sweex lb00021 router

[jane]

im about to buy this router and was wondering what the flipping heck im gonna have to do with it
i find the idea of setting this up terrifying, what if i mess it all up and i cant get the internet at all!!??
is it right that im going to have to change the way i connect to the internet via usb port and have to use an ethernet connection instead? will that mean i have to reinstall ntl or get another ip address???
do i have to install broadband ntl from the disk on the other pc?? will ntl charge me for 2 accounts, or will this stop the other internet connection on my primary pc working??
can you fell my terror?lol

im so worked up about the whole thing that im considering letting my son have his own dial up account in his bedroom so i dont have to mess with my broadband connection

[handyman]

It will all be fine, we'll hold your hand through the whole thing and get you set up.

The switch from usb to ethernet will be painless, you get to frisbee your ntl disc out of the window as well.

Originally Posted by jane

im about to buy this router and was wondering what the flipping heck im gonna have to do with it

Plug it in then surf

i find the idea of setting this up terrifying, what if i mess it all up and i cant get the internet at all!!??

before you start post here and we'll make sure you know what your doing

is it right that im going to have to change the way i connect to the internet via usb port and have to use an ethernet connection instead?

yes- this is for the best

will that mean i have to reinstall ntl or get another ip address???

you wont need to re-install anything and you will have a different ip auto assigned by ntl but this is unlikly to change anything for you.

do i have to install broadband ntl from the disk on the other pc?? will ntl charge me for 2 accounts, or will this stop the other internet connection on my primary pc working??

disc not required / they wont charge you twice / wont stop connection on primary pc

[jane]

i dont think this router comes with cable does it, so will i have to buy 3? i didnt keep the ethernet one that came with ntl. or is it a special ntl cable that i need?
how do you switch to ethernet anyway?

ps thanks for bearing with me!

[handyman]

How to switch to ethernet? Remove the power to the modem remove the usb cable, plug in the ethernet and turn on your modem again. If you do not pic up a ip from the modem straight away then reboot your pc. tada

ethernet cables dont cost much. You will need three but you should get at least one with the router.

5m ethernet cable £1.25

3m ethernet cable £0.65

How about this for a cheap router? £14.95
Includes 4 ports so you can connect 4 computers, also has a print server function so you can plug in any usb printer and share it without having to have 1 computer on all the time.

Or splash out and get the linksys 4 port router for £19.99 though it does not have the prit server function.

hope this helps.

hm

[Matth]

I'm using one - it includes one ethernet cable in the box - I think it was a 1.5 metre.

The router is a doddle to set up, though the first few pages of the manual go though Windows network adapter setup very poorly - all it needs is that Windows has an Ethernet adapter set up in the "normal" condition.

You WILL be asked to provide a time server, so check up:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robin.d.../timesync.html
I use the UBR for time on mine, though it's grossly inaccurate, as I turn my router off overnight - the PC itself is synced to time.cableol.net on a less frequent basis, but I didn't want to hit that server daily, as it would be a waste.

The router operates in the most basic (Dynamic IP) mode, with nothing else set apart from the time server - it appears you must fill that in, even if it doesn't work, and you must enter it by address.