Changing Routers

[telboy1938]

Although I have no problems using computers I am not clever enough to set them up...so I need advice please.
I have for several years run my PC (running XP) via a 3Com router and of late, a laptop (running Vista) with no problem at all using ethernet connections.
My ISP (Orange - alias Wanadoo - alias Freeserve) as issued me a new router with facilities to make free evening and weekend telephone calls.....What I don't want to do is disconnect the 3Com router, find I can't connect the Orange LiveBox Wireless & Talk Router and then be unable to put the 3Com back.....Any help or advice would be appreciated.....If you think I should request professional assistance to install it for me please say so.....Many thanks

[fo3nix]

I don't see how the livebox gives you free weekend calls... this should be part of your package, and thus work with whatever router setup you're using. Unless it's doing it via VOIP, but that's cheating.

Basically -- if you're happy with your setup, then stick with it. I'd phone them and ask if you still get the free weekend calls with your current router. I don't see why not, it sounds like marketing babble to me (though others on here with the service could prove me wrong).

Either way, the router should store your settings in its memory so that you can turn it off and disconnect then reconnect later. And assuming your computers are being connected via DHCP and you don't have to change anything with the computers (you are probably using DHCP even if you don't know it), then you'll be fine to experiment with the livebox.

[telboy1938]

You are possibly correct I am using DHCP but as I said, I am a novice and therefore don't know what DHCP stands for....Maybe you could enlighten me......Anyway, thank you for your advice....I will give it a go.... I believe Orange sent me the new router because when I first went on to broadband I only had a modem (it was Freeserve then) so I requested a router from them (a freebie). Thanks again

[fo3nix]

OK. Leave it as it is, if I were you.

You don't really need to know what DHCP is, but here goes anyway:

All computers on networks have to have their own number, like houses have to have house numbers so that things coming to them get there, and not to some other computer. These numbers are called IP addresses, and all computers on any network (subnet technically) must have their own unique one. They're like 64.35.149.250 or something like that.

Your router creates your own little home network, and so for all your computers to able to use the internet you must assign each computer its own IP address. The router will have the IP address that your ISP sends you, your 'public' one that everyone can see.

Normally you'd have to assign IP addresses yourself, such as 192.168.2.2 for your computer, 192.168.2.3 for your laptop, etc. This is hassle. So, DHCP does this hard work for you -- when a computer connects to the router, it gets the next available IP address automatically, thanks to DHCP.

[telboy1938]

Hi fo3nix. Thanks for your explanation, much appreciated.
I have contacted Orange and they inform me I would not be able to get the "free phone calls" on any other router but theirs as the phone connection is made via a switch in their Livebox.....So as my PC is XP and my laptop is Vista the guy wasn't certain it would work anyway. (His English wasn't too good either)......Therefore I think leaving things as they are and using my contract mobile phone is the most sensible option. Thanks for your help.
All I am waiting for now is the on-line fix (which I had but lost) in order to burn my recovery disc for vista..... The AnswerBank message with it on has gone Awol.
Regards....Telboy