LAN cable unplugged!!

[cleanboot]

Well, dangit it is too plugged in!!

Just added a fourth computer to my network, installed drivers for the onboard ethernet no problem, plugged it into a hawking 5 port switch, but when I boot it up I get the little icon that says the cable is uplugged. I have replaced the plugs (one was backward) and I swear it is right now.

Does the whole system have to be shut down & re-booted to connect the new machine? I'll do that anyway but have to wait till later when the office closes.

All are running Win 2K pro.

This is my first networking experience so I am sort of blundering around. I figure I'm missing a setting obvious somewhere.

Thanks for any ideas

[Midknyte]

try another port on the switch. are you sure you didn't plug it into the uplink port?

try another cable that you know is working.

you don't need to shut down the computer for it to see the lan connection.

[cleanboot]

Thanks midknyte

It is plugged ito #4 the others are 1,2,3, I don't see one marked "uplink"??

Don't have another cable long enough, will try hole # 5.

[Midknyte]

If you don't have a cable long enough, you might have to move the computer to a known good spot and switch the systems. you need to determine if it's the switch, cable, or nic that is bad.

[cleanboot]

hole 5 didn't work either.

Thought I'd put a pci nic in it and see if that would work, although I don't see what the diff would be.

At home I have two machines connected with a crossover cable in two pci nics which is telling me the same thing, only I haven't had time to trouble shoot the cable yet. One is running W2K and the other XP.

[cleanboot]

OK midknyte

that soundss like a good plan, will try that tonight or tomorrow. Thanks

[Midknyte]

do you have a cable tester? that's the fastest way to tell if you got a good cable or not. You don't need the super-duper top of the line ones. Just continuity testing is enough for most cases.

http://www.pcconnection.com/scripts/searchresults.asp?MarketID=227848&ST=AS

[AllGamer]

how about giving us a better picture :p

by that i mean, what's the name and model of your Hub/Switch/Rotuer?

so we can check out its spec and help you better :t

[Midknyte]

more info sure wouldn't hurt. :)

did you try ports 1, 2 or 3 for the new system? you want to use known good components so that you can eliminate that piece in your troubleshooting. work your way logically from one end to the other.

[cleanboot]

The switch is a Hawking with 5 ports, unfortunatly I can't switch things around till later tonight, also the cables are all under the house so I'll have to move the puter to another location.

The ethernet adapter os onboard an Asus P4B533 mobo.

No cable tester.

[Midknyte]

well that makes it a little more difficult, doesn't it? :)

good luck! :D

[Arizona]

You shouldn’t have to reboot if you are running Win2K unless you added or removed network protocols.

Check your activity lights on your network card and switch.
If you don’t have any lights plug your cable into a known good port on your switch.
If you get activity lights your switch is bad.
If you still don’t have any lights swap out your network card with a known good one.
It is kind of a pain but cheaper than a cable tester and easier than routing a new cable or moving your PC seeming the cable is routed under your house which may not be the cause of your issue. If you still don’t get any lights you know the cable is bad.

Hope that helps.

Arizona

[Arizona]

Oh, I forgot check your bios to see if the network card is enable seeming it is an onboard card.

Best of luck,

Arizona

[cleanboot]

thanks Arizona

I set the bios, but still haven't gotten around to checking the rest yet. It is a part time machine and not critical but I will do it in the next day or two and let y'all know what happens.

Thanks

[cleanboot]

Ok guys here it is

Checked everything out as you all advised, it worked in another location, I even crawled under the house again and checked the cable.

The end that was plugged into the pc was looped around in the tangle of other cables and a power cord in back of the unit. When I pulled the lan cable out and re-routed it away the rest of the mess it connected and is working fine.

We live and learn

Thanks to all who replied

[Midknyte]

never run network cables near power lines or light fixtures. just future reference. :)