How to network a pre-wired house (not a newbie) long

[Robert Blackwell]

Okay, I've moved to a new house and it's prewired with cat5.

My current network has 7 computers and 2 network printers. Currently I have
at our old location (which we aren't out of for 4 more days)

1 MN-500 wifi router
1 8 port hub 8th port is for uplink
1 4 port hub +uplink


I have modem to router
8 port uplinked to router
4 port uplinked to 8 port

everything works fine.

In the new house I'm trying some other hardware so I don't have to take down
the other network yet; I'm trying with a linksys router and netgear 5port
hub with autosensing uplink or whatever.
Netgear FS605 10/100 5 Port Dual Switch (the picture is way off though)
http://www.staples.com/Catalog/Browse/Sku.asp?PageType=1&Sku=487840

Now though, in the house there is only 1 jack in each room. So I wanted to
put a hub in each room and uplink. So far, I'm not having any luck.

Here's what I've tried so far...
The control panel in the house is Square-D and it has 8 ports (only 7 are
wired)

I went into the kitchen plugged my computer into the new netgear hub...it's
a
Netgear FS605 10/100 5 Port Dual Switch
http://www.staples.com/Catalog/Browse/Sku.asp?PageType=1&Sku=487840

Then, I plugged the hub into the cat5 jack and then went up to the control
panel.
The Notebook is plugged directly into router in port 1. I then tried
plugging a cable to any port on the router 2-4 and then I kept test the port
on the control panel to find out which one is for the kitchen...port three
lit up the lights but computers could still not see each other.

I then tried plugging the kitchen computer directly into the wall outlet,
and from the control panel directly into the router...still, nothing.

Unfortunately, there is no internet available or phone lines at that house
installed yet so I'm trying to go by memory...I don't remember if the lights
on the router lit up when I tried directly from the kitchen to the router
without the hub...

Lastly, I'm not too hip on the auto sensing uplink...I'd prefer a button
switch or dedicated port but unfortunately that's all staples had and I
don't really have much time to wait. I mean, autosense is fine I'm sure, but
I still like somethings to be manual so you know if it's actually supposed
to be uplinked or not...if you know what I mean.

So, I'm in a tight spot guys, I have 4 days to set this thing up and so far
it's not looking so good. I was expecting this to be a piece of cake, being
that it's all pre-wired but there is also no manual for the cp, nothing I
could find anyway, the house manual kit is like seriously 10 pounds and
there is no table of contents.
I'm not an entire networking newbie but it's been a while since I set a new
one up, and I've never done a pre-wired house before.

Any help GREATLY appreciated. I'll be checking in and out as often as I can
since we're still moving stuff and trying to set things up, please if
possible, everyone just say your suggestions without waiting for replies
since it will probably be a good 6 hours till I can reply.
Thanks

 

[Kent W. England [MVP]]

Setup the router, hub and two computers on the kitchen table without any
house wiring involved. Plug the two computers into the hub and verify
that they can communicate by pinging back and forth and checking the
network view. Make sure you aren't using the uplink port. Then plug the
hub into the router using the uplink port and see if the router and two
computers can communicate and establish DHCP leases and you can ping,
etc.

Only then should you take it apart and plug in the house wiring. If you
have the tools, test the house wiring without anything plugged in. A
tester costs about $40, IIRC.

 

[Robert Blackwell]

Okay, yeah...I'll do that first and then get back to you. I'd hope all the
wires are good, I'd rather not go wireless for everything. It's still way to
slow for my liking plus the extra hassle in dealing with security etc.

 

[Kent W. England [MVP]]

I far prefer wired over wireless for speed and security. How's it going?