New laptop can't connect through hub

  • Thread starter Thread starter Stacey
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Stacey

I've been running a small home network for a while (3 PCs, with Win98,
WinXP & Win2003), with the connected machines going through a hub
(Kingston EtheRX KNE16TP/WG), to share files and a dynamic IP DSL
connection, and never had any problems with it.

Now I've added a new laptop (HP Pavillon dv2000) with an integrated
NVIDIA nForce NIC, but I'm having the hardest time getting it to
connect either to the LAN or the Internet.

If I hook it up *directly* to the DSL modem it connects without a
hitch and has good download speeds, but when I try to hook it up via
the hub nothing happens.

I can't even ping the other PCs (even though they can ping each other
fine), so obviously not much else is gonna happen...

It's running a clean XP Media Center, with the firewall disabled.
Cabling and hub port should be fine, since direct connection works
(but I also tried different ones there without success). I've set the
IP-address manually to 192.168.0.2 (the other used ones are
192.168.0.1, ...3 & ...4).
No errors show up in the device manager, and I've updated Windows and
all drivers to the latest versions.

I've tried different "Speed/Duplex" settings and setting its MAC
address in the card's properties, but that got me nowhere.

It seems very much to be a configuration problem, since the hardware
works fine if I skip the hub, but after trying everything I could
think of (and find on the Web), I'm at my wit's end...
 
You really should consider purchasing a router instead of using ICS
at this point. (which machine is the ICS machine?)

you say the firewall is disabled. is this windows firewall or some
third party firewall? you might need to uninstall a 3rd party FW
completely.

have you tried unplugging the other computers from the hub and just
having the edge machine online? reboot the edge machine. what
happens?

either way, please post the output of

ipconfig /all

I've been running a small home network for a while (3 PCs, with Win98,
WinXP & Win2003), with the connected machines going through a hub
(Kingston EtheRX KNE16TP/WG), to share files and a dynamic IP DSL
connection, and never had any problems with it.

Now I've added a new laptop (HP Pavillon dv2000) with an integrated
NVIDIA nForce NIC, but I'm having the hardest time getting it to
connect either to the LAN or the Internet.

If I hook it up *directly* to the DSL modem it connects without a
hitch and has good download speeds, but when I try to hook it up via
the hub nothing happens.

I can't even ping the other PCs (even though they can ping each other
fine), so obviously not much else is gonna happen...

It's running a clean XP Media Center, with the firewall disabled.
Cabling and hub port should be fine, since direct connection works
(but I also tried different ones there without success). I've set the
IP-address manually to 192.168.0.2 (the other used ones are
192.168.0.1, ...3 & ...4).
No errors show up in the device manager, and I've updated Windows and
all drivers to the latest versions.

I've tried different "Speed/Duplex" settings and setting its MAC
address in the card's properties, but that got me nowhere.

It seems very much to be a configuration problem, since the hardware
works fine if I skip the hub, but after trying everything I could
think of (and find on the Web), I'm at my wit's end...
Click to expand...
--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/
 
You really should consider purchasing a router instead of using ICS
at this point. (which machine is the ICS machine?)

you say the firewall is disabled. is this windows firewall or some
third party firewall? you might need to uninstall a 3rd party FW
completely.

have you tried unplugging the other computers from the hub and just
having the edge machine online? reboot the edge machine. what
happens?

either way, please post the output of

ipconfig /all


Barb Bowman
MS
Click to expand...

Actually, I'm not using ICS. My ISP assigns me a dynamic IP# to every
PC that connects through the hub.

I tried disconnecting the other machines from the hub, but that didn't
change anything.

But here's the output from the "ipconfig /all" command:

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : HPLaptop
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 802.11b/g WLAN
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1A-73-06-B1-18

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : NVIDIA nForce Networking
Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-16-D3-19-62-A0
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
 
what kind of modem are you connected to and who is your ISP? that
are giving you private non routable IP addresses. if it is DHCP,
change the setting on the pc with the issue to DHCP, power it down.
unplug the other computers from the hub. now unplug the broadband
modem and plug it back in. Power on the problem pc. BTW, if you try
a static IP, you need to configure the default gateway. check one of
the other machines that is working for this. but don't do that until
you try DHCP. what about my other question?

Actually, I'm not using ICS. My ISP assigns me a dynamic IP# to every
PC that connects through the hub.

I tried disconnecting the other machines from the hub, but that didn't
change anything.

But here's the output from the "ipconfig /all" command:

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : HPLaptop
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 802.11b/g WLAN
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1A-73-06-B1-18

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : NVIDIA nForce Networking
Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-16-D3-19-62-A0
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
Click to expand...
--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/
 
what kind of modem are you connected to and who is your ISP? that
are giving you private non routable IP addresses. if it is DHCP,
change the setting on the pc with the issue to DHCP, power it down.
unplug the other computers from the hub. now unplug the broadband
modem and plug it back in. Power on the problem pc. BTW, if you try
a static IP, you need to configure the default gateway. check one of
the other machines that is working for this. but don't do that until
you try DHCP. what about my other question?
Click to expand...


I'm using Bell Sympatico, and the modem is an Alcatel SpeedTouch Home.
The modem is connected to the uplink port of my hub, and this allows
me to share this Internet connection among all the PCs that are
connected (each gets its own unique and dynamic IP-number as soon as
it logs in).

I tried the shutting down and unplugging method, but that didn't
change anything.
(While I was at disconnecting stuff I tried once more to hook up the
problem PC directly to the modem, and again, it connected immediately
without any problems.)

As far as the default gateway is concerned - it's not defined on any
of the other PCs either, so I wouldn't know what to set it to...
Here, for example, is the ipconfig output of my main workstation:

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : a3800
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8168/8111 PCI-E
Gigabit Ethernet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-50-8D-91-0E-05
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 127.0.0.1

As far as the firewall is concerned - only the Windows firewall
exists, and it has been disabled.

I also tried (once more) to install newer drivers for the network
card, and this time (perhaps because I did the uninstalling and
rebooting in a different sequence) it showed *some* effect! I now can
actually see some of the servers on the network. I was even
temporarily able to see the shares on one of the servers, but that
went away again. I still can't log on to any of the servers, or ping
them, or see the laptop on the LAN, but at least *something* has
changed...

Normally, whenever I hook up a new PC to this network, all I have to
do is to define the workgroup name, give it a unique IP-number, and
I'm on my way. But this time I've been struggling for three days now.

I read somewhere that I should change my NIC speed/duplex mode if I
use a hub, and I tried different settings (right now it's at "full
autonegotiation"), but the only effect that had was that I'd get a
"network cable disconnected" if I selected any 100mbps option.
 
ok, that hub is a 10mb only dinosaur. you should try setting the NIC
to 10 megs half duplex. if that does not work, is it possible there
is a bad port on the hub itself?

I don't know anything about your provider or the equipment they
provide, unfortunately, but these days a switch is far far better
than a hub and I'm surprised they are still recommending/providing
hubs.

if this is your equipment, you might consider a 10/100 switch.

by the way, if the above recommendation does not work and there is
something specific with your provider (limiting the # of
connections?) there is a sympatico user forum at

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/sympat

I'm using Bell Sympatico, and the modem is an Alcatel SpeedTouch Home.
The modem is connected to the uplink port of my hub, and this allows
me to share this Internet connection among all the PCs that are
connected (each gets its own unique and dynamic IP-number as soon as
it logs in).

I tried the shutting down and unplugging method, but that didn't
change anything.
(While I was at disconnecting stuff I tried once more to hook up the
problem PC directly to the modem, and again, it connected immediately
without any problems.)

As far as the default gateway is concerned - it's not defined on any
of the other PCs either, so I wouldn't know what to set it to...
Here, for example, is the ipconfig output of my main workstation:

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : a3800
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8168/8111 PCI-E
Gigabit Ethernet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-50-8D-91-0E-05
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 127.0.0.1

As far as the firewall is concerned - only the Windows firewall
exists, and it has been disabled.

I also tried (once more) to install newer drivers for the network
card, and this time (perhaps because I did the uninstalling and
rebooting in a different sequence) it showed *some* effect! I now can
actually see some of the servers on the network. I was even
temporarily able to see the shares on one of the servers, but that
went away again. I still can't log on to any of the servers, or ping
them, or see the laptop on the LAN, but at least *something* has
changed...

Normally, whenever I hook up a new PC to this network, all I have to
do is to define the workgroup name, give it a unique IP-number, and
I'm on my way. But this time I've been struggling for three days now.

I read somewhere that I should change my NIC speed/duplex mode if I
use a hub, and I tried different settings (right now it's at "full
autonegotiation"), but the only effect that had was that I'd get a
"network cable disconnected" if I selected any 100mbps option.
Click to expand...
--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/
 
Stacey said:
I'm using Bell Sympatico, and the modem is an Alcatel SpeedTouch Home.
The modem is connected to the uplink port of my hub, and this allows
me to share this Internet connection among all the PCs that are
connected (each gets its own unique and dynamic IP-number as soon as
it logs in).

I tried the shutting down and unplugging method, but that didn't
change anything.
(While I was at disconnecting stuff I tried once more to hook up the
problem PC directly to the modem, and again, it connected immediately
without any problems.)

As far as the default gateway is concerned - it's not defined on any
of the other PCs either, so I wouldn't know what to set it to...
Here, for example, is the ipconfig output of my main workstation:

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : a3800
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8168/8111 PCI-E
Gigabit Ethernet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-50-8D-91-0E-05
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 127.0.0.1

As far as the firewall is concerned - only the Windows firewall
exists, and it has been disabled.

I also tried (once more) to install newer drivers for the network
card, and this time (perhaps because I did the uninstalling and
rebooting in a different sequence) it showed *some* effect! I now can
actually see some of the servers on the network. I was even
temporarily able to see the shares on one of the servers, but that
went away again. I still can't log on to any of the servers, or ping
them, or see the laptop on the LAN, but at least *something* has
changed...

Normally, whenever I hook up a new PC to this network, all I have to
do is to define the workgroup name, give it a unique IP-number, and
I'm on my way. But this time I've been struggling for three days now.

I read somewhere that I should change my NIC speed/duplex mode if I
use a hub, and I tried different settings (right now it's at "full
autonegotiation"), but the only effect that had was that I'd get a
"network cable disconnected" if I selected any 100mbps option.
Click to expand...
Stacy,

You have fallen victim to the plague of loose language that infests home
networking. You think you have a "DSL modem." Actually, according to
a manual I found for the Alcatel SpeedTouch Home
(http://www.grandecom.net/site-file.php?fid=37), this device is a DSL
modem that includes DHCP server. It must also include a router of some
sort, but the manual is less than clear on this point. The DHCP server
may or may not be on. If you are seeing local addresses of the form
192.168.0.x, and you are not manually setting these for each computer, I
suspect that the DHCP server in the "modem" is on.

Your equipment is, unfortunately, fairly obsolete: it only supports
10Base-T Half Duplex.

So, as Barb suggested in her last post, set your new laptop to 10 megs
half duplex.

If changing the settings on your NIC fixes things, great. If not, I
hesitate to suggest things without knowing how your "modem" is
configured. Your "modem" is a lot more configurable than most home
routers sold today. Fortunately, the manual seems pretty comprehensive.
It also says more info is available (although this product seems so
old to me that the other "User's Guides" may no longer be available):

<quote>
The STHome is an advanced product. Describing everything in
detail goes beyond the perspective of this User's Guide.
However, in case you want to explore STHome's possibilities and
interfaces in deep, you can always consult other Alcatel Speed
Touch DSL product's User's Guides available from Alcatel's
Support website at:
http://www.alcatel.com
http://www.alcateldsl.com
</quote>

Out of curiosity, when you want to connect to the Internet, do you have
to enter a userid/password to "dial" your DSL service, or do you just
start up your browser and type in an URL?
 
Stacy,

You have fallen victim to the plague of loose language that infests home
networking. You think you have a "DSL modem." Actually, according to
a manual I found for the Alcatel SpeedTouch Home
(http://www.grandecom.net/site-file.php?fid=37), this device is a DSL
modem that includes DHCP server. It must also include a router of some
sort, but the manual is less than clear on this point. The DHCP server
may or may not be on. If you are seeing local addresses of the form
192.168.0.x, and you are not manually setting these for each computer, I
suspect that the DHCP server in the "modem" is on.

Your equipment is, unfortunately, fairly obsolete: it only supports
10Base-T Half Duplex.

So, as Barb suggested in her last post, set your new laptop to 10 megs
half duplex.

If changing the settings on your NIC fixes things, great. If not, I
hesitate to suggest things without knowing how your "modem" is
configured. Your "modem" is a lot more configurable than most home
routers sold today. Fortunately, the manual seems pretty comprehensive.
It also says more info is available (although this product seems so
old to me that the other "User's Guides" may no longer be available):

<quote>
The STHome is an advanced product. Describing everything in
detail goes beyond the perspective of this User's Guide.
However, in case you want to explore STHome's possibilities and
interfaces in deep, you can always consult other Alcatel Speed
Touch DSL product's User's Guides available from Alcatel's
Support website at:http://www.alcatel.comhttp://www.alcateldsl.com
</quote>

Out of curiosity, when you want to connect to the Internet, do you have
to enter a userid/password to "dial" your DSL service, or do you just
start up your browser and type in an URL?
Click to expand...

Thanks for the further input!

I had tried the 10mbps/half duplex before, but that hadn't helped
much.

But today I went to a colleague with a modern router, and there
everything worked right away (Wifi & 10Base-T). I could ping any
machine I wanted, connect right away to the internet and any servers
on the LAN. So it looks like my "dinosaur hub" was the culprit after
all.

I'll just get a new router now - I don't have a problem with that -
But I just wanted to make sure that it's not the laptop itself that
was the cause of the problem before I spend more money on hardware.

So - thanks everyone for the help!
 
Stacey said:
Thanks for the further input!

I had tried the 10mbps/half duplex before, but that hadn't helped
much.

But today I went to a colleague with a modern router, and there
everything worked right away (Wifi & 10Base-T). I could ping any
machine I wanted, connect right away to the internet and any servers
on the LAN. So it looks like my "dinosaur hub" was the culprit after
all.

I'll just get a new router now - I don't have a problem with that -
But I just wanted to make sure that it's not the laptop itself that
was the cause of the problem before I spend more money on hardware.

So - thanks everyone for the help!
Click to expand...

If you can get Sympatico to tell you which DSL modems are compatible
with its service (and how to configure them), you're better off
replacing BOTH the ST Home and the hub. The ST itself limits you to
10Base-T).

Although you can buy devices that combine DSL modems and wifi routers in
one box, if you're willing to spend a little more money and use up a
little more desk space, you'll have a more flexible, and probably more
powerful/reliable, arrangement if you get 2 separate devices.

If you keep the ST, be aware that when you set up your new router, you
may or may not have to reconfigure the ST (essentially, to make it act
as a modem only). Good luck.
 
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