Wireless network of one PC?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Morgan
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Morgan

Please excuse me if this has already been answered, but my search
through old topics didn't uncover anything.

Here's the situation:

A friend of mine bought a Dell laptop with an internal wireless card
and I offered to help set it up.

I was able to install the DSL connection with no problem and even
installed the NetGear software and hardware without a hitch.

But even though the network is up and running at peak, the laptop
cannot connect to the Internet. The connection looks like this:

phone jack -- ATT-provided wire --> ATT DSL modem ---> ATT-provided
wire --> NetGear Router --- NetGear-provided cable --> laptop

However, you can see that this does not make the laptop wireless. So
when I remove the NetGear cable, it can log into the wireless network
but can't make any connection to the Internet.

There are no indications of any kind that there is a problem, but of
course all the instructions show a computer physically attached to the
network and a second (or more) computer communication without wires.
And when I take the NetGear piece out and connect via the ATT DSL
modem, everything is fine.

Can you have a network of one? Or must there always be a physically
connected computer to connect to. My friend configured the system via
phone with the Dell folks, explained what was wanted, and this is the
setup they sent.

Any help would be much appreciated. Obviously if a second computer is
needed, we'll send back the NetGear stuff to Dell for a refund and my
friend can use the wireless card at internet cafes, and other public
places.

Thanks
 
I assume the router also has wireless capability?

The Laptop should have a wireless config tool to set it up so it sees the
connection
You also have to add the wireless conection in Network Connections and
ensure this is set as the connection in eg Internet Options

Finally you should set up security so the connection is not open to all.
It depends on you router how you do this, usually you log onto the router
and set it up there.
See Netgear Help
 
The wireless card will have a different MAC address than the wired connection, you may need to set
up the router to allow that MAC address to get an IP address from the router and also to access the
interent. Does the netgear software see the wireless network? Did you set it up with a SSID, is the
wireless antenna and router on the same channel, etc.
 
Morgan said:
Please excuse me if this has already been answered, but my search
through old topics didn't uncover anything.

Here's the situation:

A friend of mine bought a Dell laptop with an internal wireless card
and I offered to help set it up.

I was able to install the DSL connection with no problem and even
installed the NetGear software and hardware without a hitch.

But even though the network is up and running at peak, the laptop
cannot connect to the Internet. The connection looks like this:

phone jack -- ATT-provided wire --> ATT DSL modem ---> ATT-provided
wire --> NetGear Router --- NetGear-provided cable --> laptop

However, you can see that this does not make the laptop wireless. So
when I remove the NetGear cable, it can log into the wireless network
but can't make any connection to the Internet.

There are no indications of any kind that there is a problem, but of
course all the instructions show a computer physically attached to the
network and a second (or more) computer communication without wires.
And when I take the NetGear piece out and connect via the ATT DSL
modem, everything is fine.

Can you have a network of one? Or must there always be a physically
connected computer to connect to. My friend configured the system via
phone with the Dell folks, explained what was wanted, and this is the
setup they sent.

Any help would be much appreciated. Obviously if a second computer is
needed, we'll send back the NetGear stuff to Dell for a refund and my
friend can use the wireless card at internet cafes, and other public
places.

Thanks
Click to expand...
It may be dumb for me to ask at this point, but you DID switch on the
wireless access slide button on the side of the laptop? s
 
Okay, here's more information. I don't have the laptop with me, so I
will have to check out some of the suggestions when I go back over
there. The Netgear router (yes, it is wireless - WGR614v7) come with
an installation CD and it all went without a hitch.

The laptop sees the wireless connection and I have set up all the
security protocols.

But from the kinds of questions you are asking me, it DOES sound as
though the laptop can go wireless directly from the router without
having any computer attached via wire.

sdlomi2: The laptop's wireless functions come from an internal card,
not a PCMCIA-type card so there is no pushing a slide, or turning it
on, or anything like that.

DL: I will double-check Network Connections and ensure that the
Internet Options looks to the wireless connection, too

David: I will also check your suggestion "you may need to set up the
router to allow that MAC address to get an IP address from the router
and also to access the Internet"

And, of course, do some more browsing in NetGear's support area.

More later ....
 
Morgan said:
Okay, here's more information. I don't have the laptop with me, so I
will have to check out some of the suggestions when I go back over
there. The Netgear router (yes, it is wireless - WGR614v7) come with
an installation CD and it all went without a hitch.

The laptop sees the wireless connection and I have set up all the
security protocols.

But from the kinds of questions you are asking me, it DOES sound as
though the laptop can go wireless directly from the router without
having any computer attached via wire.

sdlomi2: The laptop's wireless functions come from an internal card,
not a PCMCIA-type card so there is no pushing a slide, or turning it
on, or anything like that.
Click to expand...
(snip)
Hey Morgan, and thanks for replying to my post/answer. I have a new (1
year old) laptop, Toshiba, which also has an internal, built-in from the
mfg. wireless system. As soon as I hooked up my wireless router, they saw
each other & comunicated; and as you said, it mattered not if my desktop was
on or not. BUT: My laptop has a slide switch on the side to OFF/ON the
wireless. My friend just bought a laptop & router & couldn't get it going
so he asked me to come help. I checked & found his also had a slide switch.
Its purpose I assume is so you can, say, remove Norton anti-virus, install
Avg a-virus, and not be "exposed"--possibly privacy and things like that.
BTW: Our switches are so well-hidden(from kids?)that you've gotta be looking
for one to see it. Mine is near the volume wheel. HTH, s
 
sdlomi2 said:
It may be dumb for me to ask at this point, but you DID switch on the
wireless access slide button on the side of the laptop?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't say it's dumb of you to ask, at least if it were I you were
directing this to. I recently replaced my wife's old laptop with a new
Toshiba. The old one didn't have built-in wireless so I used a card in it.
The nw one has built-in. Spent fifteen minutes or so trying to connect to
the network before realizing that I hadn't switched on the wireless access
switch.
 
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