DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

i have changed over from AOL to Tiscali, on doing so have a wireless router (spare) As tiscali came with broadband only want to use wireless router, BUT having problems setting it up, can and does work with main desktop, without have to use software, but does'nt allow second laptop to connect to it,
Only have AOL's input software that came with router, any help out there? keep in mind i'm not that clever (on computers) basics only i'm afraid so be gentle with me!!

Does the laptop detect that there is a wireless network in your house...... if so it should just be a matter of entering the security code for your network to connect.

Bare in mind that some routers need to be put into 'pairing' mode to allow the addition of other computers and this may be why you are having trouble. ie the laptop detects network but network wont let in on even with code.

In most cases the routers are set up from a Brower like firefox or internet explorer by entering in their IP address i.e. 10.0.0.2 or 192.168.0.1 etc there is then normally a password and code that needs entering like “zoomadslâ€

Hi Nitro!
no laptop does not show signs of a wireless network in the house. any other suggestions?

In Command Prompt or command line interface or DOS enter the command
arp -a and see what it finds on your network.
IPCONFIG or WINIPCFG depending on system should show setting.
TRACERT and PING can also help.
You have given us very little to go on. No operating system, no make of router.
Were you originally on an open network or was it secure and if latter what method was used.

hi Eric,
it is a 'netgear' i'm running 'windows home edition'
as set up for basic modem with tiscali, if then i change over the modem it works! but! laptop does'nt show any signal regards wireless available.

i am a novice at this i'm out of my depth maybe![/b]

going back to the beginning here...... are you sure your laptop is actually wireless enabled?! you may need a pcmcia wireless card.

if you have the drivers installed (xp does this automatically if you add the pcmcia card) or if the laptop has integrated wireless it should detect your network if it is broadcasting.

Is your main PC wireleslly connected or wired? if wireless then you know the network is working and your problem is either your laptop isnt wireless enabled (ie above) or you need to apir it with your router (orange ones you have to press a button on router).

I am not familiar with the tiscali ones but as eric says router admin is browser based.

If your main PC is wired to the router & your laptop is actually enabled I suspect you are not actually broadcasting.

I also use netgear which is accessed via a browser type in 192.168.0.1 and it should come up with window to type in user name and password once you enter these you get a window with third down on left wireless settings and a little further down Attached Devices.

Setting up networks are not as simple as one thinks. I have tried to enter all details manually after studying in college then giving up and return to auto and it all has worked.

If you go to control panel then system go to Hardware tab and click on Device manager under Network adapters you should have at least two. One will be wired and the other the wireless also you may have Bluetooth etc. The names normally include the word wireless or Bluetooth or Fast Ethernet Adapter etc. If it has a yellow back ground with ! in it then there is a problem. So what have you found does it show wireless as being installed?

Eric,
Problems, problems,, ok done what you say,
(1) 1394 net adaptor
(2) 3com 3c910 int fast ethernet cont
(3) speed touch usb adsl

guess its the 2nd one!

it states 'working properly'

but now cant get it to work even with my desktop. i have just installed a new hard drive, if that helps.

tried to download the AOL software but when it comes to 'user name ect, well it cancelled install. got one green light, then red!

where can i go from here, quickly while i have hair!!!!!![/b]

From what I am reading you don't have wireless in your PC only a wired connection. As nitro23456 said you need a wireless bit adding. There are two common ways either pcmcia wireless card as nitro23456 said or a USB wireless adapter I have one of latter type and its hopeless keeps dropping out.
Not quite sure what (1) is but think its firewire which is not the normal wireless used by routers.
(2) Is the hard wired connection to router call a NIC card and uses normally a RJ45 plug looks like phone plug but little bigger.
(3) Is for a Transverter that changes the voltages found on a phone line to those used by a computer often called a modem although strictly speaking since it's digital in and digital out it does not modulate and demodulate so is not a modem. Plugs into USB.
So either buy extra bit or use hard wire system which is a lot easier anyway.
To see if connected we normally use Ping command in command line interface. Ping 192.168.0.1 should come back with 4 attempts to find router and how long each took.

Eric,
Well thanks for all your advice/help, not able to complete this install, so contacted Netgear support, i spent ove an hour on the phone with them but its done!
would NEVER have been able to work it out myself, even with a great script!
one on one was ok.
was it worth the trouble and hair loss,,,,,,,no is the simple answer, the laptop it only runs at 24-36 very slow, but who cares

thanks again[/b]