new to networking, please advise

[sophiarosehips]

Hi all,
You've been incredibly helpful to me in the past with questions about processors and graphics cards. I come to you today with a new issue (new to me anyway). We just moved in to a new place and subscribed to ATT DSL service. We bought the better of the two available modems because it involved a rebate. This modem is apparently wireless: a two wire gateway?
ATT has generously offered to set everything up for us for a measly $149. I am out of work so I am hoping I can just do it myself.
We have three computers: a macbook and two pc desktops. If the specs are important let me know and I will look them up. The phone outlet that the modem has to plug into is in the living room. We'd like to keep the pcs in the guest room. The macbook has a wireless adapter which we've plugged into the modem and that is working fine.
My question is, what do I need to buy to have the desktops access the modem wirelessly? I assume it's another sort of adapter? I'm not very well versed with the macbook adapter... it's my bf's and he isn't very computer savvy either and refuses to sort out the pcs.
Anyway it would be SO nice if someone could explain things in simple English. It's all a foreign language to me and it makes my head hurt.
I'm sorry if this post is lacking important information. Please let me know what you need to know if so.
- Sophia

 

[somethingsketchy]

Do you have the exact model of the DSL modem? That could help a bit for what PCI/USB wireless devices to recommend. Also approximately how far is the guest room from where the DSL modem is located? If there were a few Ethernet ports (a larger version of a telephone jack) you could purchase three Ethernet cables of a similar length and have a hard-wired connection (rather than a wireless connection that could be flaky).

 

[sophiarosehips]

On the itemized list of the contents of what ATT sent, they list the modem as "DSL KIT 2701HG RES CSI GATEWAY." At least, I think that's the modem.
On the modem itself, under where it says it's a 2Wire Gateway, there's "DC 5, 1Vc.c 2A", if that's any help at all.

The modem isn't terribly far from the door to the guest bedroom. If all else fails I'll look at wiring it, although it will mean stapling the wire to the wall to avoid it snaking across the floor I think, and I am not sure I want to test my landlord's patience that much unless absolutely necessary.

Anyway, THANK YOU, somethingsketchy, for responding. I really appreciate the help.

 

[her209]

Does it look like this?
http://img128.imageshack.us/i/8206078raco8.jpg/

 

[sophiarosehips]

Yes, that seems to be it exactly.

 

[bruceb]

You seem to have this model:

2Wire DSL Gateway Model 2701HG-B

Download the User Manual and Installation Manuals from here:

http://support.2wire.com/index.php?page=download

 

[sophiarosehips]

Thank you for the manual, bruceb. It's useful to have.
I looked through it and it mainly explains how to read the windows that come up when one is installing and configuring things. I'm afraid it doesn't really help in terms of what I need to buy to hook everything up. I noticed that the site you sent the link for had manuals for adapters...
I think what I need is for someone to recommend an inexpensive model of adapter and advise me on how to install 2 of them, one for each pc. I have never done it before.

 

[sophiarosehips]

Well, I've made a big mistake, I think.
I found that an old tower we don't use had an adapter in it, and I decided to take one of the current towers apart to attempt to install it.
Now I am hopelessly out of sorts with this tower. I've taken out about two dozen screws and I still can't get the case off, but plenty of things *inside* the tower have come loose and are floating around in there. I will have to wait to see if my app for unemployment goes through and if I'm getting a check, I'll get the stupid thing fixed. So frustrating.

 

[kornphlake]

If you're hoping to connect all 3 computers without wires you'll have to get wireless adapters for each computer, it sounds like you've already got one for the macbook and one you can use for one of the desktops so you'll need another for the other desktop. You'll probably want 801.11g adapters instead of the older 801.11b, the access point doesn't appear to support the newer, faster wireless connections so don't waste money on a MIMO or 801.11n.

To configure the router and access point you may need a temporary wired connection, be sure to set the encryption to WPA if the access point supports it, if it doesn't you should probably inquire about a firmware update to allow WPA or worst case purchase an access point that does support encryption that can't be easily defeated.

 

[sophiarosehips]

Hi kornphlake,
Thanks for the advice! If I ever hire the guy to help with the tower, I'll come back to this and I may need clarification. In the meantime, though, I really appreciate your taking the time.
- Sophia

 

[robmurphy]

I'v worked with the 2Wire units before. The 2701 is 801.11g so if you are going wireless you should just need the USB/PCI adapters for the desktops, the macbook will probably already have a wireless connection. The 2701 has 4 ethernet ports you can use to connect PCs. I know this would mean running cables but it would be cheaper and simpler than wireless. The wired connections will be quicker, less trouble, and easier to get working than wireless. A little imagination can often be used to hide the cables.

Rob.