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Recently, my router decided to die with no warning whatsoever. I now have a new one but I'm having some problems getting it to work properly, which wasn't an issue with the old one. There are two computers and the DSL modem connected to it, in the same setup as I had before. After I connected it, I had to register one computer with my ISP (Iowa Telecom) using my ISP-given email address -- something about a MAC address? I've only got the one email address from my ISP which I don't use anymore, which I used to register both computers. However, I now have to register each computer in turn whenever I want to use the internet on it, since the ISP apparently identifies a MAC address with its email account. It wouldn't be much of a problem, except that the computer has to be rebooted after registration, which gets rather annoying(*). Is there a way around this, or will I have to call my ISP and get another email account for the other computer? From their website, each DSL connection can have five unique email addresses, but I only requested one at the time since I only had one computer.

(*) Another problem with which someone may have experience: One of the computers was a Gateway (my parents'), but I have since built a new one from components. I kept the Gateway keyboard though to use with the new computer. However, it apparently had some OEM driver because of the "shortcut" buttons across the top of it, and I can't install it from the driver disk on the new build, since it's no longer a Gateway. The keyboard is completely unresponsive after reboot, and I have to go into Device Manager, uninstall the keyboard driver (which has a yellow exclamation mark on it there), and scan for new devices. The keyboard then works fine with the default driver, though a box later comes up saying "Windows has installed software for your new device" and requesting a restart (which would cause it to be unresponsive again). Is there a way to get around this automatic software update, or a way to remove the faulty driver that is installed? I have tried downloading a driver from Gateway, but it is the same one as on the disk I have, and will not install on the non-OEM computer.

I've never heard of such a thing. In any case, I bet they want the MAC address of the router if anything.


Why not? Even the additional buttons on my MS keyboard requires a specific driver to be installed, but the keyboard will still work with a generic driver. Is this keyboard unresponsive with the new driver and you're reinstalling it with the generic one? Please clarify. When you uninstall a device, its drivers remain on the computer. Next time, look at the name of the driver then go into the windows/system32 folder and remove the driver manually and the related inf file.

There is usually a place inside the router's configuration to clone the MAC address from the computer and use it in the router.

Maybe this is my own cluelessness, but the new "router" (given to me by my dad's coworker) is actually a "Fast Ethernet 10/100 5-Port Hub". On the back it says "100% Compatible with Cable/DSL Internet Service: You may need a router or Internet sharing software for this feature. Your Internet Service Provider can tell you more."

Which leads me to believe that I have not been given a router at all.

I have attached an image of the registration screen. This comes up on the "unregistered" computer after accessing the internet on the "registered" one.


As one inexperienced with networking: Could I use the hub to set up a local network between the two computers and use that to access the internet with both of them? To clarify, connect the two computers together, with the DSL modem connected to one of them, and access the internet from the other?

The other solution, obviously, to buy a proper router instead of relying on tech-semiliterate coworkers.


I couldn't even install the "new" driver (I assume you mean the Gateway-specific one?) so I don't really know what's causing the one installed by Windows to not work. Maybe Windows is automatically downloading this non-compatible driver and attempting to install it, which is causing it to not work. I will look in system32 for a keyboard driver.

EDIT: I've found one called kbdclass in WINDOWS/system32/drivers, which appears to be the default driver. I have not found anything related to Gateway as of yet. Perhaps if I restart the computer, thereby enabling the "new" driver, something will be added to that folder?

I'm just going to get an actual router, not bothering with this network stuff.


And Phaelax, I did find and remove some Gateway keyboard drivers, and also found a Gateway driver program in the "Add/Remove Programs" list. I removed all of those, but it didn't solve anything. I even tried using my regular keyboard from the other computer, and it just won't work. I'm thinking about just doing a clean install of Windows on that computer.