Why isn't my cable internet working?

[t3h l337 n3wb]

I just installed a 10/100 Ethernet card in my 800Mhz PIII running Windows 2k. For some reason, when I hooked it up to my modem, nothing would load in IE. I checked ipconfig, and it gave me an IP. It also said that my card was functioning properly. I have the TCP/IP protocol installed, and DHCP is enabled. I'm still not getting online. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Well, actually, I can't do anything about it now because my comp started hanging at OS boot after I reformated/created new partitions ("Verifying DMI Pool Data", then hangs). I already used the search and created my own thread to find info on the hanging error, but none of the advice helped...

 

[mechBgon]

Do you remember what the IP was that you got? Also, are you aware of the risk of worm/hack attack if you plug a Win2000 system into the modem without firewall protection? It can be 0wned within 30 seconds of being plugged in, whether you do anything on the Internet or not, if it's not all patched up and secured (meaning, strong passwords on the Admin-class accounts and stuff).

A router is a good investment, think about getting one of these: router and suggestions for setup. It will hold your single IP address that your ISP has allocated, and use network address translation to let you use multiple computers on your side without them squabbling

 

[CrispyFried]

Originally posted by: t3h l337 n3wb
, I can't do anything about it now because my comp started hanging at OS boot after I reformated/created new partitions ("Verifying DMI Pool Data", then hangs). I already used the search and created my own thread to find info on the hanging error, but none of the advice helped...

Clear BIOS, unhook all floppys and hds/cdroms/dvds, then boot. That should clear up the dmi hang. Then reconnect.

 

[tlhudson69]

your cable- is it a patch cable or a through cable Check coloring on tips are they mirror of each other or are they the same? You may need through cable (wires are mirror) or use a router between your card and modem(depends on modem type some you can change this to work with one or the other. I hope this helps and sorry if some of my terms are not tech correct.

 

[t3h l337 n3wb]

I have a router, but for some reason, I can't get that to work either -_-; It did work before, but then I accidently reset it and it's screwed up now... It's the Linksys 54G router/wireless AP, and it's supposed to come with an "easy-install" CD, but I lost it... And now it's a real pain to set up again. I tried "Automatically detect settings (DHCP)", but it didn't work. Then I tried "Static IP" (Yeah I know, I don't have a static IP, but this is what my friend used the last time he set it up, and it worked...). I'm kind of a newb on the networking end, but I still don't know why my stupid router won't work. Alright then, as soon as I have my router up and working and the DMI hang fixed, I'll try it again

 

[mechBgon]

1) unplug the modem from power and data cables

2) get out your router and make sure it's unpowered too

3) plug the modem into the router's WAN port

4) power up the modem, and wait until it's all synced-up to the ISP

5) power up the router

6) now run the router's auto-detection thingie. If that doesn't work, unplug the router and modem from their power cords and reverse steps 4 and 5 so the router's up and booted (~30 seconds) before the modem gets power.


The goal here is to make the modem forget what network device it had your IP address on hold for (they all have unique MAC addresses). If the IP address lease is done further upstream, like at the ISP, then you call the ISP and say "hey, my router's MAC address is __________ (it's on the label on the bottom) and would you guys slap my modem upside the head so that's the one it's watching for? kthxbye."

Once the modem is reserving the IP address for the router, rather than one or the other of your NICs, then plug the computers into the router and there you go.

 

[t3h l337 n3wb]

Don't I have to connect to the router with a computer to access the settings before I can do the auto-detection thing?

 

[CrispyFried]

Yes the comp has to be connected to the router.. put 192.168.1.1 (or maybe 192.168.0.1) in your browser and select "obtain ip automatically" in the wan type in the Setup page. On the computer side in the tcp/ip properties select 192.168.1.1 (or whatever ip the router is as the gateway. leave everything else on automatic. Then let IE autodetect the inet settings.

 

[t3h l337 n3wb]

But didn't mechBgon say not to connect the comp before you "autodetect" settings? This is confusing...

 

[FlyingPenguin]

No one but Mechbgon has covered this. You MUST power off the modem before connecting it to a diffeent device. Cable modems "lock" to the MAC address of the first device they're connected to. If you have it connected to a router, for instance, and then want to connect it directly to your computer (say, for troubleshooting), you must power off the modem, swap connections, and power it back on.

 

[t3h l337 n3wb]

Okay, so I ALWAYS have to power down the modem... Hmmm, that would help a lot. Thanks for all the responses.