wireless networking question

DebFromLodi,

Let me give you simple instructions.

To log into your wireless router, try this.

Start, run, type

CMD

hit enter, now type

ipconfig /all     (space between the g and / )

hit enter. Now look for the default gateway. (Should look something like 192.168.1.1) Put the default gateway number into the address bar of your browser(Internet Explorer). Hit enter. It will prompt you for a password. Usernames and passwords vary by manufacturers.

Most routers use

username=admin

password=blank(no words at all) or password, unless you changed this.

If you installed Linksys EasyLink Advisor, open it, wait for everything to load, then click on the support tab. This will give you all the information you need to know before logging into the wireless router.

I then recommend you use these Recommended Wireless Router Settings.

Rick

The most reliable way I've done this in the past is to first power down the cable/DSL modem by disconnecting the power cord.  Doing this while you set up the new router gives the modem time to reset so it does not have problems connecting to the new router when it gets powered back on again.

Next, open the web configuration page for the old router (as Rick said, its usually http://192.168.1.1 though your user manual will have the specifics).  From that note down the internet (aka WAN) configuration settings being used.  On the new router open up its configuration page and set it to use the exact same settings as the old one for the internet connection.  Most Linksys routers, wired and wireless, have the same or very similar configuration pages so it should be pretty simple to do.

Once you have the new router configured for its internet connection to the modem, you'll want to set up the wireless section.  Rick's suggestion is a pretty good one for that.  I would also recommend reading over hte user manual for the wireless router as they are usually pretty clear in their description of how things work.

Once you think you have the router configured correctly, save the configuration and power it down.

Next is the fun part. :emotion-2:  Power down the computer.  Connect the modem back up to power and let it sync up with your ISP.  While you are waiting for it to sync up, connect a network cable from the modem to the internet (WAN) port on the new router (with the router powered off) as well as another cable from the computer to one of the LAN ports on the router.  Once the modem syncs up you can power on the router and let it initialize.  Once all the router is up and ready power on the computer.  You should be able to get out to he internet through the wired connection just as you did with the old router.  If that doesn't work trouble shoot that first (and keep the old router handy so you can connect it back up if needed, since you haven't changed its configuration).

The next step is to verify the wireless connections get out to the internet, which they should if you were successful with the wireless configuration steps above.

If for some reason things don't work and you switch back to the old router so you can get to the internet, make sure to power down the modem for at least 5 to 10 minutes (power cord disconnected) so it resets and accepts the old router as the valid connection again.  Most modems keep track of the last device to connect and won't talk to anything else until a reset (power down for 5+ minutes) is done.

[edit] wow, that didn't feel like i wrote that much. ;)