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lizas
28-09-2006, 11:39
:mad:

Please can someone help? I am tearing my hair out over this. I work in IT (although software and not networking thank god) and find all this incredibly frustrating!

I got the telewest set top box and modem two days ago.
The Cable TV is working fine and also when I plug the ethernet cable in from the modem (provided by telewest) in to one of my lap tops - the internet works no problem.

However - when I do the same to both my other laptops (one IBM and one Siemens) both don't work and have the icon on the network connection that it is limited and it appears both can't assign IP address. (atlhough both are set to assign IP automatically). It also says something like it can't find the DHCP server. All settings seem to be the same on all three laptops and I have no reason to believe this is an issue with my laptops as I have never had a problem attaching to LANS or wireless networks.

Does anyone have any idea??? Telewest have said that as 1 laptop works then it can't be their problem - but how can two completely different laptops have the same error? It isn't a coincidence - it must be something to do with them surely.

All three lap tops have the same Mc Afee antivirus software and all three have the MS XP firewall on (atlhough I have tried turning it off). All three are XP.

Please help - I am desperate!

lizas

Graham M
28-09-2006, 11:43
You need to reboot the Cable Modem in between conneftions

Oh and :welcome:

HTH

Chris
28-09-2006, 11:52
Beaten to it by Zeph ...

The Cable Modem records the MAC address of the ethernet card in your laptop. Once it has established the MAC address it is communicating with, it won't talk to a different one. Rebooting the modem helps it to forget. ;)

The only way to swap between your laptops without rebooting the modem all the time is to introduce a router to the set-up. You can do this quite cheaply nowadays and many of the popular ones have a wireless card for the laptop bundled, if you look about. I got a Linksys in PCWorld.

:welcome: to the forum. :)

lizas
28-09-2006, 12:07
Jesus - I can't believe how quick you guys are!!

Thanks for the replies - and the welcome :)

I did try rebooting the modem but only put the power out for about 20 secs - does it need more than that? I didn't realise I had to do it between changing laptops. That is a bit naff.

I have ordered a NETGEAR WGR614 Cable/DSL 54 Mbps Wireless Router
from dabs.com - I hope that when I get this set up I can use wireless and not have this issue.

Anyway - I am at work now and not at home - so I will try your good advice and let you know later.

many thanks again - it is much appreciated!!

Chris
28-09-2006, 12:14
We aim to please. Just remember to tell your friends. :D

I'd say 20 seconds is the minimum you should power down for. I'm not certain why you have to leave them for a while, I guess it may be something to do with residual power in the transformer keeping its memory alive for a few seconds after you switch off.

Either way, your new router should definitely do the trick.

lizas
28-09-2006, 19:48
Oh you two are wonderful!! I am all up and running on three lap tops!

Horray and thank you so much!

No doubt I will me posting a new thread when my router arrives and I can't configure it properly!

Cheers

Lizas:D

LSainsbury
29-09-2006, 15:18
Chris and Zeph have a new fan!

Graham M
29-09-2006, 17:34
Hehe :) Well when you get your router, you will need to reboot your Modem one more time, plug the wire from the Modem's Ethernet into the WAN Port on the Router, connect your laptops and it should be more or less of you go.