wireless modem question ...

[Telstra]

I got a wireless modem router.

Because my phone line is in a difficult room, can i just plug the modem into the phone line in one room and a wireless usb adapter with a computer in another room?

Is this how it works? or the wireless modem has to plug in the computer ?


I think all i need to buy is a usb wireless modem receiver ?

 

[andysayshi]

If it's a standard 802.11(x) wireless router you should have no problem using the wireless signal around your house/apartment. Make sure you enable security. Personally, I have had many problems with USB wireless adapters. If you have the option to use a PCI wireless card (desktop) or PCMCIA (laptop) card, I'd strongly recommend it.

What kind of modem do you have? Give us a brand and model number and we'll be able to offer accurate advice.

 

[jonboy1645]

You are correct - you just need the antenna to capture the wireless internet in the air. Here's how it works at my house:


Wire Comes out of the wall into the modem and then back out of the modem

Into the Wireless router

Wireless router broadcasts the signal into the air

Laptops have built in antenna - and pick it up
Desktops have a USB antenna plugged in the back - and pick it up

 

[Telstra]

netcomm NB5Plus4W

just want the modem in a separate room with phone line(no computer)

and a computer in another room (with a modem receiver).

 

[andysayshi]

Easy. You can stick to the same brand of gear if you like.

If your computer is a desktop, I'd recommend a PCI wireless card like the NP542.

If it's a laptop, and it has a free PCMCIA slot, I'd use a NP643.

If it must be USB, try the NP545.

 

[Telstra]

Easy. You can stick to the same brand of gear if you like.

If your computer is a desktop, I'd recommend a PCI wireless card like the NP542.

If it's a laptop, and it has a free PCMCIA slot, I'd use a NP643.

If it must be USB, try the NP545.

Thanks.

Just to confirm, modem (NB5Plus4W) plug in phone line (no computer).
usb np545 plug in the computer ... wireless broadband should work?

 

[andysayshi]

That's correct. All you need to do is make sure the modem is broadcasting wirelessly (with security enabled!) and then log into that wireless network from your computer.

 

[Telstra]

not sure about "security enabled" but once i bought the NP545, i should have other questions.

I should dump my mobile broadband soon ... so slow, un-reliable and expensive monthly fee wise.

 

[trawler69]

When you first get the wireless modem / router you may have to plug it into your computer first to set up the internet connection. It is also a good idea to set up the wireless security with a computer connected by a cable so that if anything goes wrong you can still have access to the router to put it right.

It is actually relatively simple, it just sounds complicated.

 

[Telstra]

got a netcomm NB5Plus4W modem and a TP-link (TL-WN620G) receiver.

Tried for ages and it won't work.

 

[andysayshi]

Can you explain a bit more? What doesn't work? What have you done so far? Did you set up the modem first? Can you see and configure the modem while connected with an ethernet cable? Does the computer recognise the USB wireless adapter? Are you using Windows own wireless capabilities, or did the adaptor come with custom software?

 

[trawler69]

Found this I suppose it might help. Really need more detail as to just what the prob is.

 

[LouBoyle]

Telestra, I had a friend hooked up exactly the way you're describing (ADSL modem and wi-fi router in one room, computers elsewhere around the house).

It WILL work like that if the modem and router are configured properly. There are so many possible 'gotchas' that it's hard to know where to start, though. As they'd already mentioned, turn off ALL encryption until you get the link working, then start enabling it once you know the link is functional.

When you bring the system up, you MUST start from the wall and work outwards, letting each piece establish itself before continuing on with the next piece. Turn everything off, and let it sit for 30 seconds. Then turn on the DSL modem, and let it connect and establish a link with their network. Wait another 10 seconds after it's happy, just to be sure. THEN turn on the wi-fi router. If you don't do it in that order, you WILL have trouble. Always remember: start from the wall and move out from there, and ALWAYS turn everything off if one piece gives you problems (in this case, just the modem and router).

You'll probably need to initially connect the router to your computer to get it configured the way you need it. Set it to get it's DHCP address from the modem, unless the modem provides a static IP address (very rare). Most of the rest of the defaults should be fine.

 

[Telstra]

this is where i'm at at the moment:

Room A:
wireless modem (netcomm NB5Plus4W modem) connected to computer A, adsl working fine, internet is working.

Room B:
usb wireless receiver (TP-link TL-WN620G) connected to computer B, signal strength is excellent. The WEP key is sucessful, but how do i know it is talking to the modem (sender) ? , internet not working.
What setting to do to make the moden sending signal?

Not sure what to do next.

 

[Telstra]

Receiver:
Status: no connectivity
Signal strength: excellent

how do i get to Status: connected ?

 

[Telstra]

wireless adapter connected successful with strong signal and everything is correct
but something is blocking the browers.(firefox & explorer)

The internet just won't work.

 

[LouBoyle]

It sounds like you're still not successfully connected thru the encryption. Most likely you haven't pulled an IP address.

Like they mentioned earlier, TURN OFF ALL ENCRYPTION until you get the link working! Once you're certain you can connect without ANY encryption whatsoever, THEN you can start to bring it up, but until then all it's doing is causing you additional problems.

Do this: START > RUN > CMD and type ipconfig /all

That pops up a DOS box and shows you all of the low-level connectivity. You can copy it by clicking and dragging the mouse from lower-right to the top-left of the box, and then hover over the TITLE BAR of the DOS box (where it says COMMAND PROMPT) and right-click > EDIT > COPY. If you try to right-click while the cursor is over the body of the DOS box it clears the selection... you have to be hovering over the title bar of the box.

When it's working, you ought to have an IP address that's assigned by the router, probably in the 192.168.x.x range (a local unrouteable address) and you'll have a connection-specific DNS suffix that matches your ISPs domain. Here's an example of what mine looks like (I'm hard-wired, not wireless, but it'll look similar for you):

---------------------------------------------------------------------
(C) Copyright 1985-2000 Microsoft Corp.

C:\>ipconfig /all

Windows 2000 IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : username-guidnumber
Primary DNS Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : local.myisp.com

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : local.myisp.com
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139/810x Fast Ethernet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-10-20-30-40-50
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.100
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 56.27.45.127
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : 56.27.45.128
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, June 20, 2009 10:55:48 AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, June 21, 2009 10:55:48 AM

---------------------------------------------------------------------

The stuff in BOLD I've changed to protect my anonymity. In my case, the router is 192.168.1.1, and my computer has been assigned 192.168.1.100 for an IP address. The important things to note ONCE YOU GET IT CONNECTED are the DNS servers and the 'Connection-specific DNS Suffix' part... that will match your ISPs domain. Until you get a valid link those won't be correct, or they'll be blank.

I can't stress it strongly enough, TURN OFF THE ENCRYPTION!!! Once it all works, you can bring the encryption up, but you're just frustrating yourself until you know the link is solid. The problem may be that the router is using WEP2 and your computer is using WEP1 or vice-versa... they'll never connect that way. The WEP modes must match.

 

[Telstra]

Thanks LouBoyle.
The problem was fixed by ringing the modem manufacturer and he guide me step by step through admin admin settings and through START > RUN > CMD settings.

It was quite complicated but solved in the end.