Getting NTL to work on more than one PC

Vyse

I use my NTL broadband for my desktop PC. Howvever, I want to access the internet through my laptop also. Is there anyway I can do this. I thought it would be a simple case of hooking my ethernet cable into the laptop but this doesn't seem to work.

Boomer23

modems can only assign 1 IP address at a time, so get a router

CyberGhost

It does work,

I had the same problem,

What you do is when you hook the ethernet cable to the laptop, power off your modem for 10 secs and turn it back on, and it'll start working with your laptop, I don't know why this happens.(probably has something to do with you MAC address, modem not auto-recognizing or updating it?)

However if you want to use pc and laptop at the same time, you'll need a router.

Boomer23

CyberGhost wrote:

I don't know why this happens.(probably has something to do with you MAC address, modem not auto-recognizing or updating it?)

this happens as a modem can only assign 1 IP at a time, therefore the power needs to be shut off so that the modem can get a new IP address from the DHCP to assign it to the new PC

Vyse

CyberGhost wrote:

It does work,

I had the same problem,

What you do is when you hook the ethernet cable to the laptop, power off your modem for 10 secs and turn it back on, and it'll start working with your laptop, I don't know why this happens.(probably has something to do with you MAC address, modem not auto-recognizing or updating it?)

Cheers, you're getting this reponse from my laptop:p

Boomer23

just remember to do the same when you change back

you are better off getting a router down the line anyway, saves hassle and gives you more mobility

CyberGhost

no problemo Vyse,

Boomer, thanks the explanation, that's kinda what I was trying to say, it assignes each mac address a new IP, and when you connect a new computer it does not auto-update and get a new IP from the pool, kinda odd though why can't a modem use the same ip with all computers that connect to it? or is it on the server side? like ip+computer's mac address gets logged into a database? and if you connect with the same ip but a different mac, it won't let you through?

Freddie59

CyberGhost wrote:

It does work,

I had the same problem,

What you do is when you hook the ethernet cable to the laptop, power off your modem for 10 secs and turn it back on, and it'll start working with your laptop, I don't know why this happens.(probably has something to do with you MAC address, modem not auto-recognizing or updating it?)

However if you want to use pc and laptop at the same time, you'll need a router.

If you want a simpler way, when you transfer the enthernet cable to the laptop open network connections in xp. You'll see a red x through the icon, but it will show as enabled. Just right-click and disable it. Then right-click and enable it. This will work. Then do the same when you go back to the PC. Router would be best though. PC World have an offer on a Netgear Wireless Router for just €129.

dub45

Freddie59 wrote:

If you want a simpler way, when you transfer the enthernet cable to the laptop open network connections in xp. You'll see a red x through the icon, but it will show as enabled. Just right-click and disable it. Then right-click and enable it. This will work. Then do the same when you go back to the PC. Router would be best though. PC World have an offer on a Netgear Wireless Router for just €129.

It direct have the netgear wgt 624 for 85 euros.

Freddie59

dub45 wrote:

It direct have the netgear wgt 624 for 85 euros.

That's a great bargain! Both that router and it's usb receiver were recently retailing at nearly €200!:)

Boomer23

CyberGhost wrote:

kinda odd though why can't a modem use the same ip with all computers that connect to it? or is it on the server side? like ip+computer's mac address gets logged into a database? and if you connect with the same ip but a different mac, it won't let you through?

well the main misconception is that a modem assigns the ip address, and it does in a way, but it only forwards information from the DHCP, so if the link to the DHCP is not broken (unplugging the modem) then a modem will not recieve a new ip to give out

the reason the same ip address wont work on 2 machines without a power cycle is that your USB and Enet ports both have a Mac address and this is linked to the IP address

CyberGhost

Thanks Boomer!