h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

... more specifically I hate that I spend a bloody fortune on the stupid thing, spend more money on another thing for it. Which the guy in the shop tells me is a good one and right for what I want.

And then tear my hair out trying to get the thing installed.

It's a freaking wireless freaking router. I'm not trying to launch a space shuttle.

But...

So now I have a shiny netbook and I can't do anything because I can't connect the to the internet

You just have to Accept It.

If Micr@s@ft ever produces anything that doesn't suck, it will be a vacuum cleaner.

Hoover

OK...

Waht net book is it?
What make is the wireless router/model?
Do you also have a PC at home?
Is it a cable internet connection (cable modem), or a through the phone line thinggy?


I'm guessing if you've also got a PC, that its just currently hoked straight to the modem, so what we first need to do is get the wireless router communicating with the modem, then if its anything like the routers I've had/seen before, do a direct cable connection from that to the PC, then you can hook the netbook up via wiFi...

We had a little trubble with my netbook getting on to our WiFi network the first few attempts; for some reason it didn't like our router unless we set the incription higher but since that its worked fine, and strangely whenever I've tried the netbook on friends (and illegally on unsecured networks), its always hooked up to them fine Keep the faith
Oh, did you buy any live chickens?: Its always worth having a few about to sacrifice at various stages in doing anythign with computers....

The netbook is an Acer ( bought it - the guy in the shop said it would suit my needs better than the Samsung - so far, it seems to be cute and I can type on it)

I have a PC at home. I use a DSL network and I have a modem. It all goes through the phone line.

I got a Netgear Wireless-N 300. Seems to be what I need.

I get to the end of the set up and then some crazy error message flashes up (some file doesn't work) and then it all goes back to whatever screen I had before.

I think I have the cables connected to the right bits, and when I switch it all on, the 3 green LEDs are on, so I'm guessing my modem and everything is ok. I seem to have set up a home network, because I can see my desktop from the Netbook.

But I can't get on the internet.

Now, when mala was here she connected to the internet via (I think) our neighbours' wireless doohickey. I can see that there are some wireless networks around, but I'm buggered if I can get the netbook to go onto one, it asks for a code (fair enough)

So I can't get onto the internet unless I take everything apart and just set up as normal.

And even if I did have a wireless network, I have no idea how to connect the netbook to it.

And not one piece of kit has anything approaching a guide for normal people.

(the router keeps telling me to make sure I have VPN switched off - why indeed should I know what the heck that is?)

I'm going to bed grumpy now.

maybe it's because I forgot to get chickens. I'm going to steal a couple from the farm next door.

Night night,

Oh - and while you're still on line - please correct the spelling in that tag!

nope

OK, that's spooky, we have an Acer and use a Netgear router.

But as DH set it all up I have NO idea how it all works!

Good luck ...

Mol

>> I have NO idea how it all works! <<

It's elves and magic.

RF

yeah - and it s

Oh elves!
send one over...

in the meantime does anyone have any ideas? I tried the Netgear site but it's like gobeldegook central

can't help you. i have people for this kind of w*rk

Are there companies that can come to your home and fix up this sort of thing?
If not, why not?

I'm sure there are - the only problem is that if it isn't part of a service agreement or guarantee, the bill might not be pretty even if it doesn't take them long to sort it out...

If you haven't done so already, you should take it to the mighty s of Ask h2g2.

I will
tomorrow, though
I'm sick of the bloody thing tonight

If you have a large hammer, I could tell you one way to deal with the issue.

And too.