strange internet connection/printer sharing dilemma

[LT. Columbo]

this drove me nuts today. i finally got it all back working though.

PC a, net works good
PC b, can't connect. ( was working fine, left page open, had shower, come back - no go.

had pc b for months and this is the second time this happened (been 3 or so months since last time)


i thought it was the router, i reset it, played around with the power and ethernet as per the manual - nothin. i bypass router, put on PC a, good. bypass again on PC b. NO GOOD.

now i take PC b downstairs and hook up to the other monitor and mouse directly to modem (to isolate the 75ft cable), sure enough it works now. now i put both PC's back, hook router and everything up like i always have, all is 100%. thinking back now, this is exactly what ended up fixing it that last time, me taking it downstairs and hooking it up directly to the modem and putting everything back.

is this weird or what? i learned a whole new vocabulary today i tell you. what the hell can cause this? on either pc everything is lightning fast always and never have any internet issues asisde for these 2 cases on PC b. so it tells me it's PC b? i have no friggin idea....thoeries?

[vw56german]

Lt. might the "event viewer" give you any info? right click my computer > Manage > event viewer > system. I was wondering if it might show an alert or error on the ethernet card.

[ed klein]

Sounds maybe like a loose on and off connection. Clean all your contacts with a clean pencil eraser, and make sure they are clean and tight. Rotate connectors as you push them on.

[Chewy]

these are all wired connections? ed's idea is a good one, check out that
75ft cable, may have hooked a dust bunny last time you plugged it in.
The ethernet card or mobo connection may be tarnished. examine them with a
flashlight

[LT. Columbo]

hey fellas

well, vw i looked and at the time of loss there are a bunch of errors all relating to it losing internet IP addy and stuff like that. some of those must have been me un-plugging and re-plugging the line.

not sure how i can use an eraser to clean the plug though? i'll try and clean it off, also next time this happens i'll have a look at the card/board connection. yes chewy ALL wired connections.

BTW is there a diagnostic tool that can measure signal strength on an ethernet line? there must be...probably a fortune too..

[vw56german]

I was kind of hoping you would have found an error that indicated a loss of connection due to <insert cause> and it creating a stop condition that would prevent regaining connection without a reboot. From your post I am concluding that you tried the different connection configurations without a reboot until you actually moved downstairs to the direct connection setup. You could be onto something with the card/board connections, have you dusted inside lately?

[LT. Columbo]

From your post I am concluding that you tried the different connection configurations without a reboot until you actually moved downstairs to the direct connection setup. You could be onto something with the card/board connections, have you dusted inside lately?

correct. it looks pretty clean in there, could still use a clean perhaps

[katzdvd]

BTW is there a diagnostic tool that can measure signal strength on an ethernet line? there must be...probably a fortune too

For my surfboard cable modem, there is a software diag. utility that will measure line cond., etc. Wonder if your router/modem has that capability built in...

Do a google on the model #'s & diag utility, maybe you'll get lucky!

*Note- the last time the cable tech came to the house, he showed me how to use mine. It is pretty techy, I don't understand a lot of it, had to do a lot of googling for explanations!

just my 2 cents...
katz

[LT. Columbo]

thanx katz, yes i also need to find out how to use it to share a printer.

[AlienX69]

I have a network printer (6-in1, Brother) very KEWL !!!

Did you rule out the cables being bad ? (Read kinda quickily) Mice or nicks in the LAN cable ... a short !!

[Chewy]

yes i also need to find out how to use it to share a printer

set up networking, name a workgroup, load the drivers on the remote computer unless it's plug and play(printer) w/ xp, share the printer on the local computer, add printer on remote, pick network printer, simple as pie

[volfann]

set up networking, name a workgroup, load the drivers on the remote computer unless it's plug and play(printer) w/ xp, share the printer on the local computer, add printer on remote, pick network printer, simple as pie

Chewy is correct as usual.. Did this yesterday with my wireless network.. if I can do it anyone can!!!

[LT. Columbo]

Did you rule out the cables being bad ?

i think so, it's a cheaper cable but it seems to have nothing to do with the problem

set up networking, name a workgroup, load the drivers on the remote computer unless it's plug and play(printer) w/ xp, share the printer on the local computer, add printer on remote, pick network printer, simple as pie

isn't this info on my d-link install disc (manual)?

[LT. Columbo]

i think i found it, another good guide from d-link

http://support.dlink.com/faq/view.asp?prod_id=1807&question=di-604%20printer

is this what you meant chewy?

[RFBurns]

Hello all! I ran into this problem before as well, with two pc's. But this problem only presented itself on the pc's with the longest cable runs. Found out that not only was the cables a wee bit too long for the signals, they both developed intermittent breaks along their lengths at various points, ie around corners and such where the cables had to be run.There is a tool, not sure where to get one, that can test the integrity of the wires inside your cables. It does this by a little box that plugs into one end of the cable, and a tester at the other. It sends voltages along the wires and tests the stability of those voltages by measuring current changes and voltage changes to a reference value generated inside the testing unit. If it finds a "leak" so to speak, it lights up the appropriate LED indicator for that wire in the cable.Perhaps a "leaky" wire inside your cable is the culprit, causing loss of signal value and confusing the heck out of your modem and router's communications, thus locking it up. If all other checks suggested by the other members show ok, I would suspect a wire or two with an intermittent break, particularly at a corner where the cable is routed.