[urbanlegend]

hello im not sure if im in the right place but i need some help connecting up pc and laptop so i can have them both on the internet.ive got a laptop being delivered today and have bought a router (netgear dg834g) and usb adapter (netgear wpn111).im now trying to get me head round how i connect everything.im on ntl broadband with a modem.in the destructions it tells me to connect the router to my pc using a ethernet cable but i dont seem to have a port on my dell computer is this right?im getting really lost now is it worth calling a pc expert in or is it quite simple and im making it look hard work? thanks in advance guys

[stevelup]

Hi

You will definitely need an ethernet port to do the initial setup of the router.

They only cost about £4 though so it's no big deal.

For more advice with your router config, I'd recommend visiting Chetnet.

Regards,

Steve

[evo6]

how did you have your pc connected to the internet originally? this makes a difference on NTL as you need to clone the physical address of this device.

or have you been using the usb connection?

[stevelup]

Hi

It hasn't been necessary to clone MAC's on ntl for years.

Regards,

Steve

[urbanlegend]

thanks for the help when i say port im probably using the wrong term but i mean there is no connection point on my computer and yes i am using a usb connection from the modem

[stevelup]

Hi

If you definitely do not have an ethernet port, then you definitely need to get a network card.

PC World / Maplins sell them for well under £10.

Regards,

Steve

[urbanlegend]

thanks steve.i was hoping this would be quite simple i take it i have to fit the card internally?can i not use my wireless adapter that seems to have a usb connection?

[hutters]

What did you buy the USB wireless adapter for - the laptop or the PC?

[urbanlegend]

i bought it for the pc to hopefully get rid of the big white ntl cable i have trailing through my front room but im not too bothered about it so long as i can get my head around this wireless set up

[hutters]

do you know if the laptop has an ethernet connection?

if it does, you will need to plug the router into the cable modem by ethernet cable and then plug the laptop into the router by ethernet

login to the router - the manual will give you instructions and set up your wireless network. some basic things to do:

1) change the SSID from the default & switch off Broadcast SSID
2) set security WEP/WPA and create passphrase/code
3) only allow certain mac addresses to attach to the router (the mac address is the unique ID of the wireless card/dongle that will be in the laptop/pc) - you need to enter the actual mac addresses - these can be found on the hardware box or by clicking the wireless adapter's properties

once the wireless is setup on the router, you then set up the network on the laptop & pc. you will need the SSID and the passphrase/code that you created when you set up the encryption

you *may* be able to do all that without the ethernet connection and through wireless as the initial out-of-the-box security will be non-existent.

MAKE SURE YOU WRITE THE SSID & PASSPHRASE/CODE DOWN because when the router reboots when you save the settings you will no longer be able to connect wireless'ly until you have set the network up on your computer.

[stevelup]

Hi

Missed the bit about you getting a new laptop today. The laptop will almost certainly have an ethernet port so you can use that to do the initial setup.

The Netgear DG834 has the wireless secured by default so there is definitely no way of setting it up without an ethernet cable.

Everything hutters says is spot on though - although locking down the MAC addresses is pretty severe when using WPA

Steve

[urbanlegend]

thanks again for all your help.have i got the right router?ive seen this one(NETGEAR WGR614 54MBPS CABLE/ DSL WIRELESS ROUTER) is that designed for ntl cable?

[stevelup]

It's a good job you mentioned that.

No, you have indeed bought the wrong thing. The unit you have has an ADSL modem built in which is no use on NTL.

You need this one.

Steve

[urbanlegend]

ok thanks,ill take another trip to pc world to change it.ill be back later with more stupid questions!

[hutters]

oops, I missed the fact it was the wrong router aswell! I use the WGR614, albeit an old version, and it works well with NTL.

[urbanlegend]

i just picked the one with the best reviews didnt even think about the compatibality of it!ok thankyou again for the support so far so im gonna get the netgear wgr614 router.so basically i dont need anything for my laptop to connect wireless just the adapter for my pc to connect because i cant use an ethernet connection because i dont seem to have one(all i can see is a smaller port which is marked up green on my dell pc) as is the case i thought id go for the (netgear wg111 wireless usb 2.0 adapter) as its abit cheaper.is this all i need as its quite a trip to my nearest pc world.

[hutters]

at least 2 ethernet cables to get you started: like this

one to connect the router to the canle modem, the other to connect your laptop to the router

[urbanlegend]

ok ive got the correct router now and adapter but pc world didnt have any cat5 cables in stock how crap is that?ive had to rely on argos for the cable so im gonna pick it up tommorow (as i only get one cable in the router pack) then have a go.thanks for all the help hopefully i wont need anymore but i wouldnt bank on it!

[urbanlegend]

well i just wanted to come back and thank you all for your help and time.Ive gone all wireless now and am sitting here on my new laptop a happy man(at last no more arguments with the kids about who is on the computer first!)no seriously thankyou again for helping me through it all and i only needed two calls to india to install it all,quite painless really.next thing is to sort through all that security advice you gave me so i might not have dissapeared yet!