My annoying network

[chaos]

Okay heres what the network is now:
internet---hub---computer
---computer
---wirelessrouter---computer
---wireless computer
---wireless laptop

If I switch the hub with a switch I get problems with the computers on the wireless router, I have tried switching the hub with the wireless router, and one computer says no connectionand the cable is unplugged, and another just goes then doesn't over and over, and only one works. Right now this is very slow, I have no clue what to do anymore. any ideas? This is all on XP SP1 Pro. what I want is just have the wireless router, but it won't work. Also On the computers behind the router 80% of sites don't load :curse: :curse:

[1badtech]

You do know that you have to reset (turn off) everything when you replace your hub with a switch - right?

Here's what you should do.

Turn off your cable/dsl modem. Leave it off for a couple of minutes and turn it back on.

After your cable/dsl modem has established communication with your internet provider, turn on your wireless router. Make sure that you're wireless router is setup to do DHCP and to automatically acquire the IP and gateway address from the cable/dsl modem.

Turn on your computer/laptop and make sure it's setup to automatically acquire IP address & gateway from the router.

[bAdWaYz]

That would be good if his isp is cable or non PPoE, but it its dsl or a PPoE based connection then "Automatically aquire" won't work. I agree that starting things from an "off" state is a good idea. In a network with 3 wired computers and 2 wireless there is no reason for the router not to work alone. I would take the hub out of the loop. My next step would be to get the router working with just 1 pc then move to another untill they were all working.

[chaos]

I got pretty much there, but then one computer never changes and says cable is unplugged.

[z1p]

chaos,

When you had the setup with just the router, did you check the cable that you were using for the computer you had trouble with? Or try switch ports?

I agree with bAdWayz, if you can go with just the router that would be better. The simpler the better.

[chaos]

Okay, I am doing exactly what you say. I remove the hub, put in the switch, or preferibley the router. computer sitting near it always fine ok, 1 upstairs is always saying the cable is unplugged with both, other computer is iffy but it seems to atleast get a connection. I have the router in right, internet is going in and the cables all plug in the lights on and it says it is unplugged. only time everything works is if I use the hub, which I don't want to use since its VERY old

Oh, another thing is the two that don't work have crappy self made cable its of poor quality, but if that ws the problem how would it work with the hub.

Hopfeully this is my last edit, here it is it isnt pretty:

dsl---router(wifi)--hub--------computer(its ok to go slow on this one)
--Wireless computer
--Wireless laptop
--ComputerA
--ComputerB


Okay the connection for computer B is farther away then A and it is on the crap cable(it's two cables I wired together) and on B the unplug warning comes up and goes away over and over so it probably has a connection just can't keep it, so would better cable fix this?

[z1p]

A cable that is iffy may work with one device, but not another. It could be that the router and hub put out different signal strenths on the cable, or something else. Also, if its and old hub it may be 10baseT and the router if its newer is most likely 100baseT. If that is the case then could easily explain why the cable works with the hub, but not the router. I'd say that changing the cable is a good idea and offers a pretty good chance of fixing the connection problem.

[chaos]

Yeah i am pretty sure the hub is 10baseT, well it says 10mb/s with the hub and 100 with the switch or router, is there a way to check the cable?

[z1p]

chaos, the quick answer to your question is yes, there is a way to do it. But, I don't know the specifics (I leave that to the HW folks). If it is a cable that is spliced together, your best bet is to replace it (IMHO).

-zip

[bAdWaYz]

This may sound stupid to most but its just how I see things. When setting up a network I always go very simple first then add as needed. Also if I question something I just don't use it in my network. Knowingly using questionable cable is setting yourself up for problems down the road. Why not go out and buy a lenth of good patch its not that expensive. There is really no good reason why all the computers shouldn't be able to access the net and files/folders over the lan with just the router. Plus with just the computers and a router no hub or switch that cuts down on things that could be an issue. So use known good and keep it simple and I think you will find that networking isn't as complex as some make it seem.