Wireless networking help needed!

worthingruss · 04-03-2005, 21:28

Hi there - my first post

Came across this forum as I was looking for some help in sharing my NTL cable connection wirelessly. OK - here's the scenario.

I have a 750k NTL home connection, via an ntl home: 120 cable modem connected (at the moment) to my ageing Pentium 2 PC (running 98SE) via USB. I want to share the connection wirelessly with my son's new PC (running XP and kitted out with a Netgear wireless USB adapter) and my iMac (running OS9 and kitted out with an Airport card).

To accomplish this, I have a Netgear wireless router (WGR614, 802.11g). As I understand it, I need to change my cable modem connection to my PC from a USB one to an ethernet one, before I can even start on the whole process.

Have added a PCI ethernet card to my PC, but can't seem to connect via the modem. I've been through the recommended procedure (eg turn off PC, turn off modem, disconnect USB, connect ethernet, turn on modem, wait till lights settle down, turn on PC) but although I get a green light and an orange light lit on the ethernet port on my PC and ENET light flickers on the cable modem, I can't connect.

Pretty sure I'm using a straight rather than crossover ethernet cable (any way of telling by looking at it?!), so does anyone have any suggestions? And is this network achievable?

cheers

worthingruss

MovedGoalPosts · 04-03-2005, 21:52

to Cable Forum

Presumably your setup is:

Modem
v
router
v
PC (wired - ethernet) / Laptop (wireless) / Mac (wireless)

Can you get to the admin panel on the linksys router from your wired PC?

04-03-2005, 21:55

to the forum.

First of all, yes - what you want SHOULD be acheivable (even with Win98

).
A number of points:-

1) Does Windows 98 recognise your network card? (It's a while since I used Win98 - do you need to load the driver for the network card?

)
2) Is the router set up correctly? The default will probably be OK, but it should be set to obtain an IP address automatically on the WAN side from the modem, and to support DHCP on the PC side.
3) The PC network interface should be set to 'obtain address automatically'.

On Win XP, I'd suggest using 'ipconfig /all' to see what settings the PC has. I think on Win98 there is a slightly different command (winipcnfg?) - can someone confirm?

Any joy on the others systems (laptop and MAC?)

04-03-2005, 22:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnHorb

to the forum.

First of all, yes - what you want SHOULD be acheivable (even with Win98

).
A number of points:-

1) Does Windows 98 recognise your network card? (It's a while since I used Win98 - do you need to load the driver for the network card?

)
2) Is the router set up correctly? The default will probably be OK, but it should be set to obtain an IP address automatically on the WAN side from the modem, and to support DHCP on the PC side.
3) The PC network interface should be set to 'obtain address automatically'.

On Win XP, I'd suggest using 'ipconfig /all' to see what settings the PC has. I think on Win98 there is a slightly different command (winipcnfg?) - can someone confirm?

Any joy on the others systems (laptop and MAC?)

it is winipcfg on win98se

Raistlin · 04-03-2005, 22:17

I know that this is (probably) fairly obvious but you have connected the cable from the PC to one of the network ports on the router, and the cable from your Cable Modem to the port marked "internet" haven't you?

Aside from that, it may be worth checking your internet browser settings to make sure that it isn't still trying to connect through the USB connection. Having not used the USB before I'm not 100% sure but there may be an option in the Tools > Options > Connection settings (for IE) that specifies the USB, if there is you need to disable it and tell it to use your LAN.

I would also go to Add/Remove programs and get rid of all of the NTL stuff that was installed with the USB modem, that may help.

Have you actually got the router connected at this point or are you just trying to direct connect to the CM?

worthingruss · 04-03-2005, 22:29

Thanks, chaps. Have checked PC settings and they are as follows:

USBCM351000 (cable modem): 00 DO 59 X X X
IP address 80.7.X.X
subnet mask 255.255.255.0
default gateway 80.7.X.X

Only other thing I can find is
PPP adapter which just has 44-45-53-X-X-X as the Adapter Address.

This looks to me as if the ethernet card is not installed properly. I have got another card which I'll pop in and see how things look then. Any other ideas?
worthingruss

__________________

Just to clarify - I haven't even bothered trying to set up the wireless router yet. I'm still at the stage of getting the PC to connect via the cable modem with an ethernet connection, as opposed to a USB one. Figured I need to get that sorted first ...

Admin Edit (Rich M) - Edited IP details...

Raistlin · 04-03-2005, 23:06

The reason you are getting those results is that you are currently connected via USB. If you were getting a correct connection through your ethernet then the IP address etc would be showing up against the PP adaptor.
__________________

I would try disconnecting everything, powering everything down, reconnecting and then trying again.

Have you got any firewalls turned on by the way? They may be interfering with your ethernet adaptors ability to get an IP address/renew the DHCP. Maybe.....

MovedGoalPosts · 05-03-2005, 01:31

Yes you do need to get the wired connection between the PC and router working first.

Try looking in Device Manager (you can get at that through Control Panel). Any items especially network that has a "?" is a problem. Try deleting it, rebooting and installing when windows finds the new hardware. As posted above you want to ensure you are using the current drivers for tyour network card. You may need to disable the USB connection. And to get it all to work having fiddled with the drivers, reboot everything PC, router, modem.

Oh and let the router allocate the IP addy to your PC.

50420 · 05-03-2005, 01:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by worthingruss

Thanks, chaps. Have checked PC settings and they are as follows:

USBCM351000 (cable modem): 00 DO 59 X X X
IP address 80.7.X.X
subnet mask 255.255.255.0
default gateway 80.7.X.X

Only other thing I can find is
PPP adapter which just has 44-45-53-X-X-X as the Adapter Address.

This looks to me as if the ethernet card is not installed properly. I have got another card which I'll pop in and see how things look then. Any other ideas?
worthingruss

__________________

Just to clarify - I haven't even bothered trying to set up the wireless router yet. I'm still at the stage of getting the PC to connect via the cable modem with an ethernet connection, as opposed to a USB one. Figured I need to get that sorted first ...

Admin Edit (Rich M) - Edited IP details...

sounds like you've hit the nail on the head...on the win98se desktop machine, when you run winipcfg, if the ethernet card is correctly installed it will be listed in the drop down box....
if it is listed in the device manager... it may be worth check the network settings in the control panel...have a look to see if it has tcp/ip bound to it...

worthingruss · 05-03-2005, 09:30

Thanks all - tried another ethernet card and have successfully got the cable modem up and running happily. I think the previous card's drivers etc just hadn't installed correctly.
Anyhow, got to head out and visit supermarkets for a while

- will be back later to tackle the router etc
Watch this space ...

worthingruss · 05-03-2005, 19:30

Thanks for all your help, guys - now delighted to say that after a bit of fiddling about this afternoon, our wireless home network is now up and running! Seems to be maintaining a decent speed even with self and son number 1 on quite a lot. Will be interesting to see how it copes once I get my iMac kitted out and dipping in to the system.

Also discovered another network nearby - maybe next door's got one!

Roll on the speed upgrades

Tezcatlipoca · 05-03-2005, 19:41

Glad you've got it running OK

Don't forget to secure your wireless network though, if you haven't done so already - http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/article.php?a=12

drurro · 05-03-2006, 10:53

Hi all,

Hoping somone could do me a big favour and post an idiot guide to help me set up a wirless connection ?

I am using a Netgear WGR614 Wirless Router and a Netgear WG11 USB Adapter (for second PC).

I'm using Windows XP on both machines.

The setup looks to be quite simple, but there's something about needing to input ISP settings that I'm having problems with - I have called NTL support, but they told me they don't offer support for wirless networking.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, step by step instructions would be wonderful

Many thanks in advance.