Hey guys, I'm having some major problems here.

So, I have a friend who built me a desktop, which I now have in my room. I don't want to have to connect it to the main modem, because then I will never get it back from my family. So, my boyfriend is taking me to Wal-Mart today to look at wireless adapters, because I already tried a slightly older modem that our old internet company allowed us to keep.

I'm worried that the adapter/router will not work, though. When my friend built the desktop, he did not put a wireless chip into it. I don't have the money to buy one, and I really don't want to have my current isp come out and fix this for me. 
When I tried to connect with the modem, it received wireless and made the network available to my new desktop, however, it refuses to connect to the internet. When I diagnosed the problem, the troubleshooter said that the connection between the pc and the internet is broken. Which, I do not understand how it could be if I can receive the wireless in my room, and on top of that, cable to my tv.

I need to know if the wireless adapter/router will work, and if not, what do I have to do to get internet to the computer?

A user of this : Okay, so then I need to find one, buy it, and figure out where it goes. . _ . Thank you, its really helpful. I'm just hoping I can find the darn thing... Might be even more screwed over if I have to buy it online though, I don't have a credit/debit card..

AlexNightwalker :

Sorry explain again. You have a computer, and you have a wireless router in your home, but you can't connect to it unless you have a wireless adapter; I got that part.

But what to you mean when you "tried connecting with the modem"? Were you using a wireless adapter; or did you plug directly into the modem.

Also, have you tested the internet on another wireless device first? That would help us find the right solution.


As for wireless adapters, in general it will work on most motherboards, and you shouldn't worry to much that it won't "work" on your computer. If you are using Windows, have a motherboard that isn't ancient, and buy a half-decent adapter, it should work well for you. Unless there is a problem with the modem/router.

Give me the details, and I hope to help you out.

AlexNightwalker : Does that person still have it? I'm not too knowledgeable in hardware building, but I'm pretty sure that's a vital piece.

Light Knight : My apologies, I seem to have skipped the bit where its a slightly older modem (about a year old), separate from the main modem, that I had tried to connect with. I have a tablet that receives my home's wireless just fine. My main modem is a Motorola from Wal-Mart, and connected to that we have a Cisco Wireless Router. Our old internet company, Frontier, had let us keep the old modem, and my mother allowed me to give it a try. That one receives the wireless connection, but no internet connection. When I diagnosed the problem, the troubleshooter said that the connection between the internet and the computer is broken. However, the Frontier modem is giving that computer a network connection - just no internet access.
Edit: And yea, I connected directly to the Frontier modem with the ethernet cord and everything.

AlexNightwalker : So your computer has an Ethernet cable on the back of it? Unless it's very old, I'm 90% sure that if you get a decent Wireless Adaptor, it will work. For example : http://www.bestbuy.com/site/ieee-802-11n-usb-wi-fi-adapter/2089316.p?id=1218309070178&skuId=2089316&st=categoryid$abcat0503007&cp=1&lp=1

Any USB wireless N adapter would work, and now a days, they pretty much all are. If you get one at a store, take it home, try it, and if it doesn't work, they'll let you return it.

Basically, you are looking at around $30 in most stores for a cheap but fine adapter.

Can anyone help me how I can double the speed of the internet? For more on the internet to slow down dinner.

asdren : Please stop bumping threads. It's just bad saying nothing to do with the thread and replying to a 4 month old thread.

Pretty sure this needs to be closed now since she already went to the store lol.

Local Mods :