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router problems

1K views 20 replies 7 participants last post by  Tvov 
#1 ·
Hello all, it's been awhile since I've posted here. Anyway...

My problem is after installing a wired router, one computer goes online (like it should), and the other won't or can't. I think it is related to the aftermarket ethernet card on the older computer.

Specs:
Upstairs computer, which works fine; Gateway PIV 2g, WinXP, 60g hd, 1g RAM.

Downstairs computer, the one that is ornery; Gateway PII 400mhz, Win98, 10g hd, 64m RAM.

I have DSL from SBC.
I bought a Linksys Etherfast Cable/DSL router, model BEFSR41, with 4 port switch. This plugged into the PIV no problems, it already had an ethernet plug.
I ran a 50 foot catv5 cable downstairs to the older computer. I had to install a Linksys Etherfast PCI Adapter card, model LNE100TX, in the older comp to plug into. The installation seemed to go fine, and I ran the installation CDROM and that seemed to work fine also. When the cable is plugged into the card, the two lights on the card light up.

On the router upstairs, all the lights are green for power, internet access, and the two cables running to the computers.

The downstairs comp keeps trying to use dial up. I unplugged the phone line from the back of the comp, so obviously it doesn't work. Two screens keep coming up -- "Can't dial a connection" (when sometimes it still tries to dial) or "Internet access not found" (or something similar). I re-ran the install disk for the ethernet card a couple times, and ran the install disk for the router on the downstairs computer a couple times. I have checked "Never dial a connection" on some screen that came up, and have checked "automatically detect connections", and also tried finding connection manually. Also, I manually looked for "new hardware", and the comp says the card is there and recognizes it.

I really think the problem is getting the downstairs computer to use the ethernet card. I tried all sorts of different things, with all sorts of different screens that came up, so I am a little confused and I am sure I am mixing up some of the info I am presenting here.

Ideas?

And thanks in advance for the help.
 
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#2 ·
Is the ethernet card listed in your device mgr as installed properly?(ie, no Yellow exclamation point next to it).

It really shouldn't be that difficult, I'm not sure what is wrong. Unless something is wrong with the Ethernet card. I don't have a lot of networking experience, but when I originally set up 3 PC's and an XBox on my Netgear ProSafe, it was no problem. All the computers went online as soon as I connected the ethernet cable. Now it only consists of 2 Pc's and the X-Box, and still runs fine. Granted, all 3 of the PC's were fairly modern, so that might have had something to do with it.

Can you log in to the router from the old PC? Reference your instructions on how to do that.

IGF
 
#4 ·
Thanks for the replies.

I was just playing with the old computer more.

The ethernet card is listed as being installed properly.

It seems that the problem is that it can't load or find a driver for the card. I put in the CD that came with the card, it runs, the computer asks me to put the Win98 disk in, I swap the CDs, multiple files come up as not being able to be found, others come up as being older than the ones already on the computer and it suggests to keep the files already there, and then the comp says everything is ready and to restart the computer. I restart, and it still doesn't work.

I haven't tried it yet, but I don't know if I will be able to log in to the router, because the comp says there is no connection.

Right now, I don't want to swap cards because the upstairs computer does access the internet right now, and I don't want to risk losing that right now (lol).

I will mess with this more later, because I have to get at least some work done today! lol I will try to copy the messages that come up when I try to do all this stuff.
 
#5 ·
if the ethernet card is listed as working properly, then you have drivers installed...that isnt' the problem.

check your router configuration and make sure its seeing the other PC hooked up. check your DHCP to make sure its not refusing to give the PC an IP address. router could be locked down tight and only giving out 1 ip addy at a time.
 
#6 ·
Ok, let’s test your cards. Make sure that both computers are hooked up to your hub. Next turn them both on.

Go to START> RUN>

In the window, type CMD

If using windows, type ipconfig then hit enter.

Do this on both computers and write down the ip address found using the IPCONFIG command. It should look something like this. 192.169.20.40 or 10.1.1.30 Its not the 255.255.255.0 number. That’s something different.

Once you know your ip address now you can test to see if they can hear each other


At computer A type PING space, and then the address for computer B.

For example

PING 192.168.20.40 then hit enter.

You should see the computers attempt to contact its neighbor.

You will either see four FAILED messages, or four strings of numbers/statistics. The numbers/stats is the good one. It says you can talk to and hear the other computer.

Try this from the second computer to test from the other direction.

This tests your cards, wiring, hub.

Let us know if the test passes or need me to clear anything up.

Also i need to know if any Ip Sddresses are in the 169.254.X.X range. If so it indicates a specific problem.

K
 
#7 ·
Excellent info! I don't know if I'll be able to try all this tonight, but I'll let you all know how I fair.
 
#8 ·
One thing you might jsut want to verify if you haven't already is make sure your IPS will support win98 I know some don't amymore including the one I work for, therefore it won't be able to pull ip to that computer. just my .02
 
#9 ·
Okay, possible dumb question alert, what is "IPS"? Internet Provider Service?

I know some about computers, but some of the shorthand is tripping me up, lol.
 
#11 ·
Okay folks, here's the latest update.

HVAC-TEK --
On the downstairs Win98 computer, when I did the start-run-CMD, a screen came up saying something like "Cannot find file 'CMD' or one of it's components". When I did start-run-ipconfig, a small screen flashed up momentarily then vanished, and then nothing. Just the normal desktop screen.

On the upstairs WinXP computer, when I did ipconfig, it came up something like this;
Ethernet Adapter local area connection;
Connection specific DNS suffix: domain_not_set.invalid
IP address: -------- 0.0.0.0
Subnet Mask: -------- 0.0.0.0
Default Gateway - : nothing here at all

PPP adapter sbcglobal.net;
Connection specific DNS suffix: nothing here
IP address: ---------- 69.177.XXXXXXX
Subnet Mask: ---------- 255.255.XXXXXXXX
Default Gateway: ------ 69.177.XXXXXXX

====================================================================

malkore:

How do I check the router configuration??


I still get the feeling the downstairs Win98 computer simply isn't recognizing the ethernet adapter to use it for internet access. When I checked hardware, the ethernet adapter is there, and doesn't have an exclamation point, which I believe means it is working.

Thanks again.
 
#12 ·
On Win98, instead of typing cmd, type command. Or, you can type winipcfg.

Here's the problem: Your WinXP computer is managing your DSL connection instead of your router. You didn't answer my question about what kind of DSL modem you're using, but I'm guessing that it's a SpeedStream. You need to remove any PPPoE software on your computer (anything by Efficient networks, or any connections listed under dialup or high-speed networking in network connections). Next, you need to setup your Linksys router to do PPPoE and put in your login information. Once these things are done, both computers should be surfing.
 
#13 ·
Yes, my DSL router is a SpeedStream.

How do I --
"setup your Linksys router to do PPPoE and put in your login information."

This goes along with how do I check my router configuration.

The scary part of all this? Some friends actually ask me questions about computers because they think I know something about them...
 
#14 ·
Here's Linksys' how-to.

You'll need your master sbcglobal.net email address and password.

First, remove the PPPoE connections on your computer like I told you above.

Second, make sure that your PC is connected to the router, and the router is connected to your DSL modem.

Do an ipconfig on your XP computer like you did before. The IP address should now be something like 192.168.1.101. If it is, we're in good shape. Make note of the default gateway.

Open Internet Explorer and in the address bar type in 192.168.1.1, or whatever the default gateway was in the last step. Hit enter or go. This should ask you for a password, which is probably "admin". You should change this later.

Where you see "Internet Setup," choose PPPoE.

Fill in your full master email address (with @sbcglobal.net) and password.

Click "Save Settings."

You should be on the air.
 
#15 ·
Thanks for that link. I am going to go through it step by step on my WinXP computer. Then I'll try to tackle my Win98 computer, even though that one still simply doesn't want to recognize or use the ethernet card for internet access.
 
#17 ·
Thanks for the help. I can't seem to do any of the advice here. I have a friend who knows more than I do about this stuff hopefully coming over to take a look. I think it will be easier for him to actually see the screens coming up (and those that don't) in order to straighten this out.

I am assuming (and hoping) that my next post here will be saying that everything is working!
 
#18 ·
On the Win98 box open Internet Explorer and go to Tools, internet options, connections.

Select Never dial a connection

Then go to LAN settings

Select Automatically detect settings

click OK

See if that helps.



;)
 
#19 ·
Blitzer, thanks but that is one of the many things I have tried, nothing seems to be working. Like I said, the Win98 computer just doesn't want anything to do with the ethernet card!

At the moment, until my friend can come over, I'll just keep things set like they were originally (WinXP comp on DSL, Win98 comp using dialup).
 
#20 ·
OK, Just to clear it up in my head.

You have two computers hooked up to one switch. The XP computer works fine, the Windows 98 computer is not connecting to the internet. Is that correct?

Second, most Ethernet cards have small lights built into, or next to the wire jack. When the computers on, can you see lights by the jack? Are they stable, or are they flashing?


When you right click on the "computer" icon and go to the device manager, it pulls up a listing of all of your computers hardware. Do you see the Ethernet card listed there? Are there any symbols next to it? Like for example an "X or !"

I think we should start at the beginning, with simple things and work our way up.



K
 
#21 ·
It looks like....maybe...YES!! Whooho!!

IT'S ALIIIVE!!

Everything seems to be working! After using run-command-ipconfig on my Win98 computer, I was able to finally configure the router using the Win98 computer. Then I was able to get the WinXP computer to recognize the router, and everything seems to work!!

For some reason, the WinXP computer was just accessing the internet through the router, without actually using it. We (I was on TeamSpeak with a friend from Denmark(!)) couldn't get the WinXP computer to take the IP address for the router to configure it. After 2 hours (!), my friend had to take a break, and I responded to a fire call (minor accident, no problem). I decided to play with the Win98 comp, and Voila! Working!

Thankyou for all your help. With a combination of the info you folks provided me, and help from Denmark, I figured it out.

We can all sleep well tonight, for a job well done!

Thank you all very much again!
 
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