Need help setting up home network/DSL

[RichCsigs]

Argh! I'm going nuts! Help me please?

My brother has had DSL on his computer for over a year now. I recently picked up a divice that is suppose to hook me into the DSL he is already using. It is not working though and I can't figure out why.
I have a 2Wire (company name) PC Port. It attaches to my USB port and has a port to plug in a phone line for the DSL, which is connected to a wall phone port. I plugged it in and started my computer. I turned off my firewall, then ran the installation program that popped up when I turned on the computer. After that I followed the checklist for installing a home network. My brother ran the Network Setup Wizard on his computer, then I ran it on my. After restarting the computer, I should've been connected buuuuut.... nothing. I get the little red "x" over the Network Bridge icon and the Local Area Connection icon. When I click on it, it says "Network Cable Unplugged". WHY??? Why is this happening?? Someone help me please!

Oh, and the little "network" light on the PC Port never comes on.

 

[Psionicist]

The best and easiest way to share a DSL connection is with a "broadband router", such as this one: http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=33-127-013&depa=0

A setup with two computers will look like this:

Your brother's computer don't have to share the internet connection so even if it's turned off you can access the Internet. And more importantly you don't really have to do anything to install it, just plug it in and you should be able to access the Internet with Windows XP's default network settings. If you don't use Windows XP there are some tweaking to do though.

 

[thatdarncat]

I'm with Psionicist, with the exception that I'd recommend a Linksys router over a DLink.

 

[Krieg]

Stupid question but...

Is your brother's machine also connected to a phone jack via one of these devices?

FWIW I went ahead and looked up 2Wire's FAQ on the PC Port...

http://support.2wire.com/cgi-bin/tw...p_new_search=1&p_search_type=3&p_sort_by=dflt

Drivers & the installation guide can be found here:

http://www.2wire.com/?p=266

Unfortunatley I have never heard anything but negative comments regarding the various devices that try to use to piggy back a signal on existing home wiring (whether phone or power line).

If a traditional wired network is not an option it might be easier for you to just go ahead & get a wireless access point or router instead.

Cost permitting of course.

 

[Plane Sailing]

My recommendation is "what psionicist says", although I've found Netgear to be the best router - I'm currently using a Netgear wireless router to access the internet from a laptop anywhere in the house, but it is good for any time you don't want extra cabling.

Cheers

 

[Psionicist]

Personally I use one from Zyxell.

But the D-link is cheap, and lots of people has one which helps when configuring the thing.

 

[nyrfherdr]

Netgear, D-Link, LinkSys, Speadstream and others all work fine.
The components are very similar.

The software, the company support, etc. are all slightly different. I've used 3 of the above very successfully.

I can't offer advice on the 2-way system. I haven't any experience on that.

H

 

[RichCsigs]

So my brother's going through the guide he got when he originally got his DSL, and there's a disc in the back of the book. And on the disc it says, "If you ever add another computer to your DSL, please run this disc on the new computer."

:\

Thank you all for your suggestions. Everything is up & running now.

 

[Krieg]

Just out of curiosity, what kind of throughput do you get from that thing?

 

[John Crichton]

My recommendation is "what psionicist says", although I've found Netgear to be the best router - I'm currently using a Netgear wireless router to access the internet from a laptop anywhere in the house, but it is good for any time you don't want extra cabling.

Cheers

Seconded. But then again, I am biased towards Netgear products. Not really sure why...