basic questions from a first-time newbie

Eric,

         Hopefully one of us can answer your question.  Tell us what operating system is running on which computer.  And are you running a software Firewall on either of them?  And did you use the web based configuration utility to configure the router?

Scott

Dell Inspiron 5150 Notebook
Pentium 4 3.6 GHZ w/HT
512 MB Ram, 60 GB HD @ 7200 RPM
Windows XP Pro (Wireless)

Scott,

 I also have Symantec Personal Firewall running on the machine that has the satelitte connection.

 

Eric

Well, that would be important information for me to supply - I have XP Pro on both machines - the router was simply plugged in and I let XP find it and load drivers - that is as far as I have gone - I'm currently looking for the installation CD that came with the router but could probably download that file from SMC.  Like I said, a rookie!  What should I do from here?  I have had enough computer experience that hopefully you can give me simple directions to follow up on.  Thanks again, in advance.  Eric

If you have the cable coming from the PC with the Dway connection plugged it to the WAN port of the router that's wrong for your setup. Wire a PC , any PC, to 1 of the LAN ports on the router and logon to the router setup page. Disable the DHCP server on the router. Now connect from the PC that has the Dway connection to 1 of the LAN ports of the router. This will make the wireless router into a switch with access point. Now you should be able to get to the net and see the other PC. That's if you have the same workgroup name and have setup file and print sharing on both PC's. Also you will need to use ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) on the PC that has the Dway connection. That PC will act as the router and DHCP server to hand out private IP addresses to the other PCs on your LAN.

Eric,

             Everything Ed said was right with the way that you have it set up.  If your Barricade router also has hardwire ports, you could use its DHCP server to assign IP addresses to both computers instead of using ICS (internet connection sharing), but both ways will work.  Just remember that with ICS, you will not be able to use your second computer unless you first computer is on, which is why I prefer using the router to employ DHCP because you don't have to have both computers on for the other to work.   Once you've done everything Ed said to do, you may also have to tell your firewall that the second computer is allowed to share resources with the first.  You can do that a number of ways, but the easiest way is to add your second computer's IP address to the trusted/internet zone depending on what your needs are.  Hope everything else goes smoothly.

Scott

Dell Inspiron 5150 Notebook
Pentium 4 3.6 GHZ w/HT
512 MB Ram, 60 GB HD @ 7200 RPM
Windows XP Pro (Wireless)

Message Edited by MemphisTF13 on 12-23-2003 06:28 PM

Everything that has been said works.  In my experience I have found that by disabling the windows xp firewall (especially with Home edition) and updating the wireless adapter driver to the latetest version, you can get much better results.  I have found that what XP says the signal strength is, has no effect whatsoever on the connection.  I have had an "excellent" connection and gone nowhere, and a "very low" connection and played unreal tournament 2003 online.  Update the drivers is probably your best bet.

 

I didn't read most of the replies, so things I say may already have been said.  If your satellite connection plugs into a computer via USB, and the network then comes off of that computer via ethernet, THAT COMPUTER MUST BE ON for any transactions to take place.  Since you would probably want it so all of your computers are independent and can be on the internet regardless of what the others are doing, you should plug your satellite connection into the WAN port of your router (hopefully your satellite has a means for ethernet, not just USB).  Then plug any and all computers into the non-WAN ports (LAN ports).  After that, all of the physical setup is complete, and you have a million of software settings to change.  But it's all worth it.

Probably the easiest way to tackle the software settings is to: right-click on Internet Explorer on the desktop, click Properties, click the Connections tab, make sure "never dial a connection" is selected, click LAN Settings, and make sure "automatically detect settings" is checked and everything else is UNCHECKED.  Then click OK twice and reboot for good measure.  Then hopefully things will work.  If not, find your neighborhood geeky student and pay him $20/hour to get it up.

EDIT:  Make sure DHCP is ENABLED on your router if you do this.  I mean, the router comes with this already enabled, so unless you explicitly remember turning DHCP *off*, then it is on.  You would only have turned it OFF if you tried some other people's suggestions.

Message Edited by dtemp132 on 12-24-2003 02:13 PM

Hey guys, sounds like you all have the kind of experience that works well for you - however, the on e thing I cannot get to right now is the setup page for the router.  I have downloaded two firmware updtes from SMC but the web interface will not open things up for me.  I have looked up the broadcom configuration utility in control panel and it shows me the IP address of the router, I plug that into IE and it tells me "fail to connect" - I do not know how to update my firmware without getting to the web page configuration utility.

 

My DirecWay satellite modem has only two coax connections for incoming and outgoing to the satellite, and then the USB connection going directly to the computer.  Is there such a thing as a USB converter?  Should I contact SMC technical support at this point and get them to walk me through this step.  It sounds like as long as I can access the setup I can implement the suggestions you have offered.

 

Hope you had a Merry Christmas!  Eric

Try doing the long version of the address: http://168.192.1.1:8080

Eric,

         I don't know if all your computers are hooked up through the router, so use one that is and go to Start, Run, and type Command.  Then type IPCONFIG and hit Enter.  The Default Gateway should be the IP Address of your router.

Scott

Dell Inspiron 5150 Notebook
Pentium 4 3.6 GHZ w/HT
512 MB Ram, 60 GB HD @ 7200 RPM
64 MB GeForce FX, UXGA
Windows XP Pro (Wireless)

Okay, I'm still stumped - tried the long address, both the version that my network utility gives me 10.5.109.148:8080 and also 192.168.0.1:8080 and both of them still give me the unable to open page error message.  I'm still open to any and all suggestions - including thinking about paying someone to come in but that will be my last option - too stubborn to give in when I know the answer is out there.