[jasride]

Alright, I know this is a basic, basic tech issue but the wireless router is new to me so......

I acquired a used ThinkPad T60 laptop from a relative and I want to go wireless in my home.

I also bought this router:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3734164&tab=support

I also have a 3yr old Dell Dimension desk top.

Assuming I have the router physically connected correctly with my Comcast cable modem and also connected to my desktop, what are the steps, and in what order do I need to take them in order for both machines to connect to the interweb???

The router came with a disk with an install wizard but when going through the disk it stops at the first step which says you must have an ethernet connection to continue. And won't go any further.

I guess I do not have the confidence or knowledge to know where I need to go on both machines to make sure I'm connected and connected securely.
There is a link that im told to head to in order to change the default password and username, would I need to do this on both machines or just one???

thanks to anybody who wants to chime in........

 

[Quo Fan]

1. Can you get online when your computer is connected to the modem?
2. Did you connect the output from the modem the the yellow jack?

If you want to log into the router, open a browser and type the ip address of the router, usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.1.0. This will bring you to the login page where you type in the default user and password.

If you want to know the address of your router, from a DOS box, type "ping 192.168.1.1" and press enter. If you are properly connected to the router, you will get 4 responses. If not, you will get 4 time out messages.

 

[jasride]

1. Can you get online when your computer is connected to the modem?
2. Did you connect the output from the modem the the yellow jack?

If you want to log into the router, open a browser and type the ip address of the router, usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.1.0. This will bring you to the login page where you type in the default user and password.

If you want to know the address of your router, from a DOS box, type "ping 192.168.1.1" and press enter. If you are properly connected to the router, you will get 4 responses. If not, you will get 4 time out messages.

Quo,

1. I can get online while using my desktop directly connected to the cable modem, yes.

2. I disconnected the cable coming from the desktop to the modem at the modem end and inserted it into port 1 of the router. I then have the yellow ethernet cord supplied with the router, coming from the yellow marked port on the router, then to the modem at the other end???

after this step, should i then automatically be able to type in the router ip address in a browser and change settings on both or either my desktop and laptop???

And why just by typing the ip address does it know to take me to the correct page to change settings if all routers have either 1 of those 2 ip addresses?

I assume my desktop would be getting a signal being it still is hardwired to the modem just going through the router now. And the laptop should be able to pick up the signal as well? This is where I feel like settings are not set correctly???

what's with the steps involving going into "control panel" and changing settings in the "internet connections" area of control panel??? do i need to do this?

 

[Quo Fan]

Ok. Power off everything, computer, modem and router. Make sure everything is connected properly. Boot in the following order, allowing each to boot fully: modem, router, computer.

What I think is happening, is the modem is looking for your computer, and isn't finding it, because it can only connect to one device at a time.

The router is like a room with a bunch of doors the lead to computers. The modem sees the router and it doesn't care how many computers are connected beyond it. All it needs to see is the router. The router then decides the individual addresses for the connected computers.

When you finally get everything connected, there are ways to secure your connection so anybody with a wireless card won't be able to connect to your router. You can turn on the security feature requiring a password, or you can turn off the SSID broadcast after you have connected your laptop to the router. Pirates can't connect to your router, if they can't see it.

 

[syadasti]

If you want to log into the router, open a browser and type the ip address of the router, usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.1.0. This will bring you to the login page where you type in the default user and password.

192.168.1.0 is a network address, that won't work. Some default gateway addresses that may work include: 192.168.0.1, 192.168.1.1, 192.168.0.254, or 192.168.1.254

 

[jasride]

Ok. Power off everything, computer, modem and router. Make sure everything is connected properly. Boot in the following order, allowing each to boot fully: modem, router, computer.

What I think is happening, is the modem is looking for your computer, and isn't finding it, because it can only connect to one device at a time.

Quo, this simple advise could be the start of something good. Doing this in the correct order seemed to work. At first I just tor open the router box, plugged things in and turned everything on like I was dying of some kind of withdraw. This, and also noticing that there is a link that is mid way through the directions included on the start up cd that directs you toward netgears site where you can then install your custom settings. So I didn't have to type in any ip addresses, i just went to the link provided and I'm in. But I still do not have a secured network, I'm still figuring that part out. I made sure my SSID number is the same all around on my network but don't really understand where the security measures come in???

thanks all

 

[Quo Fan]

Say I'm in your neighborhood driving around. I have a laptop with a wifi connection. I can search and find any unsecured connection to connect to. If you have security measures in place (entering a security key to log onto the network), then I can't use your internet connection to surf the web.

If you are not broadcasting your SSID, then there is no way for somebody looking to pirate bandwidth to log onto your router.

If you log onto your router, and there are instructions either on the Netgear site, or on the CD you got that will tell you how to secure your router. Securing your router is a good thing, because people like me are around who love to pirate bandwidth.

 

[syadasti]

If you are not broadcasting your SSID, then there is no way for somebody looking to pirate bandwidth to log onto your router.

Its easy to bypass this, mac filtering and also grades of consumer encryption since they lack authentication. You might get some casual wardrivers that will easily figure out the SSID but it would take a more dedicated one for the mac address or encryption tricks.

Best option is to keep the SSID visible and use WPA2-PSK.

 

[jasride]

Alright pirates. Well I figured out how to set up my WEP security. I wanted to go with the more secure setting but couldn't find all the info necessary to do it correctly so WEP it is.

Only problem now is, the laptop seems to lose the connection every few minutes. Lame.
Im only in the other room, 8 ft away.

 

[syadasti]

Speaking of encryption, WPA own3d in 60 seconds:

http://www.tomsguide.com/us/WPA-Cracked-Routers-Japanese-Scientists,news-4526.html

 

[jasride]

Speaking of encryption, WPA own3d in 60 seconds:

http://www.tomsguide.com/us/WPA-Cracked-Routers-Japanese-Scientists,news-4526.html

jeeze, do those guys have to be at the curb right outside your house to crack anything or are they better than that?

Ran into another road block. The router is working, and my desktop is connected to the net but my laptop seems to loose connection after about 5 minutes. I've been on the phone with India the past few nights and last night the man assured me it would stay connected this time but 10 minutes later it was off.

Could a firewall or some other kind of virus protection be the issue????

 

[syadasti]

Well you can use better antenna so you don't have to be at the curb, but you must be able to pick up the signal. Support for WPA2-PSK w/AES is pretty widespread in consumer devices now and cracking AES will be less practical. There are some routers that have radius servers built-in for authentication which is ideal but its not very common on low-end equipment and most end-users won't be setting up a radius server on their own otherwise...

You router might have buggy firmware that needs an upgrade, you might have an appliance causing severe interference (devices with transmitting radios like cordless photos/speakers/others, microwave, large electrical motors, etc), or you might have a buggy wifi driver for you computer that needs an update.

 

[jasride]

Hey thanks for the advise options syadasti, I'll be looking into all of them. We have a cordless phone that sits right on top of our modem next to the router. Wondering......??????? Not sure though.