312-B30A) to use it with the new connection. While setting up the modem I encountered a problem where I can't access its web interface, which is needed to finish the setup process. Some googling later, it looks like it has a "special" firmware version installed that blocks the access to this web interface. To install the new firmware, I have to give my PC a static IP. But, (and here come's my acual question), besides the IP itself (192.168.1.1), Windows also wants to know the subnet prefix length, a gateway and a preferred DNS, and I have absolutely no clue what's supposed to go there or what that even is.

I fear that this isn't a simple question to answer, but as I said, I know too little about networking to say for sure. 

(I live in Germany and the ISP is o2, idk if that helps or makes things more difficult xD)

 

Thanks in advance to anyone willing to help!

[WereCatf]

6 minutes ago, Frizzer107 said:

But, (and here come's my acual question), besides the IP itself (192.168.1.1), Windows also wants to know the subnet prefix length, a gateway and a preferred DNS, and I have absolutely no clue what's supposed to go there or what that even is

You just set subnet mask as 255.255.255.0, don't care about gateway or DNS, they can be left empty. Once you've set the modem up, reset your PC's settings back to DHCP.

[Frizzer107]

1 minute ago, WereCatf said:

You just set subnet mask as 255.255.255.0, don't care about gateway or DNS, they can be left empty. Once you've set the modem up, reset your PC's settings back to DHCP.

That didn't work. I put 255.255.255.0 in the subnet prefix length (because there isn't a box specifically saying "subnet mask") and left everything else empty. I got back "Can't save IP settings. Check one or more settings and try again."

[WereCatf]

4 minutes ago, Frizzer107 said:

That didn't work. I put 255.255.255.0 in the subnet prefix length (because there isn't a box specifically saying "subnet mask") and left everything else empty. I got back "Can't save IP settings. Check one or more settings and try again."

Oh, you were using the idiotic Windows 10 "simplified control-panel" -- it's just crap. Press Windows+R, then type in there ncpa.cpl and press Enter or click on OK. That should open a window with your network-devices, so open the properties for your Ethernet NIC with right-click, then Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IP v4) and from there you can configure a static IP as instructed.

[Frizzer107]

3 minutes ago, WereCatf said:

Oh, you were using the idiotic Windows 10 "simplified control-panel" -- it's just crap. Press Windows+R, then type in there ncpa.cpl and press Enter or click on OK. That should open a window with your network-devices, so open the properties for your Ethernet NIC with right-click, then Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IP v4) and from there you can configure a static IP as instructed.

Thank you so much! I can't really say if it "worked" or not, but since there were no errors or something similar, there's no reason to believe it didn't...