Just installed my shiny new Linksys router. It's a breeze to setup

I can get on here, so not too many problems, but I can't seem to access google.com. I have no idea why, it just can't find it.

Any ideas?

I have linksys...........It has it's own firewall, turn off the one on windows and use linksys........This may help...It also may not

It has a firewall? I didn't know that, I'll be turning that off then. It's got some great features on, like when you allow access, block url's, block keywords. It's £39.99 in PC World btw.

Windows XP firewall is off, didn't think I ever had it on.

Windows XP firewall is off, didn't think I ever had it on.

Can't be that then Moose......mmmmmmmmm (i'm still thinking)

Oooh, it wants to work now. It seems a reset does it, but not just one, but 3 resets. Hmm. I've got to try the wireless bit now.

what's the model number on your router Moose? Cos I had to do about 3 resets on mine too..... but finally got it all working, wireless and all

Wag354g

Edit bit: I did do all that in caps but it didn't like it much.

Ok, I'm working on wireless now. But, erm, how do I make it secure? I don't want anyone looking in and using my connection. Any ideas?

Best way is to set up a wep passord, your router manual should tell you how. The problem you had with google could be down to unreliable DNS by the way, had a similar problem with a customer a while back, took me ages to find it.

Rob...

You need to do 2 basic things, stop people reading your information and stop people using your bandwidth.

I have a WAG54G, and I have done the following:

In Basic Wireless Settings

Change the default SSID (these are easy to guess)

Set "Wireless SSID Broadcast:" to disable

In " Wireless Security"

Enable Encryption to stop people reading your network traffic. This can be done in a number of ways, if you're using XP you can use WPA which is more secure but I find that the wireless connection drops every few minutes, very annoying.

I use 128 bit WEP (enough to deter the casual attacker).

Set "Security Mode:" to WEP, Set "WEP Encryption:" to 128 bit

Manually enter 26 characters of random data or use a passphrase to generate the encryption keys (you will need to add these keys to your network card config on your PC to allow the network traffic to be encrypted).

Donf forget to save the router config after each step.

Now go to your PC and put the encryption keys in the wireless card config.

Restart the wireless lan card and see if it works, if not check the config.

Its best to do your config with a lan cable or you may saw off the branch your sat on

If this works then secure the machines that can access the network. This can be done by adding the ethernet addresses of all the machines that need to have wireless access, this is by default all users.

Go to start, and "Run" type "cmd" type "ipconfig /all":

Heres mine,

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]

© Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\ady>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : slowpy

Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :

Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown

IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : NETGEAR WG511 54 Mbps Wireless PC Card

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-09-5B-ED-DF-05 <<<

Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No

IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.2

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : xxx.xxx.13.49

xxx.xxx.13.50

192.168.0.1

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet NIC

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 08-00-46-E8-9D-FC

C:\Documents and Settings\me>

You want the physical address of the wireless card, commented by <<<< above.

Go to "Wireless Access", select "Restrict Access" and "Permit only computers listed below to access the wireless network"

Then "Edit MAC Address Access List" and add your physical/ethernet address/addresses. They must be unseparated (no -'s) or separated by ":" so in by case 00095BEDDF05. and save the config.

I would reload the router restart your network card and check all is OK, if not go back over the config.

This should give you more than enough protection to deter the casual attack.

And also best not to rely on the hardware firewalls in routers. A host (on the PC) based firewall is the best line of defence for home use.

Good luck

that's basically what I had to do as well MadJak.... 'cept mine's a WRT54G so one or two slight differences.... you just saved me a lot of typing LOL

Hey what can I say, IT supports in the blood.

like me lol.... someone asks me an IT question and I go into Trainer mode

Thanks MadJak :thumbsup:

I'll give that a go later on, should be fun trying to explain it to my stepdad when he's setting his up.

Well, I'm outside, about 50m away or so. On the laptop in the car and it's working. But I get a signal strength of between 30-40%, so its taking an age to get going. I'll be recommending this equipment for beginners for sure. It really has been a 'plug and play' experience.

don't use wep, it's cack. use wpa instead. can't say i've had the connection drop every couple of minutes myself