Connecting Asus to internet confusion

Bogof_Babe

I have just bought an Asus EEE too, and am unable to connect it to the internet. I'm struggling with the instructions both in the manual and on this forum as they are far too techie for me, so would appreciate any help in very simple terms please.

Firstly, if the Asus has inbuilt wifi, why does it need a router? I do have a router - a D-Link that never worked with my laptop so was slung in a cupboard, but is now connected again and the Asus says it is receiving 100% signal strength from it, and yet it cannot connect to any website address I type in. The router still won't work with my laptop so maybe it is faulty .

Also I have no idea how to set up encryption for the router, and don't understand what "keys" are, or any of the other terms frequently used on the sticky thread about wifi security .

I'm probably one of those people who shouldn't have a computer, but I'm fine if someone else does all the fiddly bits for me. I've packed up the Asus for the night now, in disgust after wasting five hours on it today, but am game for another go tomorrow if anyone can help in really simple terminology.

Mukaki

mdbarber wrote: »

Only thing i can think of is the possibility that the desktop was switched off when you got this working first time and now.
The lappy has cached the ip address from the router it wants to use but when you switched the desktop on it asserted a lease on that ip.

Switch desktop on, confirm you have working internet, with it left on, then reset network settings on lappy and try again.
If not try setting manual IP addresses, in the router reserve these addresses for each machine.
post again if no joy i'll watch this thread

I'm not sure what happened but it's working now - I obviously did something right but it wasn't any of the above. I must have been making a mistake somewhere along the line and just not realised. Thanks anyway!

Bogof_Babe, does the router not come with step by step instructions? mine did (on a CD) and if it wasn't for that, I would have been lost. Someone will come along and help you anyway. I better not try - I think i'd just confuse you (and myself)

Fifer

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

Firstly, if the Asus has inbuilt wifi, why does it need a router?

They do different jobs. Think of wi-fi as a way of two pieces of equipment can 'talk' to each other without a cable (hence the name).

A router (or in your case, to give it it's full name, a router/modem/wireless access point) does three jobs:

• The router sends computer information to the right parts of a network,
• the modem converts telephone line signals into signals a computer can understand and
• the wireless access point connects the router to your other wireless equipment, such as the Asus Eee.
  
  Hopefully that helps.

As to your setup, it seems like the wireless connection is working. However, the router/modem needs to know how to connect to your internet service; user name, password and a few other bits of info. You can probably enter these by accessing your router using Internet Explorer or Firefox. It's probably best if you connect the router to the Asus using an ethernet cable until you get set up, then click on http://192.168.0.1 and tell us what you see.

espresso

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

I do have a router - a D-Link that never worked with my laptop so was slung in a cupboard, but is now connected again and the Asus says it is receiving 100% signal strength from it, and yet it cannot connect to any website address I type in. The router still won't work with my laptop so maybe it is faulty .

Does the router work when connected to the laptop using the Ethernet cable?

One step at a time, get the D-Link surfing first and then move onto setting up your wireless connection/encryption etc. on your laptop/Eee PC.

Also I have no idea how to set up encryption for the router, and don't understand what "keys" are, or any of the other terms frequently used on the sticky thread about wifi security .

This post here written for another member shows how easy it is to do, give it a go.

I'm probably one of those people who shouldn't have a computer, but I'm fine if someone else does all the fiddly bits for me. I've packed up the Asus for the night now, in disgust after wasting five hours on it today, but am game for another go tomorrow if anyone can help in really simple terminology.

Don't give up, it's easy if you simply follow the instructions, you don't have to understand the terminology used, just do it.

..............

Bogof_Babe

Thank you Fifer. I have disabled the router for now as it is not encrypted so it makes me nervous. I have an ethernet cable that came with my BT Home Hub but it is up north in our flat, so I can't try it at the moment. I am hoping that will resolve the problem actually - I don't need to be wireless so can easily use the cable if I can get it to work.

I took my laptop up to the flat and set it up on the BT Total connection, but now it is back here I always have to re-connect it to my Orange ISP when I switch it on. I think yesterday the poor router didn't know where it was or which ISP it was trying to connect to!

I bought the Asus as it is compact and ideal for use in the flat, or for when I go up there and back by train, so I really hope I can get it to work one way or another. I just hope it will be compatible with the BT hub, now that that has been initially set up via the laptop. I assume it should not make any difference which computer is run with it, as the broadband signal relates to the address not the individual machine - doesn't it? :undecided With the Asus not having a disk drive I could not use the BT installation CD to fix it up, so it's all very hit-or-miss. I'm back up there next weekend, and will report back the followng weekend, or if it does work I'll let you know while I'm there!

Bogof_Babe

Thsnk you too espresso. It seems to all hang on the ethernet cable so to speak, so I won't be able to try this out until the weekend as I don't want to buy another one when I have one in the other place.

What I will do is print off these replies and take them with me, as they have been really helpful.

adrianwood

Hi, a quick question I am considering buying an Asus EEE PC probably one of the cheaper linux versions and I am wondering whether my existing '3' mobile broadband USB dongle would work with the EEE PC?
Thanks in advance

Fifer

I use a broadband dongle with my Asus Eee. It works perfectly, but I don't know if all models do. Mine is the Huawei E220.