Cannot connect all laptops to Wireless (or wired) "G" format Router
HELP!!!
Our network:
Linksys products: one WRT54G Broadband Router, two WPC54G Wireless-G Notebook Adapter PC Cards. ALL the latest firmware is installed on all the Linksys products.
3 computers: one desktop PC, running windows 98SE, connected via ethernet to the WRT54G Broadband Router, and two laptops, both Toshiba Satellites, both running Windows XP Home Edition, with ALL Drivers and patches for the OS and computers all up to date. One laptop is a model 5200, the other is model 2410.
(edited) Note - This issue happens even if there is NO FIREWALL enabled.
The modem we are using is an Aztech ADSL Ethernet High Speed Modem, model DSL900(E)B2.
Also, we live where the Telco standard is U.K., as this may make a difference in the issues we are dealing with.
When we connect DIRECTLY from the DSL Modem to any of the computers DIRECTLY using the ethernet cable, each computer has no problems surfing, peer-to-peer transferring, Instant Messaging, FTP-ing, etc etc. That's not the problem.
When we connected the Aztech DSL Modem to the "Internet" port on the back of the Linksys WRT54G Router, and connected the PC via port one (or two, or three, or four...) we could NOT get an internet connection whatsoever. Same thing when we tried the wireless connections through the laptops.
I contacted a network specialist here in the country we reside in, and he said he found the WRT54G does NOT work when plugged in normally. He said to try plugging the Aztech DSL Modem into any of the "out" ports on the back of the WRT54G Router, and I was able to get a connection to the PC and one of the laptops (the model 5200). Both laptops and the WRT54G Router have WEP is disabled, Newtwork Type is Infrastructure, and the signal-strength shows 100%, however, we CANNOT connect the 2410 laptop to the internet, or the inTRAnet, either, regardless if we try wireless or via ethernet (it works lovely from the 5200!).
The services tab of the 2410 shows the Wireless Services is installed and running, and the TCP/IP seems to be set correctly. I have tried setting the PC Cards to Channel 6 (the default), 11, 10....them all. Nothing. They DO recognise one-another, though (peer-to-peer wasn't possible, I was told...hmmmm).
I have swapped the PC Cards and both work correctly, but only on the 5200 machine.
I have a few other ideas (.....Anyone need a set of wheel-chocks?) like: installing Windows XP Pro over top of the 2410's Windows XP Home Edition. If I do that, would it totally dissasociate all the programs that are installed on it, though? (I read somewhere that might fix this problem, but I do not want to lose all the programs on that machine...)
I have tried almost everything I can think of....so, now I defer to you, the wise PPRuNer's. Your help is appreciated.
C.O.