Telewest second modem?

[DuncanDisorderly]

We've got a 20Mb Telewest account (Birmingham) through a Motorola Surfboard modem.
A friend gave us an old Lynksys WRT54G Modem/ Router that (allegedly) can be switched so that it acts like a wireless router.
We were also given an old laptop with a wireless card. A couple of months ago I lost a couple of days trying to get the laptop, ethernetted PC, Lynksys box & Motorola surfboard to work together, to no avail- I could get a wireless connection to the internet, or a wired (ethernet) connection to the PC, but not both at the same time.

Anyway.

Last night a friend who's moved house offered me his old telewest modem.
Great! I thought- I can have one modem handling the ethernet computer & the other one handling the wireless...

Only it doesn't work- I've a nasty idea it's because the new modem doesn't have it's MAC address registered with Virgin.

Is there any way around this problem?
I've come across some dodgy methods of cloning MAC addresses on t'interweb, as well as some extremely illegal looking things, such as this ebay seller.
I'm not trying to defraud Virgin- I'm paying to get the broadband, I'd just like to use it on a wireless laptop at the same time. I know I could spend £40 and get a wireless router to get the wired/ wireless connection I'm after, I just can't afford £40!

I already have this equipment and am trying to get it to work together harmoniously.

Any Ideas?

[Cobbydaler]

to the forums.

The Linksys WRT54G isn't a modem router, it's just a router. You should be able to get it working with your Surfboard.

Can you post the errors you were getting when trying it before?

I've moved the thread to Networking, as it's not particularly a VM issue...

[moiraf100]

So you haven't got a wireless router? Is a bit confused.
You can get a free router from Virgin if you subscribe to their 10mb Large or 20mb XLarge BB. Just call 150.
I phoned them on Monday evening, and I got it today.

[Dai]

I'd suggest that you get hold of a manual for the router if you don't have one already. As it's a second-user item I'd strongly recommend you reset it to factory defaults so you are starting from a known configuration.

You will almost certainly have to make a wired connection to the router first to set up the wireless. There's loads of users of this kit on here so I'm sure you'll get sorted very quickly.

[Kymmy]

As for the 2nd modem it won't work as only modems added to your account will be able to register themselves on the internet.

[DuncanDisorderly]

Originally Posted by moiraf100

You can get a free router from Virgin if you subscribe to their 10mb Large or 20mb XLarge BB. Just call 150.

The free offer's not available for existing subscribers.

Originally Posted by Kevin T

to the forums.

The Linksys WRT54G isn't a modem router, it's just a router. You should be able to get it working with your Surfboard.

Can you post the errors you were getting when trying it before?

I've moved the thread to Networking, as it's not particularly a VM issue...

I've tried all the permutations I could come up with.
If I just plug them together (modem in socket labelled internet), I can see the Linksys, but not the Motorola- no error message, just a "Firefox can't establish a connection to the server at 192.168.1.1."
I've tried changing the Lynksys from Gateway to Router, I've tried giving everything static IP addresses, I've tried turning on the "Enable DHCP Server" checkbox (the Motorola surfboard's only adjustable networking option) on the Motorola & turning off the Lynksys' DHCP, I've tried the opposite setup, I've tried everything I could think of in the myriad option screens to be found on the Linksys.

I've pulled what's left of my hair out by the roots, but non of it worked.

It all seems so stupid- I have a Linksys BEFSR41 Cable/DSL Router that,apart from the wireless bit, seems identical in every respect to the WRT54G. This ran quite happily as a switch for a couple of years, joining a Windows computer and a couple of ancient Macs to the internet.
I've honestly tried everything I could think of & I've also tried randomly changing things, to no avail.

(yes, I've frequently reset it back to it's default settings. I've also got two pdf manuals each for the Motorola Surfboard SB5100i & the LinksysWRT54G v2.2)

If anyone has managed to get a WRT54G working with a Motorola Surfboard modem, please let me know 'cos I've given up.

(hence my question about using a second modem in the same household)

[LaineY]

yup.. i have the same specs as you..

You need to make sure the WRT54G is set to AUTOMATICALLY in the 192.168.1.1

Power the modem and router off..
turn power on to the router..
wait 10 secs..
turn power on to the modem..
then plug an ethernet cable from the router to a PC and see if u get a net con..

iv had the router for years..
i swapped it 2 days ago for a WRT54GS (which is the same router with a speed booster) and its pants..

make sure its set in the options in the actual router to use it as Wan/Wireless and not Router/Switch

Originally Posted by DuncanDisorderly

(hence my question about using a second modem in the same household)

There is no legal way you can do this, so as you've said you don't want to defraud Virgin, you might as well forget it.

Aside from that, modems remain VM's property, so technically your friend shouldn't have given it to you, he should have arranged for VM to collect it when he had finished with it.

If you want to be absolutely whiter-than-white about this, you should give it back to him and recommend he contacts VM. Then, when they inevitably fail to give a damn, a month has passed and nobody has come to collect it, he can chuck it in the bin.

[DuncanDisorderly]

I'd given up on using the WRT54G, but I tried LaineY's suggestion of turning the WRT54G on first & IT WORKED!
Thank you LaineY- you've made my month

Originally Posted by Chris T

There is no legal way you can do this, so as you've said you don't want to defraud Virgin, you might as well forget it.

I thought that might be the case.

Originally Posted by Chris T

Aside from that, modems remain VM's property, so technically your friend shouldn't have given it to you, he should have arranged for VM to collect it when he had finished with it.

If you want to be absolutely whiter-than-white about this, you should give it back to him and recommend he contacts VM. Then, when they inevitably fail to give a damn, a month has passed and nobody has come to collect it, he can chuck it in the bin.

That's how come he's still got it- He cancelled the contract before he installed it & they never asked for it back. It's still in it's box with 3 coax cables, a long length of Cat5 & a plastic spanner.
The date on the box is December 2007.

I'm going to keep the cables & totally trash the modem- I don't want it to fall into the hands of some work-shy chav who'll use it illegally.
(have you seen the ads on Freecycle from someone asking for Telewest hardware with a variety of feeble excuses as to why she wants them?)

Thanks again, LaineY & everyone else who tried to help