Wireless network help?

Hi all. My daughter has been having problems with her comp lately. We have cable internet and we have powerline adapters between her comp and mine.
The trouble is that we tend to lose power often with a stiff wind and when that happens, we end up calling the cable company and they walk us through resetting the adapters.
Since I'm kind of getting tired of being on hold for how ever long, I decided to get her a wireless Netgear USB adapter.
When I went to install the USB adapter, I get the prompt to enter a WEP passphrase.
Since I have absolutely no clue what that is or where to get it, I'm stuck.
My daughter and I also have laptops with wireless and we never had to enter and passphrase to get online.
Yes, my router is wireless and about 15 feet from her room.
Any ideas?? :confused

 

First question: Does your cable modem have a built-in wireless router? If you're not sure, either check the instruction book that came with it or look at the back of the cable modem: If it only has 1 or 2 Ethernet (Internet cord) jacks, odds are it doesn't have wireless built in. If it has 4, it may. If you're still not sure, call your cable company.

If your cable moden doesn't have wireless built in (most don't), you will have to purchase a wireless router. A standard "802.11 G" model is about $30-$40; a faster "N" model is about $50-$60. Don't spend more for a fancy one; it's doubtful you'll notice any difference.

If your cable modem isn't wireless, why are you getting a wireless signal? It's likely you're picking up a signal from a neighbor's wireless router. The "WEP" ( or WPA) code is the password which only allows authorized PCs to connect to that person's network.

When setting up your own wireless router, run the setup CD and follow the instructions to set up a unique name and password (WEP or WPA code) for it. Be sure to note the exact order for which items are connected and powered up - if you do this out of order it may cause setup problems. To keep hackers and other low lifes off your network, do NOT keep the default password (usually "admin") - change it to something easy for you to remember but hard for others to guess.

Once the wireless router is set up, turn on your daughter's PC, go to "Control Panel" and select "Networking". Windows will guide you through the setup process. If you check the box for the PC to remember the WEP/WPA password you won't have to re-enter it each time you connect.


One other upgrade you might want to consider: A UPS (uninterruptable power supply) box with built-in surge protector. A small one (200 watt) would cover your cable box and router; a slightly larger one (350-500 watt) would also cover a standard desktop PC and monitor. If the power flickers or goes out, a UPS gives you an average of 15-20 minutes of backup power to the devices, eliminating resetting hassles.

Hope this info. helps.

 

Gman863, my router was supplied by the cable company, so we didn't have anything to do with the install.
It definitely says wireless on the front of it and I live around a few farms, so even if they had wireless, they are probably not close enough for me to get a signal from them.
I guess my next step is to call the cable company tomorrow and see if they can help.
Thanks for taking the time to offer assistance.

 

Some wireless cable modems have a switch that turns the wireless on or off (usually on the front or top). If so, be sure the wi-fi switch is on.

Another thing to try: Look for a "reset" button (usually on the back of the unit and very small - it takes the end of a paper clip or pen to push it in). If you find it, leave the unit plugged in, then press and hold the reset button in for 30-60 seconds. When it resets, you should see the lights on the front of the modem either blink or turn off then turn back on. This will reset the wireless options to factory defaults and possibly clear the WEP or WPA password, allowing unsecured access. If it does, be sure to set up your own password as soon as possible by doing the following:

Using the PC that is directly connected to the unit (Ethernet cable), open Internet Explorer and type the following into the address bar:

192.168.1.1 (no "www", ".com", etc.)

This may (depending on the brand/model and how the cable company initially set it up) access a screen where you can see and make changes to the router settings. If this works it will initially display a sign-in screen with the default user name and ask for a password.

Typically, both the default user name and password are "admin".

IMPORTANT: Unless you have a bit of technical knowledge the following steps will require the instruction book for the make/model you have. You may be able to download a copy of the instruction book at the manufacturer's web page (examples: www.motorola.com, www.linksys.com, etc).

If you do not feel comfortable with this, stop and call the cable company.

The instruction book will tell you how to sign in and change the network name and password. Unless the instructions specifically state otherwise, do not change any settings besides these two.

At the very least, this will give you some idea of what the cable company will be putting you through tomorrow. Good luck - I hope you get your wi-fi up and running soon.