WiFi vs. LAN question

  • Thread starter Thread starter YvonneD
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YvonneD

I'm not sure where to post this:

I have a laptop with Windows XP. I also have a desktop with the
same. I installed a wireless router and got WiFi to work on the
laptop. My ISP is Comcast.

Some times, for reasons I don't get, the WiFi connection either isn't
available or just is so slow that I can't use it. At those times I
want to connect the laptop directly to the broadband. I shut down the
wireless router. I turned off the laptop, unplugged the broadband
wire from the router and plugged it into the ethernet port on my
laptop and started the laptop. When it came up I could not get
anything in the browser, even though the icon on the bottom right of
the task bar said the LAN connection was at 100mips.

Do I have to change something to make the laptop use the LAN rather
than the WiFi? I need to use the laptop for work. The software that
I use to connect to the office won't run on my desktop (a long story
for another time).

Help please!

Thanks
 
YvonneD said this on 1/1/2010 9:20 AM:
I'm not sure where to post this:

I have a laptop with Windows XP. I also have a desktop with the
same. I installed a wireless router and got WiFi to work on the
laptop. My ISP is Comcast.

Some times, for reasons I don't get, the WiFi connection either isn't
available or just is so slow that I can't use it. At those times I
want to connect the laptop directly to the broadband. I shut down the
wireless router. I turned off the laptop, unplugged the broadband
wire from the router and plugged it into the ethernet port on my
laptop and started the laptop. When it came up I could not get
anything in the browser, even though the icon on the bottom right of
the task bar said the LAN connection was at 100mips.

Do I have to change something to make the laptop use the LAN rather
than the WiFi? I need to use the laptop for work. The software that
I use to connect to the office won't run on my desktop (a long story
for another time).

Help please!

Thanks
Click to expand...
My first question would be do you have the settings on the connections
(both wifi / hardwire) set to automatic. Auto DHCP and Auto DNS. You
should not have to power anything off to move the LAN cable from PC to
PC. As a matter of fact its a bit of a diagnostic tool to see 'cable
unplugged' and 'cable connected' when you unplug and plug it in.
 
YvonneD,
With XP running> Start Button> Network Connections> You should have two (2)
or three(3) items listed there.
1. One should be the Wireless Connection, usually using the wireless device
name.
2. The other the Ethernet connector, something like broadcom, or other
manufacturer's name. It might be listed as Internet/LAN Gateway, if no WI-FI
card is installed.

By right clicking each icon, you can either enable or disable the connector.
When you want to connect directly to the router, using a cable, you should
"Disable" the wireless connector, and enable the wired (broadcom/Ethernet)
connector. So when you want to use wireless, enable the wireless connection,
disable the wired one.

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I'm not sure where to post this:

I have a laptop with Windows XP. I also have a desktop with the
same. I installed a wireless router and got WiFi to work on the
laptop. My ISP is Comcast.

Some times, for reasons I don't get, the WiFi connection either isn't
available or just is so slow that I can't use it. At those times I
want to connect the laptop directly to the broadband. I shut down the
wireless router. I turned off the laptop, unplugged the broadband
wire from the router and plugged it into the ethernet port on my
laptop and started the laptop. When it came up I could not get
anything in the browser, even though the icon on the bottom right of
the task bar said the LAN connection was at 100mips.

Do I have to change something to make the laptop use the LAN rather
than the WiFi? I need to use the laptop for work. The software that
I use to connect to the office won't run on my desktop (a long story
for another time).

Help please!

Thanks
 
YvonneD said:
I'm not sure where to post this:

I have a laptop with Windows XP. I also have a desktop with the
same. I installed a wireless router and got WiFi to work on the
laptop. My ISP is Comcast.

Some times, for reasons I don't get, the WiFi connection either isn't
available or just is so slow that I can't use it. At those times I
want to connect the laptop directly to the broadband. I shut down the
wireless router. I turned off the laptop, unplugged the broadband
wire from the router and plugged it into the ethernet port on my
laptop and started the laptop. When it came up I could not get
anything in the browser, even though the icon on the bottom right of
the task bar said the LAN connection was at 100mips.

Do I have to change something to make the laptop use the LAN rather
than the WiFi? I need to use the laptop for work. The software that
I use to connect to the office won't run on my desktop (a long story
for another time).

Help please!

Thanks
Click to expand...

I'm intrigued by this bit: "unplugged the broadband wire from the router and
plugged it into the ethernet port on my laptop and started the laptop". Did
the plug fit properly or was it a bit too small? Look at the socket on the
router you removed the "broadband wire" from and compare it with where
you're plugging it into on your laptop. Are they exactly the same size? What
does the other end of this "broadband wire" plug in to?

Try not bypassing the router: leave the broadband wire in the router and
instead, connect laptop to router with an ethernet cable (probably provided
with the router). Is this how the desktop connects to the Internet? Did the
desktop lose its connection to the Internet when you tried connecting the
router to the laptop in the way you described?
 
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