Want to convert wired router with 1 PC to wireless router with 1 PC & 1 lapt

[excelle]

Want to convert wired router with 1 PC to wireless router with 1 PC & 1 laptop - what is needed, how do? Have to notify DSL provider?

 

[PhilFrisbie]

You should only need to purchase a wireless router, swap it for the old router, run the setup program to secure the wireless router, and then use the wireless setting to connect the laptop.

 

[excelle]

You should only need to purchase a wireless router, swap it for the old router, run the setup program to secure the wireless router, and then use the wireless setting to connect the laptop.

Thanks for the info - we are complete newbies at this stuff so don't really understand what we are doing.

First step: We did swap the wireless for the wired router and plugged a USB ZyXEL USB wireless adapter into the PC - but the PC could not connect to the Internet. Nor could the laptop find the Internet via the wireless router - as it had before when the the laptop and the wireless were used alone in a different city. Is there some additional step we have to take just to get either working wirelessly in this location with a different DSL provider? Do you have to notify the DSL provider first to make this work? From what we understand, the DSL modem should work (out of the box) for either for wireless or wired, correct?

Should we be able to just plug an Ethernet cable from the PC to the wireless (a Cisco Linksys WHT120N) to use a (faster?) wired connection. Or does this require extensive S/W mods in the Wireless setup? Is it better, once we do get a Internet connection, to use to use the ZyXEL wireless adapter with the PC, or is a wired Ethernet cable connection better?

We did run the setup program to "secure the wireless router", but not sure what you mean by "using the wireless setting to connect the laptop"?

Thanks for your help - greatly appreciated.

 

[PhilFrisbie]

Usually you must connect a PC to the wireless router with an Ethernet cable and perform the setup first, then you will be able to connect wirelessly.

You MIGHT need to call your DSL provider and ask them to reset your DHCP lease so that your new router is recognized.

Every router is different, so you must follow the instructions carefully. Yes, you want to secure the router, otherwise any neighbor within range will be able to use your bandwidth.

 

[MysticMiner]

Depending on your DSL provider, they may even have set up their modem to require some form of authentication on your end to work, given that, it'd probably be best just to contact them.

In terms of what is better, all things being equal, a wired connection is faster and more reliable than a wireless one which wins out in terms of convenience and portability.