Network question

[Schwong]

Now i know that the ethernet issue is quite popular as i have searched through the forums and found people having problems with their modems pickup up on the ethernet, i have this problem too and therfore cannot set up my linksys router.

What i am trying to do is setup a network between two computers to share the internet, however before this i knew that my modem had a problem with ethernet and have used USB up until now.
Before i installed the router i thought i would try and sort out this ethernet problem out, i have powered off the computer and switched off the modem, then proceeded to connect the ethernet from modem to computer and waited for a couple of minutes, then i rebooted the modem and the computer.
Unfortunatly this did not work, the green led was lit up on the network card showing that it did have connectivity but the modem did not light its ethernet led up.
So...i thought i would try and update the drivers for my network card, i proceeded to do so but unfortunatly it seems to have made things worse, now the green led light on the network card no longer lights up even with things connected. (Although windows seems to know when i connect and disconnect the ethernet wire)

Anyway, i decided to try the router and still it did not work, i was able to access the router config via the http://ip.ip.ip.ip thing through the ethernet but was still unable to get the modem to pick up on it.
NOTE!: The "Internet" LED on the LinkSys Router also does not light up when the modem is connected to the router.

Windows XP is already configured to automatically obtain IPs.

Simply put, the modem just does not want to pick up on the ethernet connection and it is very annoying.

Network Card: Realtek RTL8139 Ethernet NIC
Modem: NTL:Home 200 (its a silver modem)
Connection Speed: 300k
Router: LinkSys EtherFast Cable/DSL Router with 8-Port Switch
Model No: BEFSR81
Using the "UTP Cat 5" wire to connect the PC to the Modem or Router to Modem.
Using "Belkin CAT6 Ethernet Cable Gold" to connect the 2 Pc's to the Router.

Anyway, i suspect that the problem is within my card but well, i know nothing about these things and am totally stuck

Thanks, hope somebody can help.

[MovedGoalPosts]

Firstly I'd suggest you concentrate on getting the PC to modem connection working properly before you introduce the router.

You've had problems with the NIC drivers, tried updating or otherwise changing those. I suggest you go through your PC (network settings and control panels > device drivers) and delete all the existing setups. Power down the modem, and reboot the PC, with the modem off. Let the PC reload any drivers prompted, and then reboot both PC and modem. There should be no need for any ntl software to be loaded on your PC. Make sure all the new network settings are automatic.

It's worth ensuring your PC is clean of spyware, has current A/V and has a current firewall on, while you connect direct to the modem, although when eventually you connect with the router, if the router has a firewall built in, turn off the PC's software firewall.

[Schwong]

Right well i tried uninstalling everything, i managed to uninstall the usb cable modem and the realtek network card.
I then reloaded with no modem connected and it reinstalled the realtek network card, i then shut down again and connected the modem via ethernet and proceeded. It did not work unfortunatly.

I have checked spyware, i do have up to date anti virus and i do have a software firewall.

I did a little experiment, when connecting the router via ethernet to the PC the network card's LED lit up, however when connecting the modem via ethernet the netword card's LED does not light up. Also when connecting the modem via ethernet to the router the router's "internet" LED does not light up even though "1" and "2" are lit up (1 & 2 being the PC's which are connected).
This kind of leads me to believe that the modem is at fault here, nothing is picking up on its ethernet connection. Am i correct?

Anyway, thanks for helping and please help some more :D I will be ringing NTL's customer support tommorow if anyone can prove me wrong about the modem being at fault.

[Stuart]

Have you tried a different cable (ie known working) from the PC to the Modem? Also (and this is a long shot), have you tried unplugging the modem from the mains, leaving it off for about thirty seconds, then plugging it in again?

If neither of those work, it's a call to faults I am afraid.

Welcome to CableForum BTW

[Lord Nikon]

Just a small idea, try connecting one of the PCs to the WAN connection on the router, check everything lights up then, if it does, try one of the CAT6 cables between the router and the modem. it could be something as simple as a knackered cat5 cable.

[Schwong]

Well the CAT5 Cable came with the router which was bought today, i guess its pretty new unless it came faulty :(

I have a spare CAT5 wire which i also tried from both modem to router and modem to computer, it made no difference. The odd thing is that i do remember ethernet working a long time ago, i think maybe a year ago but i went back to usb because i suspected it might have been the cause of some internet problems (which turned out to be oversubscribed ntl in my area :P), i guess i forgot to go back to ethernet and now it doesnt work ! :(

I tried using the CAT6 from modem to router, unfortunatly it still did not work.
I have indeed tried leaving the modem off for 30 seconds, ive done it about twenty times :D unfortunatly it does not help

Thank you for the welcome.

[Schwong]

Well i ran NTL up on customer service, went through the usual switch off switch on, change sides of the ethernet cable process etc.
They determined it to be a faulty modem so they placed an engineer request for me, unfortunatly the lady on the phone said that the ntl database thingy was going to be down for the next seven days so if i get a modem i wont be able to use it as it wont register on the internet.
So i'll be ringing back on the 20th.

In the meantime i think i will use these 7 days to double check that the modem IS faulty, think ill go purchase another cat5 and a cheapo network card somewhere.

Thanks for the help.

[Nemesis]

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/article/176/ntl-upgrades-its-customer-billing-system

[Schwong]

I must ask, is it possible for two computers to share a USB connected NTL modem ? Im currently looking into it on google so hopefully i'll be able to find a solution if it is possible, but if you can help please do :)

Thanks for the news link.

[Stuart]

You could do it by connection one via USB, then connecting the other PC to that one via a crossover ethernet cable. You would need to run the Internet Connection sharing wizard on the PC sharing the connection,

It would need to be switched on and running Windows for the other PC to access the Internet though,