Networking - am soooooooo stupid

Anne_Marie_2

Hi folks,
Approx a year ago, I asked for help in setting up home network, and very good sound advice I got too. Decided to wait a bit until I could upgrade desktop to xp, well finally got there. Hubby bought me a Belkin wireless ADSL modem/router, ethernet cable and a wireless USB network adaptor, which at the time I intended to set it up was what I thought I needed.
Circumstances have changed a little - now have home pc on xp, wi-fi enabled laptop x 2 (hubby has one of them abroad at the moment), both xp, and one ancient laptop which is still on win ME - the latter might die at any moment, as screen keeps going blank, but has all DD's music on it, and she won't let me near it to try to fix it!
Anyway, thought all I had to do yesterday was set it up - then discovered that there is nowhere on home pc to plug ethernet cable into! Told you I was stupid! Modem router really does have to be at the desktop, so what do I need to get now to be able to plug the ethernet cable into? Is there some kind of hub thingie that I can plug in via USB or something like that? Am hoping that the answer will be yes, especially since I want to get a larger USB hub, so hoping that I can get something which will combine the two, but with my luck, nothing will be so simple!
Thanks in anticipation,
Anne Marie

Toxteth_OGrady

This

:cool:

TOG

rogerramjet

You need an ethernet card, these fit into a spare PCI slot on the motherboard, all you need to do is take the side off the case, remove a blanking plate and then insert the card (remember to put screw in which keeps it held in place) turn on computer and it will either auto recognise it and load the drivers or will ask for the driver disk to install the card.

thats about it basically.

there are cheap and chearfull these days link below is to ebuyer which sells them, not that much more expensive from pc world these days

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?rb=12003586564&action=UFNQcm9kdWN0U2VhcmNoUmVzdWx0cw==&order=ASC&order_col=sell_price

Anne_Marie_2

Thanks both very much, appreciate your speedy replies - am really liking the idea of the Belkin ethernet adaptor.

Anne_Marie_2

lol rogerramjet, thought it was my eyes - had a bit too much of the wine last night! Me not you I mean!

gizmoleeds

rogerramjet wrote:

bloody typical...timed out each time I tried to post and now I see it posted 3 times...can someone delete some posts?

Yes - you can! Click edit post and there is an option to delete.

Also, your link seems to go to a search screen not a specific product.

This is the kind of thing you need though (from dabs): http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=1Y31&SearchType=1&SearchTerms=ethernet+card&PageMode=3&SearchKey=All&SearchMode=All&NavigationKey=0

gizmoleeds

Also is the cable you have a "straight" or "crossover" cable? - there are two types of ethernet cable and only one will work, but I can't remember which.

If it doesn't work when you try it then will be the most likely problem (I'm sure someone will pop up soon and tell you which one you need).

rogerramjet

gizmoleeds wrote:

Yes - you can! Click edit post and there is an option to delete.

Also, your link seems to go to a search screen not a specific product.

This is the kind of thing you need though (from dabs): http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=1Y31&SearchType=1&SearchTerms=ethernet+card&PageMode=3&SearchKey=All&SearchMode=All&NavigationKey=0

Thanks for that..learn something new every day

appears ebuyer have removed the ability to direct link to a product....should have shown a list of ethernet cards starting from £2.99.

Anne_Marie_2

Thanks Gizmoleads - will await further advice now - can't make up my mind to go for the easy route or the cheap way now!

rogerramjet

Belkin modem router comes with a straight cable...basically enthernet card into computer, cable from ethernet card to modem router and then open an internet browser window and in the address type 192.168.2.2 which is the basic belkin address, this will then allow access to the modem router for it to be set up.

One thing to remember is to change your connection setting to only use dial up if a network connection is not available (only necessary if you've a modem in the computer which you used before the modem router option)

Toxteth_OGrady

Also is the cable you have a "straight" or "crossover" cable? - there are two types of ethernet cable and only one will work, but I can't remember which.

Straight for ethernet adapter to router port.

However most newer routers have uplink auto-sensing built into the switch so it doesn't matter which patch cable you use.

:cool:

TOG