Help! Network with Linksys BEFSR41

[SergeantTux]

Ok, here is the overview:

I have a cable modem connection through @home. The other day I bought a Linksys Etherfast Cable/DSL 4 port router to share access between the two computers. One computer is right by the cable modem, and the other one is 100ft away on a different level of my house. I already successfully configured the machine that is by the cable modem and I have it running through the router as I speak.

Now the problem:

The second computer, which I bought a network card (D-Link Fast Ethernet 10/100 Network Adapter, DFE-530TX+) for will not connect to the network. The card is physically and properly seated into the motherboard, and the 100ft cable is connected at both the computer end and the router end. The driver for the network card has been installed, and shows up in the device manager as working properly. As far as I know, I have it properly configured in the network control panel. The network card shows up alongside of the TCP/IP protocol, and in the properties of it I have it configured the right way, I think. I was told by someone who knows their networking stuff how to set it up there, and I did it like they said. However, I cant access the network through the browser, or Network Neighborhood, and its not showing up on the front panel of my router as being connected. Im completely baffled as to whats wrong. Almost forgot to add, the second computer was previously set up for dial-up.

I know you smart people here at Anandtech can help me out

If anything I said is not clear, or there is some detail that I left out, please bring it to my attention. I would also be more than happy to provide screenshots of any control panels, etc. I really need to get this problems solved.

Thanks

 

[dbwillis]

Is the cable good?
Windows 98 or NT/2000?

on the far away PC, can you ping that computers name? how about the other PC's name? (they arent named the same, right?)
Both PC's are in the same workgroup and both set for DHCP from the Linksys router?

When I had @home, the connection went by your computer name, have you set the router to be that name? you might want to then rename both computers to something new, like PC-Far and PC-CLOSE just to be safe.

Good luck, I just set a Linksys up last Sunday, 20 minutes and all 4 computers are on the net..but Im new at using the Linksys so I may have missed something

 

[SergeantTux]

The cable, as far as I know, is good. I made it myself using a 100ft spindle i bought at Home Depot. I had an extra piece left over, which I crimped the connectors onto each end for practice. I checked that cable by using it between my modem and NIC on the close computer, and it worked fine so I am guessing that there shouldnt be anything wrong with the long cable.

The OS on both sytems is Windows 98 First Edition.

I dont think pinging will help any, as far as I can tell there is no connection between the router and the other PC.

The router is set up with the name, workgroup, etc that was given to me by the @home installer guy. Like I said before, I know its not the router because I have one PC hooked up to it and it works fine. Both PCs arent named the same, one still has the name on it given by the @home installer guy (two letters with a bunch of numbers and a -a at the end) and the other one is simply called "Family"

I'll try what you said about renaming both PCs....if that doesnt work, I might moved the far away PC next to the close PC and use a different cable to see if I can get it to work. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[dbwillis]

Yeh, try swapping the far and close PC's and see if the problem follows the PC or cable, that should be quick, no?

 

[SergeantTux]

Ok, i moved the far pc up right close to my Close PC and hooked it to the Linksys with a different cable. The proper lights now show up on the front of the router, but i still get nothing when i try to go online with the other pc. I must not be configuring something right......

 

[bitterjoe]

Are both boxes configured to obtain IP addresses via DHCP?

 

[SergeantTux]

<< Are both boxes configured to obtain IP addresses via DHCP? >>



Yes, both are configured to obtain IP addresses automatically.

 

[SergeantTux]

Never mind, I solved the problem. I changed some setting or something, then restarted for the umpteen-billionth time and it worked!

 

[Felecha]

I'll jump in here although I'm something of a beginner at this. But this one is interesting to me because I also have a BEFSR41 and three computers hooked up. Maybe I can help, and maybe I'll learn something mpre than I do, too.

Let me ask a dumb question to start, just to make sure we're doing things the same. My cable modem connects to the WAN port on the router. Then each of the three cables to the computers is plugged into one of the ports (NOT the Uplink port). The cables run then to the computers. This is sort of like if your car won't start, asking if there's gas in the tank. That has happened, you know. Just make sure youi've got the cables into the right holes. I messed that up my first try.

Also, I've had less than complete success crimping my own cables. Only about half of my attempts gave me working cables. Dunno why, I had all the wires lined up right, nicely trimmed, I scronched down on the crimper with my considerable hand strength (years of work with chain saws, I have good hands). Also, you did make yours straight-through, not crossover?

On mine, I used the default 192.168.1.1 address for the router and 255.255.255.0 subnet. If you run winipcfg.exe at the command line, you'll get a screen with all your numbers as presently set up.

In Network Properties, I have

Client for Microsoft Networks
Microsoft Family logon

then the Network card

then TCP/IP for the card, with:

DNS --- "Disable DNS"
Gateway -- did you add 192.168.1.1, or whatever address you dave it?
WINS -- at the bottom, "DHCP"
IP Address -- you already said you have it for Automatic

Are we on the same page so far?

Again, I'm no expert, but mine works, and I'm looking for the piece of the puzzle that's missing for youi

 

[Felecha]

While I was writing mine, looks like you solved it.

Good!!