Lets look at inside of the BLACK BOX that we call our computer. We will not consider the various internet and network software at this time. I said that when I was dealing just with the modem that I installed Verizon software into the computer. When I had the router installed and I was using the XP Hard Drive, there was no Verizon software involved. I was connecting via the Ethernet cable. I installed the Ethernet software as part of the motherboard software. In that sense, Windows does not have to do any “plug and play” or any recognizing of new hardware. The Ethernet connection should be already to go. I would advise using the Ethernet cable connection for the first trials.
Now we can look at the Modem that Comcast gave you. Here is a list of the Modems that Comcast says will work with their cable connection.
http://lite.help.comcast.net/content/faq/guid/9fe92cb1-e13a-4c3d-8974-b1c167961903I looked at that list and I don’t see any reference to Westell at all. I feel very sure that the Westell Modem will not work with a cable connection. Check out the Brand and the model of the Modem that Comcast supplied and let me know it.
My daughter has a Comcast internet connection at her house. I think that the modem that they use handles both the internet and telephone access. I don’t know what sort of input interface connection is used. With the Verizon Westell Modem, the input was by a regular telephone jack connector into a telephone socket. I don’t even have a cable television service so I don’t know what kind of hardware Comcast is using. Anyway, that is what you will need to start trying to connect, a cable compatible Modem, a working cable service to Modem input connector and a Ethernet cable to connect the Modem to the computer.
I will assume that the Comcast service and Modem/Router performance and procedures are similar to Verizon’s. There is a good chance that you will have to enter the ComCast User ID and password for your Comcast account. There is a similar probability that you will have to enter a user ID and password to get access into the Router so that you can enter the settings needed to play EAW etc.
I wrote the above stuff before your last posting. I will go back and relist the things that I think I know about your setup.
1 You used to have Verizon as your ISP via a DSL line. Verizon supplied a combined Modem/Router, which connected to your computer by Ethernet cable and motherboard connection. After some teething troubles, everything worked fine.
2 You moved to your present location and signed up for Broadband service with Comcast. A Comcast technician came to your house and was supposed to have installed all of the hardware and software necessary for immediate access to Internet service. You were not present when this was done. I will assume that your wife was home while the technician was there.
3 The hardware connection that the technician installed consisted of a co-ax cable connection from the Comcast cable to a Modem (supplied by Comcast) and then an Ethernet cable connecting the new Modem to your computer.
4 The technician did not leave you any manuals, instructions or CDs.
5 This new system does not connect you to the Internet.
I am under the impression that the tech who installed this did not turn on your computer to install any software or change any settings. If that is true, he left without knowing if the stuff that he installed worked properly.
Do you now have new account ID and Password for Comcast?
What is the maker and serial number of the new Modem. It may be necessary to know if this is Modem only or a Modem/Router combination.
Now, here are some steps that you might take. Do a search of your System for any software files named Comcast or the Modem manufacturer.
I assume that I was completely wrong about your attempting to use the Westell Modem?/Router to connect to Comcast.
Do you still have the Westell Modem and cables and all of the rest of the Verizon DSL hardware? I hope that you are a packrat like me and wait a while before throwing things away. If you have the hardware, try the Verizon Ethernet cable in place of the Comcast cable. I assume that you have tried to power up and down the new Modem. Anyway I am a believer in turning power off before changing cables. If the cable change doesn’t make any difference, put the Comcast cable back on.
Lets try to check out the computer Ethernet function. Disconnect the Comcast Modem from your computer. Connect the Westell Modem with the Westell cable into your system. You do not have any input into your Modem/router. Good! Power up the Modem/Router. Power up your computer. Open your Browser. Internet Explorer.is probably best if you have more than one. OK here is where Black Box theory comes into play. Your Modem /Router is really two Black Boxes. The first thing your computer sees is the router. The router connects the computer to the modem and the modem connects to the ISP. Remember how you accessed the router to set up the ports to allow you to play EAW. That is what we want to try now. I think the procedure was to enter 192.168.0.0 into the address bar in your browser. That opened your router up and you put in the right access codes and got into your settings. All we are doing is to check that we can get into the router. I would say that if you can get into the Westell router OK, your Ethernet function woks OK. If it does, turn everything off and reconnect the Comcast Modem. Power up the Modem first and then power up your computer. If your Comcast Modem is a Modem/Router and you still don’t get internet access, try to see if you can open the router function in that setup.
By the way, what do you mean when you use the term “HD”, the context suggests that it is a synonym for computer?
I spent a lot of time looking for the power packs for my trains. I couldn’t find them anywhere. I finally looked into the cabinet where all of my old LPs are stored. That has the touch of one of my wife’s cleanup sessions. She has a knack of throwing my things out without them ever going out the door.
If I don’t get back to you, I will take this opportunity to wish you and your wife a Merry Christmas.
