Belkin wireless access point/NTL cablemodem grief

[clicky]

This is killing me. I'm installing a Belkin wireless access point for a friend. Its somewhat embarrasing as I work in I.T and he specifically asked me to do it because I supposedly "know what I'm doing", but this is driving me mental.

I am not at the premises now, but through a process of elimination on the Belkin website, I'm pretty sure the router in question is the F5D7231uk4. The only difference being that my friends is a 4 port one and the one on the site is a single port unit (I don't see a 4 port one on there).

So here's the situation:

He has a desktop PC that plugs into an NTL cable modem via USB. This modem also has a network port on the back. He is fine with the desktop PC having a wired connection so no problem there.

His son has a laptop with a wireless PCMCIA card which he wants to use wirelessly, hence the purchase of the Belkin unit.

The Belkin unit comes with a CDROM. Whenever we try and run it we can't get past a certain stage. It gives us the instructions on what to plug in, when to plug it in, and even has diagrams, but when it gets to that screen with the progress bar it fails every time. It will give you one retry attempt, but after that it advises you to call Belkin. Call Belkin and they tell you to turn the router off and back on again and it'll work. He's been doing that for days.

Now then, it gets trickier.......

The NTL cable modem has a faulty network port. You have to hold the cable in quite firmly for the LED to light up to confirm theres a cable in place.

My observations:

1). It seems odd to me that this access point requires an installation CD ROM. Especially since it doesn't plug directly into the PC, it plugs into the modem. I'm used to DSL router/modem units, and they rarely require an installation CD. They do DHCP out of the box, so your PC see's it as soon as you plug in, and you do the rest on the routers config page via its IP address. Simple.

2). The Belkin and the laptop can see each other. They're ready to work....except for the fact that the Belkin and the modem won't co-operate.

3). His NTL modem is rented. I have advised him to get it replaced so that we can eliminate this dodgy network port from our investigations.

But I have to go down there when the new modem arrives to try and get this stuff up and running again.

And I have further questions too:

NTL uses DHCP. If NTL are giving the cable modem an IP address and the access point is plugged into that, are there further IP issues to consider? Does the Belkin do DHCP by default (I would assume so because it gives the laptop an IP when I run IPCONFIG)? Should I be looking into getting it to do IP pass-through or something?

The Belkin seemed to be missing a network cable. The on screen walk-through mentions two network cables, but only one was supplied. Are both these cales straight? Or crossover, or one of each?

I am absolutely lost.

Any advice or pointers or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

[jonbr]

I can't help about the wireless access point as I have no experience of them. However, I am fairly sure, with the modem, that you can either use the USB or the ethernet port, bot not both (at the same time that is), it's one or the other......

Sounds like you'd be better off with a wireless router.

[rogerdraig]

sorry i say something you did already but here goes

you cant normaly use the usb and network points at the same time on the cable modem

so you most likely need to set the modem back up first ( or computer rather ) to use it on a network card rather than usb

( you might be able to miss that stage out )

then swith everything off plug cable modem into the router plug the computer into the router and switch on

realy the computer should see the change and set itself up ( though i often have to remind ie explorer where to look )

then you should be able to access the belkin router via http://192.168.2.1/

and set up the wireless network options from there

if it isnt that simple i would be thinking its broken or has wrong cables ect

[DocDutch]

mate check firstly what the proper modelnumber is (F5D72*** for router or F5D7130 for Access Point)

if its an Access point you wont be able to have both computers online at the same time as NTL only give out 1 ip address at a time.

if its a router, disconnect the power from the modem for 5 mins and plug in the belkin router, after the 5 mins connect the NTL to the power again and you should be up and running (you can see that if the connected light on the router is on not blinking)

in useful IT info I posted a link to a belkin setup guide for all the products so you might just have to give that a go

link if you cant find it or having a friday lazy feeling:

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/sh...ad.php?t=36788

[clicky]

Thanks for the info guys. I've obtained a few more details:

1. The Belkin unit is definitely the F5D7231uk4
2. He has requested a replacement modem from NTL. The new one is different, I've not seen it in the flesh yet but it is a E08C007 apparently.

I will be going back down there soon and trying some of the above suggestions. Thanks guys.

Does anyone know if the above modem has the same issue where you can't use the USB and network port at the same time?

[MovedGoalPosts]

You definitely, on any ntl modem, cannot use the USB and ethernet ports at the same time. The only exception might be if you subscribe to the console gamining services which allows the modem to issue 2 IP addresses.

Since you are putting a router into the system, you only need one IP addy from the modem, and would only use the ethernet port once that is working properly.

[clicky]

Gotcha.

I have a horrible feeling that the guys network port on his desktop PC is dead too. He mentioned that was why he was using the USB lead in the first place.

[King Of Fools]

Originally Posted by clicky

I have a horrible feeling that the guys network port on his desktop PC is dead too. He mentioned that was why he was using the USB lead in the first place.

I that case he will either need a new ethernet card or a wireless network adaptor.

[Graham M]

Needs to check also if it is enabled in the BIOS, sometimes comes turned off!