Wirless network help - wireless internet with just 1 laptop?

Hi there,

Please can some one help me, I want to set up a wirless network purely
so that I can use my laptop arround the house and use it for the
internet.

The problem is that the only way that I can get my latop to connect to
the internet is when my computer is connected to my wireless router
(by a cable).

Here is my setup:

Wirless network stuff: WL-517 wireless broadband kit (from sitecom
(www.sitecom.com)) - this includes 1 router and 1 wifi card and 1 usb
wifi adapter..
Broadband supplier - telewest
modem: motorola sb5100i (can connect with usb or nat cable)

My current setup is with the modem connected to the router (nat cable)
and then the router connected to the desktop (nat cable) and then the
laptop connected by the laptop wifi network card. this works fine with
the internet on my laptop but means that i have to have my desktop
comp on all of the time to use it.

How can i set up the network so that I can use my laptop on the
internet without having my desktop always on?

Please help, I am going to give the usb adapter to my housemate but
dont want to yet as i will have to have my comp on 24/7 for her to use
the net when she wants! (and believe my my comouter will explode!!!)

Any guidance you can give me will ge greatly appreciated,
thanks in advance,

Ian

On 4 Mar 2005 02:03:11 -0800, (E-Mail Removed) (Ian) wrote:

>Hi there,
>
>Please can some one help me, I want to set up a wirless network purely
>so that I can use my laptop arround the house and use it for the
>internet.
>
>The problem is that the only way that I can get my latop to connect to
>the internet is when my computer is connected to my wireless router
>(by a cable).
>
>Here is my setup:
>
>Wirless network stuff: WL-517 wireless broadband kit (from sitecom
>(www.sitecom.com)) - this includes 1 router and 1 wifi card and 1 usb
>wifi adapter..
>Broadband supplier - telewest
>modem: motorola sb5100i (can connect with usb or nat cable)
>
>My current setup is with the modem connected to the router (nat cable)
>and then the router connected to the desktop (nat cable) and then the
>laptop connected by the laptop wifi network card. this works fine with
>the internet on my laptop but means that i have to have my desktop
>comp on all of the time to use it.
>
>How can i set up the network so that I can use my laptop on the
>internet without having my desktop always on?
>
>Please help, I am going to give the usb adapter to my housemate but
>dont want to yet as i will have to have my comp on 24/7 for her to use
>the net when she wants! (and believe my my comouter will explode!!!)
>
>Any guidance you can give me will ge greatly appreciated,
>thanks in advance,
>

Even though the modem is connected to the router, it is almost
certainly being controlled by the desktop PC. You would be much better
off ditching the modem, and using a combined modem/router.

If you have had the kit for less than 7 days, and bought it by mail
order or over the internet, send it back under the Distance Selling
Regulations, and get a setup that includes a modem/router, rather than
just a router. That will then allow you to connect from any PC with
just the router turned on. If you particularly want the Sitecom kit,
then either the WL-521 or WL-523 will do.

--
Alex Heney, Global Villager
Take my advice, I don't use it anyway.

To reply by email, my address is alexATheneyDOTplusDOTcom

In news:(E-Mail Removed) om,
Ian <(E-Mail Removed)> opined very noisily:
> Hi there,
>
> Please can some one help me, I want to set up a wirless network purely
> so that I can use my laptop arround the house and use it for the
> internet.
>
> The problem is that the only way that I can get my latop to connect to
> the internet is when my computer is connected to my wireless router
> (by a cable).
>
> Here is my setup:
>
> Wirless network stuff: WL-517 wireless broadband kit (from sitecom
> (www.sitecom.com)) - this includes 1 router and 1 wifi card and 1 usb
> wifi adapter..
> Broadband supplier - telewest
> modem: motorola sb5100i (can connect with usb or nat cable)
>
> My current setup is with the modem connected to the router (nat cable)
> and then the router connected to the desktop (nat cable) and then the
> laptop connected by the laptop wifi network card. this works fine with
> the internet on my laptop but means that i have to have my desktop
> comp on all of the time to use it.
>
> How can i set up the network so that I can use my laptop on the
> internet without having my desktop always on?
>
> Please help, I am going to give the usb adapter to my housemate but
> dont want to yet as i will have to have my comp on 24/7 for her to use
> the net when she wants! (and believe my my comouter will explode!!!)
>
> Any guidance you can give me will ge greatly appreciated,
> thanks in advance,
>
> Ian

Your system will not work as you are getting the router power from the USB
port

You have the wrong router for what you want as AH says get the right piece
of kit
that is powered independently of any of your computers
--

Yddap
Remove guts to reply

> Your system will not work as you are getting the router power from the USB
> port
>
> You have the wrong router for what you want as AH says get the right piece
> of kit
> that is powered independently of any of your computers

Thansk for you advice,

one thing that puzzles me though,

the modem (currently connected my NAT cable) and the router are both
independantly powered.
I have not connected the USB.

Is there anyway that I can 'tell the router' how to connect to the
modem having it connected to the comp all of the time?

thanks,

Ian

Thanks for your advice guys,

After even more searches on on the web i found a tool on the HP site
that sets up your wireless network for you.

I just ran the tool while both comps were connected to the web and
then turned the desktop off and restarted the laptop and I can now
access the net on the laptop without having the desktop turned on!

http://h20239.www2.hp.com/techcenter/Wireless/index.htm

Check this out. I have no idea what it doesn, but it is good!

Cheers,

Ian

On 4 Mar 2005 08:17:24 -0800, (E-Mail Removed) (Ian) wrote:

>> Your system will not work as you are getting the router power from the USB
>> port
>>
>> You have the wrong router for what you want as AH says get the right piece
>> of kit
>> that is powered independently of any of your computers
>
>Thansk for you advice,
>
>one thing that puzzles me though,
>
>the modem (currently connected my NAT cable) and the router are both
>independantly powered.
>I have not connected the USB.
>
>Is there anyway that I can 'tell the router' how to connect to the
>modem having it connected to the comp all of the time?
>

There may be, but you would have to ask Sitecom, if there is nothing
in the manual.

That would then mean that the router was acting to the modem as the PC
normally does. Not all routers have this facility (in fact I believe
very few do).


--
Alex Heney, Global Villager
Take my advice, I don't use it anyway.

To reply by email, my address is alexATheneyDOTplusDOTcom