Wired network can't work

[nanobytes]

I used to have a Ativa wireless device connected to two computers with Windows XP (Dell and Compaq), plus I own a wireless input connection Compaq laptop with Windows Vista. Besides these three computers, I have a emachines computer which has been always connected straight to the routers: first to the Comcast's and later to a Belkin router.

I have installed with my children a wired connection through the walls and I tested the ends of the circuits. This is to say, I connected ethernet cables to the two ending jacks and the other ends to the tester. The tester gave me 4 green flashing lights which means that no reversal or open short is found . For the RJ45 pins I used the T568A installation, and for the jacks I used the compatible installation given by the manufacturer. (I live in MD, US)

The emachine have always worked when it was connected straight to the Comcast router (service provider device), later connected straight to the Belkin router (wireless device used by the other computers) and to the new Netgear 5 port/10/100 Mpbs Switch FS605 V3.

Now well, when I tried to install the rest of computers, the computers are giving me a yellow icon over the 2computer icon in the taskbar, and it says: "This connection has limited or no connectivity. You might not be able to access the internet or some network resources."

When I check the status of the Local Area Connections, it says that it is connected to the internet, but they send a few bytes and recive back also a few ones or none.

Then, I tried to connect the computers straight to the Comcast router thinking that the problem is in my cabling, but the icon still appearing. I have used "cmd" to flush the DNS, I have used the "repair" option, I have turned off the whole system, I have click the "obtain IP address automatically" option for a hundred times already, I have disabled the firewalls, I bought myself a rabbit tail, and I still can't make the other computers to get online.

I have tried everything that might help me to connect my computers online, I even have tried to call the Pope but his line was busy..sigh*

Today I have called the service provider who spent two hours chatting with me and we tried all the above. I finally asked her to give me "validated IP addresses" so I can write them manually and she told me that the IP addresses must be given automatically only.

The laptop Windows Vista also have the same problem, and this laptop is six months old. I guess that it should be a bad coincidence that the three computers will malfunction all at the same time.

An analyst from Comcast told me yesterday that the IP addresses which start with 169 are "bad" addresses, and such is what I receive "automatically" in the Compaq and Dell desktops and in the Compaq laptop:

169.254.106.129/255.255.0.0
169.254.154.166/255.255.0.0
169.254.30.124/255.255.0.0

The numbers from above are not even attracted enough to be used in lottery tickets!

The emachines is working and starts with 76.xx.xx.x/255.255.252.0, a complete different set of numbers.

Like I said before, even by connecting the other computers straight to the Comcast router, the same IP addresses come out.

Can I know why is this happening?

Thank you.

 

[CircusMusic]

169 addresses aren't "bad" addresses.. it's just what the adapter uses as when it can't get one. It's almost like the 127.0.0.1 or localhost address.

76.0.0.0/255.255.252.0 range of IPs are public addresses which means they are directly connectible to the internet...
I would assume your problem is that you've used your allotted IPs from your ISP. You will either need to buy some more IPs or pick up a router to do NAT instead of using that switch

 

[nanobytes]

Thanks for your prompt reply CircusMusic.

I think that you are correct, I am looking at the Netgear "Switch" installation guide and it is a Netgear "router" installed between the modem and the "switch" and later to the computers.

I really had no idea about the difference between the Switch and the router, I am a complete amateur in this business and I though that both were adding more ports only, I have no idea that a router carries its own IP address.

I will do some shopping looking for the router and I might post again from one of my other computers.

Please wish me luck.

 

[nanobytes]

CircusMusic, Thanks again.

I went to Circuit City and bought me a cheap Lynksys broadband router. (Circuit City has it 30% off, and I can tell because was cheaper than EBAY and other stores from the web.)

With my younger child we started to install it following the CD instructions, but it failed everytime when the IP address was requested. We were using the address and Subnet numbers which appeared for our computer. I called the technical support and a guy who really knew what he was doing gave me the best instructions: IGNORE THE INSTALLATION DISC.

We did it manually, he told me to go to 192.168.1.1, I did the clonning and my computers are finally connected to the internet. With his help everything was so easy.

I will make my child to run more cables throughout the whole house later on, I want him to learn how to do it. He is actually the one who is doing the work, I know how to do electric but I am a total ignorant about computing, and your message is for me one more lesson learned forever.

Tomorrow my son will finally close the connections replacing the plates in the walls of the two rooms, and next month we might start to wire up the rest of the house. After that, I want him to install security cameras, a house alarm, and my 2 DIN DVD/Digital TV/MP3/GPS/Radio in my car... I'll hope such a car device works, otherwise you will hear me crying around here again...

Thanks a million to you and the administrators of these forums, I was lost and you have helped me a lot.

Best wishes.

 

[CircusMusic]

No problem =)
Glad things got sorted out!
Never run any CD from a router or switch it's just a waste... The consumer grade devices will just work and all you have to do is connect to their web server (DLink:192.168.0.1 Linksys:192.168.1.1) and configure it. Even enterprise devices don't need anything installed, just a small program called PuTTY

mp3car.com <- check this out for your car... if you want to get crazy


Oh the difference between a router and a switch is this:
Switches send traffic on the same network
Routers route traffic between different networks (local network and the internet)

A network is defined by the subnet mask and your IP address
example: 192.168.1.1/255.255.255.0
that network would include all address from 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.1.255 because the last value in the subnet is a zero

 

[nanobytes]

Hey! Thanks for the link.

In my case I go more for the "look" over the sophistication of the devices. I like to have the front dash of my car clean, this is to say, to have the devices connected inside and no wires being exposed. For this reason I bought the device which is in-dash having the TV/DVD/GPS/MP3 (ready also for a memory chip card)/ radio, etc installed input method.

My concerns about using a mobile phone will keep the records of where I go, this is to say, I don't need to care about the "government" knowing my whereabouts but I also must add some private companies knowing about them as well.

I think that privacy is a word that must be erased from the dictionary in a near future if our current technology still increasing its limits.

If you use an Ipod, as an example, and your device have problems with the battery, you must have to send your phone to the company and the company won't fix it but they will give you another one. Now well, the company has the opportunity to review all the information storaged in your phone, this is to say your phone calls, your visited web sites, your travelings, your phone lists, in other words, your life.

Even Google records every place you go using this search machine. I have no idea why is this craziness of acquiring information from people by all means but this situation is a sad reality.

I guess that in the future all cars will be required to have GPS and the cars will have included an ID to be monitored by the government, in this case, the police, something which is opposed by some States but that is already in the table in other ones. I think that some places in Europe are using this new monitoring already. In my case, privacy will be always my primary concern.

The Cell phone/MP3 is a great addition for the In-dash car TV/DVD devices, and people who won't care about brackets installed over their car dashes will use it as the video link given in your message it suggests and reconmends. No doubt that using the cell phone is better when you compare its GPS capabilities against several GPS devices as Garmin, because some addresses won't be recognized by Garmin while any cell phone with GPS will do. In this case, yes, the cell phone with GPS enjoys a greater advantage. On the other hand, the advantage of the Garmin GPS is that even when the satellite can follow the whereabouts of the device, no ID of the user is recognizable because is not given.

I am not a professional in this matter but I am a consumer who is learning in base of experience, and I own and I have compared the devices mentioned above.

Of course, my humble opinion can't reach further than a mere comment against the unstopable technology which breaks the concerns about privacy and offers extraordinary comfort to the customers with such fantastic devices.

Still, I want my privacy first...

About your help, again, I can tell that without your reply I should still be without network and my problem should be far of being solved. You gave me the key I needed to open the door of the solution for my problem. I have been one of the best house electric troubleshooting guys in my work site, but about electronics and other kind of technology I am almost a complete ignorant. All this matter about computer's configurations is practically new for me but I guess I am learning quick.

Have a great weekend!