Need help with cable modem/wireless router/Mac and Windows

[BCGroup]

Today, we bought a new wireless router by Netgear. The old Belkin one was about to die--we had sporadic service, very slow at times and so we invested in this new one. My boyfriend tried to install it on his HP laptop (Vista) to make it work. Nothing. Three hours on the phone with his cable company--they are reading that we have a good signal--he gets nothing even when the cable goes directly into his laptop. I bring in my Mac laptop, we plug the cable in...I get internet access. So, we try to install the router using my computer. The exe file is a text file, and the support manual says nothing about a mac (I should say he bought this one because it said it was mac compatible). So we pull out my other laptop--an HP, Vista. It does the same as his--no network access, even when the modem is directly connected. His cable company says the problem is our computers. I don't even know where to start with this, but I do know someone on here will know. Thanks in advance! Barbara

[BCGroup]

I have no idea how, but now suddenly it works...at least on my mac desktop and laptop. Both HPs are non-network accessible. We tried on both to install the software, it was 95% finished and then died. So, we'll deal with those tomorrow...and if you have any ideas on that, it would be great. At least I got the Macs to work, and was able to encrypt the wireless.

[ForeverBlowingBubbles]

Make sure under your network connections that you have disabled every connection except the one your trying to use... (ie. when you try to plug in direct, make sure you disable your wireless and all other networks are disabled except for one). Otherwise you'll be connected but you'll get the limited or no connectivity deal. Its a common problem... otherwise I'd return the router and order one of these.

I ordered one a few weeks ago - its refurbished but its extremely easy to connect, ships fast, and will save you about 20 dollrs

[snowdenscold]

I'm a bit confused, since I think modem and router were used interchangably there...

However, one suggestion I would offer (and I know it's pretty basic) is to make sure in his TCP/IP settings that he's set up for DHCP automatically, and doesn't have any static configuration sitting in there.

In theory you shouldn't need to do much "installing from a laptop" to get the router set up. If internet is working on yours, just point your browsers at 192.168.1.1 (or similar - I'm not sure how you find the default gateway listing on a Mac) and you can edit any settings from there.

[InSpades]

I'm a bit confused, since I think modem and router were used interchangably there...

However, one suggestion I would offer (and I know it's pretty basic) is to make sure in his TCP/IP settings that he's set up for DHCP automatically, and doesn't have any static configuration sitting in there.

In theory you shouldn't need to do much "installing from a laptop" to get the router set up. If internet is working on yours, just point your browsers at 192.168.1.1 (or similar - I'm not sure how you find the default gateway listing on a Mac) and you can edit any settings from there.

Agreed. I think most routers come with software but it is generally not necessary. If you can connect to the internet through your cable modem (straight from computer to modem) then you should have no problem connecting the router to do the very same thing and then you are wireless ready. As pointed out just above, there is an ip address that will let you connect your computer directly to the router. You can log into the router and set it up from there. There should be a setup wizard that will walk you through the steps. You can just google the type of router you have and look for "ip address", "user id" and "password" and you can get this information if it's not listed somewhere on your router or in the documentation.

I've recently been forced to setup 2 wireless routers (being the least technologically-challeneged member of a family has it's disadvantages) and I ran into 1 problem which you may be having. If you are using a laptop the laptop will often turn off the ethernet port if you are running off the battery. So plugging something into the ethernet port will accomplish nothing. If you turnoff the wireless and restart the computer with the ethernet cord plugged in then you should not have to worry about this happening.

[snowdenscold]

If you are using a laptop the laptop will often turn off the [wired] ethernet port if you are running off the battery.

That's a good point - it happened on my old laptop, but I had forgotten. The first time it happened I was so frustrated, because I'm pretty knowledable about networking but had no clue about that caveat on my laptop.

[BCGroup]

Thanks for all the help--not really sure how we got everything to work, but all computers are working fine.

[Tommac]

Thanks for all the help--not really sure how we got everything to work, but all computers are working fine.

As we use to say in an old job, there must have been some dust on the computer tape, or you just weren't holding your mouth right.