NEW PC + ISP + ROUTER MUST I WAIT & WAIT & WAIT &amp

[Nicetoseeyoutoseeyounice]

We have a new desktop PC for Christmas.
We have also just in the middle of switching phone companys 'NOT GONE LIVE' with the new one yet.
Now this should not make any difference as the switchover is almost to be unnoticable, but, our old PC has a modem and our new one an N Router which I have been told will be far superior than the one the new ISP sends us so to use the N Router.
Our new PC can be set up right now but do I need the software from our current ISP to get up and running or will the N Router sort all this out.
I am not familiar with these routers so any advice would be greatly appreciated.
If I do need the current ISP software for all this to operate then I suppose I am best waiting for all the new stuff to come from our new provider except that we will use our router and not theirs.
Does this make sense? And can anyone advise?

 

[opps]

Hi

Not quite sure if you new pc was supplied with a seperate N router or you mean it has an inbuilt N wifi card.

By way of clarification let me describe the two most common adsl set ups

1- A modem plugs into the BT line and connects to one pc only via a usb lead

2 A larger box- a router with a built-in modem, plugs into the BT socket and has a mains plug, it connects to one or more computers using ethernet cables or wifi. In this case the router takes the ISPs signal and distributes it

Which is your current set up

If your set up is number 2 then you will not need the ISP cd- they are crap and full of bloatware anyway

Hard to say more till you reply

 

[ericmark]

N refers to wireless network and it is faster than the older systems but normally one needs to set it all up in wired mode.

So you have router and PC and normally using a web browser you will enter the information into the router so it will connect to internet with either a phone or 10/100 LAN connection.

Not used cable so don't know how the LAN routers are set up. But phone routers will store password etc in router not PC.

Both current ISP and new ISP will likely issue you with a book which has all the details required. You will need to manually enter this into the router using a browser on PC. If you use new ISP's router likely all this info will be pre-entered into your router so you can plug in and switch on and all works without you needing to enter any info.

To use wireless you may need to set permissions so only your PC can connect to router. There are loads of ways to do this. But normally not required for wired connection.

The 'N' bit is only an advantage for wireless connection.

 

[Nicetoseeyoutoseeyounice]

Thanks and firstly to oops.
Your option 1). is the set we have at the moment.
We have not set up the new PC as yet as I feel it would mean that we will have no internet whatsoever until we receive the software from our new provider which will not be for another 10 days (damn). I presume they will send software.
We have purchased an N Router as we have been told these are the best and to forget the one that is due to come.
So if we set up the new PC and install the N Router following all the instructions will still be able to connect or do we need the ISP software from our future provider. If so then we will have to wait.
We cannot go ahead with Onetel who we are with now, until the changeover, as I no longer have the software from them.
I just dont want to have to wait the 10 days it seems a shame, a brand new PC but we cannot use it.
Hope this is readable.

 

[Colin Brenton]

Hi Nice,

Congrats on the new PC, to try and help you out, I think we need a bit more info;

1. Do you have a broad band connection comming into the house at present, or is the old ISP providing you with dial-up and the new one will be providing you with broad band?

2. It sounds as though you've bought yourself a new router with an ADSL modem and wifi - N capablities, that you want to use with your existing (and latter your new) broadband connections, is this right?

3. Does the new PC have a wifi card built in? Most do, so I expect so.

If the answers to all three above is yes, post back with the makes and models of what you have, and the ISP you want to connect up to and we should be able to give you more specific advice on how to proceed.

Merry Christmas,

Colin

Edited to say, I agree with the earlier poster, the CD that the ISP sends you should be kept in the back of a draw or used to stand your coffee on, all the information you need can be found on-line, don't feel the CD contributes anything positive at all, just lots of junk software and rubbish really.

 

[Nicetoseeyoutoseeyounice]

Hi Col,
Can I just answer your last bit first. You say all the info can be found online, but, if we connect up our new PC how do we get online. I mean just by installing the router and all the cables etc, will we be able to go online just with the router.
Now to answer your first questions.
We currently have broadband with our ISP. We are switching to Talktalk, not gone 'live' yet.
I presume our new PC has wifi as it is new freshly purchased from a famous store. The router which I know nothing about came recommended and is a Belkin N Wireless Router.
All I really wanted to know was forget all that we have now.
If we just set up our new PC + router etc can we go straight online. Although the switchover hasnt happened yet this really should not make any difference if we dont need any software, or do we?
Hope this is helpful.

 

[Nicetoseeyoutoseeyounice]

Forgot to mention.
You talk about a 'modem' and 'router'.
Do we need a modem and router?
I thought the router sort of replaced the modem.
Or would we just use our existing modem and the new router.
If so I have been told our existing modem will not work on our new PC.
This is very confusing.

 

[Colin Brenton]

Hello!

Given that you've got broadband comming into the house already, I'd say there is no reason you can't hook up your new computer and router to use your existing broadband, and then on change-over date, just change the relevant bit to match the new broadband service

I'd suggest unpacking and setting up the new PC first of all.

When you are happy that everything is working, unwrap your router. Along with it you should find a network cable. (looks a bit like a phone cable but thicker, has the same connector at both ends).

On the back of the new router will be (probably 4) matching sockets. Plug one end into the router, the other end into the PC.

Now, if you open Internet Explorer, and key in

http://192.168.2.1

You should be prompted for a user name and password (see the routers instruction manual for the default values). Entering these should allow you to get into the menus and allow you to configure the routers wireless side for your home network, and also enter your ISP details.

When this has all been done, you can unhook your current modem, and replace it with the router.

Finally setup the PCs wireless card to pickup the wifi from the router. At this stage you can obviously remove the cable connection between the two.

All this is fairly brief, there is a more detailed set of instructions available here, which explains better than I can...

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/hardware/reviews/35-belkin-f5d7630-4a.html

I'd suggest having a go, and posting back to let us know how you get on. Don't forget that setting up a new router doesn't stop you re connecting and using your old PC and it's modem, so whatever happens you won't be without access to the net.

To clear things up, earlier I should have said, yes, your new router replaces your old modem - sorry for the confusion

Good luck, let us know how it goes.

Cheers,

Colin

 

[Nicetoseeyoutoseeyounice]

Thanks to Colin for the reply it now seeming to make a bit more sense. And yes you correct in that we still have our old PC but it was just the hassle and space that has been stopping us. Mainly the space we are all but in a cupboard (well almost).
But there is just one bit I dont understand.

I'd say there is no reason you can't hook up your new computer and router to use your existing broadband, and then on change-over date, just change the relevant bit to match the new broadband service

I take then there is something in the run up which will ask who our ISP is, and this is what we will change when the time comes.
So we really, really dont need software?
I have relayed this message to my family they are saying just go for it. Hmmm.
I will let you know if this works and if I am stuck I can come on this old PC and ask for help!!! I may need it.
Wish me luck.

 

[Colin Brenton]

Basically, in the router's setup pages, it will ask you for the account name and password for your ISP, so the router is able to make the connection.

There's some info relating to TalkTalk here;

http://www.talktalk.co.uk/help/questions/TEC_01_37

If you google your current ISP, they should have some info giving you the settings you would need to make in the router for now, when TT comes available, just revisit the same place and change as needed.

Hope that helps.

 

[opps]

Colin has correctly suggested that after you connect the pc and router with the supplied ethernet cable (ethernet is preferred for the set up as there will exist a trust relationship between the router and pc). Once connected you will need to open Internet Explorer and type in

192.168.2.1

You will be asked for the belkin username and password- normally the username is admin and the password is blank.

This will take you to the configuration page for the router.

In the (modem) set wizard up it will ask you for the type of connection, this should be something like ADSL, rather than cable/dynamic connection, later you will be asked for your ISP username and password

The username is normally something like- [email protected]

Many of the other settings such as DNS should be automatically retrieved once the connection is established.

The above is assuming that you have a belkin modem/router and not just a router.

There is nothing to stop you from using it prior to the switch over- you just put in the settings for your current isp. When the change over comes just go back and change the settings.

Other than the modem side of things you will need to set up the wifi side- go for wpa2 (encryption) and create a password- this will be entered twice when a pc tires to connect to the router for the first time via wifi. After that point the pc will not require the password again.

The belkin unit will also come with a cd- bin this as well as the talk talk one. The belkin cd will put a short cut to the router address ( 192.168.2.1), additionally it will use its own propriety software to enable wifi communication. Windows own wireless program ( wireless zero configuration) will be fine.

You dont say if you actually intend to use wifi to connect the pc and router, if yes then you will need a belkin N series adapter (probably usb). This will need the cd that comes with it- the cd has the drivers on it. Drivers tell windows how to communicate with hardware.

If the pc has inbuilt wifi then you can use that instead- you just wont have the same kind of range or speed through-put. the latter is only important for file transfers between pcs and will not make any difference to surfing speeds.

 

[Nicetoseeyoutoseeyounice]

Right. Hands up those who think I am now using my new PC to send this.
Well, those who never raised their hands are the winners.
New PC set almost by itself, absolutely perfect.
Set up the Router as follows:
Yellow cable (as told by Belkin) NOT to the YELLOW port on the back of the router, but, to one of the other 4 ports. The other end into the back of the PC unit.
One telephone cable coming from box on wall into the back of the router.
Then we have this thing which looks very much like a memory stick, this we connected to a little black base which came with router, this connects by a USB connection on base and end of stick thing. The cable from the little base also has a USB connection so we connected this to the back of PC unit. I presume this 'thing' is the modem???
Nothing, absolutely nothing. Have spent over 1 hour on the telephone to Belkin and they ended up deciding that the N WIRELESS ROUTER that we have purchased is not compatible with our 'phone line coming into the house'. That bit has totally lost me.
They told me to return to store and change for another one. OH YES.
I also rang Onetel, our current ISP and they said they couldnt help because they dont recommend Wireless Routers and so they could not help. I presume this is because they could see we are due to make the changeover very soon to Talktalk.
Now I am no way spending my New Years eve doing this again but I do feel they are all wrong.
Where can I go from here? should I just wait for my Talktalk router to arrive and use theirs? I was told theirs would be nowhere near as good as an N Router.
Should I keep this old thing connected and try again tomorrow and then at least I can come online to ask for your assistance?
What a mess at total waste of an evening!!!

 

[Nicetoseeyoutoseeyounice]

Sorry forgot to mention again. But we first tried to install the software and this would not install. Would this be the first port of call before we can do anything or should the PC just detect the router??
Totally and utterly confused now.

 

[opps]

If you are connecting via ethernet the pc should be aware that it is connected- this is not the same as it recognising the router as a belkin- It will just be aware that it is connected to a network of some type

Click the windows start button and type

cmd

in the search box- then right click it and select run as administrator- when you have the black dos type box type

ipconfig/all

at the cursor, this will tell you the state of the network connection

Ideally it will say something like- default gateway=192.168.2.1 along with other octets of numbers

If it does mention the above then type

ping 192.168.2.1

at the cursor and hit return

This command will send four packets of info to the router which send them back to the pc

If that doesn't work then type 127.0.0.1

This is the loop back address for the network card, if you have fails here then the card might be faulty

If everything is ok then open internet explorer and type

192.168.2.1 in the address bar and follow the earlier posts

post back when you have tried this

Additionally look at the colour of the LEDs on the ethernet port on your pc- when happy they should be green and not yellow

btw- like I said bin the cd!!!

 

[Nicetoseeyoutoseeyounice]

Thanks oops, but I cant do that right now as I had had enough, moved it out the room and put the old one back in place, but I have been reading on the net and this still puzzles me.
HOW TO INSTALL A BELKIN N WIRELESS ROUTER. I dont know if you will get this link but: http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/belkin_n1/2.htm
IT SAYS:
Installation of this product should be super easy. Step 1 of the router installation includes 5 sub-steps:
a) unplug your modem’s power cord, put your router next to your modem, and raise the antennas on the router
b) unplug your network cable running from your modem to your computer, and plug the modem end into a grey port on the back of your router
c) open the package labeled “A” (yellow network cable), and plug it into the yellow port on the back of the router, and the other end to your modem
d) plug in the power to the modem, wait 60 seconds for the modem to start; plug in the power cord to the router, then to the wall
e) give the router 20 seconds to start up, then make sure the “wired” and “router” icons light up on the display in blue.

There is still the mention of a modem. I thought we didnt need a modem. and judging by what I read this is not for the faint hearted. What do you think?