help required witha wireless network setup

[eagerbeaver]

i have just bought a new linksys wireless gateway model no. WAG54GS, my sony vaio has built in wireless connectivity, how on earth do i connect the two? in the setup it is asking for ethernet cables or usb cables which have never existed in my previous wireless setup ( which i did not do) to be connected, therefore i am stuck. I have looked on the help part of windows but i just do not understand anyting.

Can this be done? Or do i need to buy some form of wirless notebook adapter thing?


thanks in advance

Ben

[mikeddavies]

Re: help required witha wireless network setup

In order to configure the gateway, you need to "talk" to it. You cannot do this with the wireless link until its configured! "Chicken and egg!" Hence you need to connect to it by an ethernet or USB cable from a computer and use the configuration CD? that came with it. Then, when configured, you can try to use the wireless link.
Good luck

MikeD

[roach]

Re: help required witha wireless network setup

Mike is correct.....do not change any settings without a cable connection. If you change something wirelessly you may not be able to access the router again.....I speak from experience!

[SoftTop]

Re: help required witha wireless network setup

Nip down to PCWorld/Dixons/Comet or whoever (if you can) and get a CAT5 (or CAT6) patch cable (not cross-over). It should be at least 2m in length so that you can be comfortable sitting while playing with the lappy connected to the router.

Your laptop almost certainly has an ethernet 10/100 socket in the back and the cable should only be a few quid.

Once you've joined them together, chances are that you'll need to type 192.168.0.1 into the address line of your browser and that should let you access the router's log on screen. If you have the user manual/docs they will tell you what the default username and password are.

The next step will be setting up your encryption - please don't leave the thing wide open and un-encrypted.

If you need help with that bit, let me know and I'll see what I can do from afar

ST

[rotorcraig]

Re: help required witha wireless network setup

You connect the Ethernet cable and then configure the PC and Gateway so that they can communicate over the wireless connection. Then you set security up so that the wireless connection is encrypted.

Once that's all working you remove the Ethernet cable as you don't need it any more, and put it away for next time!

RC

[Conan the Librarian]

Re: help required witha wireless network setup

Oddly enough, the Netgear DG384 that I use, suggested setting up via wireless. If you set up the wireless "thingy" with separate, discrete drivers and can check that it is working, it bypasses all of the crud if your PC mounted ethernet socket isn't working for one reason or another. Sounds good to me...


Conan

[eagerbeaver]

so as i understand it, i need to buy a cable described above plug it in and the software supplied will automatically detect the inbuilt wireless stuff in the laptop and connect to the router/gateway thing?

There is no way in the world that the router is able to connect wirelessly.

For the record i previously had a standard sort of dsl modem connected to a net gear me102 access point, and all of a sudden it stopped working i did not set it up initially so dont understand what the chap done.

Anyhow will give it a go.

ta very much

i meant to add, i have a ptach cable supplied in the box but dont have that type of connection on my laptop - what do i do now?

[Conan the Librarian]

Mmmm... If you set up a wireless dongle/other as per specs there is no reason why you can't go wireless, unless of course, the router instructions forbid. RTFM and then come back here if you need us.

Conan

[mikeddavies]

From your original post, your wireless gateway software setup is asking for either an ethernet or USB connection - it would be unusual, unless your vaio is extremely old, for it not to have these. Please check the manual/spec. If really not available the only solution I can think of is to either (preferably) use another computer which has one of these, I would use ethernet, or a PCMCIA card or more recent Cardbus card, whichever is applicable to your Vaio, but not cheap for a one off, to provide the connection.
MikeD