Need help hooking a hub to a router

Newt, I bet this is right up your alley...

I have a Linksys router, WRT54G v.2.2 and a Netgear hub, DS104.

Attached to the Linksys router is a cable modem in the WAN port, one computer in port 1, and in port 4 by suggestion of Linksys is the straight-through cat5 cable going under the house to the Netgear hub. I am plugging in to port 4 on the hub which is controllable by the Uplink switch. Attached to the hub is another computer and a XBox 360. Each device is connected to the hub with a straight-through cat5 cable. With the hub's Uplink switch in either possition, (straight-through AND cross-over) the XBox 360 sees the internet just fine. The computer, however, does not. I get Limited Connectivity. IPCONFIG shows a 169 IP address. When I force a 192 address to the computer the Limited Connectivity goes away but I can not see the internet. PING times out. (can't ping router either)
The Linksys router has autosensing ports so that's why I presume the XBox works with the Uplink in either position.
Why isn't the computer seeing the internet? Do I need to connect it to the hub with a cross-over cable?

 

This might help?

http://www.homenethelp.com/web/explain/about-ethernet-crossover.asp

The only information I can offer is that I know that the 360 will sense what type of cable is attached and make the appropriate adjustments. So you can use either cable and the 360 will act appropriately.

 

If the XBox works and the computer does not, there is something wrong with the computer (or perhaps the cable it is attached to) rather than the hub/router.

I think you may have a network card fault. Can you move the computer to the router and see if you can connect with it directly connected to the router? That will totally rule out the hub as the issue. I'd also suggest you try looking for the latest network card drivers.

 

Xbox 360 list of approved routers

Interestingly the Linksys WRT54G ver 2 router is on the list of Xbox 360 approved routers.
Only a limited selection of routers seem to be approved for the xbox 360


http://www.xbox.com/en-US/support/connecttolive/xbox360/homenetworking/equipment.htm

 

Hey Joe

First the 169..... is the default internal IP range that most windows OS's use if they cannot find another valid IP via DHCP. This is a another clear indicator that something is wrong.

A couple of things to test.

First check for a light on the NIC where the cat5 plugs into the PC. Unplug and replug. If it has no light at all then it is possile that this NIC has no light. Lets hope it does. If so green is good red is no connection and amber usually indicates a 10mbp connection on a 10/100 NIC but can indicate a weak connection.

If you don't have a light on the hub when the PC is on this indicates no connection also. Could be bad NIC or cable or port on HUB. Try different port on hub and different cable if that don't work.

While set up with a static LAN Ip 192.... etc.

Go to Start-Run
type
cmd
at command prompt type
ping (your router gateway IP) usuallly 192.168.1.1
like this
ping 192.168.1.1

it should give 4 replies and no loss

This only confirms that this PC sees the router.

When you say "forced IP" did you put in the gateway IP?

Find your ISP DNS Ip's and also put them in if you did not.

Get back.

My old buddy Newt has not been on in about a year. I plan on looking him up soon as he only lives about 25 miles away.

Mike

 

All,

I'm leaning toward a bad NIC. It does have a light but when I plug in the cat5 it does not come on. I have to jiggle it and push it to one side before it will come on. When it is on is when I try to test it. Unforced IP address I get 169. Forced IP address w/ gateway (router's address) I get the 192 I forced in ipconfig, but I get timed out responses to ping.
It never hit me to try the cable or port the XBox was using and it'd be too much a pain to drag the computer to the router room, so what I'll try is replacing the NIC and get back to all.

Thank you for the replies. Be back shortly.

 

I believe I would rule out the cable first.

What color lights on NIC and HUB when to wriggle it on?

Wriggling the cable causing intermitent connects is more a sign of cable, or perhaps the connector in the NIC which would require replacing the NIC.

BTW: if cable is bad but by wriggling it you get it to light up the ping could not be trusted you may get a light, but that don't confirm the cable as good at this point.

Swap the cable with the xbox or something.

Mike

 

Is the cable connecting the PC to the hub an inwall cable with on site terminations?

 

Verdict is in!

Ended up being a bad NIC card.
I was fooled into thinking all was well when I got the green light after wiggling the cable.
I installed a new NIC and without changing the first setting was up and running, computer and XBox.

Thanks for the help.

 

Gggggggggggreateeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Mike