«

Background: I have Cable broadband, through a cable modem connected via USB
to my desktop PC. This PC is NOT wireless enabled and I have no requirement
to make it so. A label on the modem says I should use the ethernet cable "if
your Computer supports it" but that never worked for me so I stuck with USB
and that all seemed to be OK. PC is about 4 years old I think. Dell
Dimension C521.

Now: I have bought a wireless enabled laptop, so I got a wireless router
from my ISP. This is not a combined modem/router; it's a separate unit that
plugs into the existing modem via a supplied ethernet cable. I set it up as
described, ran the installation CD on my laptop and everything worked fine.
Strong signal, fast connection, everything A-OK. So far, so good.

However: I still want to connect to the internet using my old PC as well.
I'm not that concerned if I can't make the computers speak to each other, but
I need both to be able to connect to the internet. If I leave the USB cable
connected from the modem to the old PC, then the internet light on the router
glows orange rather than green and I cannot connect using the laptop. If I
disconnect it again, the orange light goes green and then I CAN connect using
the laptop, but of course now I have lost the connection from the old PC. I
need to be able to use BOTH. Maybe not simultaneously (though I would have
thought that was possible) but I certainly don't want to be constantly
disconnecting and reconnecting cables on my modem and/or router.

I have tried leaving out the USB cable and using my ethernet cable (the
original one with my modem) to connect the router directly to the old PC, but
that has had no effect. But I read somewhere that maybe my ethernet port is
not enabled and that I would have to change that (there's no light or
anything that I can see on it, but it IS the right port on my computer
because it's the only one the ethernet cable will plug into.)

Summary: I want to use wireless via my laptop and WIRED via my old PC at the
same time. There must be a way to do this but I can't make it work. My
ISP's helpdesk guy seemed unable even to comprehend the problem.

Help!!

ryco said this on 5/11/2009 5:58 PM:
> Background: I have Cable broadband, through a cable modem connected via USB
> to my desktop PC. This PC is NOT wireless enabled and I have no requirement
> to make it so. A label on the modem says I should use the ethernet cable "if
> your Computer supports it" but that never worked for me so I stuck with USB
> and that all seemed to be OK. PC is about 4 years old I think. Dell
> Dimension C521.
>
> Now: I have bought a wireless enabled laptop, so I got a wireless router
> from my ISP. This is not a combined modem/router; it's a separate unit that
> plugs into the existing modem via a supplied ethernet cable. I set it up as
> described, ran the installation CD on my laptop and everything worked fine.
> Strong signal, fast connection, everything A-OK. So far, so good.
>
> However: I still want to connect to the internet using my old PC as well.
> I'm not that concerned if I can't make the computers speak to each other, but
> I need both to be able to connect to the internet. If I leave the USB cable
> connected from the modem to the old PC, then the internet light on the router
> glows orange rather than green and I cannot connect using the laptop. If I
> disconnect it again, the orange light goes green and then I CAN connect using
> the laptop, but of course now I have lost the connection from the old PC. I
> need to be able to use BOTH. Maybe not simultaneously (though I would have
> thought that was possible) but I certainly don't want to be constantly
> disconnecting and reconnecting cables on my modem and/or router.
>
> I have tried leaving out the USB cable and using my ethernet cable (the
> original one with my modem) to connect the router directly to the old PC, but
> that has had no effect. But I read somewhere that maybe my ethernet port is
> not enabled and that I would have to change that (there's no light or
> anything that I can see on it, but it IS the right port on my computer
> because it's the only one the ethernet cable will plug into.)
>
> Summary: I want to use wireless via my laptop and WIRED via my old PC at the
> same time. There must be a way to do this but I can't make it work. My
> ISP's helpdesk guy seemed unable even to comprehend the problem.
>
> Help!!
>
>
>
>
I am assuming the modem will only supply one connection, USB or
Ethernet. It been 2 years since I had that arrangement and it probably
differs from vendor to vendor anyway. The router is the unit that
performs the function you want. It makes multiple connections possible,
in your case wireless and wired. You should plug the PC into the
router directly. And it requires a straight through cable. If the
colors of the 8 wires in the plastic connector are visible, both ends
should be the same color order. Does not matter what colors, just the
same order left to right in the 8 pins. You might need a magnifying
glass. If they flipped a couple of colors, then you probably have a
crossover cable. This is a special function cable and might be used to
direct connect to the modem, but not a PC->router.

PS, once both PC's are in the router, you will be able to think about
sharing files and view network PCs.

Hi
To use two computers with the same Internet connection you need the two
computer to be past the Routing.
If you Old computer have Ethernet too switch from the USB to the Ethernet
and plug it to the Router.
Otherwise you can buy a USB to Ethernet device and use it in order to plug
the old computer to the Router.
Example, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16812203024
Jack (MS, MVP-Networking)


"Big_Al" <> wrote in message
news:%...
> ryco said this on 5/11/2009 5:58 PM:
>> Background: I have Cable broadband, through a cable modem connected via
>> USB to my desktop PC. This PC is NOT wireless enabled and I have no
>> requirement to make it so. A label on the modem says I should use the
>> ethernet cable "if your Computer supports it" but that never worked for
>> me so I stuck with USB and that all seemed to be OK. PC is about 4 years
>> old I think. Dell Dimension C521. Now: I have bought a wireless enabled
>> laptop, so I got a wireless router from my ISP. This is not a combined
>> modem/router; it's a separate unit that plugs into the existing modem via
>> a supplied ethernet cable. I set it up as described, ran the
>> installation CD on my laptop and everything worked fine. Strong signal,
>> fast connection, everything A-OK. So far, so good.
>>
>> However: I still want to connect to the internet using my old PC as well.
>> I'm not that concerned if I can't make the computers speak to each other,
>> but I need both to be able to connect to the internet. If I leave the
>> USB cable connected from the modem to the old PC, then the internet light
>> on the router glows orange rather than green and I cannot connect using
>> the laptop. If I disconnect it again, the orange light goes green and
>> then I CAN connect using the laptop, but of course now I have lost the
>> connection from the old PC. I need to be able to use BOTH. Maybe not
>> simultaneously (though I would have thought that was possible) but I
>> certainly don't want to be constantly disconnecting and reconnecting
>> cables on my modem and/or router.
>>
>> I have tried leaving out the USB cable and using my ethernet cable (the
>> original one with my modem) to connect the router directly to the old PC,
>> but that has had no effect. But I read somewhere that maybe my ethernet
>> port is not enabled and that I would have to change that (there's no
>> light or anything that I can see on it, but it IS the right port on my
>> computer because it's the only one the ethernet cable will plug into.)
>>
>> Summary: I want to use wireless via my laptop and WIRED via my old PC at
>> the same time. There must be a way to do this but I can't make it work.
>> My ISP's helpdesk guy seemed unable even to comprehend the problem.
>>
>> Help!!
>>
>>
>>
>>
> I am assuming the modem will only supply one connection, USB or Ethernet.
> It been 2 years since I had that arrangement and it probably differs from
> vendor to vendor anyway. The router is the unit that performs the
> function you want. It makes multiple connections possible, in your case
> wireless and wired. You should plug the PC into the router directly.
> And it requires a straight through cable. If the colors of the 8 wires in
> the plastic connector are visible, both ends should be the same color
> order. Does not matter what colors, just the same order left to right in
> the 8 pins. You might need a magnifying glass. If they flipped a couple
> of colors, then you probably have a crossover cable. This is a special
> function cable and might be used to direct connect to the modem, but not a
> PC->router.
>
> PS, once both PC's are in the router, you will be able to think about
> sharing files and view network PCs.

"Big_Al" <> wrote in message
news:#...

> And it requires a straight through cable.

I would think it's highly unlikely that the OP has a cross-over cable....you
need to specifically ask for one when you purchase cables....

--
Asking a question?
Please tell us the version of the application you are asking about,
your OS, Service Pack level
and the FULL contents of any error message(s)

This is a real simple thing and no one has "caught it" yet. It is probably
due to the extremely loose use of terminology that plagues the industry so
that no one really knows what anyone is saying by the words they use
anymore.

You have no Firewall Device. These are commonly called "routers" in the
retail stores although in reality they are not really "routers",..what they
really are is a cheap low-buck NAT Firewall Device,...but the stores call
them "routers" so that is what you are looking for.

You cannot do what you are wanting with a Cable/DSL Modem.

As far as Wired -vs- Wireless,...the Wireless is not a "network",...the
Wireless componenet is just a "patch cable replacement". The whole thing
(big picture), the wired and the wireless together is the "network",...all
of it combined.

--
Phillip Windell
www.wandtv.com

The views expressed, are my own and not those of my employer, or Microsoft,
or anyone else associated with me, including my cats.
-----------------------------------------------------


"ryco" <> wrote in message
news:28B45D7D-6201-48C7-ADA0-...
> Background: I have Cable broadband, through a cable modem connected via
> USB
> to my desktop PC. This PC is NOT wireless enabled and I have no
> requirement
> to make it so. A label on the modem says I should use the ethernet cable
> "if
> your Computer supports it" but that never worked for me so I stuck with
> USB
> and that all seemed to be OK. PC is about 4 years old I think. Dell
> Dimension C521.
>
> Now: I have bought a wireless enabled laptop, so I got a wireless router
> from my ISP. This is not a combined modem/router; it's a separate unit
> that
> plugs into the existing modem via a supplied ethernet cable. I set it up
> as
> described, ran the installation CD on my laptop and everything worked
> fine.
> Strong signal, fast connection, everything A-OK. So far, so good.
>
> However: I still want to connect to the internet using my old PC as well.
> I'm not that concerned if I can't make the computers speak to each other,
> but
> I need both to be able to connect to the internet. If I leave the USB
> cable
> connected from the modem to the old PC, then the internet light on the
> router
> glows orange rather than green and I cannot connect using the laptop. If
> I
> disconnect it again, the orange light goes green and then I CAN connect
> using
> the laptop, but of course now I have lost the connection from the old PC.
> I
> need to be able to use BOTH. Maybe not simultaneously (though I would
> have
> thought that was possible) but I certainly don't want to be constantly
> disconnecting and reconnecting cables on my modem and/or router.
>
> I have tried leaving out the USB cable and using my ethernet cable (the
> original one with my modem) to connect the router directly to the old PC,
> but
> that has had no effect. But I read somewhere that maybe my ethernet port
> is
> not enabled and that I would have to change that (there's no light or
> anything that I can see on it, but it IS the right port on my computer
> because it's the only one the ethernet cable will plug into.)
>
> Summary: I want to use wireless via my laptop and WIRED via my old PC at
> the
> same time. There must be a way to do this but I can't make it work. My
> ISP's helpdesk guy seemed unable even to comprehend the problem.
>
> Help!!
>
>
>
>

Gordon said this on 5/12/2009 3:16 AM:
>
> "Big_Al" <> wrote in message
> news:#...
>
>> And it requires a straight through cable.
>
> I would think it's highly unlikely that the OP has a cross-over
> cable....you need to specifically ask for one when you purchase cables....
>
Me too, but I offer it as fact that there is such a thing and a simple
way to tell them apart. Not knowing anyones level of expertise, its
better to say than not say.

Thanks everyone for helpful suggestions so far..

Big Al: My ethernet cable has translucent blue connectors so it's difficult
to be certain about the colours of the wires inside, but they LOOK the same
at both ends. If it's of any use, the cable has the following printed on it:
TYPE CM 24AWG 75(degree symbol)C TIA/EIA-568-B.2 CAT.5 Patch Cable UTP NET-X
None of that means anything to me except I guess the cable is rated up to
75Celsius.

I have already tried connecting this cable between my PC and router, to no
effect. See 2nd last para of my original post. Any idea how I would enable
the ethernet port in case that's an issue?

Jack: "If you Old computer have Ethernet too switch from the USB to the
Ethernet
and plug it to the Router." I think you're suggesting the same thing, so
I'm still stuck but I will look into your suggestion about that USB to
ethernet device. Thanks.

Phillip: I'm afraid I'm in over my head with most of what you said. I'm
not techie enough to follow it. The PC has firewall SOFTWARE, but I guess
that's not the same as a firewall DEVICE. Just occurred to me: is it worth
switching off the firewall software and attempting this again?

But ..."You cannot do what you are wanting with a Cable/DSL Modem."
....seems pretty emphatic. You're certian about that? In which case what do
I need to do? Do I need to make this PC wireless enabled? If so, is one of
those plug-in USB things the best (i.e. easiest for an amateur!!) way to
proceed?

"ryco" <> wrote in message
news:4DAF39A0-5980-4983-B69F-...
> Phillip: I'm afraid I'm in over my head with most of what you said. I'm
> not techie enough to follow it. The PC has firewall SOFTWARE, but I guess
> that's not the same as a firewall DEVICE.

Correct,...two entirely different things.
Sorry, I didn't notice that you got the wireless "router" from the ISP when
I posted the first time, I need to read a little slower,...more on that
device below.

> Just occurred to me: is it worth
> switching off the firewall software and attempting this again?

It is pretty much irrelevant. Yes, it can cause you problems,...but I don't
think it will apply to this context.


> But ..."You cannot do what you are wanting with a Cable/DSL Modem."
> ...seems pretty emphatic. You're certian about that?

Emphatically, yes
But you have the wireless router from the ISP,...that should work,...you
just have to "phyiscally" assemble the network with the devices in the
correct pattern.

> In which case what do I need to do?

The wireless router that you got from the ISP *is* a firewall device,..use
it.

It must go between the "modem" and the PC's. Forget USB cable,...in this
situation USB has no place in this story. The "modem" will have to use the
Ethernet Cable instead of the USB,..and that cable will plug into the WAN
Port on the "router". Then the wired PCs will plug into the LAN Ports on
the "router" (there are typically 4 LAN ports,...the 5th is the WAN port).
The wireless capable PCs will connect via the antennas on the "router"
instead of via cable.

From what I can see from your first post it looks like you did most of it
correctly,...maybe you did not plug the wired PCs into the correct ports on
the "router".


[Internet]
|
<modem>
|
<wireless router>----{wireless signal}---wireless PC1
| | |
PC2 PC3 PC4

In my diagram the PCs 2-4 are wired
PC1 is the wireless one

If you know that it is cabled up correctly and still doesn't work you may
need to get the ISP to help,..particularly since the device came from them.
Some ISPs can get into the "router" and configure it for you as long as your
cabling is correct.

--
Phillip Windell
www.wandtv.com

The views expressed, are my own and not those of my employer, or Microsoft,
or anyone else associated with me, including my cats.
-----------------------------------------------------

VERY comprehensive response and an excellent diagram - thank you. I'm pretty
sure I have done what you described, except I have only PCs 1 and 2 from your
diagram.

The first port on my router is unnumbered. It's coloured yellow and it's
where the yellow ethernet cable from my ISP connects back to the cable modem.
So that's the WAN port, right? Next I have four ports numbered 1 to 4 and I
plugged my OTHER ethernet cable into port 1. I plugged the other end of this
into the ethernet port on my PC. It's the only port that fits, so I can't
have got that wrong.

From this, I see two possibilities: either the cable is faulty, or the port
is disabled/dead/whatever. This latter is a possibility I came across
somewhere else. Do you know anything about how I can check the status of
that port, or how I could 'enable' it if necessary? I looked in the Network
Connections folder but didn't find anything useful there. Its shows my local
area connection as follows:
LAN or high-speed internet | Connected, firewalled | USB cable modem 351000
(At the moment I have disconnected the router and am using my old USB
connection)

I think you've confirmed what I *NEED* to do. The question is: why won't it
work?

"Phillip Windell" wrote:

> "ryco" <> wrote in message
> news:4DAF39A0-5980-4983-B69F-...
> > Phillip: I'm afraid I'm in over my head with most of what you said. I'm
> > not techie enough to follow it. The PC has firewall SOFTWARE, but I guess
> > that's not the same as a firewall DEVICE.
>
> Correct,...two entirely different things.
> Sorry, I didn't notice that you got the wireless "router" from the ISP when
> I posted the first time, I need to read a little slower,...more on that
> device below.
>
> > Just occurred to me: is it worth
> > switching off the firewall software and attempting this again?
>
> It is pretty much irrelevant. Yes, it can cause you problems,...but I don't
> think it will apply to this context.
>
>
> > But ..."You cannot do what you are wanting with a Cable/DSL Modem."
> > ...seems pretty emphatic. You're certian about that?
>
> Emphatically, yes
> But you have the wireless router from the ISP,...that should work,...you
> just have to "phyiscally" assemble the network with the devices in the
> correct pattern.
>
> > In which case what do I need to do?
>
> The wireless router that you got from the ISP *is* a firewall device,..use
> it.
>
> It must go between the "modem" and the PC's. Forget USB cable,...in this
> situation USB has no place in this story. The "modem" will have to use the
> Ethernet Cable instead of the USB,..and that cable will plug into the WAN
> Port on the "router". Then the wired PCs will plug into the LAN Ports on
> the "router" (there are typically 4 LAN ports,...the 5th is the WAN port).
> The wireless capable PCs will connect via the antennas on the "router"
> instead of via cable.
>
> From what I can see from your first post it looks like you did most of it
> correctly,...maybe you did not plug the wired PCs into the correct ports on
> the "router".
>
>
> [Internet]
> |
> <modem>
> |
> <wireless router>----{wireless signal}---wireless PC1
> | | |
> PC2 PC3 PC4
>
> In my diagram the PCs 2-4 are wired
> PC1 is the wireless one
>
> If you know that it is cabled up correctly and still doesn't work you may
> need to get the ISP to help,..particularly since the device came from them.
> Some ISPs can get into the "router" and configure it for you as long as your
> cabling is correct.
>
> --
> Phillip Windell
> www.wandtv.com
>
> The views expressed, are my own and not those of my employer, or Microsoft,
> or anyone else associated with me, including my cats.
> -----------------------------------------------------
>
>
>

Hi
You seems to be on the right track, http://www.ezlan.net/network/router.jpg
Jack (MS, MVP-Networking)


"ryco" <> wrote in message
news:1A650F70-6837-41C7-BCC7-...
> VERY comprehensive response and an excellent diagram - thank you. I'm
> pretty
> sure I have done what you described, except I have only PCs 1 and 2 from
> your
> diagram.
>
> The first port on my router is unnumbered. It's coloured yellow and it's
> where the yellow ethernet cable from my ISP connects back to the cable
> modem.
> So that's the WAN port, right? Next I have four ports numbered 1 to 4 and
> I
> plugged my OTHER ethernet cable into port 1. I plugged the other end of
> this
> into the ethernet port on my PC. It's the only port that fits, so I can't
> have got that wrong.
>
> From this, I see two possibilities: either the cable is faulty, or the
> port
> is disabled/dead/whatever. This latter is a possibility I came across
> somewhere else. Do you know anything about how I can check the status of
> that port, or how I could 'enable' it if necessary? I looked in the
> Network
> Connections folder but didn't find anything useful there. Its shows my
> local
> area connection as follows:
> LAN or high-speed internet | Connected, firewalled | USB cable modem
> 351000
> (At the moment I have disconnected the router and am using my old USB
> connection)
>
> I think you've confirmed what I *NEED* to do. The question is: why won't
> it
> work?
>
> "Phillip Windell" wrote:
>
>> "ryco" <> wrote in message
>> news:4DAF39A0-5980-4983-B69F-...
>> > Phillip: I'm afraid I'm in over my head with most of what you said.
>> > I'm
>> > not techie enough to follow it. The PC has firewall SOFTWARE, but I
>> > guess
>> > that's not the same as a firewall DEVICE.
>>
>> Correct,...two entirely different things.
>> Sorry, I didn't notice that you got the wireless "router" from the ISP
>> when
>> I posted the first time, I need to read a little slower,...more on that
>> device below.
>>
>> > Just occurred to me: is it worth
>> > switching off the firewall software and attempting this again?
>>
>> It is pretty much irrelevant. Yes, it can cause you problems,...but I
>> don't
>> think it will apply to this context.
>>
>>
>> > But ..."You cannot do what you are wanting with a Cable/DSL Modem."
>> > ...seems pretty emphatic. You're certian about that?
>>
>> Emphatically, yes
>> But you have the wireless router from the ISP,...that should work,...you
>> just have to "phyiscally" assemble the network with the devices in the
>> correct pattern.
>>
>> > In which case what do I need to do?
>>
>> The wireless router that you got from the ISP *is* a firewall
>> device,..use
>> it.
>>
>> It must go between the "modem" and the PC's. Forget USB cable,...in this
>> situation USB has no place in this story. The "modem" will have to use
>> the
>> Ethernet Cable instead of the USB,..and that cable will plug into the WAN
>> Port on the "router". Then the wired PCs will plug into the LAN Ports
>> on
>> the "router" (there are typically 4 LAN ports,...the 5th is the WAN
>> port).
>> The wireless capable PCs will connect via the antennas on the "router"
>> instead of via cable.
>>
>> From what I can see from your first post it looks like you did most of it
>> correctly,...maybe you did not plug the wired PCs into the correct ports
>> on
>> the "router".
>>
>>
>> [Internet]
>> |
>> <modem>
>> |
>> <wireless router>----{wireless signal}---wireless PC1
>> | | |
>> PC2 PC3 PC4
>>
>> In my diagram the PCs 2-4 are wired
>> PC1 is the wireless one
>>
>> If you know that it is cabled up correctly and still doesn't work you may
>> need to get the ISP to help,..particularly since the device came from
>> them.
>> Some ISPs can get into the "router" and configure it for you as long as
>> your
>> cabling is correct.
>>
>> --
>> Phillip Windell
>> www.wandtv.com
>>
>> The views expressed, are my own and not those of my employer, or
>> Microsoft,
>> or anyone else associated with me, including my cats.
>> -----------------------------------------------------
>>
>>
>>