I have a computer question...

I can't seem to figure out how to get a better signal for my computer. I have a mac G4.

In my house, I have one of those "bundles" that you get from the cable company. The signal, which is fine on the first floor, is woefully bad on the second floor.

I have been told that the metal "studs" in the house are the reason the signal on the second floor is so weak. (shrug)

Okay. So I just purchased a Netgear Wireless Router. And have spent two afternoons trying to get it to work. Yesterday I could not get one of the "prompts" to display so that I could put in the information (password, etc) required for the "setup wizard".

Fine. So today I call customer tech service. I spent a couple hours only to have him tell me that I need to buy a modem as well. I have a modem. On my laptop. Which is where I want the signal to be stronger. (I think there was a language barrier) When the router was connected to my laptop, the signal (all the bars) seemed strong, but I couldn't get online. This is why I think the issue has something to do with the "setup wizard"

Look, I just want to be able to do my stuff on my computer. I need a steady signal to upload things so that I can get them on YouTube or whatever so that when my website is functional, I can get my stuff on it.

Am I asking for too much? Can't I PLEASE have a better signal? Huh? :no: (sigh...)

-- spinner :cool:
 
Your cable company probably limits you to one IP address.. if you didn't reboot the cable modem (unplug, then plug the power back in) then it probably won't give your new wireless router an ip address.

Aside from that, depending on what wireless router you got, you may be able to get third party firmware for it that will give you additional options, including boosting the broadcast power.

I've got mine cranked up to the point I can be a good two or three blocks away before the signal is too weak to use. :D
 
Spinner's on a Apple Powerbook G4 and I'm not sure what you have for wireless routers to begin with... the general equipment flow works like this:

Internet > Cable Company > Cable Modem > Wireless Router > (Wireless Repeater) > Computer

The part you need to install if you've already got wireless internet downstairs is the repeater that receives the signal from the downstairs wireless and rebroadcasts it at full strength upstairs.
 
The supergeniuses at NASA needed to figure out how to write in space; the problem was that ink only flows out of a pen because of gravity. It was a huge, expensive project, inventing the pen that would work in zero-gravity.

The Russians decided to bring a pencil.

Forget your problems with your router, or configuring you wireless connection, or any of that nerdy stuff that only computer nerds understand.

Plug it in. Get a long cable, and plug it in.
 
Thanks for coming to my aid, guys. I would have been on last night but as you know, I am having signal issues.

Will:
I didn't unplug any cable modems. The modem is in the cable wireless router and attached to my PC on the first floor. The actual cable BOX is on the second floor in another room down the hall so connecting the new router to the cable box is not possible.

We are dealing with two routers, the one that we got when we were hooked up for wireless cable and the one I bought last week to boost the signal.

gooberman:
I am connected to a cable systems "bundle".
Also, when I talked to the tech guy at Netgear, he gave me both of the addresses you gave me. The issue is: I cannot access those addresses on my laptop, which is what I am trying to do in order to boost my signal.

knightly:
I already have wireless downstairs. I thought what I was purchasing - the Netgear router - was what I needed to rebroadcast the signal at full strength upstairs. Did I buy the wrong thing? What should I buy?

Cracker Funk:
I don't think there is a cable that will go from the TV room, all the way down the hall to connect with my laptop. Just not gonna happen. Besides, if I were one of those nerdy types, I would know how to fix this problem. :D


At one point, guys, I connected the new router to my laptop. The signal was great, or so it seemed, because even though all the "lines" showing how much power I had, were all in the black, I was not allowed to open a browser. If I already had a browser open, it would only appear as though it were going to load the page, but it never would load.

If I had been able to get to the 192-etc page, I think I would be okay, but I can't seem to get there.

So there are my details. How do I get a better signal? Did I buy the wrong thing, knightly? Because right now, I can still return the router. If I have to get something else, I better do it before the return window closes....

-- spinner :cool:

EDIT:
learnfilmonline:
Maybe this is what I should have purchased instead of the router. I am not sure. The folks at the "big discount store" said I probably needed the router. If this is what I need, I want to run out and return the router and get what you suggested. I just want to be picking up the right piece of equipment.
 
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The signal you saw when connected was good because you were right next to the wireless... if it doesn't have access to the internet, neither do you. What type of wireless do you have downstairs?
 
I don't think there is a cable that will go from the TV room, all the way down the hall to connect with my laptop. Just not gonna happen. Besides, if I were one of those nerdy types, I would know how to fix this problem. :D

I am typing this from a desktop PC that is in my bedroom. My cable modem is in my living room, right next to the TV and XBox. They are connected by a really long ethernet cable.

The length of the ethernet cable does actually matter. The longer the cable, the slower the connection (but by a very small amount). That being said, even with my really long cable, my connection is still considerably faster than any wireless connection.

Sorry, supernerds -- I think I'm right on this one. Just plug it in.
 
You are right on this one for speed, but not convenience... although, my house growing up had holes in the corners of every floor from my dad wiring audio around the house ;)
 
is it separate from your cable modem?

I'm reading from the cable router: wireless cable modem.
As of right now, I can hardly get online at all now, which I place on the shoulders of the customer service guy I talked to. My signal is worse now than it was before.

learnfilmonline:

What does this thing do? I thought I understood the router thing but obviously it isn't working. This is supposed to do what? If I need to upload something to the internet, is the signal going to be strong enough?


-- spinner :cool:
 
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And guys...

I am trying to get my work on YouTube, so that it can be put on my website (which is still under construction) and send people to see what I have done. So if I can't upload anything with whatever contraption there is, it won't work.....


-- spinner :cool:
 
This is you and your network.. even if you only have one computer on the internet, you still have a LOCAL AREA NETWORK (LAN). Wireless or wired)

Overhear is the INTERNET. ITs a network too!

You need some way to connect your wireless LAN to the wired internet. Thats what the cable modem\router does. It "routes" informaiton between your Wireless LAN and the INTERNET. Your modem has a BUILT in router, or else it would not do wireless networking..

Previously to buying the NEW router, you had a working wireless internet connection downstairs. This shows that your MODEM\ROUTER is working properly. What you WANT to do now is EXTEND the range of your WIRELESS LAN so that it works UPSTAIRS. You have some options.

Visualize your modem\router being inside a large inflated balloon. Anywhere inside the balloon you can get a good wireless connection. Sometimes that balloon can reach through walls, and sometimes it cant, maybe because you have metal studs in your walls. What we want to do is find a way to STRETCH that balloon out in such a way as you can get "inside the balloon when your upstairs" In other words a good wireless signal UPSTAIRS.

A wireless repeater placed in a strategic spot might do it. For example, if you have wireless internet in the room UNDER the upstairs office, you might be able to put a wireless repeater in the downstairs room, which would bring a wireless transmitter\reviver that much closer to your UPSTAIRS location.. think in radio waves, not wires.. This is just trial and error. It might even work upstairs, as the device is MADE to work at longer ranges than your laptop\desktop..

The wireless repeater (some times called a range extender) is simple, it just repeats the wireless signals it hears, retransmits them and thereby extends the range. Or, with keeping with the analogy above, stretches your balloon out in certain ways..

If you cant get that to work, then your option is WIRED, which can act like tube connecting two balloons one upstairs and one downstairs or just inside your computer.. (no wireless network upstairs)

Hope this helps..
 
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