Does A Wireless Router Have To Have One Hard-wired Connection?
I”ve signed up with Virgin internet, and have a free Netgear wireless router. Trying to install comes up with a “can’t find router or cable” error AFTER the router has been set up and plugged in etc (so that’s not the problem – all the lights are on as they should be); I have an ethernet port on my desktop PC, and had wired the router to that during installation, but (1) does my PC need anything else inside it to work, and (2) does the hardwire ethernet connection always have to be plugged in? I thought the whole point of wireless was that there were no wires! The Virgin tech support said my desktop PC did not have an ethernet card / connection in it and I needed to buy a USB adaptor, or something, but that didn’t sound convincing to me. Anyone out there with either Virgin setup or knowledge of wireless connection that can help me?
You do not need to have a device connected via ethernet port for the router to work wirelessly. As you said, the whole point is to not use wires! I find Virgin (NTL as was) point the finger of blame at the PC or laptop BEFORE trying to help with the kit they supplied.
OK, I’m not trying to be smart but has your PC got a wireless adapter in it. This can either be internal (PCI), built in onboard your motherboard or external (USB). Your PC has a 10/100 ethernet card as you have already stated that that is how you connected to the router, which is fine during setup.
If your PC doesn’t have a Wireless adapter then you need to get one first. If it does, then you need to reload your installation disc and go through the process for setting up a wireless network. This is separate process to setting up the router.
Hope this helps.
If your PC doesn’t have a wireless card, you do indeed need to get one. Otherwise your wireless router can’t talk to your PC and vice versa. Virgin were correct.
You didn’t say if your PC has wireless, but one assumes it has, since you must be a seasoned internet user?? Assuming you have a wireless card, have you set it up to talk to the router with the necessary security protocols? Such things as SSID, WEP/WPA passwords, etc. But if you don’t have a wireless card, this could explain many things.