setting up my wireless network properly

[tetsaru arigashi]

Well, seeing how I've gotten some pretty good tech support from you guys, maybe you can help me with another problem I've been wanting to address.  My dad and I each have a computer (mine's a desktop, his is a laptop) on opposite sides of our house, and we only have one cable modem that we have to pass back and forth between each other; thus only one of us can be connected to the Internet at a time.  So, to try to fix this problem, my dad bought a wireless router - a D-Link DI-524 model - that has 4 ethernet ports on it, as well as the wireless signal.  We are trying to get it set up to where I can permanently leave our cable modem in my room, connect it to the router, branch an ethernet cable to my computer, and then send a wireless signal to his laptop so we don't have to split the connection using an ungodly long ethernet cable that would have to be sent all throughout our house.  In the past, I've been able to use this router successfully using only the ethernet ports to branch a connection between two desktop computers (no wireless involved).  However, every time I try setting up the router between our modem and my computer (in an attempt to split the connection like we want it), I can never access any websites.  I probably need to configure some sort of IP address stuff, but I don't much about doing that sort of thing... and that's where I need your help.  Any advice or assistance would be greatly appreciated and would be a great convenience for my dad and me.  It would also be great for when I get a Wii later on so I can play some games online with you guys.  =P

[Hyperguy]

Okay, for starters, is your Dad's laptop WiFi ready?  It'll usually have a wifi symbol on it if it is.  If it isn't, it'll need a network adapter in order to connect.

When you branched the two desktop computers before, did both computers have access to the internet?  Some internet companies require you to pay extra for an additional IP(or in laymans terms, the ability to use the internet on more than one computer.)

Also, you may want to read this:

http://support.dlink.com/faq/view.asp?prod_id=1227&question=DI%2D524

[Hyperguy]

This belongs in the Mugen Support forum.

[tetsaru arigashi]

Okay, for starters, is your Dad's laptop WiFi ready?  It'll usually have a wifi symbol on it if it is.  If it isn't, it'll need a network adapter in order to connect.

When you branched the two desktop computers before, did both computers have access to the internet?  Some internet companies require you to pay extra for an additional IP(or in laymans terms, the ability to use the internet on more than one computer.)

My understanding is that my dad's laptop has a button on it beside the keyboard that searches for a wireless signal.  He told me that it was supposed to have a wireless network card built in when he got it.  The two desktop computers that I used with my router was my old computer and my friend's desktop while we were at college.  Our dorm room had one of those wall outlets where you could plug in an ethernet cable, but since there was only one, we needed to use the router so that we both could get online simultaneously, which we did - pretty much just had to plug and play.  I asked my dad about perhaps getting another cable modem, but when he looked into it, our ISP said that it would cost us an extra fee each month, which he quickly declined.  Perhaps that would've required another IP address...?

Oh yeah, another thing - last time I tried going to that IP address to setup everything, it wouldn't let me login to access anything.  I tried the exact "admin" username and blank password several times, but no luck...  it just doesn't make any sense to me.  My friend's house has a wireless network set up, and I haven't seen him ever have any trouble setting it up...  why can't it just be as simple as splitting a cable connection??

[bfg00]

You could try setting up a Virtual Network and route all the info through one server that would have a single external IP.  My dad has it set up like this at his house.  Unfortunately I do not remember enough details as to how to do it.

[JG]

You folks are overcomplicating things.  Theres no need for two routers (inf act, thats garuanteed not to work without two lines); nor use an external server: routers have built in NAT (network address translation)


To get to the administration screen on your router (more than likely 192.168.1.1), the password will usually be admin or blank.  If neither work, you can always press and hold the reset swtich for about 10 seconds - that should reset the unit back to factory condition (does with Linksys products anyhow)  Of course, you'll have to set up some things again.

You'll have to enable both wireless and wired signals on the wireless router.  Mine has a mode to select either or both.

If you're using DHCP on your network, make sure the router is set up for it and assigns more than one number (usually it reserves a range of about 50, from 192.168.1.100 to 192.168.1.149)  To use DHCP, your Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Property Page will have the option "Obtain an IP address automatically) selected.

If you're not using DHCP, make sure you've assigned a different IP to both computers and the router, beginning with the first three numbers of the router (hence, 192.168.1.xxx).  Router can be 192.168.1.1, your PC 192.168.1.2 and your Dad's laptop 192.168.1.3.  Of course, static IPs kind of limit the capabilities of laptops,  so your Dad's laptop can use DHCP and yours use static IP if you wanted, as long as DHCP is still enabled on the router and the static address you use isn't in the range od DHCP reserved addresses.

Regardless of the setup, the subnet mask for every computer and the router should be 255.255.255.0.

Also, confirm in My Computer that the name of your PC is not the same as your Dad's laptop.  That could mess things up, too.


If this info doesn't fix it, please post the information you get from the DOS prompt when you type "ipconfig /all" from the DOS prompt on both computers.

[DualSoul]

I'm surprised the Quick Setup/Setup guide didn't configure this already.  As such however, JG00 probably has one of the best solutions.

What I'd recommend is hard resetting your router so that any settings that you might've been fiddled with are reset to normal.  Routers out of the box usually are setup so that you can share internet off the bat, which is why I'm curious as to your problems in the first place.  With cable internet, it's even easier since you don't have to setup a login/password ala DSL, and can basically ignore the process of logging into the router, at least in terms of getting it working initially.  Hard resetting the router is generally accomplished by pushing the little plastic nub on the back of the router (the one that you usually need a pen or toothpick to push) for around 5 seconds.

After that, if wireless on the router is enabled (it should be by default), and you've hooked up your cable modem to the router's WAN port, you should be able to connect to it via wireless on the laptop by browsing for your router's SSID (for d-links, I believe it's either 'd-link' or the model number, in which case it's 'di-524').  It's probably going to be the connection with the strongest signal and no protection.

Once that works, you've essentially got it working.  As JG00 mentioned, you want to make sure that both your laptop and computer are setup to pick up IPs automatically via TCP/IP (check this by clicking on Start -> Connect To -> Show All Connections -> right clicking either Local Area Connection or Internet Connection -> Properties -> highlighting Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and choosing Properties - this is how you do it in Windows XP at least).

At this point you'll test to make sure both laptop and computer are able to browse the webs (a quick lookup of a website that isn't cached should be enough i.e. one that you've never visited).  After that, you just need to log into your router (manual tells you how, but essentially you use a regular web browser like Internet Explorer or Firefox and hit up the URL http://192.168.0.1 or http://192.168.1.1)  Default login and password are also in the manual, and because you'll have hard reset your router, they will be at default.  At this time you'll want to:
a) change your router password
b) setup some sort of protection on your wireless (i.e. MAC filter, wireless encryption (just don't use WEP))

Good luck.  Here's hoping you didn't get a brick (it wouldn't be the first time with D-Link).

[tetsaru arigashi]

Okay, resetting the router allowed me to access its IP address and now my desktop is connected to the Internet with the router.  However, my dad's laptop isn't finding the signal...  how much of a range do these things have?

I got the IP configurations from both computers after I hooked up everything (this is with my desktop hooked up to both the modem and router via ethernet cables, and my dad's laptop attempting to find the wireless signal).  I wasn't able to copy/paste it, but I wrote it all down:
---------------------------------
My desktop:
---------------------------------
Windows IP Configuration

Host name - Tetsaru
Primary DNS Suffix -
Node type - Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled - No
WINS Proxy Enabled - No

Ethernet Adapter Hamachi:

Media State - Media disconnected
Description - Hamachi Network Interface
Physical Address - 7A-79-00-00-00-01

Ethernet Adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS suffix -
Description - Intel(R) 82566DC Gigabit Network Connection
Physical Address - 00-19-D1-03-5F-48
DHCP enabled - Yes
Autoconfiguration enabled - Yes
IP Address - 192.168.0.100
Subnet mask - 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway - 192.168.0.1
DHCP server - 192.168.0.1
DNS servers - 192.168.0.1

Lease obtained - Monday, May 14, 2007 10:24:48 AM
Lease expires - Monday, May 21, 2007 10:24:48 AM

-------------------------------
My dad's laptop:
-------------------------------
Windows IP Configuration

Host name - RICKHOLDER
Primary DNS Server -
Node Type - Unknown
IP Routing enabled - No
WINS Proxy enabled - No

Ethernet Adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State - Media Disconnected
Description - Realtek RTL8139 Family PCI Fast Ethernet NIC
Physical Address - 00-E0-B8-6A-7C-B6
-------------------------------

Lemme know if there's anything I need to do.

[DualSoul]

When you're on your dad's laptop and searching for wireless signals, do you see any wireless connections available?  When you go to 'Start -> Connect to -> Show all Connections' do you see an icon for 'Wireless Internet Connection'?  Is the status set to Disabled?  Do you think you could take a screenshot of your router's configuration interface?

[bfg00]

Nice solution JG, very elegant.

[JG]

My dad's laptop:
-------------------------------
Windows IP Configuration

Host name - RICKHOLDER
Primary DNS Server -
Node Type - Unknown
IP Routing enabled - No
WINS Proxy enabled - No

Ethernet Adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State - Media Disconnected
Description - Realtek RTL8139 Family PCI Fast Ethernet NIC
Physical Address - 00-E0-B8-6A-7C-B6

How come there's not an adapter for his wireless card?  I think you need to get that showing in ipconfig /all before poking around elsewhere.
You ought to see a wireless connection somewhere in Control Panel -> Network Connections.  If the status is Disabled, right click on the connection name and make it Enabled.

[tetsaru arigashi]

You ought to see a wireless connection somewhere in Control Panel -> Network Connections.  If the status is Disabled, right click on the connection name and make it Enabled.

This fixed it!  The signal's still a little weak though - I'll have to wait until my dad gets back on his laptop to see how well it works for him.  Thanks a lot, guys!  =D  Now if I can just get myself a Wii and get it online as well...

*EDIT* - My 800th post!  Even more wootness!  *performs frilly white-boy dance*