How can I set up my modem to my network (ethernet) card under Windows?

Infopackets Reader - J Lerch. writes:

" Dear Dennis,

I have an ethernet card (network card) and external Cisco modem installed on my old computer. I recently purchased a new computer, and would like to transfer my network card and modem to the new computer. Could you give instructions on how to do this? I would like to do this myself (this time) because the last time cost me almost $200 dollars! "

My Response:

Anything to do with networking a computer can be highly involved. I will outline the steps taken, but will not go into too much detail:

1. Open your old computer.
    
2. Take out your network card (herein, referred to as a "NIC").
    
3. Open your new computer.
    
4. Put the NIC into your new computer.
    
5. Turn the new computer on, boot into Windows.
    
6. Windows should find the new device.
    
7. Windows may ask you for a driver disk; have it ready.
    
8. Install the driver from the disk.
    
9. After windows has finished adding the new hardware, it may tell you to reboot. if windows does not reboot, wait a minute until there is no hard drive activity and reboot the machine.
    
10. Go to Device Manager (Start -> Control Panel -> System) and verify that the NIC is installed with no conflicts [a yellow (!) beside the NIC]. The NIC should be listed under Network Adapters; if so, everything should be set up properly.

At this point, you should know whether or not you need special software to access your Internet Service Provider (ISP). For example: Bell Sympatico High Speed Internet Access requires their own Internet Protocol to be installed; the same goes for AOL and Juno. Some ISP's only require a TCP/IP connection via Ethernet card; this will automatically be installed to the NIC when the driver is installed (unless you own Windows 95A, in which case, you will have to install TCP IP manually).

If you don't think you need special software, just load Internet Explorer (IE). It should connect to the Internet automatically.

If nothing happens after a few minutes after clicking on IE, either:

If (B) -- you need to obtain the said software or call your ISP to ask them exactly what you need to do to gain access.