LAN cables

[Cheule]

If you do need a cable, let me know as I build them. I can make you one up no problem.

 

[Spinney]

Update - having switched the PC off overnight, it now appears to be working normally! (This is being sent from the PC).

because it is working, but for what was wrong in the first place!


I HAD tried a couple of restarts of the PC (as well as the router) before calling for help. The only combination I hadn't tried is powering them both off together (if that has any relevance?)

Maybe the cable didn't work on the laptop because it was the wrong port? But it was the only hole in it that fitted the type of cable ending (and has a networky type of icon next to it).

Computers are brilliant, when they work...

Thanks for all your input, guys.

 

[Norm]

I HAD tried a couple of restarts of the PC (as well as the router) before calling for help. The only combination I hadn't tried is powering them both off together (if that has any relevance?)

You say that you had done a couple of restarts - were those "restarts" or were they fully shutting it down, leaving it powered off and then turning it back on?

Using the restart button doesn't always shut everything down completely. If you are having problems, don't restart but shut down and leave it turned off for 15-20 seconds.

The PC alone being at fault also doesn't explain why the cable didn't work in the laptop.

 

[MacB]

Could be worth running those patches/fixes though, the best I can work out is I'd picked up something that was intermittently making my PC think it had no network card or the network cable was unplugged, or at least those were the error messages I got.

 

[Spinney]

You say that you had done a couple of restarts - were those "restarts" or were they fully shutting it down, leaving it powered off and then turning it back on?

Using the restart button doesn't always shut everything down completely. If you are having problems, don't restart but shut down and leave it turned off for 15-20 seconds.

The PC alone being at fault also doesn't explain why the cable didn't work in the laptop.

They were restarts, not full power-downs.
I will try the full power-down if it happens again.

Cable not working in the laptop could be due to my incompetence. I went through the connect routine and told it to use a wire, but I don't know if there was anything else I should have done (I've only ever used the laptop with a wireless connection).


MacB - thanks - I'll take a look at doing what you suggest tonight (must get on with some actual work right now!).

This is about the only time I ever regret becoming self-employed - in my last job I would just pick up the phone to the IT department and they'd do all the faffing for me!

 

[Norm]

This is about the only time I ever regret becoming self-employed - in my last job I would just pick up the phone to the IT department and they'd do all the faffing for me!

That' what CC is for.

 

[Spinney]

That' what CC is for.

 

[qwiksilver]

windows xp can be fickle when it comes to dhcp and getting it to change its config always works best in dos ipconfig/renew, if i was you as you work from home i would take some time to set up static ips on your lan as this takes away the dhcp function and gives each machine connected its own ip and the same one each time that way it will never call up the microsoft preset ip ranges if any of the equipment has a blip and don't communicate properly.

there should be on the base of your router (depending how old it is) a gateway ip (the routers preset ip) entering this into your browsers address bar will let you into your routers setting where you can change all the settings i.e. the dhcp setting so you can set up static ip's then you will have to set it up on your machine also through the control panel>network connections> properties>(tcp/ip) properties, its pretty straight forward as in you copy the mac addy, dns and ip you want in to each set of config options on/from/to the router and pc you should also find a better connection speed as doing this takes some of the work load from the router in deciphering which machine its talking to in effect.

glad to see you got main box to work its a pain in the ass when they go wrong

 

[2Loose]

Glad it is working again, I know that it is (almost) laughable but I am sure that a Virgin Tech told me that over 90% of calls related to connection issues can be solved by powering everything off, counting to 30 and then powering it back up again.

I have no reason to think that any other ISP experiences less of this type of problem.