I would like to know what the best configuration for my home network would be based on my needs and current hardware. The only knowledge of networking I have is the research I have done to try and make my home network function. This is my situation, I have a cable broadband modem, a Linksys (RPT300)router with 2 phone ports for VoIP, a Netgear Rangemax 240 wireless router (wpnt834), 1 desktop computer running windows xp, 1 laptop running win xp pro and 2 laptops running win xp.
I would like to connect both the desktop and the laptop with winxp pro by ethernet and all 3 of the laptops wirelessly. I need both ethernet and wireless for my laptop (winxp pro) as the ethernet is faster but I would also like to be able to unplug the ethernet and work anywhere at times.
Here is my current configuration, which doesn't work correctly as the whole network goes down when I try to switch from ethernet to wireless and vice versa:
The cable modem is connected to the Linksys VoIP router by ethernet > linksys is connected to the Netgear router by ethernet > desktop and winxp pro are connected to netgear by ethernet > and 3 laptops are connected wirelessly to netgear. I cloned my mac to the linksys router to avoid having to call the cable company while I was experimenting with the setup. I am able to login to manage both routers but wasn't able to login to the linksys when I had the linksys router installed behind the netgear.
Everything works as long as I don't try to use the wireless on my laptop. The wireless on the other 2 laptops is working perfectly but they never try to use ethernet. I haven't even tried to enable file or print sharing yet. Both routers have dhcp enabled. Can this be the problem?
I think I am going to need a detailed step by step guide. I don't really understand networking but would like to understand why my current configuration does not work. I am willing to post multiple 500 point questions in order to get through the configuration.
Thanks.
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