I need help connecting my new computer to the internet?

Question

Currently this computer is connected directly through the cable modem. I have a router, but have no idea on how to set it up or even how to connect the new computer directly to the cable modem. I've tried a few things, but I'm by no means a computer expert and the software that came with the router is useless (it gets stuck in a loop and won't do anything) Please help hehe.

Answer 1

It would help a lot if you provided info about your Internet connection and router.

I suspect you have a dynamic IP address from your ISP and your pc is set up to obtain an IP address automatically.

Turn off your modem, router, and pc.  Connect the pc network port to the router LAN port.  Do not connect the router to the modem yet.

Turn on router; at least 0.5 minutes later turn on the pc.  Wait for the pc to fully boot up.  Once fully booted up, open command prompt (start, run - enter cmd and hit enter).  In command prompt, at the > prompt, type in ipconfig and hit enter.  You should receive your IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway addresses.  If you do not, check your connections and your pc LAN port config which should be set for "obtain an ip address automatically".  Check your router manual (no matter how much you find it hard to read the manual you will need to do this as it is way to much work to reenter the manual here).

If you have an ip address and default gateway address, write them down.

Open Internet Explorer.  Enter the ip address in the browser address window and hit enter.  This takes you to the router configuration.  Get the router manual out and read how to configure the WAN or Public or Internet port, whichever it is called, and make sure it is configured for a dynamic ip address.  Again you must read the manual.  Once this is properly configured, save the configuration.

Power down the pc and router.  Connect a cat5 cable from the modem Internet feed to the router WAN or Public or Interneet port (whichever it is called).  Turn on modem, wait at least 0.5 min and turn on router; wait at least another 0.5 min and turn on the pc.  After all has warmed up fully, open command prompt and type in ipconfig.  You should see the same ip addresses.  Now in command prompt type in "ping 4.2.2.2" without quotes and hit enter.  You should receive 4 positive replies.  If not go back to your router config as somethng is wrong there.  If you recieve 4 positive replies, then in command prompt enter "ping yahoo.com" without the quotes and hit enter.  If successful, open Internet Explorer and go to a public web page as all is working.  If not successful go back to your router config and check out the wan config for DNS servers as this is wrong.

I cannot be more helpful.  If stuck in the above steps you need to get someone to assist you.

Answer 2

You will need 3 ethernet cables.  Plug the modem into the WAN port on the router.  Plug the two computers into two of the LAN ports (there should be 4) on the router.  Turn on the modem, then the router.  You are good to go!

If this is a wireless router, you should secure it even if you aren't using wireless.  Refer to the mfgr's docs on the website for details.

Answer 3

the wire that is going from your modem to your computer, needs to go in your router. After you have done that, you plug in cables from your routers to you computer. Its pretty simple if you just want to do wired connection.

The wireless part of your router should be up after you do this too. You mite want to read a lil bit in the manual on how to make the wireless secure.