A while ago, our wireless router stopped working, and I spent ages on the phone to technical support, with them instructing me to try and fix it. Attempts were made on both the pc and with the router wired to the laptop...in the end, they said the warranty would cover a new router, but now I can't get my laptop to connect to the internet via a cable from my modem. I think it's got something to do with messing around with the settings, but I can't remember what the tech. support people told me to do to try and fix it. When I put the ethernet cable into my laptop, it spends ages assigning a network address, and then says that it can't assign an IP to the computer. However, the broadband connection works fine on the pc...can anyone help to try and fix this problem? I remember having to manually put in an ip address when on the phone, but can't remember how to do it :( Sorry...I am totally clueless..

Check with your broadband Internet service provider's tech support, they should be able to tell you the connection setting. Pretty simple and straight forward. For my ADSL broadband connection, I need to have username/password and also configure my computer to use DHCP to get IP automatically. But I'm not too sure about your case..

Sabs: "...now I can't get my laptop to connect to the internet via a cable from my modem." Are you trying to connect your router using a modem cable (RJ11) or to the modem jack? You should be using an ethernet cable to the ethernet (RJ45) jack. If you are truly trying to use your "modem" to connect than connect an RJ11 cable to the modem jack on your laptop. Then connect the other end to the RJ11 wall jack. Since you have DSL you might need to install a "filter" at the wall jack. If you are trying to connect via a ethernet cable to your router (and it works wirelessly) than I suggest you look in your router settings to see if "MAC Address Authentication" is turned on. It is usually under firewall, filter, or advanced settings. If it is turned on then add the MAC address of the wired ethernet card from your laptop. Harold