Setting up a wireless home network

Mr_Warren_2

I have no router in my PC (if that was the question) and from the research I have done, I can proudly say that my wifi system was set-up as "ad Hoc"

mdbarber

sorry m8 router is not wifi adapter, this should be fun
wifi adapter is gadget(radio) inside pc/laptop to enable u to connect to wap(wireless access point) without wires
can you get to network connections page? or device manager in there should tell you what make of adapter

mdbarber

i know your old pc was equipped to do wifi but are you sure your new one is?

cheepnis

Not an expert on Virgin equipment (oo-err)
From what I recall of the one I've seen...
The router connects to the Virgin Modem
All computers will then communicate with the router whether wired or wireless.
I find it helps to keep at least one wired to configure/tweak the router.
Assuming your new PC has a Network Interface Card (NIC) I would use that to configure the router.

So - connect PC to router with a CAT5 (network) cable
Open your web browser and enter http://192.168.0.50 into the URL address box and press the Enter or Return key
username=admin password = (leave it blank - but change it later)
This should open an explorer window to enable you to run the Setup wizard
Its software should ask you all the questions required to set it up

Make a note of the SSID and security (WPA-PSK) settings
(you will need to copy these settings to each of the laptops later)
Micro$oft had a nifty XP network wizard which transferred these to a flash drive.
All you had to do was "autorun" it in any other wireless device and voila
not sure if Vista has this feature though. If it does, use it

Assuming all goes well - connect the router to the Virgin modem
If PC has interweb access, then try the laptops with the same settings.
Gotta go - footy is on.!
Good luck

Mr_Warren_2

I don't have a router, I use an Access Point. New PC is hot wired to broadband via USB and PC connected to Access Point via Ethernet cable. All other laptops in house are wifi as proved in past. When I type http://192.168.0.50 in mu URL I get nowhere but i get web access from new PC no bother !!! ..???

mdbarber

Mr_Warren wrote: »

I don't have a router, I use an Access Point. New PC is hot wired to broadband via USB and PC connected to Access Point via Ethernet cable. All other laptops in house are wifi as proved in past. When I type http://192.168.0.50 in mu URL I get nowhere but i get web access from new PC no bother !!! ..???

ahh, you said in post 7 that "all other pcs connect via wireless" i assumed because you only have one port on the surfboard(which is a router btw) that you were connecting to the wap wirelessly with new pc
the reason the dliink is not responding to the default address is because u r talking to it on the "external" port, u will only be able to access it on that number if you connect directly to it via wifi or cable(ethernet)
its a bit tricky as i only have one vista pc and the mrs is using it so you will need to do a bit of "looking" for us
get one of the wifi laptops handy power down the router, power up and wait a min before switching on the laptop then try again
sorry if that all sounds double dutch but it gets easier with time lol
off to bed got work in morn but will try and check back then

as an afterthought you might need to check the surfboard gadget can actually use both usb and ethernet at same time, i came across a cable modem that couldn't once

cheepnis

Sorry - my mistake
I thought the DWL-7100AP was a router
From what I have seen at www.dlink.com it looks like you need a router/switch to connect between it and the Internet
I assume the surfboard will provide this.

As I see it you have...
A Surfboard cable modem connected to Virgin outlet
Surfboard has 1 x USB (connected to PC) and 1 x Ethernet (for 2nd.PC or Access Point)
If not - which Surfboard model do you have.?

You will need to configure the AP using a PC - AFAIK the easiest/only way is to connect via ethernet.
Once it is setup you should be able to connect it to the Surfboard via ethernet cable.
Then connect the laptops wirelessly to the AP using the same WLAN settings.

As mdbarber says the PC is talking to the surfboard.
Maybe you should disconnect the PC from the internet first
or use one of your laptops to set it up.?

From the manual = You also have the option of connecting the DWL-7100AP directly to the computer that will be used for configuration.
The Link LED light will illuminate to indicate a proper Ethernet connection.

From the manual = It’s best to use a computer (with an Ethernet adapter) that is connected to a switch or router for configuring the DWL-7100AP.
The default IP address for the DWL-7100AP is 192.168.0.50 with a Subnet Mask of 255.255.255.0.
You will need to assign your computer a Static IP address within the same range as the DWL-7100AP’s IP address for the purpose of configuring the DWL-7100AP

I think you are going to have to read the manual.(my brain hurts)
Copies are usually on the product CD or get one here http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=304&sec=0

Hope this helps

Mr_Warren_2

Oh dear.....Thanks so far. I have downloaded the manual and found the AP IP address 198.168.105.11 which I have used as my gateway adress on laptop, changing last 2 digits on my PC. Laptop is NOW seeing a wifi connection but I still cannot access the web from laptop. I have pinged laptop from PC and got no reply. I have pinged PC from laptop and got time out. I have pinged PC from other PC (daughter's room) and got even less......I am getting better with techie words but more more desperate to get to the bottom of it.

mdbarber

mornin all
well you seem to be coming on a bit with tcpip, been doing some reading?
Anyway from what i remember of my theory classes the firewalls on each machine will filter pings from machines not in the same subnet class
So as long as you have this connected the same way it will be a little difficult to operate.
What you have here is two subnets with the ap belonging to both so we need to either use the ap to bridge the nets or set all up as same network.
Like to see u use the command prompt on the pc to find its own ip address using the "ipconfig /all" command.
That will give you the network ip address of the surfboard and the pc that is your subnet.
Then you have a choice, continue to use 2 subnets or amalgamate into one network, that will involve manually addressing at least the ap and the laptops

Psychofly

I'm coming to this thread new so correct me if I'm wrong in any way with my image of your setup.

You have a new PC (running Vista) which is connected via Ethernet cable to your Surfboard Cable Modem ?

You have some laptops which were previously connected to the internet wirelessly.

The PC is able to connect to the internet and laptops are unable to connect either to each other or the internet.

Is that right ?

Where does the AP plug into ? Is it plugged directly into an ethernet port on the Surfboard modem or is it into an ethernet port on your PC ?