Modem problem or?

[yolanda]

Began having a problem with one of our wireless laptops yesterday.

We have a CenturyTel SpeedStream 5667 ADSL modem and a Linksys wireless router on a desktop computer upstairs. We have two laptops that all receive their signal wirelessly.

We usually right click the CenturyTel icon and manually connect to the internet and then it goes through a couple of announcements (Connecting to WAN Miniport PPOE-Verifying user name and password-registering your computer on the network) which it goes through at lightening speed and then we are connected.

Yesterday my husband's laptop just stopped responding and wouldn't go past "verifying user name and password". After trying to verify for about 30 seconds it shows an error that says it couldn't connect to the remote computer. Then we found the desktop computer upstairs was experiencing the same problem. The only one that is receiving a wireless signal is my laptop. If we mess around with the computer upstairs and get it to connect to the internet then my connection on my laptop drops and can't connect. Only one computer can connect to the internet at one time. If I connect my husband's computer directly to the DSL I have no problem getting the internet, or vice versa with mine.

All the computers say the wireless connection is working but only one computer can connect to the broadband connection. When we try to connect the other computers to the broadband, that's when we can't get past the "verifying user name and password" and then an error that says can't connect to the remote computer.

What could be the problem that only one of three computers can connect to the internet through the broadband connection? My husband says he made no configuation changes to his computer. All three computers are running Windows XP.

HELP!

 

[LookinAround]

Easiest thing to simply try: Turn all equipment (computers, modems, routers, etc. off)

wait 30 seconds. then turn on one-at-a-time starting with modem, then router, then ONE computer initially. With modem and router, wait for their lights to stop blinking in a regular pattern before starting the next device.

 

[yolanda]

So should I re-power the modem first with the Linksys router not attached at all and see if I get a connection to the internet on the main desktop? Then if that works, make the connections between the router and modem and turn on one of the laptops and see if it connects? Then I guess if that doesn't connect, power off that laptop and try the other one?

My question is: what could it possibly be if the laptops don't get the broadband connection? Right now the desktop computer is connected to the modem and the Linksys router and I can't connect to the internet on that computer or one of the laptops. This laptop is the only one that is picking up a connection and I'm wireless so I know the Linksys and the modem is working but I'm stumped as to why only one computer, which is downstairs, can connect to the broadband.