How does a ROUTER work?? What do I need?

Question

Ok this is the deal, I have a DESKTOP and a LAPTOP....

I have DSL... yahoo.

I have a Motorola Modem....

now i want to get a WIRELESS ROUTER... but i dont know if it'll work or HOW it works.

I dont know how to hook it up.

I want to have internet access on both computers. The laptop, I want it to be wireless.

How does this work, please someone help. No stupid answers please. Im serious about this stuff. thanks.

what more do i need....

laptop

desktop

modem

router... working on getting one.

Answer 1

You should be able to buy a router with at least two RJ-45 Ethernet jacks and an wireless atenna.

You also need  Cat5e RJ-45 ethernet cables.

Hooking it up is simple, take the modem and plug it into the router, take a Cat5e RJ-45 ethernet cable and plug it into an empty port on the router, then the other end on your desktop.

Your laptop should have a wireless adaptor.

Answer 2

Go to your local computer store (or a computer hardware site such as http://www.newegg.com or http://www.tigerdirect.com) and pick up a wireless router.

It will have instructions in the packaging to install it.

Your modem and desktop will plug into the router, then the laptop will connect wirelessly.

Answer 3

hardwire the dsl moden into your desktop and the phone line, attach the wireless router to the modem, and put the connection piece (in whatever form it may be) to the laptop, and your good to go

Answer 4

well if u want wireless on the desktop u need a wi-fi usb stick, but if u want it wired thats all u need.  it should come with instructions

Answer 5

Plug the DSL into the Internet port of the router, the Desktop pc into the ethernet port on the router and set your laptop to find the signal of the wireless router.

Once you are sure everything is working ok you can set up security (password) for your router/laptop if you wish.

Before you get a router check what wireless standard your laptop uses (Device Manager - Network Adaptor - *whatever wireless card you have* - Properties - Advanced Tab)...if it's brand new its probably 802.11n otherwise it's 802.11g.  Get the router that corresponds with the standard you have.

Answer 6

A router is a device that is used to bridge 2 incompatible network. In this case, the multiple devices in your home with the single network interface device (modem) provided by your internet service provider.

An old WRT54GS is extremely reliable....but you want an old old....preferably version 1.0.....the older the better. They have the most memory and processing power of any of those classic linksys routers. Its pre-cisco, so you know its good.

You can get them pretty cheap, used or refurbished...

You can use the install disk which you can get from the linksys site, which will automatically configure your hardware or do-it-yourself

At default, the modem should go from PPPOE to PPPOE-on-modem so you have less to worry about. Clone the mac address of the computer that was origionally connected to the comp(go to 192.168.1.1 from that comp) and finally pick a password for your wifi....and you are pretty much done....

DDWRT will upgrade your router to the level of a $500 router....adding a lot of features....so you can control radio power and actually extend the range of your network beyond fcc limitations......and things like that....so its not as hard as you think...