Wireless Internet won't work when host computer is off

[richysmith100]

My current Internet in my house is setup as follows:

I have a Voyager ADSL wired router connected through its Ethernet port to a Linksys wireless g router. The ADSL router is connected to the downstairs(host) computer through USB, and the wireless router is connected to the internet port in the back of the computer through networking cable. Upstairs, in my bedroom I run the wireless internet using a belkin wireless adapter. I also run Xbox Live through this wireless connection too.

The problem I face, is that as soon as the downstairs computer is shut down at night, the wireless internet stops working. I have came to the conclusion that this is down to the fact that the Voyager is linked via USB and so as soon as the host computer is turned off then this will shut down the connection to the router. What baffles me further is that up until a couple of months ago this never seemed to be a problem, and even when the computer downstairs was turned off at night I was still able to browse the net upstairs in the comfort of my own bedroom.

Is there any way I can still use the Internet, with the host computer turned off?

Its worth noting that my computer upstairs can pick up the wireless network when the host computer is off, but I am unable to browse the Internet or use Xbox Live.


PLEASE HELP!!!as I have been unable to find the answer anywhere!!

 

[Anti-Trend]

Your computer to which the ADSL modem is connected is acting as either a network bridge or a router, depending on how your modem's provided drivers work. But in either case, your PC must be on for you to pass network packets through it, it's that simple.

[strike]Does your ADSL modem have an ethernet port also, or just USB?[/strike] Nevermind, I think I understand what's happening here. Give me a minute and I'll diagram a proposed reconfiguration of your network. :)

 

[Anti-Trend]

OK, so if I understand correctly what you've told us, the best setup for you would be something like the attached diagram:

That way, the connection to the wireless router will not arbitrarily pass through the PC, so it will no longer need to be on in order for your wifi to work. Instead, you would be connecting the ADSL modem to the WAN port on the Linksys, the ethernet port on the PC to the LAN port of the Linksys, and the upstairs PC and Xbox would utilize the Wifi as usual. This should have the added benefit of speeding up your internet access to all PCs involved, since USB was never intended for networking use.