Splitting ethernet incl. wireless router

Kitty_jc

Hi All,

Hope someone more techie than me can help - I've trawled the net for info, but so far can only find out about straight splitting of connections.

I have a cable broadband modem which is connected via ethernet to a wireless router, which in turn is connected back into my PC, so I can run the PC via the wired connection and laptops from the wireless.

My problem is that my work's laptop won't connect wirelessly, which isn't a problem usually as I just use a seperate ethernet cable, disconnect the PC and connect the work's laptop direct to the modem.

HOWEVER, I now need to be able to run the wireless connection as well as the work's laptop. I bought one of these in the hope it would be as simple as just plugging both ethernet cables in and off I go... no such luck. If I plug it into the main modem, I get nothing on any machine, if I split it at the back of the wireless router, I get wireless but no wired connection.

Help?!

Trinitrotoluene

I'm having trouble understanding your network setup. Can you post the make and model of your Cable Broadband Router and the Wireless Router please?

EDIT those adaptors are designed to run across and through patch points and switches and will not work from what I can see in regards to what you are trying to do.

Kitty_jc

I think I fluffed my explanantion a bit too...:o

I have a cable modem from what was ntl (now virgin) - connected from the wall (i.e. cable connection running from the exchange). From the cable modem, there is an ethernet cable running into a wireless router (Actiontec54 Mbps Cable/DSL router), from this there is another ethernet cable running into the PC, so we have wireless broadcasting and the PC runs via the router directly into the modem.

Does that make it clearer? Hope so, I need help!!

scottishblondie

The setup itself if fairly clear - the reason why the wireless doesn't work if you have the laptop plugged into the router is not?

debitcardmayhem

You need an ethernet switch check out Misco et al for a cheap option
here is Misco

Trinitrotoluene

I take it there are no free ports on the back of the wireless router to plug in another cable?

If not then debitcardmayhem is correct - you need an ethernet switch.

scottishblondie

My first thought was a switch too, but looking at the router spec it has 4 ethernet ports available. It should be a simple matter of getting another ethernet cable and plugging the laptop into the router alongside the PC, unless I'm missing something here.

Nilrem

It sounds like the issue is the wireless on the router (any wireless router should be able to do both wired and wireless connections at the same time).
You shouldn't have to unplug the router from the cable modem in normal operation.

What you might have to do to get the wireless working is go into the routers menu (the manual should cover it),turn the wireless on, set up a password/wireless network ID (SSID), and possibly add the MAC addresses of your wireless devices* to an allowed list, or turn MAC filtering off.
It should be covered in the manual for the router, unfortunately i can't go into much detail because I've no idea of how your router is laid out (and don't have the time to look for a manual).



*The MAC address is a unique id string that every network device has, and is usually noted on a sticker somewhere as MAC : xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx or something similar.

Kitty_jc

Thanks all for the speedy replies. I think a switch might do the job as there are no spare ports in either the modem or the wireless router.

Is it a silly question to ask where and with what I connect the switch?

debitcardmayhem

scottishblondie wrote: »

My first thought was a switch too, but looking at the router spec it has 4 ethernet ports available. It should be a simple matter of getting another ethernet cable and plugging the laptop into the router alongside the PC, unless I'm missing something here.

The Actiontec model if it is older has only one ethernet port so put the switch between it and the PCs If it has more than one then I am confused too.

debitcardmayhem

Kitty_jc wrote: »

Thanks all for the speedy replies. I think a switch might do the job as there are no spare ports in either the modem or the wireless router.

Is it a silly question to ask where and with what I connect the switch?

Above this post Ethernet cable from to switch to Actiontec and you will need 2 extra cables for the PC/Work PC unless you want to only use one