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I've got a problem that has me totally stumped, and I'm hoping someone here has some ideas that might help me.
I have:
- A Dell computer running Windows XP
- A Linksys AG241 ADSL modem
- A Netgear WGR614 wireless switch
Until recently I had the Dell and the Netgear plugged into two network ports on the Linksys and everything worked fine. The Dell could browse the internet, and my iPhone could too via wireless. Then it stopped working for no apparent reason, and I have no idea why.
Things I have tried:
- Plugged my Lenovo Win7 laptop into the DSL modem -- can browse the internet no worries
- Plugged Dell into the Netgear -- can see it and configure it fine
- Plugged Dell into Linksys -- can't see it. The network port light on the front of the Linksys doesn't light up.
- Plugged Netgear into the Linksys -- can't see it. The network port light on the front of the Linksys doesn't light up.
Point 1 tells me that the Linksys modem is fine. Point 2 tells me that the Dell computer is fine. But when I plug the Dell into the Linksys it doesn't work (#3).
I am completely stumped and don't know what to do next.
Stewart Johnson
Posted 2011-06-30T01:28:00.560
Reputation: 301
so you can only plug one device into your DSL modem? could it be NAT is off? i think that might be what'd happen if NAT is off. – barlop – 2011-06-30T01:33:29.090
When you have scenarios 3 or 4, can you ping 8.8.8.8? – KCotreau – 2011-06-30T02:03:10.877
Both the modem and the wireless switch have 4 ethernet ports on the back. In scenarios 3 and 4 the lights on the modem indicating a plugged-in network cable don't light up -- it doesn't physically recognise the connection. I've tried switching the cables around - no difference. – Stewart Johnson – 2011-06-30T03:19:25.420
New datapoint: now when I plug the Dell into the linksys, Windows is showing the connection being plugged-in and then unplugged about once every two seconds. (I'm not touching anything.) My Lenovo laptop that I'm using right now is also plugged into the modem, and internet access is fine. I've switched over the cables and the ports, and I see the same behaviour. I am COMPLETELY flummoxed. – Stewart Johnson – 2011-06-30T03:22:37.273
@KCotreau: When I ping 8.8.8.8 it says "Hardware Error". Earlier today I suspected the old network card was dead, so I bought a brand new one and installed it this morning. – Stewart Johnson – 2011-06-30T03:25:21.610
So can you ping 127.0.0.1? Then do an IPCONFIG at a command prompt and see if you can ping your IP address. Then try to ping your router/default gateway...let me know where it fails. – KCotreau – 2011-06-30T03:33:03.567
Yep ping to 127.0.0.1 on Dell works. IPCONFIG on Dell has always said "Media Disconnected" -- before and after it was doing the connect/disconnect every 2 seconds. Ping to modem (192.168.1.1) on Dell says "Destination host is unreachable" but works fine from my Lenovo laptop also plugged into modem. I switch the cables and ports but get the same results every time. – Stewart Johnson – 2011-06-30T03:41:02.507
Pinging 127.0.0.1 almost always means that your network card works. So if media is disconnected, it is either the wire, or what you are connected to. You need to try swapping that out. That there are no lights is also a very bad sign. Without the @kcotreau, I did not see the msg. – KCotreau – 2011-06-30T03:44:38.980
ping to 8.8.8.8 now says "Destination host unreachable". I'm ready to put all of it in the bin. :-/ – Stewart Johnson – 2011-06-30T03:45:17.623
@KCotreau: I've swapped the cables and the ports with my laptop (I've used both of them in these comments) so I'm 100% certain they're okay. I don't have any evidence that the Dell or the Netgear need replacing, since they both work fine when not connected to each other. :-( – Stewart Johnson – 2011-06-30T03:57:52.717