Newbie question

Are there some questions here you're trying to ask?

Duane :)

NetgearDG834G),

If you have a working ADSL connection, it is probably a matter of unplugging your PC, plugging the router in to the ADSL modem, and plugging the PC into the router. If you have a PPPoE login, that can be entered on the router, and the special login software disabled or removed from the PC. NetGear routers have a discovery feature that will find the proper setttings for the WAN side, prompting for a PPPoE login if it's needed.

For the desktop, you will be better off with a USB WiFi than a card. That allows you to put the WiFi antenna where you need it, instead of stuck to the back of the PC, where the wireless signal might be blocked by the body of the PC.

They probably won't know or care that you have a router instead of a direct connection.

You might want to turn on WPA encryption on the wireless gear, to keep stray parties from joining you on your wireless connection. WPA is available on most new gear, but I'm not sure how well it plays with Win98. WEP is an alternative, just a bit harder to set up.

Netgear WGB511 802.11g Wireless Networking Kit WGR614v4 Router and WG511 CardBus card that I have. $74.99 - $35 = $39.99 for the pair.

A Netgear WG121 is a USB adapter, or a WG111 mini-USB adapter.

You don't need to stay with the same vendor for your kit.

The DG834G has a built in DSL modem, but you already have the modem. I would continue using the BT-provided modem with a separate router. If the link fails, you can plug a PC or laptop directly into the DSL modem, just like it is now. If BT has to do any troubleshooting, they would be working with their equipment, not pointing at yours.

Does the router have an USB slot? No, I don't think it does it only has RJ45 slots on it. So you'll have to get an ADSL modem that uses RJ45 and not USB so you can plug the modem into the router. If the ISP doesn't provide RJ45 type modems, you'll have to buy one. If you have to buy one, you should call the ISP and ask them what modems are approved to run on their network and purchase one that is using the RJ45 connection type. You'll most likely have to have the modem's MAC provisioned with the ISP replacing the old modem's MAC so that the ISP can connect the new modem the their network linking the MAC to your account.

And don't let them tell you cannot replace the modem because you can do it.

That's what you have to do above.

And this is what you should do below once you're connected wirelessly.

Duane :)

NetgearDG834G),

The OP was going to use a NetgearDG834G which has a built in modem. I thought that would be unnecessary, but if the BT modem is USB-only, maybe someone knowledgeable about the local hardware told him to get that router.

Looks like the BT Voyager and Voyager 100, with the #17.99/month ADSL package are USB only, but they also offer some modems with routers and WiFi in one unit.

also have an online advice chat that would probably help. Their modem+routers look cheaper than the DG834G by quite a bit.

seems on-topic.

That's what a cable using a RJ45 is and they were being used and are still being used for ethernet connections before USB hit the scene. You need to get a modem that is using that kind of connection type and plug the Rj45 into the modem on one end and take the other end and plug it into the WAN port of the router. If you connect a wire NIC computer to a LAN post on the router, a cable with RJ45(s) must be used.

It's no different than plugging a telphone cord into the base of the phone and then plugging the other end into wall outlet. The RJ45 is just a bigger version jack that's being used for the connection.

It's not a big deal. ;-)

Duane :)

I don't like the modem/router combination devices. It seems that those kind of devices are hard to configure when they need to be taken out of their default settings, particularly the router part.

I don't even like the wire/wireless routers anymore.

What I do like is a NAT router with a lot of FW like features or a FW appliance and plugging a WAP into a LAN port.

Duane :)

Throwing my hat into the ring, I also recommend ditching the USB modem. USB is a hokey, if not garbage, way to network. ISP's pawn off USB modems to customers who they think will only be using one computer with their service. USB is do-able for a single client (computer or device) in special situations, but in the long run you won't want anything USB part of your main pipes (modem, router, AP's, ect). Forget using an USB/ethernet adapter, as well. That would only add a needless weak point.

Tell your ISP that you need a modem with ethernet out. It would be surprising if they don't have one, but if they don't then ask what the modem requirements are so you can buy your own. Not familiar with DSL, but with cable we have DOCSIS x.y requirements with most ISP's and modems we purchase.

I wouldn't fixate on having to buy something that is a combined modem and router. Broadband modems are dirt cheap these days and, for the most part, all function with the same performance for the same service. I've had a few cable modems within last year on the same line. TX/RX levels, SNR, and data rates were identical. Outside temperature was more of a factor on performance. Slight preference is for Motorola (which I'm using now), but all worked just about the same.

Focus on router/AP features: security, encryption, propriertary "turbo" schemes, built-in firewalls, how filters and DHCP are set out, ect. All of which are personal preference. Only thing I would recommend with a choice of router/AP is it having a few built-in ethernet LAN ports for future expandability. They will come in handy later.

Cheers,

-E

The desktop is already connected to the BT modem, presumably USB.

You could plug in a USB-WiFi adapter, and use Windows Internet Connection Sharing to let the wireless laptop connect to the internet through the desktop. That would mean the desktop would have to be running in order for the laptop to work, but it would be pretty easy to set up in "ad-hoc" mode.

Does the desktop have another USB port? An ethernet port?

Yeah he could do that but every wireless AD-Hoc connection using ICS and the Windows O/S posts I have seen become a PITA and start failing somewhere along the line for unknown reasons.

Duane :)

USB............YES

mode..........What is "ad-hoc mode" ??

Ethernet port.....don't know what that is!..sorry

Might as well add my highly biased opinion.

Yep. USB sucks. In order to share a USB connection, you need a USB router, which only works with a very limited number of USB modems, |

have no experience with how well this works but the reviews look positive: | You can also use a full time PC running as a Linux router, proxy server, or ICS (Internet Connection Sharing). Leaving the PC on all the time is not my idea of efficient. Incidentally, an 80 watt PC, running full time, with electricity at $0.15/kw-hr, costs about $100/year to operate. You can buy two ethernet DSL modems every year for the same cost. Or, your could build a router using a mini-ITX box and cut the power down to about 15 watts.

As others have offered numerous and excellent reasons to dump the USB DSL modem and purchase an ethernet DSL modem, I won't repeat any of it. I'm partial to a "component system" as in hi-fi, where the DSL modem, router, and wireless access points, are all seperate boxes.

Incidentally, I have about 8 USB DSL modems in the office that I removed from service for almost exactly the same issue. Nobody wants them. My favorite is the Alcatel "Stingray" USB modem, which I still find difficult to believe.

've put wireless antennas and access points inside plastic owls, but I never thought anyone would stuff electronics inside a plastic stingray.

MAC address authentication varies with ISP. That used to be the fashion with PacBell DSL for quite a while. I could not juggle modems without either calling PacHell support or waiting about 15-30 mins for the ARP table to expire. That's no longer the case. SBC has reduced the ARP cache timeout to about 60 seconds. I can pull the plug, wait

60 seconds, plug in a new device, and it will work. I think they just got tired of people calling with a change of MAC address.

However, it's not the MAC address of the DSL modem that gets recorded in the ARP table at the ISP. It's the MAC address of the connecting router or PC. That's what the "MAC address clone" feature of most routers performs. It copies the MAC address of the connecting PC ethernet card, to that of the routers WAN port. The router is perfectly happy with having the same MAC address on both sides of the router (WAN and LAN) and can easily seperate packets on both sides. The MAC address of the ethernet port on the DSL modem is only used between the DSL modem and the router and does not get sent to the ISP's router.

In most cases, the ISP does NOT use the MAC address for any type of security or authentication. When the DHCP server assigns the IP address to the customers router, it enters the MAC address and IP address in the ARP table of the router. You can see yours with: Start -> Run -> cmd arp -a resulting in something like:

Interface: 192.168.1.10 on Interface 0x1000003 Internet Address Physical Address Type 192.168.1.1 00-0c-41-71-36-30 dynamic 192.168.1.50 00-80-c8-ac-c0-60 dynamic 192.168.1.51 00-c0-a8-7f-fe-92 dynamic 192.168.1.100 00-0f-66-14-e5-4b dynamic

There's also one inside your router. The table expires every few minutes to accomidate connection changes. All you have to do is wait long enough for it to expire, and you can swap hardware without bugging the ISP. I do it all the time when testing modems and routers.

Incidentally, when juggling routers behind a DSL modem, it's necessary to power cycle the DSL modem. The modem has a bridging table inside that contains the MAC address of the connected router. If you change routers, and therefore change MAC addresses, the modem will be lost. Same with a connected wireless access point. When juggleing boxes, it's best to power cycle literally everything.

E

NetgearDG834G),