Ethernet & 2 PC's
 

I currently have my main PC connected to the www via ethernet to a home 200 modem, works fine. If I disconnect the network cable and plug it into my laptop instead of the PC all I get is a message saying its trying to aquire a network address and eventually I get told that there is limited or no network. Any ideas as to what I am doing wrong? All I want is occasionally to update my laptop via my cable modem. I managed once to get it to work after an hour on the phone to tech support using commands via a dos box but cannot remember what they were. I need to be able to use the broadband sometimes for updating purposes so any help would be greatfully received.

Re: Ethernet & 2 PC's
 

Your laptop (is it a work one?) is configured for DHCP, which your modem doesn't provide.

Have a look at the network settings on your desktop - particularly the TCP/IP settings.

Now compare them to your laptop's settings.

If you don't ever connect both at once you could simply copy the settings from your desktop machine.

Re: Ethernet & 2 PC's
 

you need to power cycle the cable modem also. It associates it self with the built-in mac address of the hardware its connected to on power up.

Re: Ethernet & 2 PC's
 

Good point - overlooked that one.

Re: Ethernet & 2 PC's
 

Re: Ethernet & 2 PC's
 

you need to turn the modem off, unplug the network cable from the PC, plug the network cable into the lappy (while it is switched off), then turn on the modem & leave it until the lights stabilise (about 30 secs), then boot the lappy & it should pick up an IP.

There used to be a limit on the number of times a day you could do this, I'm not sure if it still applies.

<edit> looks like lots of us wanted to help with this one :D

Re: Ethernet & 2 PC's
 

Do you have more than 1 ethernet port on the tower? you could just enable internet connection sharing and just plug lappy to second enet port