Okay I am by no means a computer genius, but I figured I'd atleast be able to hook up a simple Router so I could split my internet connection. I was wrong.
I purchased a D-Link router and had a wicked time trying to get it to work for one computer (it turns out that there were special proceedures if it is running Roadrunner, which of course it was) Now I have one computer up and running, but I cant seem to configure a second computer to accept the internet connection! Actually, I have no clue (nor directions) to do this! Can anyone help?

Make sure your second computer is set to obtain IP address automatically (in NIC settings) or if RR service assigns a static IP to the NICthen run a proxy server and point to the computer thatr connects. The best way would be to consult the RoadRunner support page or contact Roadrunner support phone lines, just dont let them know your stealing there service.

He's not stealing it because it is dividing the bandwith up. It might be against their TOS though.

I had a similar problem, you have a D-Link, correct?

Try this newsgroup:
point your newsgroup browser to news.grc.com, then goto the group grc.security.hardware...they have info on firewalls/routers

the TOS says you must have 1 IP address per computer, unless special agreemnet has been made, so having more than one computer on 1 ip address is stealing, but we all do it so who cares hehe...i have a cale black box and am getting the D-link router soon..

You have to asign a specific IP to each unit. The main IP your ISP provided you to the Router. Then you give (make up) an IP for both other PCs.

Example:
24.150.123.44 (router)

pc #1: 24.150.123.45
pc #2: 24.150.123.46

of course that is the way my networking course showed me, but the course is for enterprises. Not houses. So I am not sure how. Don't ask me anything else, my course isn't completed yet.

For a home LAN, your router gets 2 IPs. One for the WAN(wide area network) and the LAN. The WAN ip is decided by your ISP, and the LAN ip usually becomes preset to either 192.168.1.1 or 10.0.0.1. Because those sets(192.168.*.* and 10.*.*.*) are reserverd for private use. Anyway...The router will assign each of your NICs an IP.

EXAMPLE:
-Router
--WAN: 24.189.xxx.xxx(numbers removed to protect the innocent)
--LAN: 192.168.1.1
-Computers
--Comp 1: 192.168.1.100
--Comp 2: 192.168.1.101
--etc

Okay, so here is what I've done;
I hooked up the second computer, then I ran the Network Neighborhood properties and set the isp to assign its own. Did I miss a step? Should I personally assign the isp? Am i just not rebooting or something? As I said, I dont claim to be a computer genius, but I can atleast follow directions. Thanks for your help so far!

Make sure there is a tcp/ip and an ipx associated with your each of your NICs. Set your NICs to obtain an IP address automatically. Set the router to automatically assign an IP address to each. Have the router obtain its own ip as well.

ugh... what a pain in the butt this thing is!! I have tried many of your suggestions, but I still cannot get this thing to work. I have tried to call D-Link twice, but gave up after being put on wait for 30 min each (from MA to CA is gonna be a hell of a phone bill) I am really at a loss; i ran winipcfg on both computers and they both have seperate ip addresses, i have the gateway address down and everything. I noticed on the router itself, when I plugged the first computer into the first port, a light lit up obviously showing that something was plugged in there. When I tried plugging in the other computer, this does not happen. I dont know if this means anything, but i have really hit rock bottom at this point! :(

Descibe your problem in more detail. Is it only when connecting to the internet...or is it with accessing LAN resources(ie files printers)

Matt-
Thanks for your help so far. Here is what is up and what I have done. I am not at the point of file sharing or printersharing or any other aspect of the network; I am just trying to get the internet connection to work on both computers first. Here we go (activating force LONG post).
First, I plugged everything in; from my cable modem into the "wan" port on the back of the Dl-704, then from the front ports of the Dl-704 i connected the first one to my first computer and the second one into my second computer. So now I couldnt even get my first computer (the one that I have had hooked up to roadrunner for years) to connect to the internet. Through some configuring that I found on the Dlink website, I was able to configure it to work, with a series of recycling the modem and the router and a load of things. Okay. Now when I run winipcfg, I have a gateway address and a seperate address for this computer and everything works fine (hence I am able to be online to post this message!)
Now here is the problem. I do not know how to configure the SECOND computer. I went to the network neighborhood properties and went to ip address and selected "obtain an Ip address automatically" I set all of the other tabs (gateway, dns config., etc) to disable or cleared them. So then when I went to use the internet on the SECOND computer, it says it cannot establish a connection with the host. I even tried that Ping thing at the dos prompt, though I didnt quite know what it was doing, and all of those cameback as being operational. So now when I run winipcfg on the SECOND computer, I DO NOT get an Ip adress similar to the one on my first computer, it is totally different (as in the first one is 192.168.0."a number" and the second one is 169.254.57."a number") Also on the SECOND computer, I do not have a gateway address!
I sensed that this was not working, so I went back to the Network Neighborhood properties and selected the "choose ip address manually" and I put in a made up ip address with the same prefix as the one on my first computer, but then with a different ending number. I filled in the gateway field with the address of the gateway off of my FIRST computer. When I ran winipcfg, it registered as the ip address that I put in and the gateway address was what I put in also. Still, I could not get the internet to work on the second computer.
Either I am just totally missing a step or I am lacking the computer savvy to pull this off. Im not sure if you can help the situation that I'm in, but I would greatly appreciate any help!

I am pretty embarrassed now, but I have solved my problem. Turns out one of the cat 5 cables was bad. On a hunch I replaced it with another and it was no prob. I knew it couldnt have been as hard as it seemed! Thanks to everyone who helped me, especially matt-windu.

np...as a matter of fact...I've run into my share of faulty cables. :o We always tend to look in the least obvious spot ;)