rj45 socket question

pc10

Hi

Im asking this on behalf of my friend so apologies if I havent got all the correct info!

She is trying to connect to broadband for the first time and has got a voyager 2110 router.

The problem seem to be that at the back of her PC (which maybe 4/5 years old?) there isn't an rj45 socket to connect the cable coming from the router.

She bought a USB adapter which appeared to be the right thing USB at one end and the rj45 socket at the other) but she tells me it doenst work as its not compatible with windows.

As far as I know shes running windows xp so Im not entirely sure whats up.

Any ideas please?

What else can she do - she doesnt really want the hassle of taking the PC to a workshop in order to get an ethernet card put in.

Does she actually NEED to connect using the cable? Although Im not totally sure her PC does have a wireless card installed.

Is something like http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/6753337/Trail/C%24cip%3D1500006463.Office%2C%2BPC%2Band%2Bphones%3EC%24cip%3D1500006471.PC%2Bperipherals%3EC%24cip%3D1500006476.PC%2Bnetworking%2Baccessories.htm

any use to her?

Apologies again for the lack of clarity!

Hope someone can help

ormus

the dongle will prob work ok but you would normally set up the router with a cable first. wireless may need to be enabled?

either install a NIC pci card or maybe use a laptop/another PC to set up the router.

Anthony2oo5

Did she buy the router or did it come with it ? Does she have a modem (not the router) ?

If she is not using the wireless or any other computers on it and she has a normal modem, then there is usually the option to connect a USB connection from the modem to the computer.

As mentioned above, the wireless card will work, IF wireless is enabled already and the password is known, but there is no way to know this without buying it.

The USB to RJ45 should work no problem with Windows XP, it is the most popular operating system, so it wouln't make sense to not make your hardware compatible for the biggest operating system (biggest money maker).

Maybe you could try this ?

http://www.dealtime.co.uk/xPF-Belkin-F5D5050

Otherwise just buy a PCI network card (assuming there is an available slot inside) and insert it yourself, not hard at all.

If you need further assistance, let me know

pc10

Thanks for the replies.

The router is just new - she got it with her new BB connection. It is a BT voyager 2110 which I think is all she needs? http://www.amazon.co.uk/BT-Voyager-2110-Wireless-Router/dp/B000BNG7RG/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1199918100&sr=8-1

As far as I can make out, she has bought something like this http://www.amazon.co.uk/USB-ETHERNET-NETWORK-RJ45-ADAPTER/dp/B000S6DFZ8 whcih seems to be similar to the belkin one.


How do you enable wireless? (silly question probably - sorry!) if wireless was enabled then a dongle from Argos would work ok and she wouldnt need the cable connection at all?

I think to get a card put in is only a last resort.

Thanks again

ormus

connect a laptop to the router with the ethernet cable supplied, then set up the router inc the wireless and and security with PW. write it down!

remove cable from lappy and router.

then install the dongle into the PC and robert is your mothers brother.

(lappy will then connect too, as it has wireless built in).
(unless its very old).

Little_John

ok
Ignore any wireless comments especially if her pc is close to the router for now.

the usb to RJ45 is a network adaptor, just a USB one I have a few I use if anyone brings a pc round without a network card. The likley hood is that she hasnt installed the drivers for the network adaptor.
To check open control panel, then network connections and check to see if local area connection is listed if it is double click it and then double click internet protocol tcp/ip ensure that the obtain ip address and obtain dns server address automatically are both selected and click ok to everything. another thing to look for if it is there is if it is connected to any network device it will tell you connected if it isn it will say network cable unplugged, but only if in view and tiles is selected.

If she doesnt have the local area connection then she needs to unplug the adaptor and put the cd that came with it in the cd/dvd drive and install the drivers, most use an automatic wizard that starts when you put the disk in if not just reconnect the adaptor to a working usb port and when it is connected it should find new hardware and start searching for the driver and the hope is that it will find it on the CD and install it automatically.

The router will issue ip addresses as default so no need to configure the pc in any way. I'm not sure if he router will have been delivered configured or not just open the web browser and see. the bt routers usually open up with an enter your connection username and password screen if they are unconfigured. its a few month since I installed on of these last.

pc10

Update - the adapter was bringing up the message that it wasn't recognised by windows and do you wish to continue. I told her to go ahead with it - she did and is up and running now!

Thanks for all the helpful replies.