Router

[PoolQueen]

I recently arranged for my elderly parents to get broadband with you. The router arrived last Saturday so I spent all of Sunday afternoon setting it up for them to my dads new laptop. I followed the instructions carefully, set up the router which configured fine. I tried the wireless option first as their telephone socket is in the hall and the laptop is on a table at the back of their living room. The computer couldn't find it and I read in the instructions that it had to be up to 6-9 feet away with no walls in the way so I tried moving the laptop next to the router and it still couldn't find it. (My brother has since informed me it should pick it up from anywhere in the house).
So I used the yellow cable to connect them and it worked fine, however the cable is nowhere near long enough to reach any rooms in the house plus as they're elderly I wouldn't want loose cables lying across the floors.
Would it cost much to get a second phone socket installed in the room they want the laptop or is the best option to buy an extension lead and fit it around the walls or can you advise about it working wirelessly please?

[ultimate]

I do not think the wireless is working properly as my router and my laptop is about 30 feet apart and had to go through a tiled roof and 2 walls, I am not familiar with the VM router I am sure someone here will advise you.

[Pog66]

Firstly welcome to the forum - this is an independant forum and has no formal links with Virgin Media (but quite a few informal ones!!)

You don't mention what Operating system is on your parents laptop - Windows XP, Vista?

If you look in Network Connections on the laptop - Wireless Network connections - & right click you should be able to see all Wireless networks - does it show anything in there?

[PoolQueen]

Thanks for the replies, I'll check it out next time I visit them. ;)

[Peter_]

I presume that the router in question is a white Netgear model, if so follow the instructions below.

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First you need to fully uninstall the software from your computer, by first going to the system tray by the clock on desktop and right clicking on the Virginmedia wireless manager and choosing to exit it, then go to start > control panel >uninstall programs> now uninstall the wireless manager from here then exit .

( In XP go to add/remove programs and in Vista programs and features and choose uninstall. )

First ensure the router is on and take a pen or a paperclip and look on the back of the router by the antenna and you will see 5 holes in a row with a small round hole big enough for the pen to go into, now press the reset button in this hole for approx 15 seconds and this will reset the router.

Wait for all the lights to change back to green and then proceed onto the next section.

-----------------------------------------

Now to configure the router

1. Connect to wireless network using the inbuilt wireless manager by the time in right hand corner.

The network will be called "Virgin Broadband" the passphrase (WPA key) is preinstall.

2. Then open a web browser and you will be presented with a red setup page, here you enter a new network name ( SSID ) and passphrase,then click apply and it will say that the webpage is trying to close so click ok.

3. Now connect to the wireless network using you new network name and passphrase.

4. Happy surfing.

It is actually quicker than running the cd.

[PoolQueen]

I presume that the router in question is a white Netgear model, if so follow the instructions below.

-------------------------------------

First you need to fully uninstall the software from your computer, by first going to the system tray by the clock on desktop and right clicking on the Virginmedia wireless manager and choosing to exit it, then go to start > control panel >uninstall programs> now uninstall the wireless manager from here then exit .

( In XP go to add/remove programs and in Vista programs and features and choose uninstall. )

First ensure the router is on and take a pen or a paperclip and look on the back of the router by the antenna and you will see 5 holes in a row with a small round hole big enough for the pen to go into, now press the reset button in this hole for approx 15 seconds and this will reset the router.

Wait for all the lights to change back to green and then proceed onto the next section.

-----------------------------------------

Now to configure the router

1. Connect to wireless network using the inbuilt wireless manager by the time in right hand corner.

The network will be called "Virgin Broadband" the passphrase (WPA key) is preinstall.

2. Then open a web browser and you will be presented with a red setup page, here you enter a new network name ( SSID ) and passphrase,then click apply and it will say that the webpage is trying to close so click ok.

3. Now connect to the wireless network using you new network name and passphrase.

4. Happy surfing.

It is actually quicker than running the cd.

There was no CD with it, it doesn't need one. I'm going there Wednesday so I'll try these ideas. Once again, thx for help.

[Peter_]

There was no CD with it, it doesn't need one. I'm going there Wednesday so I'll try these ideas. Once again, thx for help.
The white WGR614 should come with an installation cd but it is much easier to do it without.