Setup A New Wireless Router

[Fishinguy40]

We have Comcast internet. The modem they installed has one USB port and one ethernet port. The home computer is hooked to it through the USB port. We bought a new laptop and wireless router. The router utilizes all ethernet ports. When I hookup home computer ethernet port to router ethernet and then router ethernet to modem ethernet nothing seems to work. When I take the router out of the picture and hook home computer to modem via ethernet ports I still can't connect to internet. It seems to only work when using the USB connections.

Am I missing something? Do I have to configure my home computer to use the ethernet port or should it be smart enough to recognize the connection itself?

[LakeDocktor]

What OS do you have? Go into the Network settings and disable your Local Area Connection and then enable it. It should connect via the ethernet port. Did you have Comcast set up the internet or did you do a self install? If they set it up, couldn't the tech get the modem to connect via the ethernet? Also, did you try hooking it up with the laptop via the ethernet port?

[upnorth]

Your wireless router has to be able to connect to the Ethernet ports and get an IP address from your modem that comcast setup. And I have never seen a PC connected to a modem/router by way of USB(other than a USB network card or wireless network card) either, the modem/router that comcast left may need some setup to allow connections through Ethernet. I would give them a call and find out what they left you and if they can change it over to Ethernet. Wish I was more help.

[delcecchi]

The quickest thing to try is power everything down. Connect the router to the modem with ethernet. Wire computer to router. Power up Modem. Power up router. Power up computer.

Also there might be some sort of setup for the router that you have to do. Did you look at the fine manual? Or is there a quickstart guide?

[Marmot]

Check the MAC Address Clone. You may need to enable it by logging into your router.

Edit: oops...I didn't fully read the full OP. Once you get the Ethernet thing figured out and if you can't get the router to work, then look at the MAC address clone. Got a little ahead of myself....

[upnorth]

You shouldn't need to clone/change your MAC address unless your ISP has locked your connection to a certain MAC address and a quick call and they will free it up. Since you can't connect the PC directly to the Modem by Ethernet seems to me that that modem is not configured to use the ethernet.

[walleyewild]

One question everyone forgot to ask is there a network card in the computer? when I first had mine setup I didn't have a network card in my desktop computer and had to use the usb port.

Fishinguy do you have 2 different connectors on the back of your computer? one for a modem connection and one for a cat 5 network cable?

[walleyewild]

You don't have to have the desktop computer hooked up to the router to set the router up, you can hook up the laptop up to the router to set the router up the first timeafterit is configured you can go wireless after that. most if not all laptops come with both a network card and modem card standard.

There are always more then one way to setup wireless routers to work with the cable modems.

[upnorth]

One question everyone forgot to ask is there a network card in the computer? when I first had mine setup I didn't have a network card in my desktop computer and had to use the usb port.

Fishinguy do you have 2 different connectors on the back of your computer? one for a modem connection and one for a cat 5 network cable?

[Shack]

Quote:

We have Comcast internet.

Why not call Comcast's customer service and have them walk you threw the installation?

You will have to be at your computer, have your IP address's (paper work), make and model of router and know what system your computer is running. They will walk you threw it.

This router would not happen to be a D-Link, would it?

[CaptainJack]

If you are running XP...did you run the Network Setup Wizard in Control Panel.

If you are trying to connect through ethernet you have to configure you computer to recognize the network settings.

I have never seen USB connected to a router either...must be a new thing.

[Sandmannd]

Comcast won't help with a third party network. Turn everything off. Run ethernet from your cable modem to the router. Make sure you are plugging it into the "Upload" port on the router. Plug your computer into any one of the other ports and fire up the computer. Now put the CD in that came with the router and go through the install, you can also turn on your cable modem. The setup should install some files and then have you turn the router on. Once this is done, it will have you configure your network. YOu need to do the configuration for everything to work.

[MuleShack]

When i hooked up our router, it came with its own software that had to be installed on the main PC that had the hardline to it. Then when i got the laptop, it configured itself to the network by copying a file on a flash drive from the main PC to the laptop.

nothing uses USB, its all ethernet on ours.

[icehead]

I dont know com cast but I agree wih sandmannd some.

First if they set you up as usb do you have a nic card in your computer? If not that is why they did usb. Usb can be slower and not as good of a conection,but you might not notice that!Also most companys don't give you the passwords that you need to configure your wireless setup! You will have to call them for that.If you aren't familiar with setting up wireless hire a good person in your area!Security Security security! Sorry it's worth the money if you have a good company local.

[upnorth]

Considering he hooked his PC up by Ethernet to the Modem and that failed to work kinda tells me the modem is not configured to pass data through the Ethernet port. Kind of a crummy way to set things up, as it restricts what you set up behind it.

I would still call and see if they can or will help getting the modem setup to work on Ethernet, without that working you are pretty hard pressed to get the router/switch working.

USB 2 has a pretty high data transfer rate not as high as Ethernet but probably still faster than you cable connection.

[icehead]

Fishingguy40 sorry I missed where you said about you hooked up eithernet!

You might try this if you havent already: Hook your main Pc up to your Comcast router by eithernet,making sure you disconect it USB. Then use the install disk they should have left you,run the install disk to set up the new connection. Most will walk you through the setup! In there it will ask you how you have it connected.(USB or ehternet)chose the ethernet,it should continue with the install,after the install you will have to restart your PC.That should change all the settings and you should be connected.Now if that worked go buy a small four port switch,unplug the ethernet cable from your PC and plug it into the switch,take another cable from the switch back to your pc.You should find you still have connection,if not reboot your PC and check your connection.It should find it!Once you have that done take another cable from the switch to your wireless router.Heres where it gets tougher!In you manual for the wireless router ther will be a default password and instructions on how to connect to it.you will find all kinds of settings you can do but the most important is ip set to auto or DHCP(not static)Then make sure to set your security settings! Not doing so leaves your wireless open to anyone!(dont share your bandwith!)After thats done you will have to setup the laptop.Use the laptop to find the connection you named (what ever you named it!)Choose that connection,set the same security connection on your laptop and you should have it!

I tried to explain with as much detail as I could but there is more I could get into!

[Capt. Don*]

Spare yourself hours of frustration and technical call center help with a new style of english from Bombay... call the Geek Squad.

[Shack]

Comcast won't help with a third party network.

That kind of bites .

Qwest walked me threw an Actiontech modem and wireless router I bought on my own a month or so ago. I also helped a buddy hook up his D-Link wireless router a couple weeks back to his cable modem and he uses Connections in Big Lake. Just called them up in the same way I did with Qwest at my house. He had tried to hook his up him self and messed up some drivers/something, but they still walked us threw it overt the phone.

Both companies just asked for the make and model number of the units, the operating system and had all the info on their end. The operator just had me open menus and do some administrative tests and I would give the results and finding back to them. Then they would tell me what I had to correct or enter.

Both times it was about 45 minutes on the phone, but we got it done and i was pleased with the final results.

[Wildabeast]

First, have the CD's for your cable modem and router handy. The owners manual's are on them. If you're using Comcast then you probably have a Motorola Surfboard modem. Each of your devices probably have a built in webserver that you use to configure them with your web browser. The first unit to get working is your Cable modem. After that you'll install the router and get that working from your pc. Then you'll attach the cable modem to the router and configure each. It goes fairly quickly. You'll want to read through your cable modem documentation on how to install it for an ethernet connection. Since you've installed it for a USB connection you may need to uninstall any cable modem drivers first and then reinstall for ethernet. In anycase, you'll need to release the network connections on your PC. Ipconfig /release should do that for you. Before uninstalling the usb connection write down any configuration setings for your modem. After uninstalling the cable modem unplug it for a few minutes before doing the new install. Comcast tech support should be able to help you through the cable modem install using an ethernet connection. Once you get that working then the router install is painless.