Cannot share internet connection

[YellowHawk]

My parents have a Dell desktop running windows XP and a new HP 64bit desktop running Windows 7 64bit. They have an actiontec wireless modem/router. I can connect the modem to the Dell computer and get an internet connection. I can move the modem to the other roon and connect it to the new computer and get an internet connection. I cannot get it to work on both.

I connected the modem to the HP computer using ethernet port 1 on the modem and the Dell on ethernet port 2 via a long ethernet cable. I cannot enable ICS on Win 7 because it doesn't see anything else connected. The Dell says nothing is connected to the LAN. Not sure what is going on unless the ethernet cable is bad or possibly too long. Any ideas?

Later this morning I am going to take a multimeter over and do a continuity check on the ethernet cable (I crimped the ends on) and make sure it is good. Am I correct is saying that it should be a "straight through" ethernet cable? Just wondering if there's any other setting I should check while I'm there.

 

[tripox]

Is it a router you've connected your computer to? If it is, make sure you've enabled NAT in the router...
Often you can access those settings by opening either:
http://192.168.2.1/, http://192.168.1.1/ or http://192.168.0.1/
username: admin
password: 1234 (or none)

 

[YellowHawk]

The Actiontec GT724WG is a full featured Wireless DSL Gateway that integrates a DSL modem, router, and wireless networking in one box. I'll look into the NAT being enabled.

 

[tripox]

One of the ports should be seperate from the others.
Make sure there's a cable from the modem to the router in the first port, and then the other ports is for the computers.

 

[YellowHawk]

It has a regular phone jack on the back as well as four ethernet ports labeled 1-4 and a usb connection. I have the phone line plugged in, one ethernet cable going to one computer and another ethernet cable going to the second computer.

 

[tripox]

Sounds odd... Do you have a local connection from both computers?
Try pinging the router with ping -n 3 192.168.1.1 or what IP it has.

 

[patwhatsthat]

My parents have a Dell desktop running windows XP and a new HP 64bit desktop running Windows 7 64bit. They have an actiontec wireless modem/router. I can connect the modem to the Dell computer and get an internet connection. I can move the modem to the other roon and connect it to the new computer and get an internet connection. I cannot get it to work on both.

I connected the modem to the HP computer using ethernet port 1 on the modem and the Dell on ethernet port 2 via a long ethernet cable. I cannot enable ICS on Win 7 because it doesn't see anything else connected. The Dell says nothing is connected to the LAN. Not sure what is going on unless the ethernet cable is bad or possibly too long. Any ideas?

Later this morning I am going to take a multimeter over and do a continuity check on the ethernet cable (I crimped the ends on) and make sure it is good. Am I correct is saying that it should be a "straight through" ethernet cable? Just wondering if there's any other setting I should check while I'm there.

YellowHawk:
As tripox said, with both computers connect by ethernet, make sure they can both ping the inside edge ip address of your router. I'm wondering (barring any physical problem with the cable itself) if it's an issue with PPPoe and you need to actually set your username and password on the ActionTec router, perhaps a call to your ISP would clear this up. A straight through cable is the correct cable to use and the industry standard length is 100 meters (about 300 feet) so length is probably not an issue. You shouldn't need ICS with you current setup. I'm wondering since a lot of ISPs supply a CD for "Quick Internet Setup" that perhaps you've, through that process, imbedded the correct PPPoE information on each individual computer and that maybe why each can connect individually but not simultaneously. Just a thought. Hope this helps
Randy

 

[YellowHawk]

I'll try call the service provider again. They were supposed to have a technician over yesterday but he never showed up. Here's what I tried yesterday...

1) Connect computer #1 running XP to the wireless router/modem with short ethernet cable...works great. Connect computer #1 running Win XP to wireless router/modem with the long, about 75 foot ethernet cable...no dice. It says that there is no cable connected to the lan.

2) Same scenario with computer #2 running Win 7 except that with the long cable connected, computer 2 tries to connect and then goes back to the red X on the network icon and repeats this process like it sees something connected but cannot actually connect.

3) Connected wireless router/modem to computer #1 running Win XP at ethernet port #1 on modem using short ethernet cable. Connected wireless router/modem to computer #2 running Win 7 at ethernet port #2 on modem using long ethernet cable. Computer #1 has internet access, computer #2 the lan keeps trying to connect and dropping back off over and over. Looking at the network screen it shows it trying to connect and then shows the red "X" on the lan and just keeps repeating.

4) I tried pinging the router and it would reply from the computer with the short cable but not from the other. I wish I could remember what the response was...it wasn't the standard time out 100% loss message. I'll try that again after work this morning and post what the message was.

I am really frustrated with all of this at this point. I tested the cable with a multimeter and it's good. They even took it to radio shack and had them test it. But, both computers will work standalone with the router/modem and the shorter cable but not with the longer cable. It just makes no sense to me. Yesterday evening I bought a wireless router PCI card to install in one of the computers to see if we can get it going that way. One computer will be wired and the other wireless.

 

[mgmcc]

It does sound as though the longer cable is faulty, or wired as a "crossover" cable which, when connecting to a router, would show as "network cable unplugged".

Is it possible that there is a "short circuit" in the cable, so that running an continuity test with a multimeter still indicates a good connection?

 

[chev65]

Those two ports on the 7 machine aren't made for ICS, they are usually there for internet teaming which is different than ICS.

What you need is a PCI network card for ICS to work properly. They are cheap and easy to install. You also won't need a crossover cable for that as the crossover now takes place internally with just about any modern router.