Getting Cable modem to connect via ethernet

chickadee

Hi, I spent all of yesterday evening trying to get my new Netgear Rangemax Wireless-N router to connect via my Motorola surfboard cable modem (via Virgin Media). I spent ages on their very expensive 0870 helpline to someone on another continent, without success. This morning the chap i travel to work with suggested thatthe problem may be because my PC connects to the cable modem vis the USB connection, not the ethernet cable. (They are both plugges into the modem, but when I unplugged the USB cable I couldn't connect to the internet, so I assume this means the ethernet cable isn't working.)

Does anyone know if this could be the cause of my difficulties, and if so, how do I 'force' the ethernet connection to the modem?

The problem may be because I have a modem inbuilt into the PC (Realtec RT8139) and the Netgear is confused as to which one it is connecting to.

Can anyone offer any advice?

fwor

Well the Motorola cable modem instruction manual clearly says (with a nice big red exclamation mark for effect) "Do not connect both the Ethernet and USB cables to the same computer."

So the best thing to do would be to disconnect the USB connection and then follow the instructions in the user manual on how to connect to it via the Ethernet interface (the section entitled "configuring TCP/IP").

ormus

are you sure youve got the correct rangemax router? netgear make 2 rangemax N routers,
1 with a modem and 1 without.
your cable modem feeds into the router and the router then connects to your desktop pc via an ethernet cable. (or wireless via a dongle).
http://www.netgear.co.uk/rangemaxnext_wirelessrouters_wnr834b.php

mdbarber

also some of the motorolas only allow new clients( the router) to join for 10 mins after power on

Connect modem/router/pc( via ethernet to router) and power all on in that order leaving a min between each switch on