Networking Help

Hi everybody,
I'm a shrink ( Addiction Psychiatrist ). Do not know much about computers.
I'm having trouble re-connecting my "upstairs " ( my 5 year old's computer ) comuter to my router( Netgear Rangemax WPN824 version 1) after I foolishly "upgraded to Vista RC 1 ". I reinstalled Windows XP home on my upstairs computer. I got a roadrunner ( Time Warner ) guy to come to my home- he was not able top connect to internet using my cable modem upstairs ( thru' the CNET Ethernet card ). I cannot connect using that card directly( wired) thru' my modem nor can I connect wirelessly using my Netgear WPN 824 v 1 router & USB Netgear connector.
Windows cannot "troubleshoot it ".
I've tried getting help "googling " . I think the fault is in either the ports or the firewall or "winsocks".
I CAN connect thru' the phone MSN connection ( upstairs).
I have a TIVO & Nintendo Wii & they too cannot connect wirelessly even though I've tried multiple times using my WPA & WEP keys.
TOTALLLY confused newbie. Can download & use "Hijack this" if needed.
Need advice.
Thanks.
Ramneesh

 

Hi ramneesh and welcome to MGs,
Here's a link to some guidelines to check out your connection -
http://www.ezlan.net/wireless.html
Run through those procedures and if you still have problems, post back in the Network forum. There are some experts in there who will get you straightened out.
HTH

 

Welcome to MajorGeeks

 

was your modem originally downstairs then, connected to another pc?

 

No. I made the mistake of installing Windows Vista RC 1 on my downstairs computer. I have been able to connect to my upstairs computer by downgrading from WPA to WEP but now I face another issue.
I have a TIVO connected to my wireless network ( it works ) & a Wii , both upstairs in another more distant living room & the Wii is not connecting altho' it does detect my network. ( I get an error message after I fill in my WEP key ).
Can 2 connections in the same room interfere with each other? ( that is what the Nintendo Wii website sort of tells me ).
Thank you for replying.