A said:
I have a desktop and a laptop both with wireless internet running XP Pro.
I?m connecting through a free hotspot when I want to go online. I also
have a Linksys WRT54G router. I?d like to network both computers together
using the
router to share files and a printer. I?m having problems installing the
router?s CD because it won?t let me move on without connecting it to the
internet. Is it possible to use this router to do this without connecting
it
directly to the internet? If so how do I enable this?
You don't need to use the router's installation CD to configure it and you
don't need to access the Internet. Here are general instructions how to
configure a router manually. If you don't have a cable/dsl modem, you can
ignore the first part.
Setting up a router is quite simple. Normally you run the CD that came with
the router and follow the instructions. If you're running Vista perhaps the
CD that came with the router won't work; I don't know this. But you can set
up the router without a CD. Note that if you have cable Internet, for the
connection you just set the router to do DHCP (or there may even be a
choice of cable for you to select). If you have DSL Internet, you usually
select PPoe and enter the username and password which you chose when
originally setting up the DSL connection. So:
1. Turn off the power to your cable modem.
2. Attach a cat5e ethernet cable (usually provided with the router) going
from the router's Internet/WAN port to the cable modem's ethernet port.
3. Attach a cat5e ethernet cable going from your computer's network adapter
to one of the ports on the router. If you don't have an ethernet cable
(because you were using USB), you will need to go to the store and buy one.
4. Turn on the cable modem. After all the lights are on, turn on the router.
To configure the router:
Have a computer connected to the router with an ethernet cable. Examples
given are for a Linksys router. Refer to your router manual or the router
mftr.'s website for default settings if you don't have a Linksys. Open a
browser such as Internet Explorer or Firefox and in the addressbar type:
http://192.168.1.1 [enter] (this is the router's default IP address, which
varies from router to router so check your manual)
This will bring you to router's login screen. The default username is left
blank and the Linksys default password is "admin" without the quotes. Enter
that information. You are now in the router's configuration utility. Your
configuration utility may differ slightly from mine.
Click on the Administration link at the top of the page. Enter your new
password. WRITE IT DOWN SOMEWHERE YOU WILL NOT LOSE IT. Re-enter the
password to confirm it and click the Save Settings button at the bottom of
the page. The router will restart and present you with the login box again.
Leave the username blank and put in your new password to get back into the
configuration utility.
Now click on the Wireless link at the top of the page. Change the Wireless
Network Name (SSID) from the default to something you will recognize. I
suggest that my clients not use their family name as the SSID. For example,
you might wish to name your wireless network "CastleAnthrax" or the
like. ;-)
Click the Save Settings and when you get the prompt that your changes were
successful, click on the Wireless Security link which is right next to the
Basic Wireless Settings link (where you changed your SSID). If you have a
newish computer, you will be able to set the Security Mode to
WPA2-Personal. Do that and enter a passphrase. The passphrase is what you
will enter on any computers that are allowed to connect to the wireless
network. WRITE IT DOWN SOMEWHERE YOU WILL NOT LOSE IT.
At this point, your router is configured and if the computer you were using
to configure the router is normally going to connect wirelessly, disconnect
the ethernet cable and the computer's wireless feature should see your new
network. Enter the passphrase you created to join the network and start
surfing.
Malke
