Setting up a small network Pavilion 6635 on XP

[John Sutherland_1]

John
May 18, 2004 03:16:39 GMT

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trying to set up a shared internet connection over a home network. The internet connection is a hybrid system through Look, where the uploads are carried through the phone lines and the downloads come in via satellite. The problem we are encountering is the Linksys 5port Switch that we are using isn't assigning local IPs to the client computers. Only one computer can have internet access at any given time and the IP it uses is the public IP from look...a 209 address as opposed to a 192 which would be expected. We are not using ICS or equivalent, the connection is being sent directly to the uplink port of the switch. Any help would be appreciated.
May be the cable link from the modem to the router. I now understand that this is a special cable. Understand it must be used from modem to router and it had been used from computer to router. We will see later. My grandson staying with us for a while is the expert and I am waiting for his return.
John

John

[Mohamed Hamedi]

You'll need to enable NAT on the Linksys box to provide your private network with ips.

[Ernest Ford]

John,

Switches don't assign ip addresses - also, because of the dial-up portion of your internet service, there are a number of variables that need to be established.

I couldn't find a satellite based ISP called Look and the only dialback system I can locate is Hughes - do they have a webpage

I need to establish how the sat/landline modems are hooked up before I can help you.

[John Sutherland_1]

Yes this is a linksys and it is a switch. I believe switches do assign local IP addresses
Unfortunately both computers come up with the same 209.148.86.75 as IP
The only thing we can think of is the switch is somehow defective.
It should not make a difference, but the ISP is on a hybrid system. ie upload via land line and download via wireless receiver.
Apartment buildings operate this way as a number of individuals using same receiver as a transmitter at same time could burn it out. Individual households have wireless both ways.
This is the Look site
http://www.look.ca/page.asp?intNodeID=2620&switchlang=true
Thanks
John

[John Sutherland_1]

Mohammed
I believe NAT is already activated on Liksys switch. Switch has been used before.
John

[Ernest Ford]

John,

Let me say it again because you didn't get it the first time - switches do NOT assign ip addresses. They also do not do Network Address Translation (NAT).

You need a broadband router with DHCP and NAT capabilities - since you already have a switch, I'd suggest you consider the Linksys BEFSR11 EtherFast Broadband router.

Also I went to that Look Communications webpage - there is no mention of a hybrid satellite internet service - infact as far as I can determine Look Communications does not provide Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) services of any sort - which would explain why I couldn't find them. At this time there are only two DBS internet vendors offering residential service in North America - Hughes Networks and Gilat Networks - any ISP offering satellite based internet has to use one or the other.

[Mohamed Hamedi]

Hi John,

When you say both systems have same IP, how are you seeing this? If you have NAT turned on, to the outside world both system should.

Otherwise in your private lan you should get a message stating a duplicate IP detected or something like that.

[Mohamed Hamedi]

Quick question what is the model number of your linksys box?

[John Sutherland_1]

Mohammed.
Thank you for your interest. My grandson assures me it should work. I know you could fool me anytime though.
Look is a Canadian company and its service is wireless, both TV and internet. However the only uplink for multiple unit buildings is telephone. They do offer DSL service at a greater price.

model no:EZXS55W-V2 5 port workgroup switch.
Etherfast10/100 Linksys.

[Mohamed Hamedi · Accepted solution]

Sorry John that switch will not work.
You will need something that has routing, so something in this product range http://www.linksys.com/products/group.asp?grid=34&scid=29

[John Sutherland_1]

Much thanks to Mohammed and Ernest.
Linksys Network Builder suggests a BEFSR41 4 Port Ethernet router, so will try that.
Price about 75 dollars here in Canada

Will post again when we try again

John

[John Sutherland_1]

I have learned some more. Bought the aformentioned router and ten minutes after arriving home was set up and working.
There was a fifteen dollar mail in rebate on router. Stores advertise the price after rebate. Usually a long wait until they pay up. Am used to the rigmarole involved. I think they believe many people would not apply for rebate.
Thanks again all
John

[Ernest Ford]

Glad you got it sorted John - out of curiosity - what would a Linksys BEFSR11 have cost? That could have been used with the switch that you already had to get exactly the same result.

[John Sutherland_1]

BEFSR11 is a one port router and the cost was
$69.99 Canadian. It could have been used with the switch, but for the difference in price, not much of a choice, as switch belongs to Grandson, and purchase of BEFSR41 was mine. The latter about as cheap as we could go for Linksys router.
John

[Ernest Ford]

Like I said - I was just being curious.

I've seen the BEFSR41 advertised at a lower price than the BEFSR11 - mass market economics in action - I have the BEFSR11, picked it up at a swap meet for US$9 whilst visiting the US about a year ago.

[John Sutherland_1]

Note.
Using a Look Hybrid system.
Satellite download
Phone line upload

Router seemed to work initially on select IP address automatically. Then I lost internet entirely.

Set router up as static IP address and worked Ok.

Then today same thing again.

Problem: I subscribe to McAfee Firewall Plus.
When I tried to download an update, it blew everything off line. I have asked McAfee about problem. Also question that I need their Firewall, as the router should be defense enough. Opinions?

[Ernest Ford]

I'm going to answer the firewall question first - it's easier.

The Linksys firewall is probably adequate to keep the bad guys out - certainly I've never had ZOneAlarm Pro report anything coming past my Linksys - the reason I also run ZAPro is that my home LAN is not the only network that my laptop is used with.

One thing that the personal firewall does that the Linksys won't - at least ZAPro does, I'm not sure about the McAfee product - is alert you to outgoing traffic.

Now - the loss of internet.

You need to configure the ip addressing as required by your ISP - you said it initially worked when configured to get the ip address automatically (DHCP), so that would appear to be the appropriate setting.

However, when I visited the look webpage - I got the impression that you needed to enter a user-id & password to get internet access - if I'm correct on this you may actually need to configure this setting for PPPoE - when you select this the setup screen will change to include the user-id & password fields so that you can enter them.

[John Sutherland_1]

Thank you.

Will try that.

Figured that two firewalls do not get along together,

Waiting for McAfee message re fix.
John

[Ernest Ford]

I don't think that it's a problem of the two firewalls not getting along, but more one of your Linksys loosing it's ip address because of an incorrect setting.

[John Sutherland_1]

Ernest
You have been a lot of help.
I tried the McAfee firewall download again after my grandson came home and it went through this time. Previous two tries stopped at 17% with router going off line.
I have found it a simple matter to re-enter configuration of router. Went back to obtaining configuration automatically. Al seems well and we keep learning all the time.

Thank you again
John