Comcast + Wireless Internet Problem

I am so utterly frustrated with this. Perhaps someone can help me because Comcast refuses to.

The problem started when we moved here and got Comcast. I had a desktop that connected perfectly fine to the internet through our old ISP. When we got Comcast, the technician could not get the internet to connect. When we called Comcast, they said that our modem was fine, we were getting a connection, everything was fine on their end. They told me to contact the computer manufacturer.

I ended up buying a laptop for another reason, and noticed that I could connect through our unsecured wireless lan without problems.

Well, I recently bought and installed a new wireless router. It works, just fine, if I am connected via it's unsecured network. However when I try to connect via the secured network that I created, I get the same Comcast Installation Screen, and when I try to go through the steps, it says, "Unable to retrieve account information".

I called up Comcast, and they made me connect directly to the modem. Same problem. He made me disable the network and "reset the modem". Now I simply get no connectivity whatsoever (same problem as with the PC). He made me restart. Same problem. At the end of this, he told me that clearly, something is wrong with my computer and that I need to run virus scanning.

Nothing is wrong with my computer. I can hop right on the unsecured wireless network and it works fine. Everytime I bring this up, all he says to me is to contact Dlink.

I'm seriously really frustrated. It's OBVIOUSLY a problem with Comcast, but I have no idea what to say to them when they say it's a problem with my computer. And for the record, I have tried different modems, different computers, and different routers.

shadoweloc

[MarkSatterfield]

Actually, to suppose the issue is with Comcast might not be correct.

Let's see. If I understand correctly,

* You have a Comcast modem. Everything works fine if directly connected to the Comcast modem.
* Adding a router between the Comcast modem and your physically connected computer does not work.
* Adding a laptop connected wirelessly to the router does work if no security is enabled.
* Adding a laptop connected wirelessly to the router does not work if security is enabled.

Okay, so let's first look at your desktop.

Do you have a firewall enabled on your desktop? If so turn it off and report what happens.

On your laptop, Be community minded and leave security disabled so other's can share your connection. Be sure to install a firewall like Zone Alarm, though. Figure if a "bad" guy wants to share your connection, he already is -- there are loads of sniffers out there that will discover your password.

--Mark
http://www.marksatterfield.com

MarkSatterfield