I have a motorola SurfBoard cable modem, and I want to install a
Netgear wireless router to it. After trying my best, as careful as I
can to follow all the installation steps, the connection between router
- modem still fails although PC - router works fine. When I tried the
router in a common DSL modem, it works just fine. So can we set up a
wireless router with cable modem? How? Thanks..

SkyBlue

<skyblueman21@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1140482696.966626.158580@g14g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
FFS, What model is the router? and what model is the Surf Board!?!

(You lot don't make it easy to answer questions do you :-))

Assuming it is a CABLE router, and your SurfBoard modem has an ethernet
socket, then you just connect the modem to the WAN port on the router with
the same cable you used with the PC (Unless the PC is suing a USB
connection!)

Depending on your cable provider, you may have to register the router with
them (NTL where I am do anyway)

If you have bought a DSL router, then you need to take it back, and get a
different one!

Sparks...

The router is NetGear WGR614, and the modem is Motorola SurfBoard
SB5101. That's the problem, I'm not sure if the router is DSL or Cable
(Does it make any difference?), but it certainly works with DSL modem.

<skyblueman21@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1140485688.664621.228980@f14g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
Okay, the Router is the correct type (It does not have an integrated DSL
modem (It has a standard network port for the WAN (Internet) side rather
then a phone socket!)

When the modem is connected to the PC, is this with a USB cable, or a
network cable?
(The USB cable plugs in the second socket from the top and will just pull
out, a network cable connects to the top one, and has a little clip on)

Sparks...

No, I don't use the USB socket, I plugged ethernet cable to the router,
but it seems that the modem and the router cannot communicate properly.
I've tried turning them on/off, but it didn't help. (Connection b/w
router to PC works well though. I can configure the router but no
Internet connection).

<skyblueman21@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1140486479.592007.321280@g47g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
Replies go down here!

When you have a connection on your PC (Router not connected) is this with
the Ethernet or the USB?

If it is with the ethernet, what is it reporting your IP address as?
is it your actual internet address, or a local address like 192.168.0.2

The modem is actually also a router you see, it can support up to 64 PC's
connected to the ethernet port, I assume it is giving you a local address
and performing NAT, but I may be wrong as I have never seen one myself!

Sparks...

Sorry to reply to myself, but I am going to bed now!

Try this,
(I assume you are using an ethernet cable when your modem is connected to
your PC directly)

Connect the modem to the PC and make sure it works
Open up a DOS prompt (Start, Run, then type the word command then press OK)
type in ipconfig /all
then press enter
Find the Ethernet adaptor your modem is connected to
It will look something like this

Ethernet adapter LAN:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : U.S. Robotics 10/100/1000 PCI
NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-C0-49-FD-84-F9
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.101
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
192.168.1.3

Make a note of your Physical Address (This is your MAC address)

Turn the modem off (Important step)

Now connect the router's WAN port to the modem (with the router powered
down), and then one of the 4 LAN ports to your PC.

Turn the modem on, wait 30 seconds, then turn the router on.

Log into the routers setup page (probably 192.168.1.1)

Click on Basic Settings

At the bottom, input your MAC address into the "Use This MAC Address"

Press Apply

You may need to reset the cable modem and router now

If this does not work,
Go back into the router setup page
Click on Router Status (under "Maintenance")
What is the IP address in the "Internet Port" section?

Sparks...

<skyblueman21@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1140482696.966626.158580@g14g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
you'll probably need to reboot the modem and router in order for the MAC
addres of the router to be "recognised" by the cable co. Since your PC was
providing the MAC address initially, the modem needs to "reset" to see the
new MAC address. In some instances (certainly with NTL) you need to
"register" the new connection.
Power off both devices,
Power on modem, and wait till all lights settle.(give it a good minute or
two)
Power on router.

try again.

hope that helps. There is an excellent site, whose url escapes me, that is
an excellent resource, Google for Robin Walker.

P.

Sparks wrote:

Thanks Spark for detailed instruction. As you assumed, I am connecting
the modem through its ethernet port, never used the usb.

When I do 'ifconfig/all' with the modem connected directly to PC, it
gives a common internet IP address, not a local address.

Your method seems reasonable. The router is actually my girlfriend's,
and it's not with me right now, I've forwarded this thread to her. I'll
let you know as soon as she tries it

Flyer wrote:

Does this mean you call the cable operator and tell them about my
router? I wonder why it don't get this difficult when connecting a
common DSL modem with a router.

I've tried exactly as you said, but it seems that the modem still take
PC's MAC, not the router's. Anyway still have to try Spark's method.
Thanks for your help

skyblueman21@yahoo.com wrote:
On occaisions you may hve to turn everything off for around 4 hours as
NTL's servers do not react in a timely manner. Turning everything off
& leaving it over night did it for me in the heady days (not) of NTL
slowband (well it was around here)

My gf said she has tried your solution and it solved the problem. Thank
you very much Spark and everyone else. Now I understand more about how
these things work.

make it real easy get yourself a ADSL Linksys router from pc world
£70-80

plug in router making sure that all the machines and modem are off at
the mains
plug modem into WAN port
turn on router - modem - let lights flash about 30 secs should do it
boot up pc and go into the router (Http://www.192......)
set the wan up and make sure there is NO User name and passwords
save and away you go
EASY as!

Enjoy
Adrian