Hi,

Got a router at Xmas, so as the daughter can use her laptop upstairs etc,

A week later and I am still struggling with it. :headvswal

 

Got it as far as its installed on the main computer, (I think)

It asked for the Network key on my daughters laptop, which we typed in and now it says there is limited or no connectivity, due I think to it asking for a new ISP address ?? :confused:

 

We are with Telewest Broadband, Router is a Linksys, Compact Wireless-G Broadband Router.

 

Driving me up the wall !! :headvswal

if i remmeber correctly you have to contact telewest , they will ask for your cards number you can have upto 5 ethernet cards registered with them to allow acces i had to the same as well pita , but if they are there they will talk it through with you

It ought to be faily easy, try looking at the Tech Support section of the Linksys webshite :- http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?childpagename=US%2FLayout&packedargs=c%3DL_Content_C1%26cid%3D1114037290855&pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper

It seems they have some sort of automated setup thing too .... http://linksys.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/linksys.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=1650&p_created=1092692694&p_sid=HhBvksYh&p_accessibility=0&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPSZwX3NvcnRfYnk9JnBfZ3JpZHNvcnQ9JnBfcm93X2NudD00OTQmcF9wcm9kcz0mcF9jYXRzPSZwX3B2PSZwX2N2PSZwX3NlYXJjaF90eXBlPWFuc3dlcnMuc2VhcmNoX25sJnBfcGFnZT0x&p_li=&p_topview=1

should be easy. Limited connection error normally means signal. Worth checking you have an IP address from the router and that you have mac address entered if you are using mac address filtering on the router.

Tried everything on their site, still to no avail ??

Telewest special helpline is closed till Tuesday, so no joy there.

 

Alan..........

Did you check IP address and mac address filtering?

do you have a firewall other than the windows ,one ie nortons it wont allow other connections unless you tell it too ,

'limited or no connectivity' means that the link is good but the DHCP is not working, probably because the router is not set up correctly, like andyp said, automated setup should work allright.

This should be pretty simple. Assuming the main pc is working right then the router is setup right for the Internet/ISP access etc

 

The laptop. Once communication has been established (XP does 99% of this for you by detecting the network [make sure it's yours and not your neighbours etc!!!!]) then you will usually be prompted to enter the WEP key - not to be confused with the network name, the ISP password, your username etc. You will need to set the WEP kep to match whatever you set it to on the router. It will either be a 5 digit key for 40bit encryption or a 13 digit key for 128bit encryption (which is usually the default these days). Remember, all you need the laptop to do is to talk to the router, the router then handles all the ISP authentication etc for you, so I very much doubt whether you need to call Telewest etc.

 

Once you have that working then it would be wise to enable mac address filtering - but that's another story ...

 

I would always recommend that you modify the router from the desktop pc, rather than the wireless laptop - far less chance of cutting off the branch on which you're sitting etc ;)

firstly can u access the net from the desktop machine via the router??

 

if yes then things are looking good....

 

secondly, is ur desktop machine hardwired into the router OR wireless??

 

something no-one seems to have mentioned is the setting up of a home or small office network (thru my computer), i'm assuming you have already done this?? if not then u may want to consider doing this.. do the desktop machine first, leave the name as default, then do the lappy...

 

also, as said above, u need to know what firewall software you have running as this WILL effect your network in varying degrees.. zone alarm is an absolute DOG....

 

also, try simply sitting the laptop near the router, just to make sure you dont have any signal anomolies, and you could also try connecting the laptop via a network cable if you have one, just to eliminate the wireless signal..

 

also you MUST set up mac address filtering on the router to protect your network, bad move not to, in my opinion of course...

 

hope this helps...

 

Tony

Did you check IP address and mac address filtering?

 

PC idiot here ! :)

How do I check the IP address ??

Should the new laptop have the same as the home pc?

 

What is mac address filtering ??? :rolleyes:

 

Sorry mate, can change a drivers side turbo with the engine in, but find this all kinda confusing ? :)

 

Idiot proof instructions are whats needed here.

 

Thanks mate,

Alan..........

This should be pretty simple. Assuming the main pc is working right then the router is setup right for the Internet/ISP access etc

 

The laptop. Once communication has been established (XP does 99% of this for you by detecting the network [make sure it's yours and not your neighbours etc!!!!]) then you will usually be prompted to enter the WEP key - not to be confused with the network name, the ISP password, your username etc. You will need to set the WEP kep to match whatever you set it to on the router. It will either be a 5 digit key for 40bit encryption or a 13 digit key for 128bit encryption (which is usually the default these days). Remember, all you need the laptop to do is to talk to the router, the router then handles all the ISP authentication etc for you, so I very much doubt whether you need to call Telewest etc.

 

Once you have that working then it would be wise to enable mac address filtering - but that's another story ...

 

I would always recommend that you modify the router from the desktop pc, rather than the wireless laptop - far less chance of cutting off the branch on which you're sitting etc ;)

 

Tells us on the laptop that the isp address needs renewing but when it tries, it is unable to do so ??

 

Alan.....

firstly can u access the net from the desktop machine via the router??

 

if yes then things are looking good....

 

secondly, is ur desktop machine hardwired into the router OR wireless??

 

something no-one seems to have mentioned is the setting up of a home or small office network (thru my computer), i'm assuming you have already done this?? if not then u may want to consider doing this.. do the desktop machine first, leave the name as default, then do the lappy...

 

also, as said above, u need to know what firewall software you have running as this WILL effect your network in varying degrees.. zone alarm is an absolute DOG....

 

also, try simply sitting the laptop near the router, just to make sure you dont have any signal anomolies, and you could also try connecting the laptop via a network cable if you have one, just to eliminate the wireless signal..

 

also you MUST set up mac address filtering on the router to protect your network, bad move not to, in my opinion of course...

 

hope this helps...

 

Tony

 

 

Yes the desktop is hardwired through the router. I have tried setting up a home or small office network, no luck.

 

All the firewalls have been disabled, as said the Telewest Rep.

 

The laptop seems to be trying to conect to the internet connection provided by the desktop but when it tries it says that it is trying to renew the IP address and is unable to do so.

 

Any more advice would be appreciated,

 

Alan........

ok alan, turn off the laptop... carry it close to the router, and restart it... has it built in wireless?? or a card?? or a wireless dongle??

 

whichever it is, once its close to the router switch it back on and watch for any "connecting to network" messages and let me know here...

often a restart will sort this, if not i'll talk you thru a connection repair which MAY help...

 

T

 

p.s. i'll be here til 11.30 mate, so see what we can do..

Isnt Network key another word for WEP key?

 

If you havent configured the WEP key, which you can do by typing in the IP address of the router into your web browser followed by the port number your using, then you can check tose if the WEP key security is turned on, if so, turn it off unless you have secure data on your PC/Laptop. I dont bother with mine, nothing worth stealing! ;)

 

It may have had WEP turned as and a password configured as standard from the manufactuers.

to get your ip adress , got to start then programs then accessories then comand prompt , ,then simply type ipconfig,, it will show all connected hardware on the internet side ,

ok alan, turn off the laptop... carry it close to the router, and restart it... has it built in wireless?? or a card?? or a wireless dongle??

 

whichever it is, once its close to the router switch it back on and watch for any "connecting to network" messages and let me know here...

often a restart will sort this, if not i'll talk you thru a connection repair which MAY help...

 

T

 

p.s. i'll be here til 11.30 mate, so see what we can do..

 

Damn,

Way past 11.30 now mate, too much alcohol going down here !! :duffer:

Well, I am Scottish !! :) It is a Dell Inspiron 6000 and is Centrino.

Any hoo, when we switch it on and it goes through its start up procedure, it says nothing.

Upon restart, there is a new wee icon in the bottom right side of the screen. Its a wee pc symbol with 2 gren wavey lines coming off it.

It says; Wireless network connection (Linksys)

Speed 54.0mbps,

Signal strength, excellent,

Status, connected.

 

Still no internet connection. :confused:

 

Alan...

lol.. ok, i'll allow for you being scottish mate.. lol...

 

i think marks sorted this, on your DESKTOP MACHINE, go into your linksys software and turn OFF the WEP security... dont worry your router still wont let anything in as from the outside world...

 

once this has been done, look for smething on the linksys web interface that says "ALLOW LIST" or something like that, this is a list of mac addresses the router will allow to be use its connection...

 

then simply allow the laptop mac address (or ethernet address as its also called) to find this on lappy follow paul stevens instructions above..

 

HTH's

 

T

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