Hi there

I've got myself all tangled up in cabling, converters and hardware theory and wonder if someone can help.

I foolishly purchased a NETGEAR wireless router, hoping to set up a simple wireless setup to share one DSL connection, but without checking my own hardware. I didn't find out enough about these things before purchasing, and subsequently discovered that the DSL modem needs to have an Ethernet socket to connect to the router. My DSL modem connects via USB, and does not have an Ethernet connection.

In an earlier post on another forum within computing.net I asked for advice on this, and was told I could buy a USB to RJ45 converter, which I duly did. Then I discovered that, of course, the modem was powered via its USB connection, and would need some alternative power source....but my modem has only its ADSL and USB sockets and no power option. So...the plot thickens (I hope you are managing to keep up).

I was advised by the person who sold me the USB to RJ45 adaptor that what I needed was a powered USB hub, into which the ADSL modem could be connected to get its power, and then the hub could connect into the wireless router, using the USB-to-RJ45 converter.

Of course, now I have all these bits and pieces, I cannot get the set up to work at all. The modem has no lights on when connected into the self-powered USB hub. All the devices are working and powered perfectly when used with other devices, but together aren't doing the job. The hub is not sending messages from the modem into the wireless router.

Could somebody with a degree in applied Physics please give me some suggestions as to my wiring?

If you can bear any more of this, I'll just clarify the exact wiring I have at the moment:

To connect the USB hub to the wireless router, I am using a cable which came with the hub, which its manual describes as a "USB serial A to B cable". The B end of this connects into the USB UPSTREAM port of the hub. (The A end, which is a standard USB plug, should, if I’ve understood correctly, connect, using the USB-to-RJ45 converter mentioned above, into the INTERNET socket of my wireless router to provide it with an internet connection.

But when it comes to me connecting the ADSL modem’s USB output (which is a “B” socket, like above) to a standard USB port on the hub… at this point, I don’t seem to have any power going to the modem. Or at least, the lights on the modem are all off. Meanwhile the USB hub's light remains on, indicating that it is functioning fine. I’ve tried every port on the hub, but it appears to be no change. Somehow power isn’t getting to the modem from the hub, apparently.

All advice most welcome!!

Thanks a million

Jeremy

It will not work as far as I am concerned:

What you need to do is return everything and buy a combined wireless modem/router. In the UK around £60.00.

it is a bit complicated. The connections should go, USB Modem > USB Hub > Netgear router > Computer. The USB connection on the router plays no part in it. That is for connecting directly to a computer and nothing else. Power for the router should come from a separate power supply.

In fact I would use the USB connection on the router connected directly to the USB port that the USB modem used to be plugged into to get your router up and running. You will need to install USB software that came with the router. Once you have the router up and running via USB, then you can start thinking about configuring the wireless.

However, like hiho, I am doubtful if the USB to Ethernet converter will work as intended in these circumstance.

Stuart

USB devices need to be connected to a computer. Peripherals connected by USB cannot directly communicate.

Unless you have other needs for the powered hub, definately return it as the advice given by the sales person was incorrect. The USB to ethernet adaptor requires a computer to tell it how to do that.

What you could do is plug the modem back into the computer as it was originally. Then plug the ethernet adaptor into the same computer. Run the Internet Connection Sharing wizard and plug a cat5 cable between the ethernet adaptor and the wan port of the wireless router.

A preferable way of setting up would be to replace the modem with one that has an ethernet port. Then connect this to the wan port of the router. then connect the original computer to one of the lan ports on the router (use the USB to eternet adaptor if the computer does not already have a port).

Ok, so i understand this guy has problems, but, check this
out. i bought a router with 4 ethernet ports and 1 usb
port. i connect my mac via ethernet, and bought an
ethernet card for my pc and it didnt work. connected my
pc using the usb port on the router and it worked. maybe
that is a solution for this guy. just get a router with usb
port. now i know that this port is suppose to be for like a
printor or scanner or some peripheral device correct,
but... my question to you all is.... could he connect, or me
, in this case as well.... could he connect the usb hub to
the usb port of the router and still connect his pc to the
hub as well as other devices such as printors and scanners
etc.....
any help would be great...
thx
later