[Still Thinking]

Are you using the AOL software or a standard WWW browser like Firefox or IE? In either case (including AOL I assume), there will be settings in the browser to tell it what kind of physical internet connection you have. Make sure those are set to “always connected” or “LAN” or something like that.

Is there a router between her cable modem and the LAN? If so, it probably has a web interface for configuration. Make sure it has an IP address assigned by the cable modem. You may have to reboot or reconfigure the cable modem or the router or both.

[Drango]

Can anyone help?

Another Obama thread????

Don't use AOL.

[Doug TX]

It sounds like the computer is not assigned an IP address....look it up in the help files.

Try also shutting down all the computers, modem, router, and disconnect them from each other. Turn the modem and router back on, connect them and insure all the lights are correct. Then connect the computer to the network.

[Enduring Freedom]

My guess is a fire wall issue - do you have Norton or Zone Alarm?

One technique is to run ‘naked’ i.e. to turn off all protection systems on both computers temporarily to see if you can gain useful Internet access, and then turn protection back on one item at a time systematically to determine what is causing the issue.

[driftdiver]

Sounds like your broadband isn’t really working. Dbl check that.

[RangerM]

Can you hard connect the computer (via network plug) to the Netgear and connect to the internet that way?

[diefree]

try downloading and installing network magic. get the free trial. it worked for me.

http://www.purenetworks.com/

[Steamburg]

I would suggest that you set up an Internet mail identity using your ISP’s native browser and e-mail account. This will confirm that you can actually hit the internet and keep you away from dialup. If you can see the internet through the wireless, then you will need to configure your AOL browser to use a wireless internet connection. Their help will aid you in getting this.

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

In your position, I would see if you get online thru a wired connection (either USB or RJ45 network cable) right to the cable modem (omitting the router for now) under the theory of removing as many variables from the picture as possible. That should be a very robust, easily woken-up connection. You will have to power down the cable modem for a solid 1 minute and power down the PC. Power up the cable modem first and let it go thru its boot sequence, usually 1-LED, 2 LEDs, 3 LEDS, ending up with a pair of rapidly dancing LEDS. If you get to that state, then power up the PC and establish the wired connection.

Once you’ve done that, now you can insert the router. You will again have to power down the cable modem (any time the c-modem “sees” a different device on its output, you have to power it down for 1 minute or so and then reboot it) The PC is disconnected. You should see some kind of LED activity on a successfully-connected router. Then, try to establish a WIRED connection to the router. For this, you shouldn’t have to power down the PC, but you WILL have to go to the router setup page inside an instance of Inet Exporer (or other broswer)

The idea here is to delete complexity, then add complexity. Get the direct-to-modem connection going, then the wired router going, then the wireless router going.

[vigilante2]

Sometimes you have to put in the WEP key manually..I think there is an upgrade for Netgear

[diefree]

Are you a novice? Do you understand the tips you are getting or do you need a step by step tutorial? I’m not an expert but I know some things. You might need to do the network wizard on both computers. You will find this in control panel.

[Jet Jaguar]

Is a 40bit HEX WEP password required to get on to the wireless router?

[relee]

Hey Dogg, try this ...

Start
Run
cmd.exe

C:\> ipconfig

Did it look something like this?

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : home
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.5
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

[Still Thinking]

Oh, and get your mom off AOL. The other old ladies down at the bridge club will make fun of her and call her a n3wbi3.

[RegulatorCountry]

Teach her to use a standard web browser and show her how to check her e-mail on AOL via webmail. If she’s paying for broadband and AOL, ditch AOL, she can get e-mail there for free. She may have to cancel the credit card they’re billing to be rid of them, though.

[alecqss]

If she using a cable provider like Comcast, they recently started to limit Internet access to a single MAC. If that's the case, I suggest you call the cable provider, tell them the problem, they likely to register your main PC MAC and computer will be accessing via broadband again.

Then you have to clone your PC MAC to the wireless router (via router Admin screen). Then your router will be able to access, too.

Good luck.

[Viking2002]

I just got home from repairing a bank's server, so allow me to vent overtime spleen: your first problem is using a Netgear router. Log into it and make sure the assigned static IP address didn't lose it's lease or get reset - it's tied to the MAC address at your ISP. You may have to call them to get the service restarted. Barring that, chuck the friggin' thing in the dumper and get a Linksys.

[martin_fierro]

I predict many hilarious responses.

[SGCOS]

right click on the connection you think is correct, and look at Status

[bilhosty]

That happened to me i was caused by spy ware.