My parents have just phoned and asked if I can sort out their computers (I am in no way computer savvy).
So does anyone know if I can just plug my old wireless router into their broadband or if I would need to reconfigure it to the new provider?
They want to get both their computers on-line but currently just one is just cabled in, the other is as old as the ark. I’m guessing it would be easier to get them wireless and give them an old laptop/tablet than try and get the old one connected?

They have broadband but no router? Can they not just ask their ISP to provide one? Are you sure they don’t already have one and instead of using ethernet cables they just have to make the computers capable of a wireless connection. Something like this for each.

http://www.ebuyer.com/155641-tenda-wireless-n300-pci-adapter-w322p

It might not be the best, you can spend more. Also I have no idea if the the computers they have are compatible with this specific type of card. Or any card that is on the market now! The PC’s they have might be too old to update.

That is all I can think of….the rest is google!

Yes, it should work – you just need to know the settings that are configured on their existing device.

If you’re lucky, you’ll only need a username and password to put into the PPPoA settings – the rest should work with default settings. These may have been written out in a letter sent with the router.

I’m guessing that they already have broadband, and were provided with a small router/modem that’s connected to one PC with a USB cable ?

If you haven’t got the username and password, you’ll need to connect to the admin interface of the existing router and log in. The address will be something like 192.168.1.1, username ‘admin’. As for the password, they’re often shipped out with a factory setting, even something obviously like ‘admin’. See what the router is, try googling for the default IP address and admin username and password. Once you’re in, find the PPPoA username and password. If it’s got Wifi, you will be able to find the Wiki account details while there, and use these to connect a new wireless device.

Thanks for the replies. I guess I know what I’ll be doing Sunday afternoon now.

Once you’re done, install Teamviewer or similar on their PC so you can log in remotely and sort out the problems that will inevitably occur without driving to their house (although they may be next door for all I know).