which router to go along with the V-Portal?

Posts: 3 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 27, 2009 Posts: 3

I have been a Vonage customer for 4 years. I assume it's been 4 years because I was told my current Vonage adapter is 4 years old. Two days ago my internet quit. I have CATV cable internet with a motorolla modem. I called the cable company after already doing everything I normally do that works to get my internet back. They told me to plug my modem right into my computer and it works.

I called Vonage and they of course had me do everything the cable company already had me try. They decided my router must not work anymore. I have an RT31P2 Linksys. It has 3 ports in the back, 2 phone jacks and of course the port to plug the modem into. That was pretty easy to just plug everything directly into that as I have 2 other computers. Only one other one is a laptop but I think the other desktop might be wireless capable too. I also have a Wireless AG broadband router by linksys. I bought it knowing I would eventually go wireless with a laptop but still I never could get it to work so It has just sat around. Now I am trying to use it and that too seems to be worthless.

So my question is, I will obviously need a new router to go along with the new phone adaper that Vonage is sending me. It is a Vonage V-Portal Digital Phone Adapter with1 Port Router. There is only room to hook up one computer to it so which other router is best to get?

Would I just plug the modem into the Vonage adapter and then where the one computer port is, use a cord to go from the Vonage adapter to the other router I get and plug the other computers in from there? I would love to figure out how to gete the laptop wireless but I just don't know how.

I am editing this to say that I am a VERY satisfied Vonage customer. When I had to call them, I wasn't sure I would get good service especially since what they were telling me wasn't working. When they agreed to send me a new adapter (even though it only has one port insead of 3) I was satisfied as usual. We even got disconnected and the lady called me back right away twice. Good job Vonage! I think the lady I talked to was EJ but still I couldn't be sure if that is what she said or not.

Thanks

pepperderr

Posts: 350 · Vonage Forum Evangelist Joined: Dec 04, 2005 Posts: 350

The wireless router you already have should be fine. When you get the new V-Portal, go ahead and hook it up with the one computer. Once you've made sure that everything works (phone is ok, the connected computer can access the internet), add the wireless router into the mix.

I'm presuming that you have a Linksys WRT55AG router. You would simply connect the "Internet" port of the WRT55AG to the yellow "PC" port of the V-Portal. There should also be ports 1-4 on the back of the WRT55AG. You connect your computers to one of these. Power on the router, power on the PC.

At this point you should be able to access the internet on your PC but you are going to want to configure the rotuer's wireless security to prevent your neighbors from "borrowing" your internet connection.

Open the web broswer and go to address http://192.168.1.1. You should be prompted for a username and password. Enter "admin" for the password, leave the username blank. You should now be in the setup page of the WRT55AG.

Click on "Wireless". Since the WRT54AG has two radios (a 2.4ghz wireless G radio and a 5ghz wireless A radio), there will be two sets of settings. You probably want to change the network names (SSID). A good rule of thunb is to select a non-descriptive network name for privacy and security. Many people will use their name or street address (3MainSt) for some reason. Try something like "peanut" or "pasta"; something that you know is going to be yours. Also pick a channel other than the default. Something like half of the wireless access points are still set the 6 (often the default) and the other half are either channel 1 or 11 (the lowest and highest channels). Use 3, 4, 8. Save your settings.

Now click on the "Wireless Security" tab. You will want to enable wireless security to prevent others from connecting to your network. There are two types of wireless security: WEP and WPA. WEP is older and easy to break. WPA is a more secure scheme so you probablly want to use it. You select a passphrase which is what the encryption key is generated from. You will need to enter the passphrase on the computers you will connect wirelessly so make sure you write it down. Save your settings.

You've now enabled wireless security!

Posts: 3 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 27, 2009 Posts: 3

Thanks trekologer. You gave very good step by step instructions. I will surely try it out and let you know!

pepperderr

Posts: 3 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 27, 2009 Posts: 3

I just wanted to let you know the phone and internet is hooked up with no problems and works fine. The laptop is hooked up wirelessly for the first time in 2 years. Thanks for the help.

pepperderr