Router Modem recognition problem

[apprentice]

Been trying to set up a Belkin Modem Router to a 2yr old MESH A800 3.0Ghz PC with ethernet LAN and it's currently not recognising the LAN connection.

It is straightforward to put the ethernet cable into one of the 4 LAN ports in the back of the modem; however I can only see one connection termed "network" (with has an icon next to it depicting three PCs) which I've plugged the other end of the ethernet cable plugs into in the back of the PC.

Once powered up, none of the LAN lights are illuminated.

I've checked connections, disabled XP firewall etc.

I have an ADSL filter connected to the wall socket - should I?

Any help/thoughts - really appreciated.

NB:- Currently I am at work and remote from the PC.

Thanks,
apprentice

[aldi]

If you go to start/settings/control pannel/network connections have you got a 'Local Area Connection'? If so, is it enabled? If it's enabled, can you right click and get the 'status' to see if it is seeing a connection?
Are you seeing no lights both on the back of the PC and the router?

[apprentice]

I will check to see if its enabled via Settings this evening - ta.

Not aware of any lights on the back of the PC?

No LAN lights illuminated on front of modem - although I can confirm LEDs are fine when starting up the modem.

[GreenV8S]

I suspect it's a crossover problem and you're using the wrong combination of crossover/straight cable, and uplink/downlink port on the hub/router. Try using one of the downlink ports, if that doesn't work try replacing your straight cable with a crossover or vice versa.

[apprentice]

GreenV8S said:

I suspect it's a crossover problem and you're using the wrong combination of crossover/straight cable, and uplink/downlink port on the hub/router. Try using one of the downlink ports, if that doesn't work try replacing your straight cable with a crossover or vice versa.

What's/where do I find a downlink port?

The ethernet cable I'm using was the one supplied in the Belkin kit - what's the difference in a crossover cable?

Excuse my ignorance and thanks for the input.

[GreenV8S]

In simplistic terms, the ethernet cables you're using have two connections. The equipment at each end talks on one connection and listens on the other. To achieve this, the connections have to be crossed over at some point. However, when you have your ethernet connection relayed through bridges and hubs you need to take care that it doesn't get 'uncrossed' again along the way.

It's fairly common on hubs to have a single port designed to connect to a switch (referred to as an uplink port) and the other ports designed to connect to terminal equipment. The difference is whether the connections are crossed over within the hub. Sometimes there is a switch on the hub to select whether the 'uplink' port should be crossed or not, so that it can be used as an ordinary downlink port if required. I'm not familiar with your router, but it sounds to me as if the port with the three computers next to it may be an uplink port, and presumably the other three are downlink ports.

So, if your cable doesn't work when you're using the uplink port then stick it in a downlink port and try again.

Thanks for the explanation GreenV8S, as a result I'm begining to get my head around it.

The port with the three computer icons on, is the only port that has an ethernet style cable connection, the other ports next to it have USB connections, so I will need to acquire a cable to suit USB.

[GreenV8S]

said:

Thanks for the explanation GreenV8S, as a result I'm begining to get my head around it. The port with the three computer icons on, is the only port that has an ethernet style cable connection, the other ports next to it have USB connections, so I will need to acquire a cable to suit USB.

A router with a single network connection and three USB ports? That sounds most unusual, I'd normally expect it to include a hub and have multiple network connections. It's *possible* that the USB ports are attached to network adaptors in which case you just need to install the driver on the PC and plug in the USB cable, do the instructions tell you to do this?

If you only have one ethernet port on the modem/router obviously you can't try the ethernet cable in any others, but you do have the choice of trying a cross-over cable or a straight cable (I have no idea which sort your existing cable is).

[apprentice]

GreenV8S said:

said: Thanks for the explanation GreenV8S, as a result I'm begining to get my head around it. The port with the three computer icons on, is the only port that has an ethernet style cable connection, the other ports next to it have USB connections, so I will need to acquire a cable to suit USB. A router with a single network connection and three USB ports? That sounds most unusual, I'd normally expect it to include a hub and have multiple network connections. It's *possible* that the USB ports are attached to network adaptors in which case you just need to install the driver on the PC and plug in the USB cable, do the instructions tell you to do this? If you only have one ethernet port on the modem/router obviously you can't try the ethernet cable in any others, but you do have the choice of trying a cross-over cable or a straight cable (I have no idea which sort your existing cable is).

No... it's the back of the PC (not the router) that has one ethernet and three USB's. Router has 4 LAN connections.

[GreenV8S]

We've been talking at crossed purposes then, I thought you were talking about the ports on the router.

If the router came with a cable, and you've connected it between the (only) ethernet port on the PC and each of the four ethernet ports on the router, and none of them work, then either (a) the ethernet port is not enabled on the PC, or (b) the cable is the wrong sort (unlikely if it came with the router) or (c) you have a hardware fault (which is pretty unlikely).