Craig, this is a DSL modem, where your concern doesn't normally apply. Not that it would hurt, when results seem flaky, to power everything down (including the computers) and restart.
I wouldn't normally go through the whole setup wizard just because I turn on security. I'd just turn the security on at the router; when a laptop tries to connect, it'll tell you it needs a key, and I'd type it in then. The key should then be saved for automatic use in the future.
I understand your current status to be: Actiontec modem/router, connected by wire to a desktop, connected wirelessly to your old laptop. When you turn off security, it connects wirelessly to both laptops. I would presume it has only one Ethernet port, so when you tried to use the Netgear router, you disconnected your desktop from the Actiontec, plugged it into the Netgear, and plugged the Netgear into the Actiontec.
How did you set up the router's WAN connection when you tried to use it? Since the Actiontec has a built-in router, you would _not_ want to use PPPoE on the Netgear; it should be set for either a dynamic or static IP address on the WAN link (depending on whether you want to specify the address or not).
It's probably a low-percentage shot, but you might want to try setting a static IP address on your new laptop. Go to your old laptop or your desktop (i.e., a computer with a working connection), and at the command prompt, type IPCONFIG/ALL. This will give you the IP address, gateway address, and DNS server addresses, that are currently active. Now go to your new laptop, and go to Control Panel, Network Connections. Right-click on your wireless connection, and choose Properties. In the middle box, choose Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and then click Properties. In the General tab, choose "Use the following IP address" and "Use the following DNS server addresses," and fill all the lines in with the information listed on the other computer, EXCEPT that the IP address should be different in the last set of numbers. The first two sets will be 192.168; the third is probably 0 or 1; the fourth can be anywhere from 0 to 254. Since the Actiontec is doing DHCP, it will automatically assign numbers similar to what your active computers have, normally counting up from there, so I'd choose a number, say, 10 below what the other computer has (e.g., if it has 192.168.1.100, use 192.168.1.90).
Note that if you use a static IP address, the only way to know whether the computer is really connected to the network is to try using it. You could try browsing to a site like www.google.com, or you could go to the command prompt and type "PING www.google.com" or PING and the address of the gateway. That will tell you whether a network connection is live.
Main Topics
Browse All Topics
by: Craig_200XPosted on 2007-01-24 at 14:30:02ID: 18390966
when you change the device connected to the cablemodem, the cablemodem must be powered off (almost always) before it will allow another device to connect. try shutting the power off the modem to reset it and 30-60 seconds repower and try before adding new device.