Trying to connect cable modem to Netgear router

The Netgear router is an NAT device.

You need to make certain the router is not only acting as a DHCP server in order to supply your PC/Laptop with an IP address, but that your router is accepting the IP address generated by your ISP via your cable modem.

It's tricky, but it can be done.  Make certain you allow 3 or more DHCP addresses in your router's set-up screen. Tell the router to "act as a gateway" (should be a radio button in the router set-up screen).

First, disconnect the PC from the router, and d/c the router from the cable modem.

In this order, do the following:

Power down all devices.  

1. Power on the cable modem.
2. connect cable modem to your router's WAN port.   Are you using a crossover cable or a straight cat 5 cable?  This could be your issue...easily resolved by trying one then the other type of cable.
3. connect your router, which by now, should have been assigned an IP address from your ISP cable modem.
4. connect your PC/Laptop to the router and power on the PC/Laptop.  

Once you have all devices powered on and connected, do the following:

1. Go to a command prompt on your PC (if Win XP, it's under programs/accessories.
2. type "Ping 127.0.0.1" (without the quotes) and hit "enter".
3. watch the screen.  It should give you "reply from 127.0.0.1 in xxxx milliseconds" (xxx varies). Anything but a time out means your TCP stack on your PC is working fine.
4. Keep the command window open. Type "ipconfig /all"  (that's ipconfig-space-/all, no quotes).  You should see the IP address assigned to your PC by your router.
5. Go into your web browser, open your router's set-up screen, and look for the DHCP table.  It will show you the current IP addresses attached to your router.  One should be from your cable modem.

6. Now that you have IP addresses to all devices, you're good to go.  Just make certain you turn OFF your software firewall.  It's most likely the culprit in keeping you from reaching the outside world.
You may have to establish a rule which allows your router to access the PC/Laptop, etc.  Basically, clear all rules in the firewall which involve internet connectivity or have been blocked, then re-boot.

Carefully select your allowed programs, etc.. but the first thing you should do is to allow the "new network" it finds.

That should resolve your issues.

Thanks,

David S.

P.S. -

Your DSL may be PPOE, in which case, you have to enter your user ID and PWD in the router's PPOE config screen.

If all that fails, go spend $40 on a Linksys/Cisco router.  Hard wired: BEFSR41.  Wireless (make sure you use WPA security), your choice, but pick up a Linksys wireless card to make setup easy.