Do I need a wireless card?

[carolivy]

I'm having problems trying to hook up a wireless router...I have two computers hooked up to my wired router and now I have a laptop and need to get it online so I bought a wireless router (to replace the wired) but after many hours of trying to configure it and with the help of tech support...nothing but "this page cannot be displayed"...now I'm wondering, do I need a wireless card in my primary computer? My wired router is a DLink 604 and my wireless is a DLink 624.
Many thanks for any help! :)

[GHoosdum]

No, the primary PC does not need a wireless card in order to allow your laptop to connect. Do you get a connection on anything with the wireless router? Or is it just the laptop that can't connect to the network?

[carolivy]

I don't get a connection on anything!!

[GHoosdum]

Yikes! OK, does the D-Link have an 'uplink' or 'wan' port on the back, does it have a switch that makes one of the normal ports into an uplink port, or does it just have several ports and any of them can be used as an uplink port? Also, do you have cable or DSL internet?

Also, go to one of the computers that is connected through the wireless router, and type in 192.168.0.1 into the address bar on your browser. It should pull up the admin console for the router. If not, you've got even more connection problems than just your internet to router connection.

[MediaMan]

Routers should have an administration page. My own SMC wireless router will, by default, block ALL incoming connections at factory defaults.

This means nothing can connect to it until you tell it to.

You'll be able to access the admin page through Internet Explorer. The manual will have the IP address you type in and the default user/login password.

In the admin page area you'll have to type in the MAC address of the computers you'll want the router to allow to connect. A MAC address (Media Access Control) can be found by opening up a COMMAND PROMPT window (on the start menu>accessories) and typing

ipconfig/all

The MAC address is that alpha-numeric code listed under PHYSICAL ADDRESS and will look something like

00-4B-2E-AB-02-10

They are unique to every PC (theoretically). Once you type in that address and AFTER a bit of reading of the manual you should then be able to have the computers connect through the router.

Wireless clients can be just as easy...it's the same routine BUT there are steps to take to secure the wireless connection and that too can be learned by starting with the manual.

But we'll be here if you need us to answer more questions. :)

[Clutch]

Try just getting one computer online with the new router. Once you get that done, then start adding the other computers. Did you reset the router to factory defaults? I'm guessing it is something wrong with the router if you are just switching and the wired router worked fine. See if you are even getting a ip address from the router by doing "ipconfig" in a commnad prompt.

[carolivy]

My router has a WAN port and four other ports for connecting other computers and it has no switch. I'm on cable. The other computer isn't accessible to me until this evening...but I will check, then, to see if I can get the admin console.
I will also try the MAC address.
I did reset the router and it is getting the IP address. The tech support at DLink says the router is working because it got the IP address...so the problem has to be somewhere else. :-(
As soon as I'm able to get on the other computer I will check all of the above! Thanks!

[MediaMan]

Hmmmm....


Let's just try this with one computer. Okay...cable comes from the wall to the modem...then from the modem to the router WAN port. From the LAN port to the back of the PC.

Step 1: On the PC connected to the router try opening up a command prompt and typing

ipconfig/release

then

ipconfig/renew

See if it finds the router and establishes a connection. Sometimes rebooting the PC does this too if it can't renew.

Somewhere in the admin pages of the router there should also be a DHCP enable button. You'll want that enabled.

[carolivy]

Did that...still nothing!! :rant:

[Clutch]

At this point I would return the router for another one. Something just doesn't seem right about it IMO.

[MediaMan]

I agree.

A router should work right out of the box as long as the MAC address is input into the proper admin page area.


From there you implement user electives to increase security.

[carolivy]

That's what I think too...I can understand a bit of a problem but not this much. I'm not the only one trying to get it to work...there were two other people, one more knowledgable than me and one who was on the phone with tech support for hours!! Even though tech support said it wasn't the router....can I take that for the gospel truth!!!?? :rant: There's a point where you've got to think you have a defective product and I think I've reached that point!:mean:

[MediaMan]

of COURSE it isn't the product. How COULD it ever be. Products are always perfect.

:rolleyes:


1) You've tested the Internet connection directly...no router so you can confirm it isn't the PC nor your ISP.
2) You've reset the router to defaults. It should work right away or at least after you enabled DHCP and plugged in the PC's MAC address.
3) You've rebooted and IPCONFIG'd till the cows come home.
4) The router never worked from day one.

Ummm....pretty hard to fight it that it's a dead router. It can happen.

I have the SMC2804WBR: Wireless CABLE/CSL ROUTER 2.4ghz 54MBPS 802.11G 4port 10/100 switch. Worked right out of the box and it has an utterly straight forward setup. Can be drilled deep into for settings if that's what you'd like to do or will pretty well set itself up.

It has WAN in plus 3 ports and can support up to 253 wireless clients if you so choose.

Point is...it works and worked right out of the box. Sells for $115 CAD (That funny colored Canadian money) where I am. Has to be less than $90 USD.

[Clutch]

Correct. Routers are really easy to setup, there is no reason why it shouldn't work. Send that puppy back and get another one.