Series One SA having issues getting IP/making call

I had posted this about a month ago. I didn't get any responses but luckily it just kinda started working after I played around with it for a while. The issue has come up again and I'd like to know how to *really* resolve it.

I've got a Philips Series One SA Tivo (3.0-01-1-000) with a network card installed. Once upon a time I had a Linksys WET-11 giving it an IP, but that was has since gone away. It's now some time later, and I picked up a WGA54G to give it a net connection again. I'm having issues.

I'm able to configure it and see the WLAN fine through my laptop. Once I disconnect the WGA54G from my laptop, power down the Tivo, connect the Tivo's jack to the WGA54G, and power the Tivo back on, I can't make a test call over the net.

A few questions...

When I set up the WGA54G and then move it over to where my Tivo is (but don't connect up the ethernet to the Tivo) I'm still able to ping the WGA54G at its IP. If I set up a continuous ping and then connect up the Tivo's ethernet to the WGA54G, the ping fails almost right away. Subsequently, the Tivo cannot make an internet call and I'm not even sure it's getting the IP.

What is the correct power-on sequence to use here? Should I plug in the WGA54G (with the Tivo's ethernet connected) and then plug in the Tivo? Or vice versa? Does it matter?

I know this solution works, since it did work at one time. It only stopped working because (I suspect anyway) the ethernet cable became disconnected from the WGA54G.

Any help is much appreciated. Thanks all!