Installation
IN THIS SECTION:
Using the “customer self-installation kit”
A Nice Diagram
Buying a Router
Plugging it all in
Using the “customer self-installation kit”
Because you will be using a router between your DSL modem and your computer, you do not, and should not install the software that the DSL provider sends you along with the self-installation kit. This goes in particular for SBC. At the moment, you can easily distinguish this useless crap by the picture of a man with stylish glasses on the front of the CD:
Would YOU trust this man?
You need to connect the DSL modem that they give you to the phone line that has the DSL service on it. Do to this, you probably need to use a line splitter (available at Radio Shaque). This simply enables you to plug in a telephone and the DSL modem at the same time. Once you have snapped in the line splitter, run one of the lines directly to where you want to keep the DSL modem. Plug this telephone line into the back of the DSL modem. There should generally be a symbol or a stamp indicating which port on the back is for the telephone. If there is no indicator, the port with the smaller size is the one you should use.
The kit contains “line filters” which are devices to reduce the noise on the line that the DSL modem makes when it is active. You need to place a filter between each phone and the line itself. If you forget, you’ll remember soon enough because you’ll find it hard to hear during telephone calls. In the example below, a filter is placed between a phone and the split phone jack.
At this point, a diagram might be helpful:
If you’ve done everything correct up to this point, you should have a dial tone on your phone line, AND when you turn on your DSL modem for the first time, you should notice after about 30 seconds a solid green light for “power” and a blinking green light that turns solid green for “line sync.”
Once again—two solid green lights, and you’re probably set up correctly thus far.
If you still see a blinking green light after a minute or so, go to the troubleshooting page.
Buying a Router
Buy a Netgear router.
Not a D-link router.
Not a Linksys router.
I’ll admit, I have quite a few superstitions about brand names when it comes to hardware, and you can wholly disregard all of my recommendations—however I have had consistently good luck with Netgear.
As of this writing (4-21-03), Netgear’s basic Cable/DSL router is an RP614. It has one port on the back where you plug in the DSL or Cable modem, and four ports on the back for devices on your network that you need to plug in.
Four ports? Isn’t that a…YES, in networking terms, this router is also acting as a SWITCH. In fact, if you didn’t plug in a DSL or Cable modem, it would simply be a switch, allowing four networked devices to talk to each other.
If you need to expand beyond four ports--say, for example, that you have 5 computers-- you can plug another switch into one of the router’s ports.
Netgear also has other spiffy and more expensive variations on its basic router, including a wireless router and a combination DSL/Cable modem and router. Because a DSL/Cable modem is generally included in your self-installation package, buying a combination modem/router is unnecessary.
Buying a Netgear router on E-bay? Go ahead, save some money and do this—BUT make sure that before you proceed with the configuring your router, RESET whatever configuration is in the router. Netgear has detailed instructions on their website for doing this with each model of router they have released. On most of the current models, you can reset the configuration by holding in a button on the back of the router while you turn the power off and on.
Left: New plastic shell basic Netgear router.
Right: Old metal shell Netgear router.
Both are functionally identical.
Plugging it all in
The DSL or Cable modem has two ports on the back. One of them should already be in use by the telephone line that you plugged in.
The other port is where you need to run either a straight-through or crossover cable from the DSL or cable modem to the Netgear router. Netgear includes a red crossover cable and a white, stright-through cable.
With both devices turned on, check for a third green light on the modem labeled "link" that blinks erratically, and also check for a solid green light on the front of the router that is labeled "internet" or "wan"
Let the green light be your guide.
At this point, if everything is set up correctly:
On the modem:
there should be a solid green light under "power"
there should be another solid green light under "sync" or "line
sync"
there should be a solid green, and occasionally blinking light under "link"
On the router:
there should be a solid green light under power
there should be a solid green light under "internet" or "wan"