Setting up a Wired Internet Connection

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
S

seanmx

Honorable
Jul 2, 2012
21
0
10,510
Hi there,

I'm completely new to wired internet connections, so I've never really set up one before. I've always just used wifi at home. Recently, though, I've moved into a college dorm and the wifi speeds there are inferior to the wired speeds.

So to start I purchased a "switch" (the man at Wal-mart said I needed it, it's a netgear) and two ethernet cables. I plugged one from the back of the computer to the switch and the other from the switch to the wall outlet (there are three, and one is orange). The switch is also plugged into the power strip.

It seemed like it was working and it said "Local Area Network: Identifying..." but it never identified, I guess. I got an error that said "Local Area Connection doesn't have a valid IP configuration". I think I may have accidentally deleted the drivers for the Network adapter as well.

I'm really new to this and don't know most of the lingo, so any advice is appreciated.

Thanks in advance :D
 
Solution
M
First you need to figure out which of the three wall ports you should be plugging into. Second, the switch is only needed if you want to connect multiple computers to the Internet. If you are only concerned with your computer, then you did not need to buy the switch.

Since you aren't getting a valid IP address through the switch, this implies that you are connected to the wrong port on the wall-plate (all the switch does is interconnect devices, so if the wall jack/port were offering up a valid IP address, your computer should have gotten it). So remove the switch from the equation and try connecting your computer's Ethernet port to each of the ports or jacks in the wall-plate. One of them should work. If not, call the campus IT...
Sort by date Sort by votes
JackNaylorPE

JackNaylorPE

Titan
BANNED
Oct 30, 2004
32,255
14
99,960


Thatz cause wired is always superior to / faster than WiFi (unless ya have ancient system)

So to start I purchased a "switch" (the man at Wal-mart said I needed it, it's a netgear) and two ethernet cables. I plugged one from the back of the computer to the switch and the other from the switch to the wall outlet (there are three, and one is orange). The switch is also plugged into the power strip.

What is the intended purpose of the switch ? Are you trying to connect multiple PCs off the same outlet ?

 
Upvote 0 Downvote
M

mbreslin1954

Distinguished
Nov 27, 2010
1,515
1
20,460
First you need to figure out which of the three wall ports you should be plugging into. Second, the switch is only needed if you want to connect multiple computers to the Internet. If you are only concerned with your computer, then you did not need to buy the switch.

Since you aren't getting a valid IP address through the switch, this implies that you are connected to the wrong port on the wall-plate (all the switch does is interconnect devices, so if the wall jack/port were offering up a valid IP address, your computer should have gotten it). So remove the switch from the equation and try connecting your computer's Ethernet port to each of the ports or jacks in the wall-plate. One of them should work. If not, call the campus IT Help Desk.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
S

seanmx

Honorable
Jul 2, 2012
21
0
10,510


Thank you so much! I removed the switch and plugged the ethernet cord in directly and it worked!
I wasn't using the right outlet either. :sweat:
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom