Desktop Cannot Connect to 'net

[kia027]

Have a desktop (windows 2000) built by a friend of ours, had for a few years.

We had an ethernet connection to a linksys router in the house-- worked for many years but then decided to no longer work. So in place of replacing the cat 5 cable we decided to add it to the wireless network. Then the cat5 cable connection worked for a while so I didnt install the wireless adapter card for a while.

Finally got around to installing the wireless connection to a wep enabled network, unplugged the cat 5.

This past week, neither connection is working. I have unplugged,disabled, enabled, etc.. to no avail.

No I do have a laptop connected that has had no problems with the wireless connection, nor when I connect via cat5. (it seems to have no problem with me running both)

Re: the cat 5 connection, I have used diff ports, I also have phone service connected through the router with no prpblems.

While I know I should just replace the cat 5 connection (thinking of all the furniture moving involved unmotivates me) , I am very curious as to why the wireless connection wont work on the desktop?

Can anyone

Thanks in advance

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Desktop Cannot Connect to 'net

Did you check the drivers?

[kia027]

Re: Desktop Cannot Connect to 'net

yep

[Rebycman]

Re: Desktop Cannot Connect to 'net

Hmm Strange

Cable:
The cat5 cable is probably hosed by one of three things:

1) A crimp/bent cable that damaged wires, check cable for any cuts/scrapes/dings.
2) Moisture has worked its way into the wires, check for damp/musty/moldy cables.
3) Loose wires at the ends where the cable joins with the plugin. Check both ends of cable/plugin and if anything doesnt look or feel right it may be a bad plug connection.

To test to be sure its not the cat5 try plugging the cat5 at your desktop into the laptop. Note - It could also be a bad lan card in your desktop system.

Wireless:
What I would do is pull the lan card (& cat5), and install the new wireless card in a different PCI slot. (Note if you have an onboard lan card disable it in the bios). Power up and use the drivers supplied by the mfg to install the new wireless card. Double check your laptop wireless configuration and use the same setup on the desktop PC.

If you don't get connected check your device manager for any hardware conflicts. You can also do a windows update to see if they have more current drivers (only do windows update after you've installed the wireless card. But you may have to reconnect the cat5 lan card/cable to get online to do the update...lol sucks eh? You cant do an update if you cant get online hehe)

Let me know how it goes...end of a long day so I'm off for the night

-Reby

[kia027]

Re: Desktop Cannot Connect to 'net

((((Rebycam))) Thanks

The Cat5 is hosed - confirmed that. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

There are no other PCI slots available so am kinda stuck where it is or just willing to use the cat5. Downside of the Cat5 is that it goes through our sons' room to the network 'closet' and the kids may have pulled on it. Not too keen on moving the 'network closet' at the moment.

Took a trip to radioshack last night to get some more cat 5 cable and the guy talked me into trying a USB based wireless device which would resolve the issue with the pci card. {new toy ) Radioshack has a 30 day return policy - I plan to hook it up sometime today and test the connection (the desktop does not have USB 2.0 ports but the device is backward compatible). I am going to give it a try and see how it goes but in the meantime also put in a new cat 5 cable (as backup)

We do plan to replace the desktop some time in the future as well but if it still works for now why mess with it (too much).

Will keep you posted.

Thanks so much for your help

[Rebycman]

Re: Desktop Cannot Connect to 'net

Just keep in mind the range limitation of the wireless device. Your wireless problem may be a distance limitation or you may not get a signal in the closet. Older homes are usually built more solid and can often be the cause of no signal (dense walls/floors).

If you don't have any other PCI slots it may be time to upgrade the motherboard. That PC must have been a Gateway/Dell type computer. The reason their PC's are so cheap is you cant upgrade them....argh!

Regards,

-Reby

[kia027]

Re: Desktop Cannot Connect to 'net

Good point on the distance limitation but I dont think it is the issue. I can take the laptop down to the basement & up to the attic and in the same location as the desktop w/o a problem with signal.

The other PCI slots are full because we have

one with additional usb ports

one with the ATI Video Card

THe shell is an IBM shell.. Motherboard could use some upgrading after all it is about 5 years old now.. and is using Windows 2000.


The kids desktop is the newest in the house and we didnt switch out because win2K is not compatible with many of their games.

When we upgrade we would only need the cpu really- the flat panel monitor (albeit 6 yrs old) is still functional and the keyboard/mouse is not much of an issue to find. Our concern is compatibility with our existing software.

[kia027]

Re: Desktop Cannot Connect to 'net

well the end result is that we bought some cat 6 cable and tied a string to one end, and the other end of the string to the old cable and ran it through to the 'network closet' aka my sons' closet.

Works like charm.. took out the wireless pci card and installed a usb wireless card in the kids pc.. so now the kids can go play on nickjr .

know any one who would like a wireless pci card?