2wire gateway and Linksys WRT54g as an access point

Here is my question. I have a 2wire Residential Gateway modem for my Uverse from ATT. It only has 4 ports, but it is wireless. I use the wireless feature for my 2 laptops. I have a networked printer in one of the ports and a wired pc in another.

I want to be able to use my Home DVR function, but I have 3 cable boxes, plus one of the cable boxes has a sling box hooked up to it. In order to use the home dvr function all of the cable boxes need to be hooked up to the residential gateway (2wire). The sling box also needs to be connected to the gateway as well. So that is 5 wired devices with only 4 ports.

I have a old WRT54G Linksys wireless router that I thought I was using as an access point. It was semi working originally but I needed to move some things around.

I had the PC and printer directly connected to the 2wire, then the same with Linksys through the internet port. Then I had the sling box and associated cable box connected to the Linksys router. Like I said it was semi-working. I disabled the broadcast SSID, and switched the Linksys to a router from gateway. I allowed a port to open on the 2wire for access to the sling box.

Now when I moved everything it is not working. I moved the Linksys router, cable box and sling box upstairs. Connected everything the same way and it is not working. I also added the other cable box to the network through the Linksys. So here is the breakdown:

2Wire Ports – Wired PC, Network Printer and Linksys router
Linksys Router – Cable box 1, Cable box 2 and Sling Box

I know I am getting an internet connection to the Linksys router since I checked accessibility by connecting the cat5 to my laptop and turning off the WiFi. But when I connect the cat5 to the Linksys, the WLAN is solid, the Internet is solid, the cable boxes are solid, but it doesn’t work. If I connect my laptop to the internet via a port on the Linksys it only gives me local access, not internet. I know it is a setting – I am just stumped.

Please Help.

Joe.