Windows 7: USB Ethernet adaptor set as unidentified network, no internet access

Hi guys

I have tried fixes from all over the Internet and nothing seems to have worked. It seems there is an error in the gateway settings, but I cannot figure out where I'm going wrong. Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated.



I ran out of Ethernet connections on my wireless router, so bought a USB-Ethernet adaptor. I've plugged in my network printer, but seem to have stalled at getting the adaptor to actually have internet access and get on my network.

I have about 4 PCs connected to the network, hence why I've run out of ports directly on the router. All internet and networked devices connected to the router work fine. When I plug the printer into the back of the router it works - the problem is definitely the adaptor.

I've updated the driver, and tried loads of suggestions, but am still stuck.

My Ethernet adaptor comes up as "Unidentified Network - Work network", and no Internet access. This is not a link so I cannot change the network location. My CMD IPCONFIG is as attached.

I really hope someone can help - I've never used this kind of adaptor before, and it's frustrating that the computer sees it and recognises it - it's all set up correctly and displays in Device Manager - but won't get onto the Internet and my network!

Hope someone can help :-)

Hello,

The problem is that nothing is giving your USB Network Adapter an IP Address so its defaulting to 169.254.......

You need to go into network connections and give it a static IP address. You will also need to give your printer a static IP address.

A better way of solving this would be to buy a 2nd user 5-Port Network Switch from Ebay... You're creating yourself more hassle by doing the above.


Dave

Hi

What's a "2nd user 5-Port Network Switch" please?

Its a used network switch. I only said 2nd user because it will be cheaper then getting a new one.


Dave

Could you please post the brand, model number and maybe the hardware version of the wireless router?

e.g Linksys WTR54GS version 2

David is right - buy a switch... but I'm curious about something and I wanted to look at the manual for the wireless router.

Thx

Yes, it's a Netgear DGN1000, N150

I was hoping to avoid getting a new router, but if it would give me more advantages than not, I will.

Cheers!

Kit

Thx for that info.

Keep in mind that I was attempting to envision what devices you have and how they are connected based on your first post. As soon as I read "I ran out of Ethernet connections on my wireless router,..." I assumed that you had purchased a USB device like this. Then you had unplugged the end of a LAN cable that was connected to a computer, plugged that end of the LAN cable into the printer and then attempted to get the USB WiFi adapter to connect the computer to your "wireless router".

But frankly, I had never heard a USB WiFi adapter (or USB wireless adapter) called a USB Ethernet adapter; so I Googled those terms:



...and I got images like this and this.

I read this again:
I ran out of Ethernet connections on my wireless router, so bought a USB Ethernet adapter.
And since some routers also have a USB connector, I wondered if you were attempting to plug the USB end of the USB Ethernet adapter in to the router's USB connector - hoping to have 5 Ethernet ports coming off of the router.

At that point - I should have just gone to sleep instead of attempting to envision more adapter/connection scenarios. But no, I read on - only to learn that you had the USB Ethernet adapter was connected to a computer (hence your ipconfig screenshot). Unfortunately, that did not clarify just what this USB adapter is - because the term "wireless" does not always make it in to the adapter's description for some USB WiFi adapters. They just show a description like your connection #4 shows in your ipconfig screenshot.

And my Google search mentioned above included a page that described people connecting a network printer like this. Where the yellow LAN cable goes to a modem/router and the blue USB cable is the "USB Ethernet adapter" leading to the printer via a LAN cable (not shown).

I attempted to write out some of my thoughts/confusion in my first post to your thread, but I could barely put two sentences together - so I opted for the short post that you were kind enough to reply to. Sadly, I failed to ask, "What type of USB Ethernet adapter is this?"

At least now I know that there is not a USB port on your router :-)

Hi there,

Bless your heart! When you said "this and this", these are the adaptors that I meant! Mine is the attachment to this post.

However, I'm still stuck with this adaptor not working! This is running my second networked printer, or not as the case may be :-)

It's niggling me that I cannot get the damned thing to work - did you have any ideas on what the problem was?

So, you are hooked up like this: Where the LAN cable goes to a modem/router and the USB cable is the "USB Ethernet adapter" leading to the printer via a LAN cable (not shown). Is that how the wires are connected? If so, then Dave stated the problem and two solutions in post #2:

Do you need help assigning the static IP addresses that Dave suggested?

If one of the four computers that you have wired into your router does not move a lot of data over the network, then you could connect it to your router via WiFi. That would free up a LAN jack on the router for your network printer. If you do that, I would avoid using a USB WiFi adapter.

Hi there,

Not quite.

The adaptor plugs into the USB port. The Ethernet cable plugs in the adaptor and the other end goes straight into the printer - it never touches the modem.

Items plugged into my modem are:
Wired internet connection for media centre computer
Printer number 1
Synology NAS drive
Wired internet connection for PC upstairs

Unfortunately neither of my network printers connects wirelessly.
The media centre requires a wired connection as it moves heavy data over the network
Same for upstairs PC
Obviously the NAS must be hardwired.

I was hoping there was like an expander plug that could go straight into the back of the modem to convert one socket into several sockets. Does such a thing exisit? I couldn't find anything.