Wireless Router woes

[MorseLady]

I want to set up my NTL lmb broadband connection to share with my husband's XP Home computer. I have a Linskys G Router.

I tried to set up the Router on my XP Pro machine according to the instructions which came with it but ended up with no connection. I ran the NTL Broadband Medic but the problem was not their modem or servers and I came to the conclusion that the Router had changed my settings even though they looked OK to me. I was getting all sorts of conflicting info from the LAN icon from connected to acquiring network address each time I tried. I did the power down modem and PC and power up again routine as prescribed by NTL and the conflicting messages appeared and even when the LAN icon and connection properties showed connectivity and no problems I could not get email or a web page

During installation Norton Firewall 2005 came up with a red box and I allowed it to block - stupid of me to allow a Firewall to run when setting up a Router!

Then the computer started to freeze and act funny so as a last desperate resort I used System Restore and went back to yesterday and hey ho it worked but before I try again I would like to know what went wrong? Did the Router, which has its own MAC address, perhaps alter things so that the MAC address I got from NTL was overidden?

I have quite a few books on networking and wireless networking and have received lots of advice but the more I try the more confused I get and I have done a Server 2003 MCP course and this should be easy - shame on me! Having said that we moved three months ago and it was the move from hell and we have some family problems and I am not well, should I perhaps tell my husband he will have to wait and leave it for a while?

PS Have uninstalled Norton Firewall and will reinstall ZoneAlarm, meantime am running Windows Firewall.