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USING A USB MODEM WITH A WIRELESS ROUTER

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by dick.malowney

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In order to access any form of hi speed connection in our home I have purchased a Novatel USB modem that will connect with the local Bell digital network. It connects to my desktop obviously through the USB port. My question is, can I connect this modem someway to my linsys wireless router so that my laptop elsewhere in our home can access the web.I believe I can ethernet back to the router from the desktop, but for that to work I believe the desktop has to be on for the USB modem to work and I would of course prefer to have only the router "always on". Has anyone out there experienced this situation-connecting a USB modem directly to a wireless router

9 replies

by dlandmesser

I guess the first question is, what is the router hooked to? More specifically, what do you use the router for? The modem needs to be between the router and the internet somehow. Does the modem have any ethernet jacks on it or just the USB? You could get one computer online and then share the internet connection from that one across the LAN, if that's what the router is doing.

by dick.malowney

The router's input from the internet would be via the ethernet jack, and therein is one problems, as the modem is USB. Would a USB to ethernet connector work here? If so then could/would the router act like a computer and go out to the internet using the USB modem and then broadcast to our wireless laptops elsewhere in our home?
In the alternative I believe I could place the USB modem into our desktop and then ethernet back to the wireless router to broadcast to the laptops, but I think as I pointed out, that the desktop computer would have to be "always on" to provide power to the modem. That's what I'm trying to avoid. In essence having the router "always on" serving as the modem power supply and computer? Is this likely to work and has anyone experienced this setup?
Thanks again for your interest and assistance.

by shady108

im confused :)

do you not have a wireless modem/router all in one? im not familiar with setups in other countries but over here you get the 2 combined (for DSL) for cable on the other hand they are normally seperate where you have the cable modem plugged into a wireless router via ethernet.

again setup depends whether your on DSL through the phone line or cable not sure what your setup is :)

by seanferd

"...could/would the router act like a computer and go out to the internet using the USB modem..."

No. It needs to be set up like this.
Wall jack > modem > router > computers (wired or wireless).

"Would a USB to ethernet connector work here?"

Not as far as I know. The USB connector is meant to plug into the computer. I don't know of any that will connect the modem to the router. Price-wise, you'd be probably be better off replacing the modem with one that has an ethernet connector, and getting an ethernet card for the computer (you can get a wireless card or a regular ethernet card with a jack).

Most computers come with an ethernet card, are you sure you don't have one?

The other option, previously suggested, is to get the modem/router combo unit from your service provider.

by dick.malowney

Thanks everyone for trying, but I think I need to further explain my challenge.
Where we live here in Canada, all I can access is dialup, even though we're just outside of the Greater Toronto area. Bell Canada has just introduced a wireless USB modem that will access their hi speed digital network and give us some access. (This is similar to Sprint's & Verizon's offerings that you have had for a few years in the US).
I realize that I would be able to use the USB modem in my desktop to access the web, etc. and ethernet back to a linsys wireless router to broadcast to other computers in our home, but I believe that would require the desktop to be "always on", something that I would like to avoid. Hence the question?
Using Seanferd previous suggestion of "Wall jack > modem > router > computers (wired or wireless)", could I do it this way?-wireless modem>usb to ethernet adapter>router>wireless broadcast to the wireless PCI cards in my desktop and may other laptops?
It seems confusing I know, but such is the state of internet access in this country. Thanks again for any suggestions that anyone has.

by seanferd

is in this TR post.
https://www.techrepublic.com.com/5208-1035-0.html?forumID=101&threadID=244668&messageID=2362455

There is a link to a picture. The picture is from this online store:
http://www.greennet.ca/
This is the only adapter of this type I have come across, but I couldn't find it at the website. Maybe you could contact them. You want a Female USB to RJ45 Adapter. Explain to them why you want it, so you can be sure you get the right item for your application. Also make note of your connection speed (Mbps) so that you don't get an adapter that lowers your speed. Maybe check with a local electronics store and see if they have something, or if they can order it.

The only adapters I have been able to find are no longer available. Maybe there is a reason for that.

Once again, that is Female USB to RJ45. If the RJ45 end is Male, you can plug it in to your router. If it is Female, you can use a short Ethernet cable to connect the adapter to the router.

Most other adapters I've seen either work the other way around, or are $200 items which are a huge block of connectors for various network items, and don't meet your requirements.

The only other suggestion I have is to replace the modem with one that has an Ethernet rather than USB connector. If it is new, or from the ISP, maybe you could just trade it in.

Good luck with this, I hope you can find what you want. I'll try to check back to see if you have any other questions.

by ifan209

I'm a beginner in this so excuse me if i don't have knowledge on some things. I have a 3G USB modem and a Belkin N router. I used to connect the USB modem to my desktop (Windows XP) then attaching an ethernet cable from the network card in my desktop too the MODEM input on the router. Somehow, after fiddling around with a bunch of settings, I managed to get the internet from the USB Modem to the router. Thus i was able to enjoy internet wirelessly.

However, my desktop encountered some problems and had to be reformatted. After that, I couldn't get my router to recognize the internet source or even the modem through the desktop. I don't mind leaving my desktop on the whole time I need internet access.

So my question now is, how do I share an internet connection from a USB modem attached to the desktop through a router? Anybody who can help me is much appreciated. I need internet connection in my house!

Thanks in Advance!

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