Wiring Set-up for Linksys Router

Would appreciate some comments on this.......

I just had Time Warner install Roadrunner Cable Internet. I have 2 computers - a desktop and a laptop, which has a wireless adapter card installed. Whereas I would have expected the man to wire the cable wire to the cable modem and then the cable to the router, and lastly wire the router to the desktop, he wired the cable modem to the desktop (UBS connect), and cable modem to the router. In other words, router does not go to the desktop,

Everything seems to work OK, at least I think so. When I called Linksys tech support and told them that everything seemed OK, he told me to leave it alone, but change it if I started having problems.

What are the consequences of the way it has been hooked up? Comments?

Reply to
Les
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Think you got an incompetent installer. Path should be Cable Modem

--->Router-->Wired PC. Does the cable modem have an Ethernet port you can use to connect it to the router?

John Jones, Detroit

Reply to
John Jones

Desktop does NOT have ethernet port but does have USB port.

Reply to
Les

"Les" wrote in news:yAZte.2972$ snipped-for-privacy@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com:

Most modems have two connection types now of days. It may have the USB but it may also have the RJ45 too. The RJ45 connection type will allow the cable with RJ45 jacks on both ends to be connected to the modem and to the WAN port on the router. You may need to add a NIC (Network Interface Card) to your desktop computer that uses the RJ45 connection type so that you can connect a cable from the LAN port on the router to the NIC on the computer.

If the modem doesn't have the RJ45 connection type, then get one form the ISP or you may have to buy one. If you buy one amke sure the modemn is one that's on the ISP's approved list.

You need to support your own setup as the ISP is not going to do it for you.

The way you have explained things, the router doesn't seem to be protecting the desktop computer at all and the desktop is directly connected to the Internet facing attacks while the wireless sits behind the protection of the router.

You should check with you ISP about MAC provisioning. A MAC is a unique number that all devices use that access the Internet. You should ask the ISP if they are only using the MAC on the modem, which is on the plate somewhere next to the serial number or are they using the MAC on the desktop's USB connection that allows the connection to ISP's network. You'll need to know that to give them MAC to use when you change things around. The router has a MAC too.

The link should help you see the picture for the connection that's needed.

formatting link

Duane :)

Reply to
Duane Arnold

I think the installer did an acceptable job. Most don't want to know anything about a router. If I understand your description, your desktop has no ethernet port, and it is connected to the modem via USB. The router is connected to the modem via ethernet.

Some installation packages would have added an ethernet port to your desktop, which would be better, because it would protect you from the internet a bit. You could add one pretty cheaply. I've even seen USB-ethernet adapters for $10. That would use your existing USB, but let you connect to the router.

Your desktop and wireless laptop can both access the internet. Can they share files, or do you care?

You might be unprotected from the internet. Some modems include something resembling firewall blocking, but it is more likely that you are connected directly to the internet. If that's the case, you need a firewall on your PC, and might already have acquired any number of viruses.

formatting link
should be run on your laptop and desktop. If the results report does not show "healthy", you need to make some changes. If you are connected to the internet, it will not say "TCP all: filtered".

Reply to
dold

If you're talking about taking a the USB connection from the modem and connecting it to the router with a conversion kit, then how is that possible? The USB needs a driver, which is most likely instlled on a computer. The driver cannot be installed on the modem and it cannot be installed on the router the last time I looked.

I must be missing something here.

Duane :)

Reply to
Duane Arnold

I didn't say that, and neither did the OP.

Modem - USB - Computer (with driver). Modem - Etherenet - Router.

Reply to
dold

snipped-for-privacy@XReXXWirin.usenet.us.com wrote in news:d9a7bj$nbq$ snipped-for-privacy@blue.rahul.net:

If that computer is facing the Internet and is not sitting behind the router, then it's a worthless set-up as the computer should not be the gateway device. It should be the router connected to the modem and computers wire or wireless sitting behind the gateway router. The current set-up that tech person did was pitiful. Why have routers with the protection they have sitting behind the computer? The tech person did what he had to do and went on to the next appointment and left the OP hanging.

Duane :)

Reply to
Duane Arnold

That's two statements with a conclusion on the middle. The computer may be facing the internet. It's the way most cable and DSL installations are set up. No router needed. A software firewall is installed. I don't think that's worthless. The computer isn't a gateway, if the OP was stating the setup correctly.

There's no ethernet in the computer.

The router isn't sitting behind the computer. It is a peer.

I think he did more than the normal tech. He hooked up two devices, not just the USB-PC connection. The OP didn't complain about being left hanging, and I don't see that it is obvious that he is hanging.

Reply to
dold

There would be no way that I would do a direct connection of a computer to the Internet with a PFW solution running at the machine level, because such applications or solutions can be and are attacked at the machine level by malware and taken down by them exposing the entire machine to the Internet just like they can attack the O/S. And it doesn't take much with the user that has the happy fingers clicking on unknown links or emails with attachments leading to the compromise. A router is a stand alone device and cannot be taken down by malware since the software running on the NAT router is not running with the O/S on the computer.

Then the OP goes and buys one and puts it into the computer and does the right thing to better protect the computer. What a ethernet NIC cost all of $15? He or she goes and and buys a modem that has the ethernet connection or request that the ISP provides a modem with the RJ45 connection type so that the router can be used properly and protect the network.

It's a moot point. The NAT router is not providing the protection to the machines on the network like it should be as it is not the gateway device for the entire network like i should be.

Well most thec(s) only come out and set-up the modem and connect a computer to the ISP's network and that's it and are e done with it. Most ISP(s) will tell the user off the top of the bat that they do not support routers.

In this case, if the OP truly wanted that kind of set-up, then the OP should have gotten a switch or a hub and got a WAP device and not a router or two wireless NIC'(s) using AD-Hoc and ICS on the machine connected to the modem and be done with it. It's ridiculous to have a NAT router sitting there and not have it connected properly so that it provides the protection for the network.

The OP should do the right thing and implement the protection of the NAT router fully and not be messing around with some half baked solution type of setup, IMHO.

Duane :)

>
Reply to
Duane Arnold

I would be the same thing as if the user went out and brought $400 wireless FW appliance (that's not a NAT router mind you) and had it connected in such away like that tech did and that FW appliance didn't provide the protection to the entire network of machines like it should be doing. That would be ridiculous and that NAT router not providing the protection to the machines on the network like it should be is ridiculous, IMHO.

Duane :)

Reply to
Duane Arnold

Hey sorry about some of the typing. I have to buy a new keyboard as I have to beat the T-key to death to get it to comeout.

Duane :)

Reply to
Duane Arnold

Verison DSL service supports routers. They give them away with new service sometimes. Recently while talking to a VZ tech about some other problem I asked him about "support" for routers. He said you don't have to lie anymore. They may not be able to help you with your model but they won't make you connect your PC right to the modem before they talk to you.

Reply to
Al Dykes

Yes, my CURRENT hookup has a wire from the cable modem to the desktop computer, not going thru the router. However, I have Zone Alarm firewall software on the desktop computer. Again, I am connected on my wireless laptop and desktop computer to the internet, and have NO APPARENT PROBLEMS. Since I have the firewall software on the computers, is this bad. If I have the router go to the desktop, I guess I will have to add some router software to the desktop computer and buy a wire from a place like Radio Shack. Am I missing something???

Reply to
Les

You will be better off connecting your desktop computer to the router for it's firewall like capabilities. You need to buy an NIC (network interface card) for your desktop computer. You can buy the type that is hardwired to the desktop with CAT5 cable (very cheap) or a wireless type. Is your wireless router B or G? Likely G (better than B) If G and you decide on a wireless card for your desktop... make sure you get the G type. If you decide to use a CAT5 cable you don't have to consider the B / G factor. You will then be able to network your two computers. (move files from one to the other and share the printer that might be connected to your desktop with your laptop.) So... if you go wired you will have to buy CAT5 cable to reach from the desktop to the router. If you go wireless you need no wire but the card for your computer will cost more. If your desktop is running WinXP you will need no additional software. If you are running Win98/ME you might but it should come with the NIC. I would guess though that most people who have their cable or phone company come to their house to install broadband have only one computer. And my guess is that they would just get a modem and a direct connection from that modem to their computer. So I don't think your current setup is that unusual.

Reply to
DanR

...

I have no argument with what you say, except for stating that this connection is worthless. It is the way the vast majority of DSL and cable modem installationas are performed.

Reply to
dold

It would be sensible to wire the computer to the router, which is already connected to the modem. The simplest way to do that would be with a USB adapter like the DLink DSB-650TX, which I have seen as low as $10.

formatting link
better way would be with a wired card that goes in the computer.

This might present other setup problems for you. You could ask detailed questions here about the setup.

Reply to
dold

It's not the optimal protection that one seeks when there is a NAT router in play wire or wireless. Why have the NAT router if one is not going to use it properly? The purpose of the NAT router is to allow multiple machines connected to it to share the Internet connection, allow sharing of resources between machines, and to provide protection of the machines from unsolicited scans and attacks from the Internet by not forwarding that unsolicited inbound traffic to the network.

While that one machine is basically sitting there standalone without the protection of the router, all unsolicited scans and attacks must be dealt with by ZA and the O/S using the computer's resources to do it slowing the machine down in doing more productive things for you. As opposed to being behind the NAT router where it stops the scans and attacks in front of the machines and the O/S and PFW solutions do NOT have to deal with the them.

Malware can and they do take down the protection of a solution like ZA exposing the machine to attack if the machine has been compromised. As opposed to the NAT router, where its software is not running on the machine with the O/S and therefore it cannot be taken down by malware.

The NAT router is more closely related to a FW. A FW must have two network interfaces one for the network it's to protect the (LAN) and one for the network it's being exposed to the WAN (Internet). A FW separates two networks the router provides that.

A solution such as ZA running on a machine is not FW software as it doesn't separate two networks. It is machine level protection that protects the O/S, services and Internet applications running on the machine and can be attacked and taken down.

It won't hurt to leave ZA running on the machines to supplement the NAT router on outbound protection, since the NAT router for home usage doesn't provide that protection, unlike a true FW appliance running true FW software.

This is what you should install on the desktop computer and it's called Wallwatcher and it allows you to review the Linksys router's logs for all inbound and outbound traffic to and from machines connected to the router on the LAN and to what remote IP(s) the WAN, which you can use to review possible connections to dubious remote IP(s).

There is no other software to install as far as the router is concerned. It is a plug it up and go device that needs little configuration on your part.

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Wallwatcher is free.

It seems to me if the modem has the dual connections of USB and RJ45, then you'll use a cable with the RJ45 connection jacks so that you can connect the modem into the router. The USB will no longer be used. If the modem doesn't have the dual setup, then you'll need to request a modem from the ISP that has the RJ45 or you must buy one that has the RJ45 and the modem must be one that's on the ISP's approved list. If the modem is being replaced then you should have the ISP comeout and hook it up as they will most likely have to provision the modem. I think RR only uses the MAC on the modem that must be provisioned with the ISP. You should check that with the ISP.

You'll need an ethernet NIC and cable with RJ45 so you can connect the computer to the LAN port on the router. BTW, the cable from the modem is plugged into the WAN port on the router. You can have the ISP's tech install the NIC for you.

You should do the right thing and bring all machines behind the protection of the NAT router. If you were to post your original post at a firewall and security NG, I am sure the top people in the NG would tell to put the machines behind the protection of the NAT router.

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The choice is yours to make. If you're going to have a network, then you must learn to support it as the ISP is NOT going to support the router.

Duane :)

Reply to
Duane Arnold

There are other ISP(s) mainly DSL ISP(s) I think that provide the total setup package that include a router will support routers. But no BB ISP that I have had contact with will do it todate.

Duane :)

Reply to
Duane Arnold

Taking a moment's reflection, Les mused: | | Desktop does NOT have ethernet port but does have USB port.

You should have put that in the original post. Give that, it's the only way to hook up everything. You should get a NIC and put it in your PC, and connect the PC to the router.

Reply to
mhicaoidh

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