Trouble with home network

[Guest]

Running two XP Home machines. One is a laptop, the other a desktop. Using
cable modem with a Netgear MR814 router. Lately, when one pc is on evrything
is OK, but turn on other pc and both machines get a mesage pop up from the
system tray saying "local area connection - a network cable is unplugged"
and the access to the internet is impaired to a crawl or sometimes just
stops. I have reset the router, re-run network wizard, reset cable modem,
released and renewed IP addresses, and all of these steps many, many times to
no avail.

Any help on how to resolve this would be most appreciated.
Thanks,

 

[Hans-Georg Michna]

Running two XP Home machines. One is a laptop, the other a desktop. Using
cable modem with a Netgear MR814 router. Lately, when one pc is on evrything
is OK, but turn on other pc and both machines get a mesage pop up from the
system tray saying "local area connection - a network cable is unplugged"
and the access to the internet is impaired to a crawl or sometimes just
stops. I have reset the router, re-run network wizard, reset cable modem,
released and renewed IP addresses, and all of these steps many, many times to
no avail.

How are the computers connected? I suspect some hardware error,
either a defective cable or the device you plug the cables into.

Hans-Georg

 

[John Woodgate]

How are the computers connected? I suspect some hardware error, either a
defective cable or the device you plug the cables into.

Can this be caused by using a crossover cable where it is not required,
or not using one where it is required?

 

[Hans-Georg Michna]

Can this be caused by using a crossover cable where it is not required,
or not using one where it is required?

John,

normally then you wouldn't get any connection at all. Or, if the
switch has the capability to sense and switch its ports
automatically, it would work just as well. Some newer switches
can do that.

I suspect a defective hub or switch, a defective cable or maybe
a defective Ethernet adapter in one of the computers. Can you
try swapping these components for other ones to test?

Hans-Georg