Hey geeks, help required.

[merv]

OK, New Year's eve after Telecom fired up the ADSL on our PC line we connected our number 1 PC to a Netgear ADSL Modem/Router, then to connect to the second PC I used Dick Smith Homeplug mains wired network connections. Loaded all the software and everything worked beautifully and we could generally share files between PCs and use the internet connection.

Then today, getting my lovely daughter ready for Uni, we bought her a flash laptop, along with another Homeplug connection unit. Plugged it all in and got her setup, working sweet, but bugger me the second PC can now no longer connect to the network nor can the others see it on the network. I rechecked the connections, settings and software over and over and still no connection.

Is there something I should be doing to tell the router its talking to 3 machines now and not just two or what the hell is wrong. All the PCs can see the Homeplug box addresses OK when you run the Homeplug configuration software. Its like there is something wrong with our Windows setups. The second PC is older and the only one running Win98, but all was fine until I connected the 3rd PC. When my son brings home his work PC I need to have the 4 connected so want to iron the bugs out by then.

Any clues about where we went wrong and how do we recover from this?

So for now I'm back on the 56k modem to talk to you from PC number 2 and I need to fix it.

[Blakamin]

sounds like internal network IP conflict

network connections...right click properties....internet protocol (tcp/ip) and unless you know your IP address' for all you pc's (192.168.1.1 etc) make sure obtain IP address automatically is checked.... or run home network setup wizard on the PC running XP (if you have one) and make a network setup disc to put in the win 98 machine
I set all mine manually... game server is 192.168.1.101... work one 192.168.1.109,this one ends in 102 and the mrs is 105....
subnet mask 255.255.255.0
my default gateway is 192.168.1.1
then all you need to do is tell them the router is the DNS server (or something, I have a static IP and cable)

[Slipstream]

... I was just going to ask if you could give me a few more details of your network server ... but it sounds like Blakamin's got your back...

[merv]

sounds like internal network IP conflict

network connections...right click properties....internet protocol (tcp/ip) and unless you know your IP address' for all you pc's (192.168.1.1 etc) make sure obtain IP address automatically is checked.... or run home network setup wizard on the PC running XP (if you have one) and make a network setup disc to put in the win 98 machine

Had done all this and that is what worked for us until I connected the 3rd machine i.e. having it on automatic.

I set all mine manually... game server is 192.168.1.101... work one 192.168.1.109,this one ends in 102 and the mrs is 105....
subnet mask 255.255.255.0
my default gateway is 192.168.1.1
then all you need to do is tell them the router is the DNS server (or something, I have a static IP and cable)

Will try the manual suggestions as above now then.

[jrandom]

Which Netgear model is it?

I have the DG834G, and it works fine, except for the damn wireless access point feature. Unstable as hell, even after a firmware update that was supposed to fix the wireless stability problems. Keep having to power down all four PCs that use my home wireless network so that I can power-cycle the router in a signal-free environment, which is the only thing that brings it back to sanity.

Happens once a day, once a week, who knows... just randomly. Annoying enough to hate the damn thing, or at least the incompetent idiots who wrote its wireless networking protocol stack, but I can't afford to buy a new, better one... meh.

Don't buy a Netgear router if you want wireless functionality, guys. Just splash out on a Cisco or 3Com unit.

[Slipstream]

It's unclear from what you've said here what your network services are being provided by.

Is the Netgear Modem/Router providing DHCP services? ...
or are the machines configured with static IP addresses?
Have you connected to the web interface on the Netgear unit?

If you move the 98 box to a different homeplug point does it still misbehave?

[Blakamin]

Don't buy a Netgear router if you want wireless functionality, guys. Just splash out on a Cisco or 3Com unit.

linksys/cisco.... brilliant with wireless...(thats what I got)


Merv, I could call in at somestage tomorrow afternoon if ya need a hand.... have a JB in whitby to pick up at some stage....

[Hitcher]

Keep having to power down all four PCs that use my home wireless network so that I can power-cycle the router in a signal-free environment, which is the only thing that brings it back to sanity.

There's something hauntingly unsanitary about the thought of somebody emailing or posting whilst in the kaze. As if somethings in life can't wait. QWERTY for the ginger-fingered...

[merv]

Which Netgear model is it?

I have the DG834G, and it works fine, except for the damn wireless access point feature. Unstable as hell, even after a firmware update that was supposed to fix the wireless stability problems.

Don't buy a Netgear router if you want wireless functionality, guys. Just splash out on a Cisco or 3Com unit.

It is a Netgear DG834 which my son's boss gave to my son, so I can't complain. We decided to avoid wireless and went the mains line way with Dick Smith hardware and it was all fine until I tried connecting the 3rd PC.

However, I seem to have the thing working after rebooting the router and setting the 2nd PC (Win98 one) on a fixed IP address.

Still a few hassles with me not being able to see daughter's laptop shared files yet, but I'll muddle on.

If all else fails I might take you up on this Blakamin:

Merv, I could call in at somestage tomorrow afternoon if ya need a hand.... have a JB in whitby to pick up at some stage....

[Blakamin]

However, I seem to have the thing working after rebooting the router and setting the 2nd PC (Win98 one) on a fixed IP address.

Still a few hassles with me not being able to see daughter's laptop shared files yet, but I'll muddle on.

good stuff!!

If all else fails I might take you up on this Blakamin:

no probs at all

[Hitcher]

I'm sure the hydrocillator must be to blame...

[Slipstream]

I'm sure the hydrocillator must be to blame...

Are you sure it's not the Flux Capacitor not fluxing or capacitating?

[jrandom]

There's something hauntingly unsanitary about the thought of somebody emailing or posting whilst in the kaze. As if somethings in life can't wait. QWERTY for the ginger-fingered...

My hovercraft is full of eels!

[Hitcher]

My hovercraft is full of eels!

Exactly as I surmised!

Still no offers on my nativity scene either...

[merv]

Thanks for your help. So far looking good this morning, but only got 2 machines on. Daughter is tucked up in bed with her laptop not fired up, so I expect not to see it on the network when its not turned on.

Us civil engineers are used to dirt, concrete and steel and that usually responds to sledge hammers and welders and stuff like that. Computers really do have a mind of their own and if they don't want to play they don't.