Networking help

[Mindhazingsquid]

I'm trying to connect my computer to a router, I've used a CAT 6 and a CAT 5E and, while it sees the network it won't connect to the internet, I've tried every socket.

[Hunter]

What is the router plugged into?

[Mindhazingsquid]

A cable modem and another computer

[alahendra]

OK, silly question, but are you sure your modem is working properly?  Have you tried connecting one computer directly to the modem to ensure your internet works? 

[Mindhazingsquid]

I couldn't be on here if it wasn't, hah hah.

[alahendra]

Well...you could be jumping on to your neighbor's unsecure wireless network.  But I don't know anyone around here who'd do something like that... <_<  >_>

Anyway, what I meant to ask was have you tried them separately?  And also, could it be your network cable being bad?

[Mindhazingsquid]

It is quite possible but what are the chances of two of them being bad straight from the store?

[alahendra]

Not very...well I'm fresh out of ideas...maybe there are some settings for the router itself you'd need to change. That would be my only other guess.  What brand is it?  Maybe you could try the manufacturer's website for some troubleshooting help...

[Mindhazingsquid]

But that doesn't make sense, my computer and my housemate's computer are exactly the same, same brand, we bought them the same day.  I was more wondering if it was just the wrong cable because when I traded them for the one on the modem they didn't work, but the modem works fine.

[alahendra]

Could be the wrong cable...are you using patch cables or crossover cables?  Other than that I dont know what else to ask you except if you logged into your router and looked it's various settings. THere may be something hinky strange in there.

Othere than that, don't know if it will be much help, bu I did find this...http://www.lanshack.com/cat5e-tutorial.aspx
Sorry I couldn't help more...

*falls over and plays dead*

[Mindhazingsquid]

It's a straight through cable, not crossover.
Thanks anyway for your help.

[HairyHeretic]

Could it be a firewall issue? My wife was having problems getting her laptop on via our wireless router, turned out something in the installed firewall didn't like the setup. When we disabled that, she was good to go. I can't give you precise details on what it was, as a friend more techie than me found it :)

[alahendra]

It's a straight through cable, not crossover.
Thanks anyway for your help.

I would still try logging in the router (it's usually an IP address sometimes on a sticker on the bottom). You type that IP address in on your desktop and it takes you to the router settings.  Also--there may be something with your MODEM settings where you'd need to log into it   You could also go to the manufacturer's website for the router, or call your ISP for the modem.Good luck!

[National Acrobat]

Most routers have an IP of 192.168.1.1

Most likely you need to either install the software for the router that came with it on the cd rom, or you need to access the router itself through it's IP Address and set it up. Most routers that you purchase are not plug and play. There are firewall and other settings that need to be set up. Also, it needs to actually 'sense' the cable modem through this process, to assign IP Addresses for the modem and the PC to actually use the router to connect to the internet.

[Mindhazingsquid]

Well, I'm not at my house any more, I'm staying at my dad's for a few months while I take my french classes.  I didn't have as much time at home as I had hoped but I'll try and keep this tagged for when I got back.  Hopefully I'll have found my original cable and it will work.  Thank you all for your help.

[Vekseid]

When you get back, assuming you're using an IBM PC running some version of windows NT (2000, XP), go to
Start -> Run
Type cmd and press enter.  You'll see a black box with a dos prompt.

Type ipconfig, and you should see some numbers.  List them here and tell us.

On 'toy' versions of windows, just
Start -> Run
Type winipcfg and press enter
You'll see the numbers needed.

Under OS X it's in through apple menu -> System Preferences -> Networking somewhere (I forget, don't deal with them much).

[Mindhazingsquid]

Now I have a new problem.  I'm trying to get some stuff via torrent (I'm using Azereus) but I don't know how to use torrents and I tried to open a port for it in the hub but I think I didn't do it right because I'm still not able to make it download things.

[HairyHeretic]

Depending on the program, there may be a self test mechanism which will tell you what ports to open. I'd also then suggest googling your particular type of router, and the torrent program, because there may well be a newsgroup post with someone explaining how to do it.

[Mindhazingsquid]

Well, I tried that and it still doesn't work.  Do you know how to turn off windows Firwall on Windows XP pro?

[Mindhazingsquid]

Oh!  Hey!  It's fixed!  Yay!  I guess it did work, I just didn't wait enough hours.

[HairyHeretic]

Well, I tried that and it still doesn't work.  Do you know how to turn off windows Firwall on Windows XP pro?

I don't have the Pro, but on mine you can get to it via

Start - Control Panel - Security Centre, and turn it off there.

Personally I turned it off as soon as I had something else installed. I heard there were a lot of problems with it. I have Panda Titanium, combined firewall / AV / other stuff.