Computer challenged seeks advice on networking two PCs

rhyae · Post by **rhyae** » April 9, 2007, 7:12 pm

I'm not a computer person, so don't laugh too much if I use poor terminology.
I recently moved, got Windstream dsl, which is all that's available in my podunk town.
It works fine on my PC but I can't network in the other PC.
The windstream modem has 4 places on the back:
One for power, one for ethernet (not used atm), one USB port for DSL that runs to back of my computer, one for telephone line in.
I have a wireless router that the owner of the other PC bought. It's a Linksys wireless G wrt54g. It has a cat5 internet cable port, and 4 cat5 outlet ports on it.
She/they/storepeople insist it should be fine with this setup.
My problem is, when I run the set up disk it says to take the cable from the modem and plug it into the router, but the ports don't match. USB won't fit into cat5 port obviously.
I've gone to linksys site and downloaded their program to help, but it can't talk to the router.
A tech guy from work came out to look at it, he hooked it up with some new cables but it still won't talk to the router. He said the internet was down, when I came home and plugged it up the original way, the net came back up right away. He was already gone by then.
I've tried every manner of hooking it up to various ports, using extra cables, blah blah, but I can't get the network to talk to the router.
I am really technically challenged and it may be something as simple as I don't have my PC set up right to network it.
Can anyone point me in the right direction please?
Did that make any sense up there?
I've tried googling it, but didn't come up with anything useful yet.
This is turning really ugly with the person on the other PC who is even less computer inclined than myself, and pissed at me for having net while she doesn't.

Waikiki · Post by **Waikiki** » April 9, 2007, 7:25 pm

Many times DSL modems use PPPoE or some other protocol for user verification. What you need to do is look up the model number on your DSL modem, and google it for networking.

Usually there are 2 options:

Chances are, you will have to enter the modems setup screen (192.168.x.x) and configure it to be in bridge mode (pass through). Next, you have to configure your router to do the PPPoE part that you removed from the modem using your DSL login and password.

The other option is that the DSL modem will only connect when it is connected to the host computer that you installed it. Theoretically you can open up your router's setup screen (192.168.x.x) and clone the MAC ID of the computer that you installed the DSL modem with originally. I have not had much luck with this technique!

Another problem can be that both the router and the modem use the same subnet (192.168.x.x) and don't like co-existing on the same network. The easiest solution here is to change the subnet on your router.

However, the best option hopefully can be found via googling!

p.s. Hi Rhyae!~

p.p.s. Oops that was 3!

rhyae · Post by **rhyae** » April 9, 2007, 7:28 pm

Holy cow!
OK, I will try more specific googling, thanks for a starting place kiki.
Miss you!

Zaelath · Post by **Zaelath** » April 9, 2007, 11:26 pm

Hey Rhyae!

Usually when you put the router into the equation, you run Cat5 from the "internet" port on the router, to the RJ-45 port on the modem, and stop using the USB cable altogether.

If you enter username/password to connect from your existing computer things are simple, if not our modem is already acting like a router and you need to make it act like a modem again...

Let's pretend you have a dialup connection on your computer, and your modem is a modem:

Connect modem to router: RJ-45 to RJ-45 (internet)

Connect your computer to router: RJ-45 to RJ-45 (one of the 4 "other" ports on the router). If you don't have a network card/port in your computer you need to get one... you can't use the USB connection in this configuration.

Run the installation CD for the router on your computer, and in a default configuration of router/network card it should all work..

--

Now... if your modem is actually acting as a router (pretty common) you need to make it act like a modem again. That's beyond the scope of "general" hints and tips, you'd have to let me know the make and model of the modem and router...

rhyae · Post by **rhyae** » April 10, 2007, 9:29 am

Zaelath what's up!

Ok it's working, thank you both very much.
I wont pretend that I understand why or how, I will just say thanks.
I didn't do a lot of testing, but both PCs (and a laptop she got from somewhere, wtf?) can connect to the net now.
If it has more issues I'll be back.