Can I connect 2 desktop computers to a wireless modem and get internet on both desktops plus my laptop?

Question

I just bought a laptop and a wireless router (it has an integrated wireless card inside of it). The router has a 4 port thingy on the back (sorry for the lack of technical terms here, lol). My roommate and I each have a desktop and both need to be hooked up to the internet from the desktops. Can we hook them up thru the wireless router? How do we do it and do we need any other additional equipment? We have one cable modem as well, where does that come into play?. Also do I need to "activate" the wireless function at all or is it just there already? I'm new to this if you can't tell. :) Thanks!!

Thanks everyone- we aren't planning on getting wireless cards for the desktops, we'll just use cables.

Answer 1

Hi,

You have the perfect setup for wireless network connectivity, so let's walk through this step by step.

1. If the router is in fact a wireless router, and not merely a switch, then any computer (desktop or laptop) that has a wireless network card can connect to the internet through that router. Of course , you can also hook up to 4 computers via the ethernet ports in the back of the computers to the router (that's why it has 4 ports---yes, you used the right terms!) Also, you will need a modem, but the modem must match the connection you are using. If you connect by DSL, then you must use a DSL modem. If you connect by cable, then we will need your cable modem. If the house you live in is aready wired, then you will only need the wireless router. Also, each computer must have a network card, either wireless or wired.

So, here we go:

A: DSL
1. The modem and the router shoukld have some with instruct.ions and a CD. Follow those instructions EXACTLY---it ususally involves installing all the software before you even turn the router and the modem on.

2. Once you've followed all the instructiosn and turned on all the equipment, Connect the modem to the phone jack with your phone cord (Instead of connecting it to the phone)

2. Plug an ethernet cable from the modem to the router (these ports on the back of both the modem and the router will say "internet").

3. Plug any computers that will not be wireless into the router.They are now connected to the internet. For wireless computers, the wireless function will onny need to be "activated" if there is a wireless button on your laptop---it will look something like this: (( I )) . It you don't see this button, the wireless is always "on".

4. Are you running Windows XP service Pack 2? If not, it will be difficult to set up the wireless connection. If you are, click on Start, Control Panel, then Network Connections. Look to the left, and you'll see the words "View Wireless Connections". Click there.

5. This will bring up a new box, listing the names of wireless networks that you can connect your computer to. Look for the name of your network there (usually the name of your router). Click on it and click Connect. It will try to connect. If it asks for a network key, type in the key you were given when you were following the instructions to set up the router and modem.

6. Connect all your other computers the same way. A cable connection will work the same way, only you won't use the phone cord, you'll use the cable cord.

That's alot to read (and type, believe me!) If you need further assistance, please just e-mail me.

Hope this is helpful!

Douglas Digital.net

Answer 2

Yes, you can do what you describe. You will need to buy two ethernet cables long enough to connect your desktops to the wireless router that you purchased. The connection is from an ethernet card in your desktops (look for the opening that looks like a telephone jack, but slightly larger) to one of those four jacks on the back of your new router.

Your modem will connect (cable) to the router, not a computer.

Your laptop will need to be able to log onto the wireless router--and you should do some things to protect it, especially if you are in a dorm, else all your neighbors will use it, too. Get some help setting it up--but you should name the network something other than the default name provider by the manufacturer, turn off the broadcast of the network (or your system) name, use MAC filtering, and most important--use WPA encryption, with a strong key (password), something not easily guessed or broken.

Answer 3

The connections on the back are for ethernet. If you have been connected to the cable modem, you probably have ethernet connections on one or both of the computers. You need a cable from the router to each computer and from the router to the cable modem which may be a designated port (like the first one near the power jack). You then need to go through two different network setups - one to run each desktop to tell the operating system that you have a network and the modem is on the network and the other on the laptop to tell it you have a wireless network.
The instructions for the router should tell you the basic steps. I have found recently that some setups with separate routers are very sensitive to having the power applied to the modem, wait a few minutes, power to the router, wait a minute, then power up the computers. If you don't have one, get a low cost ($40) Uninterruptable Power Supply to keep glitches from forcing you through doing power up step-by-step.

Answer 4

First, plug your sable coaxial cable into the cable modem, then from there, run an ethernet cable to the input on the wireless router. Then run two ethernet cables to your two different desktop PCs (Unless they have a wireless card in each of them). Boot up the PCs after powering everything else on, and the computers should connect if they detect an internet connection. Now power on any PC that has a wireless connection and search for a wireless connection and see if your wireless router shows up. If you havent named it, stand within 5 feet of it, and if multiple names show up, the strongest signal one is probably yours.

If your using XP, I'm pretty sure there if a wizard on the OS that tells you how to set everything up and in what order. You can also look in the user manuel for the wireless router, that should help too.

Basically, you just need to plug everything in and it should start to work automatically.

Answer 5

Of course, your wireless router has the 4 port local network connections so you can connect the ethernet cord to the two desktops and still receive internet. As for your laptop, if you have the wireless card built in, then you can search for your wireless router and connect to it. If you need more in depth steps, just email me at [e-mail]

If you need a clearer picture of how everything works, heres how it goes: If you have a cable modem, you connect the coaxial cable to it (same cord and plugging into TV to get cable on it). Then from the cable modem, you connect it to the wireless router via a CAT5 cord, which should have came with your wireless router. From your wireless router, you connect an ethernet cable to each of your two desktops, and they should have internet.

good luck!

Answer 6

Yes you can. You will either need ethernet cable or wireless nic cards for the desktops. The cable modem is attached to the back of the router..the one jack away from the other 4. Follow directions that came with the router (on the disc) to get everything hooked up. Good luck

Answer 7

The wireless router has 4 ports for directly plugging computers into it. In addition to that you can connect wirelessly with other computers to it. If any of your computers are close enough to the router to just use a cable and plug directly into the router, you could do that. Otherwise, you will need to add a wireless network adapter to each computer you wish to use wirelessly. Your laptop should have built in wireless if it is fairly new.
So, if your desktops aren't close enough to plug directly into the router with network cables, then you need to buy a wireless network adapter for each desktop you need to use wirelessly. Then if your laptop doesn't have a wireless connection built in, you need to buy another wireless adapter for it.
Once all of your computers are equipped with their wireless or wired connections you need to set up the cable modem and router.
Firstly your cable modem is the front line. The cable from the street comes into your house and into the cable modem. It's got a round black cable. Then it has a network cable port on it. You need to run a network cable from this port on the cable modem to the port on your router that says "WAN" or "INTERNET". Once you have the network cable plugged in between the cable modem and the router, plug the power into the cable modem. Once that is up and running plug the power into the router.
Once your router connects with the cable modem, any computer hard wired into the router should be able to access the internet if they are plugged into one of the 4 router ports already.
For wireless setup you need to install the software for your wireless cards if necessary. At this point your wireless computers will connect to the wireless automatically, but your wireless router will be wide open to your neighbors as well. You need to secure the router with a password. Then you need to add this password to your wireless cards to match the password you created on the router.
Your question is very broad and would take hours to explain how all this works to you, but I gave you a general overview. You will have to read and learn how to do things by reading the manuals for the router and network cards you buy. If you are not willing to do some learning, your best bet is to hire a technician. Good luck.

Answer 8

Yes you can! Your router should be already configured to just "Plug and Play" for your laptop. Your cable modem should be plugged into the a regular household TV jack, also you will have to connect a "ethernet" cable to plug into the ethernet port.

To connect your two desktop computers you will need to have two ethernet cables coming from the Wireless router jacks (the 4 provided ports) into your network card in the back of the computer.

That is all you should have to do,
Andrew

Answer 9

For the computers or laptops that has a wireless card, just set up the wireless router and laptop so you can surf the net. For any computer without it, you will need to plug in a ethernet cable to the wireless router. THe instructions are in the wireless router package. I do not know which one you bought so I can not tell youwhat to do. Read the manual carefully and everything should work fine.

Answer 10

You have to have the modem. Then you add the router. The router will allow you to do two things: 1 it will allow you to share files and a printer tween the computers if you wish. 2 it also allows you to share internet connections so yes you can use as many pcs/laptops on the router as the router can handle each ones a little different. and each pc will need a wireless card.