For more than 3 years I had a nice 4 port Linksys router
that functioned pretty well. The router and cable modem
and two of the connected computers are in one room. At the
end of a fifty foot cable is my son's computer.
Physically, it's only about 20 feet away but the cable has to run under
the floor and around some obstacles. A 25 foot cable comes up inches short.
The old Linksys handled it fine.

Last Saturday, a big bolt of lightning struck near the house. So far,
the only two things that got fried were my trusty Linksys and one
electric garage door opener.

So today I head out and get a new Linksys. Only it won't
link up to the boy's computer. I can swap his cable direct
to the modem and connect find.

While I'm messing with that, the Linksys crashes about half
a dozen times, just locking completely up. Back to the store.

Now I get a D-Link DI-604. Wrestle with it all night, trying to
get it to do static DHCP. Go to check with the boy's box and
again, I can't get it to come up. At some point It did get
through to DHCP (it left its MAC address behind in a table),
but even with a static address it won't connect.

At this point, I'm assuming that the 50 foot run is causing too much
signal degradation. So what's the recommendation for a
router that can function as well as my old one?

TIA

Dan Mercer
dmercer@mn.rr.com

"Dan Mercer" <dmercer@mn.rr.com> wrote in
news:2lTIc.10487$6t1.7511@twister.rdc-kc.rr.com:


If you're Ethernet cable is properly terminated and not damaged it is
capable of runs of upto 100m.

For good, high quality routers, check out Zyxel.com.


--
Lucas Tam (REMOVEnntp@rogers.com)
Please delete "REMOVE" from the e-mail address when replying.
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/coolspot18/

"Dan Mercer" <dmercer@mn.rr.com> wrote in message
news:2lTIc.10487$6t1.7511@twister.rdc-kc.rr.com...
OK, you need to back up a moment. From what you wrote (I read the whole
thing carefully, twice), it isn't clear that your new router (either one of
them) is properly configured for sharing your Internet connection. You've
verified that your son's computer works with the cable modem. Great. Have
you seen more than one computer can access the Internet through the router,
though? That is, if computer A connects to the Internet (with or without
the router) and likewise with computer B, you have not verified that your
new router is properly configured . . . only that your cable modem will
allow one computer at a time to access the Internet. (but you already knew
that, right?) In other words, I think the 50 foot cable and the computer on
the other end of it are a red herring. I also believe that your new routers
(both of them) are probably working exactly as they are designed to do.

Ignore your son's computer for a moment. Get the other two computers to
access the Internet simultaneously with the router, and THEN throw that
third computer back into the mix. You might need to program your router to
"spoof" one of the two computers that is in the same room, so that your
cable modem only sees the MAC of ONE computer. Try the following first
though . . .

1) Disconnect ALL ethernet cables and the power cables from your cable
modem and router. Power down all computer systems. (not standby, OFF)

Plug in cable modem. Wait 120 full seconds. Now connect an ethernet cable
from cable modem to WAN port of router.

Plug in router. Wait 120 full seconds. Now connect an ethernet cable from
any port of router to the ethernet connector/NIC of the computer that is
closest (physically) to the router.

Now turn on the computer that is connected to the router, and ONLY that
computer. Can you access the Internet? If not, go back to step one and try
again.

If you successfully accessed the Internet with the first computer, now hook
up the ethernet connection between router and the other computer in the same
room. Fire up that computer and try to access the Internet. If this works,
you have just verified that your cable modem AND ROUTER are working fine.
If this doesn't work, you need to re-program your router to share your
Internet connection (see mac spoofing, possibly) and go back to step 1
again.

If you've successfully accessed the Internet with two computers, then there
is nothing wrong with the router, and it's probably safe to assume there is
nothing wrong with your 50-foot cable, either. And 50 feet should not be
too long to connect. That would leave a problem with the NIC of your son's
computer as the likely suspect. -Dave

Dan Mercer wrote:

After you try Dave's suggestions, I would try a Netgear if you still
want a replacement.

"Dave C." <mdupre@sff.net> wrote in message news:2liir1Fcs4viU1@uni-berlin.de...
:
: "Dan Mercer" <dmercer@mn.rr.com> wrote in message
: news:2lTIc.10487$6t1.7511@twister.rdc-kc.rr.com...
: > For more than 3 years I had a nice 4 port Linksys router
: > that functioned pretty well. The router and cable modem
: > and two of the connected computers are in one room. At the
: > end of a fifty foot cable is my son's computer.
: > Physically, it's only about 20 feet away but the cable has to run under
: > the floor and around some obstacles. A 25 foot cable comes up inches
: short.
: > The old Linksys handled it fine.
: >
: > Last Saturday, a big bolt of lightning struck near the house. So far,
: > the only two things that got fried were my trusty Linksys and one
: > electric garage door opener.
: >
: > So today I head out and get a new Linksys. Only it won't
: > link up to the boy's computer. I can swap his cable direct
: > to the modem and connect find.
: >
:
: OK, you need to back up a moment. From what you wrote (I read the whole
: thing carefully, twice), it isn't clear that your new router (either one of
: them) is properly configured for sharing your Internet connection. You've
: verified that your son's computer works with the cable modem. Great. Have
: you seen more than one computer can access the Internet through the router,
: though?

I have a Linux computer, 2 window ME's and an HP Unix 700. The last
one is having EISA problems. I brought up the Linux box, VNC'd into
it (it's headless) and ran Netscape, connecting to the Internet. Just the kid's
box can't get through reliably (though it did manage to lease an
address - it's MAC address shows up in the log).

I had already done everything else you've mentioned. I am a computer
specialist with over 20 years support experience. I first touched
a computer in 1968 - an IBM 360-50, then state of the art.
I've spent years diagnosing this kind of stuff. So I'm pretty
sure it's not a port problem or a config problem.

Thanks for the interest.

Dan Mercer


That is, if computer A connects to the Internet (with or without
: the router) and likewise with computer B, you have not verified that your
: new router is properly configured . . . only that your cable modem will
: allow one computer at a time to access the Internet. (but you already knew
: that, right?) In other words, I think the 50 foot cable and the computer on
: the other end of it are a red herring. I also believe that your new routers
: (both of them) are probably working exactly as they are designed to do.
:
: Ignore your son's computer for a moment. Get the other two computers to
: access the Internet simultaneously with the router, and THEN throw that
: third computer back into the mix. You might need to program your router to
: "spoof" one of the two computers that is in the same room, so that your
: cable modem only sees the MAC of ONE computer. Try the following first
: though . . .
:
: 1) Disconnect ALL ethernet cables and the power cables from your cable
: modem and router. Power down all computer systems. (not standby, OFF)
:
: Plug in cable modem. Wait 120 full seconds. Now connect an ethernet cable
: from cable modem to WAN port of router.
:
: Plug in router. Wait 120 full seconds. Now connect an ethernet cable from
: any port of router to the ethernet connector/NIC of the computer that is
: closest (physically) to the router.
:
: Now turn on the computer that is connected to the router, and ONLY that
: computer. Can you access the Internet? If not, go back to step one and try
: again.
:
: If you successfully accessed the Internet with the first computer, now hook
: up the ethernet connection between router and the other computer in the same
: room. Fire up that computer and try to access the Internet. If this works,
: you have just verified that your cable modem AND ROUTER are working fine.
: If this doesn't work, you need to re-program your router to share your
: Internet connection (see mac spoofing, possibly) and go back to step 1
: again.
:
: If you've successfully accessed the Internet with two computers, then there
: is nothing wrong with the router, and it's probably safe to assume there is
: nothing wrong with your 50-foot cable, either. And 50 feet should not be
: too long to connect. That would leave a problem with the NIC of your son's
: computer as the likely suspect. -Dave
:
:

"$Bill" <news@SPAMOLAtodbe.com> wrote in message news:qtydnaoUPbnVhWndRVn-vA@adelphia.com...
: Dan Mercer wrote:
:
: > For more than 3 years I had a nice 4 port Linksys router
: > that functioned pretty well. The router and cable modem
: > and two of the connected computers are in one room. At the
: > end of a fifty foot cable is my son's computer.
: > Physically, it's only about 20 feet away but the cable has to run under
: > the floor and around some obstacles. A 25 foot cable comes up inches short.
: > The old Linksys handled it fine.
: >
: > Last Saturday, a big bolt of lightning struck near the house. So far,
: > the only two things that got fried were my trusty Linksys and one
: > electric garage door opener.
: >
: > So today I head out and get a new Linksys. Only it won't
: > link up to the boy's computer. I can swap his cable direct
: > to the modem and connect find.
: >
: > While I'm messing with that, the Linksys crashes about half
: > a dozen times, just locking completely up. Back to the store.
: >
: > Now I get a D-Link DI-604. Wrestle with it all night, trying to
: > get it to do static DHCP. Go to check with the boy's box and
: > again, I can't get it to come up. At some point It did get
: > through to DHCP (it left its MAC address behind in a table),
: > but even with a static address it won't connect.
: >
: > At this point, I'm assuming that the 50 foot run is causing too much
: > signal degradation. So what's the recommendation for a
: > router that can function as well as my old one?
:
: After you try Dave's suggestions, I would try a Netgear if you still
: want a replacement.

That was my son-in-laws recommendation.
Thanks,

Dan Mercer

:

Dan - I don't have as much experience as you do. The first computer I was
paid to service was a PDP-11. (!) Don't rule out a NIC problem on your
"kid's box". As I've said before, the problem is probably not your router,
not the cable and not the length of the cable. If you're sure the router is
set up right . . . I'm wondering if lightning damaged the NIC when it took
out your trusty linksys router, even though the NIC apparently works if
connected directly to the modem. I've seen stranger. Just a few weeks ago,
I had a *hardware* problem where a proprietary NIC would not work on system
A, but would work on system B. Meanwhile, any other NIC of the exact same
model would work on both systems. Identical NICs, identical systems, NIC A
on System A no good, NIC A on System B good, NIC B on system A good. This
problem had another one of our guys stumped for a week. He was sure the
problem was anywhere BUT the NIC (don't ask) So they sent me in. I
immediately diagnosed it, replaced it, and it's been fine since. Anyway,
just illustrating that a component can test OK for one application and still
be bad for what you really need it to do.

Follow the symptom. The symptom is pointing at your kid's box. Nothing in
this business is 100% certain, but I've had pretty good luck trusting my
instincts. My gut is telling me the NIC in your kid's box is the likely
culprit. Having said that, if you really want a good router, I would second
the nomination for Netgear. If anything will work, the Netgear will. But I
could have said the same thing about Linksys, also. -Dave

"Dan Mercer" <dmercer@mn.rr.com> wrote in message
news:v9WIc.8496$vN3.4148@twister.rdc-kc.rr.com...
No offense Dan, but if you're such an expert you should have been able to
easily diagnose this trivial problem.

Dan Mercer wrote:
I would pull the NIC and re-do the networking in the boy's system. Even
then, possibility exists that the surge found another weak component (as in
the boy's system) that you don't know about.

If you direct-connected the computer to the cable modem, it is also possible
that it is infected, and that is causing something undesirable. So I would
sweep that very thoroughly as part of the fix.

Ed

Long before you do 'buying and trying', instead hook up those
computers directly with an ethernet cross over cable - no hub
required. Just because you 'think' the ports are good is not
sufficient. With that direct hookup, then one can also
execute hardware diagnostics directly between both machines
(if using same manufacturer NICs). Hardware diagnostics even
eliminate any complications or problems created by Windows -
to confirm hardware in each computer is completely functional.

Comprehensive diagnostics are provided free by responsible
computer manufacturers on their web site. Otherwise download
those diagnostics from the NIC manufacturer's site.

Furthermore, I don't see any report from the Device Manager
for each machine. What does Device Manager report for each
NIC?

Also do not even see information about indicator lights both
on NICs and on hub. What do those indicator lamps report when
system is hooked up both to hub AND when using crossover
cable?

Dan Mercer wrote:

"Dave C." <mdupre@sff.net> wrote in message news:2ljqnlFdiq29U1@uni-berlin.de...
: >
: > I have a Linux computer, 2 window ME's and an HP Unix 700. The last
: > one is having EISA problems. I brought up the Linux box, VNC'd into
: > it (it's headless) and ran Netscape, connecting to the Internet. Just
: the kid's
: > box can't get through reliably (though it did manage to lease an
: > address - it's MAC address shows up in the log).
: >
: > I had already done everything else you've mentioned. I am a computer
: > specialist with over 20 years support experience. I first touched
: > a computer in 1968 - an IBM 360-50, then state of the art.
: > I've spent years diagnosing this kind of stuff. So I'm pretty
: > sure it's not a port problem or a config problem.
: >
: > Thanks for the interest.
: >
: > Dan Mercer
: >
: >
:
: Dan - I don't have as much experience as you do. The first computer I was
: paid to service was a PDP-11. (!) Don't rule out a NIC problem on your
: "kid's box". As I've said before, the problem is probably not your router,
: not the cable and not the length of the cable. If you're sure the router is
: set up right . . . I'm wondering if lightning damaged the NIC when it took
: out your trusty linksys router, even though the NIC apparently works if
: connected directly to the modem. I've seen stranger. Just a few weeks ago,
: I had a *hardware* problem where a proprietary NIC would not work on system
: A, but would work on system B. Meanwhile, any other NIC of the exact same
: model would work on both systems. Identical NICs, identical systems, NIC A
: on System A no good, NIC A on System B good, NIC B on system A good. This
: problem had another one of our guys stumped for a week. He was sure the
: problem was anywhere BUT the NIC (don't ask) So they sent me in. I
: immediately diagnosed it, replaced it, and it's been fine since. Anyway,
: just illustrating that a component can test OK for one application and still
: be bad for what you really need it to do.
:
: Follow the symptom. The symptom is pointing at your kid's box. Nothing in
: this business is 100% certain, but I've had pretty good luck trusting my
: instincts. My gut is telling me the NIC in your kid's box is the likely
: culprit. Having said that, if you really want a good router, I would second
: the nomination for Netgear. If anything will work, the Netgear will. But I
: could have said the same thing about Linksys, also. -Dave

Thanks for the info. A new NIC is a small investment, and certainly less hassle
than than getting yet another router.

As for the Linksys, it's locking up problem (even with the kid's PC unattached)
was the big problem. I also didn't like how they'd dumbed it down. For instance,
they used to tell you how long the lease was good for - my ISP has a nasty habit
of issuing one hour leases. Anyways, the new version didn't support that feature.

Dan Mercer

:
: