Need Help With Router, Winxp Pro And Win2k

Ok i'm not really a noob at this but i have been trying to figure this out for the past 3 hours with no avail. All I want is to be able to browse the internet with both computers. I have a cable modem, a Netgear MR814 router, and two computers running WinXp Pro and Win2k respectively. I just moved back from college and I used the very same router to share a cable modem with 2 of my friends both running WinXp Pro and WinXp Home. Now, the router only sees the computer that runs Win2k even though both are connected to the router and the lights that correspond to the connections are lit. At first i thought it was the cat5 but when i connected the WinXp Pro machine straight to the modem, it worked like a charm (i thought it was the cat5 because i crimped it myself...first time doing it too ). So cat5 is not the problem. I then tried to connect both computers again through the router. Resetted everything (shutdown both computers) and turned everything on again. Again, the router only shows Win2k machine BUT the WinXp machine registers on the router. Did the whole 192.168.0.1 to see the connected computers and only 1 shows up. (But the light on the router says 2 computers are connected). Sorry for the long post but this is really getting me irritated. I bought the router just so i wouldn't have to keep plugging and unplugging the cables. Please I really need help. Thank you guys in advance.

Some things to check:

Do the computers have correct IP addresses? If the router is giving out IP addresses, check that one has been assigned. If you're assigning them manually, check that you've assigned them correctly and that they're on the same subnet.

Are the computers on the same workgroup?

Can you ping between computers?

Do you have any firewall software on either computers? Disable this for the moment. This includes the built-in Internet Connection Firewall in Windows XP.

If all of this doesn't help, but you're still having problems browsing the Internet, can you browse to http://66.102.9.104 ?

Do the computers have correct IP addresses? If the router is giving out IP addresses, check that one has been assigned. If you're assigning them manually, check that you've assigned them correctly and that they're on the same subnet.

--Router is giving out the IP...both are set to 'obtain IP auto..'
only one is seen when i go to the 'netgear setup page 192.168.0.1'. Oh and only the Win2k machine is able to go the the netgear setup page...my WinXp machine just shows error.

Are the computers on the same workgroup?

--Yes

Can you ping between computers?

--sorry...but i have no idea how to do dat

Do you have any firewall software on either computers? Disable this for the moment. This includes the built-in Internet Connection Firewall in Windows XP.

--all disabled already

If all of this doesn't help, but you're still having problems browsing the Internet, can you browse to http://66.102.9.104 ?

--i just get the error page...but it took longer than usual.

BTW...these answers only concern the WinXp machine...the one that works only when it is directly connected to the cable modem...

OK, on the XP computer can you click Start, Run and type cmd. In the Command Prompt type "ipconfig /all > C:\ipconfig.txt" (without the quotes) and then copy the contents from the file C:\ipconfig.txt into your next post.

Actually, do it on the 2000 computer too - it would be a good comparison.

Windows 2000 IP Configuration



Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : kuroyume
Primary DNS Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast

IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : eatntn01.nj.comcast.net

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:



Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : eatntn01.nj.comcast.net
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139(A)-based PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-50-BA-3F-7E-E9

DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes

Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.2

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1

DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.39.224.6
68.39.224.7
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, May 16, 2004 12:59:59 AM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, May 23, 2004 12:59:59 AM

This one is from my WinXp box:

Windows IP Configuration



Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : navii

Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :

Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown

IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No



Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:



Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet NIC

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-50-2C-04-86-5E

Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes

Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Autoconfiguration IP Address. . . : 169.254.75.38

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

time for me to sleep...maybe i will get an epiphany later

hey edwin...thnx for the help i really appreciate all your input...although i have no idea what to look for in the ipconfig text.

Well, as expected, the 2000 one looks fine, the XP one looks really bad. You'll notice that the XP machine has given itself an IP address of 169.254.75.38. This means that it hasn't been able to contact the router to obtain an Ip address automatically, like the 2000 machine has.

This means that there is a problem for the XP machine to access the router. You need to firstly troubleshoot the hardware. You know that the router is working, because it works for the other computer, but perhaps you should try a different port with the XP machine. Then, check that the cable you've made yourself is a patch cable (straight-through) - check to see if the same cable works for the 2000 machine. Also, perhaps you could try a different NIC in the XP computer. See if you can find something that doesn't work somewhere along the line.

how do you change ports? anyway, i tried using the same cable with the Win2k and router...and it didn't work...i guess it is the cable but it still doesn't explain how the cable works when i plug it straight to the modem...also...while does the router still recognize the connection even though it doesn't work? oh and it is a straight-through cable.

this is really weird...could it be the length?...it's about 70 feet...i don't know if the router can handle it...i think i might just go the wireless route since my router is also wireless i hope my speed won't be affected by going wireless (i like playing online games )...its 802.11b btw

By changing ports, I meant trying plugging the cable into a different socket on the back of the router. But, it seems that the cable is at fault now. The maximum length for a cable is 100 metres I think (or is it 100 feet). It does sound like a long cable though - are you sure that you correctly wired the ends (both ends should be the same, but you don't wire the colours in order)?

Wireless should be fine probably. 802.11b works at 11Mbps (wired connections work at 100Mbps), so it is considerably slower. Also be aware that you'll only achieve speeds of around 6Mbps. For browsing the Internet this should be fine. For games, you'll need to check - I'm not sure how much data needs to be sent. But you could always try and see.

It does sound like a long cable though - are you sure that you correctly wired the ends (both ends should be the same, but you don't wire the colours in order)?

--i think the max is 250 feet...i read it somewhere...so 70 feet shoudn't be a problem...the ends are the same color (twisted wires-white orange and orange)...but i don't understand the 'you don't wire the colours in order' part...you mean as long as the last 2 wires are the same...the other wires' order can be whatever? wouldn't that kind of make it a non working cross-cable and not straight-through?

--for internet games...i like playing UT04 (although i haven't played for a while...currently addicted to the next game-->), Gunbound, and maybe go for FFXI...i used to play Ragnarok Online on my GF's laptop using her wireless and it was fine for me...just haven't tried it with any first person shooters.

--oh and i did try using different ports on the router...but that was the first thing i did so i crossed that one out as a possible answer.

For the cables, just check this site: http://www.linksys.com/faqs/default.asp?fqid=20 , but I think you've got it right. For those bits where you didn't understand me, I just meant that you don't go orange/white, orange, green/white, green, blue/white, blue etc. but instead you change the order slightly to orange/white, orange, green/white, blue, blue/white, green etc. Just check the link though for more info.

Just checked, and the maximum length is 100 metres (which is around 328 feet). So your cable of 70 feet should be fine.

If you're playing Internet games, then a wireless connection will be fine, because you'll be limited by the speed of your Internet connection and not the speed of the internal network.

Nice thanks for info and link...ok about the coloring i think i kind of understand...see if this is what you are talking about:

now my colors are: (both ends)
white/brown, brown, white/blue, blue, white/green, green, white/orange, orange

should i change both ends too:
w/br, br, w/bl, gr, w/gr, bl, w/o, o?

i read that only 1,2,3 and 6 are used...

i really don't want to buy a wireless card especially since cables are so cheap...don't have an extra 70bucks lying around

but i will try the mix combo and hope it works