Have the dreaded feeling I've overlooked something very basic. I'm also thinking that the Acer Aspire 5517, Win7, part of this question may be important because I've tried to follow a couple step-by-steps and the instructions start differing from what my software presents. --Tom

Does you gateway give you a secure connection ? If so you will need the code to access it from other machines over wifi. The access code needs to be entered on all machines that are going to use it.

When you go to search for wireless, can you find your SSID?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by InfoJunkie4Life

When you go to search for wireless, can you find your SSID?

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SSID is only needed to access the wifi its not needed to find it. But Im thinking that is his problem too.

Yes, I have entered, as far as I know all necessary codes, SSID, and such, but still... nothing. And now for my generic statement: Thank you very much. Shortly before I received your kind message I had put in a full day on this router problem, trying to activate it, to no avail, and, inundated that I am, may not get back to it until the end of this month. I will continue to gather the generous information that has been offered and will let anyone know if what they suggested did the trick. If you do not hear from me it is likely that your suggestion was good, but my execution of it was not, or that some basic setup mistake I made did not allow me to get to the point where your suggestion could kick in and activate the router. All else fails, I will probably have to call someone in to take a look at it, as soon as I rob a bank to try to pay for it. Either way, thank you once again--much appreciated!--Tom

Thanks all. I have now spent 2 more days on this thing, still nothing, although I guess I can't feel too guilty, since the AT&T Chat tech gave up after about 3 questions, and said to call AT&T--in the past I have found calling AT&T about as fast and helpful as trying to communicate with someone on the far side of the moon--which I may try before I call someone in to my place. Wouldn't you think that activating a routing device, Gateway 2-Wire, supplied by AT&T, to be connected to an AT&T WiFi DSL service would involve a simple step-by-step process? You'd think wrong. And of course the step-by-step Gateway instructions do not match what I find in my Acer software. There should be a law that all new computer hardware and software should be banned until the stuff we already have WORKS. Anyway, thanks again. Direct at [email protected]

OK, confused.

Is this a new DSL service? I'll assume yes.

My guess is that you won't be able to activate DSL using a wireless connection.

So, do you know anything about it's address or default password? Like 168.192.0.1?

It may assign an address via DHCP.

2Wire.com: Activation Keys (activation code)

You didn't mention what model router you have.

http://gateway.2wire.net/setup is really on your local LAN. It probably knows that address via DHCP. They are tricking you and making it seem fancy.

It does seem that they allow you to configure wirelessly. I'd go with wired first and then add wireless later. There is too much that can go wrong like poor s/n ratio or wrong channel etc. The need to enter fixed encryption keys. Getting an address etc. Not worth the hassle.

SO, I'd initially configure using Ethernet. You should get a link light when you plug the modem into your computer. Configure using TCP/IP and get an address automatically.

When you do an IPconfig /all from the CMD prompt make sure there isn't a 254 in one of the first two octets.

While you are in the cmd prompt, do an nslookup gateway.2wire.net or whatever the machine name is supposed to be for your modem. Don't put the /setup

Ipconfig /renew may be useful to renew an IP address.

You may be able to just type http://gateway.2wire.net into the browser.

Model # of the modem?

Remember to turn off windows firewall.

So, as I said. Activate the service using the wired connection and then enable WIFI.

Many things are done this way like wireless print servers or repeaters for example.

NetStumbler.com is a free program that can help you find the best channel to use. You want a channel with the highest s/n ratio.

Good advice, but I have not been able to get the wired connection to activate it either. It does not help that the Gateway instructions seem to have nothing to do with what my Acer software presents to me. However I have been all around the various options in my Acer to activate or connect my WiFi. I always hit a dead end. Thought I might get online help from AT&T, but the guy almost immediately gave up and told me to call AT&T, which in the past I have found to be an endless multi-call multi-nation process that is geared to make any reasonable person's head explode. Ideally I need someone who is familiar with a Gateway 2-Wire and an Acer Aspire 5517, with Windows7, and just kindly tell me the damned steps. I have already spent so much time on this I will probably contact a tech for a house call in about a week--something I cannot afford! I sincerely thank you for your kind and intelligent advice! --Tom

Here is another place you can look. There is a lot of good info at this site.

Ref:

DSL · Cable · VOIP · Security · Satellite · Fiber · News · Tips · Reviews · Community · Tools - dslreports.com

What is the model of the 2-wire modem? Actual number.

Better yet, a link to the instruction manual.

When you plug the modem in to your computer with the Ethernet cable, do you get a link light?

In order for us to try WE have to have that info.

Acer 5517 who enable wlan