Problem With Internet...

[Misa]

Okay, so we have the cable modem connected to the downstairs PC, which is then connected to the router, which has the upstairs PC plugged in.

I think this is more complicated than you think it is. Your basic problem seems to be one of network addressing and routing.

My best suggestion is that you take a third PC and plug the cable modem into it. Turn this PC into a firewall. That means turning on routing and if done correctly, it will also help to protect you from some Internet nastiness. (I just saw a good book on this; will try to find the title.) On the second NIC of this new PC, choose a new address scheme -- say, 172.16.250 network. So the second NIC of your new PC, the primary NIC of the downstairs PC, and the primary NIC of the upstairs PC will all be 172.16.250 network.

Basically, the thing into which the cable modem is plugged must be able to receive its network information via DHCP (this is what MSoft means by "automatically"). You have to have the "automatic" network on the Internet side of a host, and a "private" network (with different numbers) on the other side. There are specified ranges of addresses that you are supposed to use for "private" networks. Problem is, your ISP may also be using some of them, in which case you have to avoid doing so.

If this sounds overwhelming (and it's a lot for someone who just wants to set up a second PC for the Internet), maybe your ISP can give you a pointer. I think that most/all of them say they won't help you with this type of thing, but maybe they CAN refer you to a local person whom you can pay to help set it up.

--Misa

[Misa]

By the way, I'm going on the assumption that your ISP will allow you only one DHCP address. That seems to be fairly typical. That's one probable reason you can't get automatic/DHCP to work with the second PC (routing issues aside).

--Misa

[Brett Farrenkopf]

I don't think it's that complicated though because there is a technian that used to come to my house but can't anymore that fixed it once in a sinch.

[Brett Farrenkopf]

Might this be a problem... On the upstairs or client computer it says Ip Routing isn't Enabled, how do I change that

[Misa]

Off the top of my head,I would say that no, that shouldn't be the problem. The downstairs one (connected to the cable modem) is the one that needs to do routing. (But doing it this way is not an optimal configuration.)

[Bill Nichols]

Brett, PMFJI, but I'm thinking possibly the best solution for you (if doable) would be to reconfigure your physical setup so the router comes after the modem but before the PCs. How many ports does the router support? If only one, then this won't be of any help; however, if you have one with more than one port you should be able to feed both PCs off the router, which would solve the problem.

Good luck!

Bill

[Patrick Ruane]

If i'm understanding this thread right, you've got the cable modem / router directly connected (usb or ethernet) to the downstairs pc. This is then networked (separate network card) to your upstairs pc. Your downstairs pc can connect to the internet and the upstairs pc can talk to the downstairs pc but not to the internet, right? (If i'm wrong then the rest won't make any difference). Have you set up Internet Connection Sharing on your downstairs pc? (as this is a microsoft forum, i'm guessing you're using windows).

Basically, the upstairs pc needs to have a static IP address, as does the internal network card on the downstairs pc and the upstairs pc needs to have it's gateway set as the downstairs pc (along with the correct DNS servers as given by your isp if you want to get onto the web - you can find out using ipconfig on the downstairs pc). Then, go into Control Panel > Add & Remove Programs > Windows Setup > Internet Tools(?) and enable Internet Connection Sharing.

Follow the wizard, entering the correct internal and external adapters and bob's your mother's father.

If i'm way off on this one, please don't flame me everyone, but that's my two pennies worth.

[Patrick Ruane]

ps

It's rare to find an isp that will let you plug both pc's into the router / modem. They don't like that kind of thing and will generally specify the MAC address of one pc to stop you from trying (their excuse is that it's more secure, but they're really trying to save bandwidth).

[Brett Farrenkopf]

Okay Patrick, I thinkk you are right, but can you lead me through how to do this or anyone can lead me through this?

[Patrick Ruane]

It's hard to explain the above in simpler terms. Set up your network as it was so the downstairs pc can connect to the internet and the pc's can communicate then:

1. Click Start > Settings > Control Panel and double click Add & Remove Programs
2. Click on the Windows Setup tab
3. Click on Internet Tools(?) and tick the box next to Internet Connection Settings
4. Follow the wizard, sharing the correct interfaces
5. Set the gateway on your upstairs pc to the internal IP address of your downstairs pc.
6. Run IPCONFIG from a command prompt on your downstairs pc, make a note of the DNS servers and enter these addresses into the upstairs pc.

If you search the microsoft website or yahoo for Internet Connection Sharing you might get a better description.

HTH

Patrick