SB3 works but more help needed

[jaybeee]

Right, hooked up my SB3 last night and after some faffing about, managed to connect wirelessly with ~80% signal strength throughone floor and two rooms. However, this connection has been made without any security set and without wireless internet (so security is not that important at the moment, and anyway, I live next door to two old people in their 70s-80s - not sure they'd know what to do with it if they found it anyway!), i.e. network cable from PC to Wireless Router and then connect to SB3. Ok fine, I'm happy about that, but it's quite the full story.

Firstly, what I'm gonna ask isn't really an SB3 issue... well ok it's not at all, but I need your experinec to help me sort it out.

Setup:
- Got a Linksys Wirelss-G WRT54G router
- Got Telewest Blueyonder internet connection (UK)
- uses the Motorola SURFboard SB5100 USB Cable Modem - this connects to my desktop Pc via USB

The Router was new out of the box yesterday, like the SB3, so I've never had a Wireless network set up before.

So, I follow the Linksys Router instructions and put in the installation CD and follow their guidance:
==
1. Disconnect cable that connects your modem to the PC --> out pops the usb cable
2. Plug the cable from the modem into the Router's Internet port. This is the same cable that you have just disconnected from our PC --> no it isn't cos that was USB, this is a network cable, anyway
3. connect a new network cable to the PC's network point (your PC's network port is the same port that was previosuly connected to the modem) --> again that's wrong for me. Anyway, conected to onboard NIC
4. Plug other end of network cable into one of the Router's ports --> ok, done that
5. Plug Router power adapter into mains --> ok done that
6. check lights come on --> they do
<< please wait checking computer settings >>
Cannot find the connection!!
==

So, I have two problems:
1. I can't seem to set up a wireless internet connection. This may best be answered by someone from the UK who uses the Telewest Blueyonder ISP. It seemed fairly easy: as per Router instructions above.
So, I sort of left the issue of no wireless internet last night to get connected to the SB3 - which as I say I did...but
2. I cannot connect to the internet (via USB Modem still) when the Router network cable is connected to the PC! i.e. if I take out the connection then it will connect to the internet again. It's like the PC is defaulting to the try and connect to the internet if there's a anetwork cable plugged in.

As I say, the SB3 seems to be working fine as is: very easy to control and looks & sounds great with the little playing with it I did late last night. But I'd liek to get things sorted properly so I can get wireless internet access.

Appreciate any help

[mikerob]

I use Telewest Blueyonder with a wireless router (Netgear) and 3 Squeezeboxes.

This is the configuration I have: the Motorola cable modem (can't remember model number...) connects to the "network-facing" port of the wireless router with an ethernet cable and the PC connects to a LAN port of the wireless router with an ethernet cable. The PC therefore accesses the internet via the wireless router.

You could just try to connect this up and see if it works (cable modem to wireless router and wireless router to PC).

If this doesn't work, I'd just try to get the PC connecting to the internet using an ethernet connection between the cable modem and the PC's NIC instead of the USB connection and would ring up Telewest's Broadband help line to talk you through how to do this. There may be a bit of a wait depending what time you call but once you talk to someone, I've found they are pretty good. You just need to explain that you want to use an ethernet connection between PC and cable modem instead of USB. There are likely some changes needed on the PC to get this to work and Telewest's help desk should talk you through how to do this.

I wouldn't mention the wireless router as if you read their fine print, they say they will only provide support if you are connecting a PC to the cable modem.

Once the PC is working successfully, you should be then able to disconnect the cable modem from the PC, connect the cable modem to the network-facing port of the wireless router and the PC to a LAN port on the wireless router then follow any instructions for the wireless router - there should be no changes needed to the PC.

[jaybeee]

Cheers mikerob.
I did already try the connecting cable modem to router, then router to PC, but no joy.

[jaybeee]

Ok, so just found this (http://linksys.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/linksys.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=1040&p_created=1086911813&p_sid=PeQ8MwXh&p_accessibility=0&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX 3Jvd19jbnQ9MSZwX3Byb2RzPTAmcF9jYXRzPSZwX3B2PSZwX2N 2PSZwX3NlYXJjaF90eXBlPWFuc3dlcnMuc2VhcmNoX25sJnBfc 2NmX2xhbmc9MSZwX3BhZ2U9MSZwX3NlYXJjaF90ZXh0PWJsdWV 5b25kZXI*&p_li=&p_topview=1). I'll give it a try when I'm home tonight.

[Khuli]

Can you get to the setup screen of the router? Should be something like http://192.168.1.1

[dropbear]

when I was with NTL the following site was invaluable in getting the kit sorted out without me spending hours on the phone to the 'Help' Centre (that's an oxymoron if ever there was one).

This site lists help for all cable modem providers in the uk (and beyond):
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robin.d.h.walker/cmtips/index.html

And here is the link to the page on networking your cable modem:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robin.d.h.walker/cmtips/homelan.html

Pete

edit: change the URL to point to the home page of the site

[jaybeee]

@Khuli - yep I can get to the router set up screen.
I've actually set up a router with two PCs connected on a Blueyonder service about 2yrs ago, but now I want it wirelessly, it's a different router, and I've forgotten how I did it before.

@dropbear - thanks for the link. I reckopn the link I posted above should do it tbh.

I'll give it a go later on when I'm home.

Cheers peeps, I'll let you know how it goes. As I say, more of a newbie issue with router/wirelss stuff than SB3 that on my limited testing seems fantastic - didn't even drop-out when I turned the microwave on which is in between the router & SB3!!

[vdorta]

Got a Linksys Wirelss-G WRT54G router ... The Router was new out of the box yesterday ...
I assume it's a version 5, so don't forget to download and install the latest firmware (http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?childpagename=US%2FLayout&packedargs=page%3D2%26cid%3D1115416835852%26c%3DL_ Content_C1&pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper&SubmittedElement=Linksys%2FFormSubmit%2FProductDow nloadSearch&sp_prodsku=1127782957298), because it fixes several problems with this version. Your computer has to be connected via wired ethernet to the router in order to do this.

[jaybeee]

After doing some internet searching today I've realised that I might (probably) have a v5 model. So thanks for the info, and I'll update the firmware when I get it all sorted.

[jaybeee]

Got it working peeps. SB3 works no problem. The wireless internet is now working. PC is all ok now.

So, if you've got a Linksys Wireless-G WRT54G router, using a Telewest Blueyonder internet connection (UK) with the Motorola SURFboard SB5100 USB Cable Modem, do this:

- use this Linksys page to sort out the change from USB cable to ethernet cable:
clicky (http://linksys.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/linksys.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=1040&p_created=1086911813&p_sid=PeQ8MwXh&p_accessibility=0&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX 3Jvd19jbnQ9MSZwX3Byb2RzPTAmcF9jYXRzPSZwX3B2PSZwX2N 2PSZwX3NlYXJjaF90eXBlPWFuc3dlcnMuc2VhcmNoX25sJnBfc 2NmX2xhbmc9MSZwX3BhZ2U9MSZwX3NlYXJjaF90ZXh0PWJsdWV 5b25kZXI*&p_li=&p_topview=1). Not that tricky at all really. A useful piece of advise is to actually reboot your hardware after such changes: that includes the PC, Router, Modem & SB3. After that all sorted.

- amend your software firewall (if you have one - mines the NetVeda - Safety.Net (http://www.netveda.com/consumer/safetynet.htm) - bloody good firewall actually, although quite complex) as per SD wiki (http://www.slimdevices.com/su_faq.html#networking)

- download the latest WRT54G v5 firmware upgrade here: clicky (http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?childpagename=US%2FLayout&packedargs=c%3DL_Download_C2%26cid%3D1115417109974 %26sku%3D1127782957298&pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper)

And now I have a lovely working SB3! The final thing to do is set the security encryption up (I know I know, but I'm honestly not in an area where I need to worry - but of course I will be sorting it out tonight).

The only other thing I had to do to "recreate" my PC experience before the Router was added, was to forward a port on the Router for my BitTorrent client Azureus: clicky (http://www.portforward.com/english/routers/port_forwarding/Linksys/WRT54G/Azureus.htm) to see how to do that.

Still got some more playing to do, but so far WELL IMPRESSED. Sounds lovely through my Nad T-743 AV Amp. Thanks very much Slim Devices.

[jaybeee]

Ok, so comeback from work today and try and play something via the SB3. Couldn't connect to SlimSever. Ok, so maybe "something" happened during the day. I'll reboot all the equipment. Still nothing.

After 4hrs of trying I now cannot now even connect to the wireless connection. And yet last night it was all working. Hilarious. I dunno, I'm sure there's something I'm doing wrong here and that the SB3 is ok; sheesh I had it working fine last night ffs. But it just kinda grates when you have a new toy, inlcuding the wireless service, but you can't play with it. So I'll just plod on...

EDIT: many factory resets have taken place. Including the router, but still no joy