[Erusaro]

ok me and my bro are on the same network with my dad but every time me and my dad both try to get on he gets kicked off all the time and then when me and my bro wanna do a lan with eachother it wont let us cause it says im not hooked up and we know im the cause cause we trie unpluggin my bro and it messed up then when we unplugged me it started workin again and my dad could do stuff (it gives him the network cable is unplugged error message, then it fixes it self, and it does this every like 3 to 4 minutes) i have no clue what to do someone please help

[Dyre Straits]

Greetings and welcome to Driverheaven.

First of all, it sounds like your network is not set up for DHCP. That means that each of your computers is not being automatically assigned an IP address and therefore likely conflicting.

You'll need to share more information as to how you are connecting your computers together....HUB, Router, or how?

[Yousaif]

In Windows XP click on Start> Control Panel> Network Connections.

Right click on your Local Area Connection and choose Properties.

In the box labelled "the following components are installed" or something like that, click on the "Internet Protocol TCP/IP" and click the properties button below.

If your network is set up to use DHCP then these choices will be marked to "Obtain IP address automatically," and "Obtain DNS Server Address Automatically."

If your network is set static then it will have values in the area under "Use the follwing IP Address." If your network is set static then you can try to just increment the IP address by 1. (Example, if it is entered to use IP 192.168.0.3, then change it to 192.168.0.4).

If it is set static then you might me spoofing your MAC address of your NIC card to be the same as your dad's (not common but it does happen).

Hope this helps and welcome!

[Erusaro]

we have a router downstairs and we run a wire up to my room through the wall and me and my bro hook up using a hub and it is set up to assign ip addresses automatically

[Dyre Straits]

Originally Posted by Erusaro

we have a router downstairs and we run a wire up to my room through the wall and me and my bro hook up using a hub and it is set up to assign ip addresses automatically

Do you have a separate CAT 5 cable running from the HUB as an UPLINK to the Router?

[Erusaro]

me and my bro plug into the hub and the hub runs the wire to the router is that what you mean

[Dyre Straits]

Originally Posted by Erusaro

me and my bro plug into the hub and the hub runs the wire to the router is that what you mean

Not exactly.

On the HUB there should be a switch that indicates HUB/Uplink. One of the connections will usually be marked for the Uplink setting.

If you and your brother plug into the HUB, you may need to make sure that the 3rd CAT 5 cable is plugged into the Uplink connection to your Router.

[Geminiwave]

you also need to be careful about using patch cables versus crossover cables.

maybe you're using a crossover cable where you need a patch cable. or vice versa.

[pr0digal jenius]

moved to hopefully get you a little more help

[Yousaif]

Something is messed up between you and your dad's PC. A solution to this may be to uninstall and reinstall the drivers for the NICs on both your and your dad's machine.

Right click on My Computer and choose properties. Click on Hardware, the Device Manager. Right click on your network card and choose to uninstall. Then reboot.

Do this for both machines.

[H3X4D3C1M4L]

I think its the cables... if you're using a HUB you need to be running all crossover cables. If its a router with an integrated switch you won't have such worries and I very much doubt you'd be having this problem in the first place if that were the case. Sounds like a case of someone having the wrong cable and its buggering up everyone else everytime that person gets on

[Dyre Straits]

Originally Posted by H3X4D3C1M4L

I think its the cables... if you're using a HUB you need to be running all crossover cables. If its a router with an integrated switch you won't have such worries and I very much doubt you'd be having this problem in the first place if that were the case. Sounds like a case of someone having the wrong cable and its buggering up everyone else everytime that person gets on

I'm with you.

[Tipstaff]

Question: were all the cable premade? By that I mean, did you buy them already with the connectors on the ends already, or did you create any of the cables (such as the longer cable running from downstairs to upstairs), or did someone create it for you? Also, are you using a hub, or is it actually a switch? If you don't know the difference, then you might want to give THIS a read for a better understanding as it's critical.

One thing to check is the connector ends to make sure they all are using the same layout. For standard RJ45 ethernet cable there are 2 color codes to use: 568A, and 568B. Take note of the following 2 pics (pay attention to the blue and orange wire locations):

568A


568B


- For hub to hub, or computer to computer you need to use "Crossover" cable, and that is created by having one end set to 568A, and the other 568B. Essentially you swap the 2 orange pair of wires around with the 2 green pair on one end. The only time this can be different is if you run a cable from a switch to switch, or a more modern router to switch as they can adapt to the cable connected. Not always (as the case with much, much older rouers), but most of the time.

- For router, hub, or switch to computer you should set both ends to be 568B (both ends can be 568A too, but most premade cables are sold in 568B configuration). This is known as a "Straight-Thru" cable.

Best thing to do is go over the connectors just to make sure everything is setup right.

[PangingJr]

if the systems are all hooking up via a ethernet switch box, then some of the switchs do support and adjust on each and every port connectors for both straight-through and crossover cables, so in this case, even though the crossover cables are not necessary, but both types of the cables can be used.

[Erusaro]

ya well it is definately a hub i know that cause i have taken some courses in cisco, but do you need to have all crossover cables when it is from a router to a hub and then to my comp cause i dunno what we have and i have a linksys router and a little linksys hub i dunno (i tried switching one wire that i thought was crossover to straight but nothin happened ((cause i think the other ones are straight)))

[H3X4D3C1M4L]

This is how it usually is....

1. Router to hub - Crossover
2. Modem to anything - Straight
3. Computer to computer - Crossover
4. Computer to hub - Crossover
5. Anything to switch - doesn't matter

[PangingJr]

you only need to use a crossover cable when you need to connect your router with the ethernet switches (or hubs) like above pic on the right, otherwish you'll only need to use straight-through (standard cable) cables for all of your network connection needs. all of the crossover functions needed are done at the ethernet switches (or hubs).

if your ethernet switches (or hubs) support Auto-MDI/MDI-X (automatically adjusts and cable recognition on each RJ 45 port for straight-through or crossover cables), then i'd say the crossover cable as seen on the above pic on the right if necessary can be replaced with a straight-through cable.

and the same as the above mentioned is also apply to the "no crossover cable needed" connections (seen on the left), if your ethernet switches (or hubs) support Auto-MDI/MDI-X, then if necessary a crossover cable can be used. and this i know for sure because i used to do that (mixed cables). anyway, in all cases, i suggest you check in the manuals of the mentioned and related hardwares for a more information/confirmation on this.

as for a network connection between a two computers via the computer ethernet ports (and cable) without a ethernet switches (or hubs), a ethernet crossover cable must be used for this network connection. this because within the connection there is no ethernet switches (or hubs) that can help handling the crossover function.

[Tipstaff]

Originally Posted by H3X4D3C1M4L

This is how it usually is....

1. Router to hub - Crossover
2. Modem to anything - Straight
3. Computer to computer - Crossover
4. Computer to hub - Crossover
5. Anything to switch - doesn't matter

Actually, number 5 is straight too, BUT, if you use a crossover cable from the router to the hub then you may or may not need to use crossover cables from each computer that connects to that hub. It all depends on how the router handles the connection between it and the hub.

Something you might consider buying or borrowing, Erusaro, is a Cat5 cable tester (specifically, an RJ-45 cable tester). You can pick them up pretty cheap (such as THIS one, although this one is pretty basic). What this will do is test each pair of wire from one end of the cable to the next, and it can inidcate to you if one or more of the wires are broken, faulty, or not setup right for the color code it's been crimpped for (that being 568A or 568B). If you search around you can even find simple instructions on making one of your own using an existing network card/router port, an RJ45 female connector, and a 9 volt battery.

[H3X4D3C1M4L]

Actually no the switch can tell the difference... a switch works by broadcasting from one MAC adress to another... I've tried everything with a switch and it ALWAYS works

[Tipstaff]

Originally Posted by H3X4D3C1M4L

Actually no the switch can tell the difference... a switch works by broadcasting from one MAC adress to another... I've tried everything with a switch and it ALWAYS works

Damn. Sorry, H3x, I meant number 4 can be straight-thru or crossover.

Don't know why I type number 5 for.

[H3X4D3C1M4L]

Originally Posted by Tipstaff

Damn. Sorry, H3x, I meant number 4 can be straight-thru or crossover.

Don't know why I type number 5 for.

Oh... I suppose that is true. Usually I hear that it has to be crossover though, I guess it doesn't matter since the PC's port is essentially 'switched'