skoosiepants (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
skoosiepants) wrote2006-08-03 11:20 am
skoosiepants) wrote2006-08-03 11:20 am
Wireless Internet folks: HELP!
Bare with my stupidity here: How does this work? Does Verizon have to come out and install something, or do I buy my own router and they just turn something on? Can someone who's set something like this up let me know what you've gone through? Customer Service is unhelpful if you're just asking questions. It's like, sign up or eat shit. No in between. And right now I'm just sort of researching options. So. Any advice??
Re: Re, Static IP again
1) Make sure your desktop can reach your new intranet, the router. Turn on the computer, fire up a browser, ignore the fact that you can't get to any webpages, and make sure you can get to 192.168.0.1. If you can't get there *first*, you can't get *past* that to get to the outside word.
The world --> your modem --> Your router <- your computer
That router sits between you and us, and first you have to be able to talk to it. Then you have to make sure it's talking to the modem. (sorry if this is overly simplified)
My memory of the disk was it basically just walked you through how to hook things up in the correct order, tested your connection, etc. It wasn't good for much after that, though, because my needs were so specific. I believe you can do this without the disk, but it should actually be able to help you as well.
Once you and the router are talking, you make sure it knows how to grab information from your modem. You also go into the wireless section and find out information. For example, once you're on the router page and can see the router info, you should see a "Wireless" tab. In the "Basic Wireless Section" it should tell you things like "Channel". What channel is your router broadcasting on? On mine, it's Channel 6. This means my laptop has to be listening on Channel 6. What mode is it in? Mine is in mixed. I have a fairly new laptop. It can listen on the G-band, the newest available, or the older B-band, because it is backwards compatible. How old is your laptop? It sounds from above like your laptop can see the connection, so it's probably compatible with G, but that's something to keep in mind.
I'm trying to think of anything else that would stop you from getting to the outside world if you've gotten this far, but I guess the first question is, can you get this far to see the Linksys Router page?
Re: Re, Static IP again
Re: Re, Static IP again
I'd start by powering everything down. Make sure the connections are all correct - modem to Internet spot on the router (there's a single correct location from that cable, usually a different color) -- cable from the router to the computer (3 or 4 correct spots for that cable, so you can have more than one pc connected).
Look at the front of the router when you do the next part to make sure lights come on. No light means no connection.
I am now going to correct myself on something big:
LEAVE THE USERNAME FIELD BLANK.
ENTER "admin" as the default password.
Sorry about that, I was operating from a faulty memory. I've just located the manual, and am going through it now to see what else might help. Hope this reaches you in time.
Power up
One More thing, IMPORTANT
http://192.168.0.1
then try instead:
http://192.168.1.1
Username and password as above.
Re: One More thing, IMPORTANT
Re: One More thing, IMPORTANT
Re: One More thing, IMPORTANT
And if you ARE on the desktop, with the router, you could find me on aim (theriennej).
Re: One More thing, IMPORTANT
Re: One More thing, IMPORTANT
I have been there many a time.
How is the laptop doing?
Once you've got everything talking to everything else, you're going to want to do things like go to the administration page, and change the password fromthe default (admin) to whatever you want. And maybe think about a little security for the wireless part, either encryption, or using a MAC address.
Re: One More thing, IMPORTANT
But at least I'm finally working. I was getting ready to shell out the money to have someone come do it for me *is ashamed*
Security Info
1) Wireless security - this is for encrypting the signal as it passes through the air from router to computer...
2) Mac Filter - This says to the world "Only the computers ON THIS LIST" may access this router.
You can use either or both. Both have advantages and disadvantages. The Mac Filter limits who can use the bandwidth, but does not add the level of security that the encryption does. The encryption adds security, the higher the level of encryption, the harder the load, so to speak, on your connection. I stick with 64 bit encryption because my connection starts getting flaky if I go higher.
so, 1) Encryption: if you use this, you'll first switch it from disabled, to something like WEP (I use wep, there are other possibilities). If I remember correctly, you then pick a password, put it in the passphrase area, and tell it to generate a code for you. Yay, it gives you a bunch of random number and letters and stuff. YOu must take these letters and numbers, go over to your laptop, find the section of the wireless setup where it asks if you're using encryption, tell it WEP, and tell it the passcode. Then, they will speak to one another again! (theoretically).
2) Mac Filter. The Mac Address is the Machine Address. It's a set of numbers and letters that live within your computer. Here is how to find 'em.
a) Click on Start
b) click on Run
c) Type the word "command" without hte quotes, and click okay. Now you have an old fashioned dos looking box.
d) type: ipconfig /all
all sort of info will sprawl across your screen. Look for the line that reads: PHYSICAL ADDRESS. It'll be like: 00-24-A7-1E-67-A8 or whatever, but six sets of two, separated by lines. This is your Mac Address!
So now you go to the Wireless Mac Filter section of your Linksys page. You choose "Permit" you choose "Enabled" from the drop down menu, and you type that address in to Mac 01, which is all 00:00:00 etc. You'll want to do this from your desktop, obviously, since what you're about to do will temporarily kill your wireless connection. Desktop should be fine, since it's not wireless. You'll notice it's also possible to block out specific machines, rather than just allowing some, but I find that odd, myself.
So, that's the basics there, and again, you can use one, or both, it's just a matter of how paranoid you are!
And Finally, If All Else Fails (File this somewhere safe)
Look carefully at your router. There's a little piece at the bottom that sort of "swivels" to form a stand up base. Even if you never plan on standing up that router, go swivel it now, and look underneath. You'll see a small hole, and the word "RESET" next to it. You find yourself a paper clip, straighten it out, stick it in there, and hold it till you see all the router lights in the front flash a few times. Usually it takes about 5 seconds. If you do this, you reset EVERYTHING on the router to it's default settings. Everything you've set up is wiped out, but that means your mistakes are gone too, you're back to the original admin password (not that I have ever, EVER, forgotten my password. Ever.) and you have a fresh lease on life.
Re: And Finally, If All Else Fails (File this somewhere safe)