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General discussion

new to networking...how to connect laptop AND PC

May 15, 2005 9:51AM PDT

I'm hooking up a network for someone, while I know a fair amoout about computers to work things out, I am still new to networking. THe thing is, this person has his HOME PC running on a USB WIRELESS (2wire/sbc) because the closet wall jack is upstairs.

Also, he wants his laptop to have internet access at home, so he can take it to work and home. If I am correct, he needs a router right? He has the DSL modem, and when I installed the PC/wifi card in his laptop it connected, but it says there is limited or no connect. Generally speaking, its as if two computers are trying to get connect to one DSL modem, therefore I need a router?

THanks for the help and clarification

Discussion is locked

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Does the modem have router capabilities?
May 15, 2005 11:02AM PDT

You say it is connected, but to what? Could you be picking up the neighbors WAP?

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dfgdfg
May 15, 2005 11:20AM PDT

It says it is connected to my DSL MODEM. it is number 223 or something, and the one on the HOME PC is connected to 223, so I did the same for the laptop and it detects it and all that jazz, but there is no acivity. Something about being assigned a network somethin?

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You will have to delve further...
May 15, 2005 7:02PM PDT

into the workings of this modem/router? Name the product and/or look through the manual.

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(NT) (NT) What Hardware and Software you have?
May 15, 2005 2:29PM PDT
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I had this problem but fixed it...
May 16, 2005 8:17AM PDT

Don't know what your setup is, but I had the same problem at home using a cable modem.
It was because the cable modem can only give 1 IP address at a time, so only one PC can be connected at a time. The first one turned on will get a connection and the other won't. Short term, power off both machines, reset the modem, then power up the machine you want to connect. Do this each time your want a different machine to connect. Ideally though you do need a router. The router will take the 1 IP address from the modem, then give separate IP addresses to the PC's. If you follow the manual with the router it's relatively straight forward

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interesting...well...
May 16, 2005 8:39AM PDT

He has a 2wire home wireless DSL modem, not sure on the specific model, its the one with 4 ethernet ports in the back. It makes sense about only being able to give one PC an IP address at a time. Really, I dont know if he needs both PCs on at the same time, it would probably be convenient, but I can try just connecting one at a time if thats the case.

What kind of router would I need to set up two wireless PCs to work at the same time with one DSL modem? THanks again