major wireless amazement

Hi, guys. I am having problems setting up a wireless network so that my housemates could take advantage of one NTL cable connection. One housemate is connected to NTL (wireless-enabled machine), then we wanted to connect a wireless laptop to his connection, too. We got a Belking Wireless Access Point and connected it to the ADSL modem, we configured it to the best of our abilities following extensive research on the internet and then started to be amazed.

1. First, we could not get any of the two computers to access the wireless network until it crossed our mind to disconnect the cable linking the modem and the initial machine. Once the modem was connected only to the Access Point, miracle! the first machine could connect to the network without any problems. The other, however, could not, under no circumstances.

2. I guessed that it would help if I ran the installation disk from NTL on the laptop, too, with the details used on the first machine. i was wrong. No connection could be established and, what's more, now the first machine cannot access the internet if connected directly to the modem any more. No IP, mask, etc info are generated anymore.

I escaped the embarassment of telling my housemate I messed up the connection by taking unlinking the machine from the modem and leaving it on wireless, which works.

Can anyone give me any tips on how I could get the modem-machine connecion going again and how I could set up the wireless network? Thank you very very much.

Which OS are we working with here today?

The actual mistake was

1. using Belkin

2. getting a AP when you needed a wireless router.

Your present config only allows 1 pc to connect which is why when you ran the utility it messed up the working one.

Lots of wireless how to's out there. Google and you will see.