Help understanding some basic stuff

Boy oh boy - where to start? I am soooooo not PC smart.

I am changing DSL providers. SBCYahoo to Earthlink. I have a 2Wire 1800HG DSL modem, courtesy of SBCYahoo. Today, I could not get any web pages with my SBCYahoo DSL but my dial-up still worked. So I assume(d) that the Earthlink people must have changed the DSL signal at the telephone.

I do not have the Earthlink packge yet, so I started poking around to see if I could get the above referenced DSL modem to work with Earthlink. I downloaded something called "WinpoET" from the Earthlink site. It asked me for my name & password. I entered my new Earthlink info, and now I am able to browse etc.

Then, I started poking around a bit more to see if I am *really* going to have to pay them another $8.00 per month just so that DH can plug his laptop into the DSL connection when he works from here.

While I was exploring, I went into my modem settings, and saw that my user name & password in that set up was the old SBC info. I changed it to the new Earthlink info, and lost my access. I changed it back , and here I am.

So, as I suspected, I do not have a clue about what I am doing. Can somebody explain, in simple terms, how I am hooked up? Why do I have two different username / passwords in my loop?

Can I use this modem for Earthlink? I'd rather configure it myself if I can, so I don't get stuck with all the bloatware that Earthlink is no doubt including in their install disk.

If I can, how?

And do I really have to pay Earthlink another $8 per month just to use another computer on my DSL connection?

 

Does the router do DHCP? Way to check.. do ipconfig /all
Look at your IP and subnetmask .. depending on the last octet (255.255.255.X) should let us know if there are other IPs available for other users and get a hub
or
Option 2 is to get a router, plug the dsl modem into the broadband/uplink port and other PCs in the other ports on the router and enable DHCP on the router.

 

Thanks for helping me. I have to admit I'm not even sure what a router is. I'm running WinXP SP2. I went to start run ipconfig/all - the DOS box (or whatever that's called) popped up, but goes away again.

And at this point, I am not sure which DSL ISP I am actually connected to.

 

The 2Wire 1800HG DSL is a combo modem Router.

Therefore, it is only a matter of setting the Router correctly. In additional software would might deem your system inoperable

To understand the whole issue this might help, DSL Routers and PPPOE.

 

I am perfectly capable of rendering my system inoperable with absolutely no external software required.

I really appreciate you guys helping me out with this. If you were my neighbors I'd bake you cookies and lasagna.

Thanks for that link - I have been reading things all day and those 5 paragraphs were the most helpful things I have found.

So I did that - went into my modem, changed my name and password, and let the modem set itself. I didn't lose my connection, and the user name / password now matches that of my new Earthlink account. Plus, I checked my IP address, and it belongs to Covad, which I believe is somebody that Earthlink resells DSL services for. So I am guessing, but hoping, that I am indeed truly connected through Earthlink and only Earthlink.

Do I still need to figure out what my IP and subnetmask" thingys are, before I know if DH's laptop will still work from home?

 

Looks like I'm ok. DH plugged his laptop in last night, and everything seemed to work fine. I won't know for sure until I get the SBCYahoo turned off.

Angela

 

Indy,
If you're using Earthlink's username/password in your PPPoE settings, you're most likely connected to Earthlink. And since you made it work, who cares? right?
However, I'm not sure what you're asking about DH's connection. Are you trying to share the DSL connection (same time) or are you simply trying to switch the cable back and forth from your PC and DH's? if you're trying to share the connection (using multiple PC's at the same time) to internet, all you have to do is go out and buy "Gateway/Router". They have this at almost all elec. stores now (bestbuy, circuit city, even Wal-Mart!). It will cost you about $50-100, depending on what you want, but it is very simple to install/setup. Once you done this, you can share your DSL line with all your computers, at the same time.
Also, since you programed the modem (provided by SBC, I assume) to use Earthlink's setting, you don't have to worry about switching computers. You can bring any computer and it will work.

 

Thanks! I'm still not sure what gateways, hubs and routers are, but like you said - I have it working so who cares?

And no, we're not switching the cable back and forth. We are both plugged into the modem at the same time.

So I am keeping my $8 a month. I wonder if they just give you a "special" modem for that price? I'd rather pay $50 once than $8 forever, that's for sure.

I think I'm good here. I won't know for sure until SBC shuts me off, but everything seems to indicate that I'm hooked up through Earthlink.

Thanks again to everybody.