Changing from USB to Ethernet problem

[TheMissingNTLDR]

Hi
For years I have been on USB cable when using VM BB due to lack of network card on my old PC. It worked fine with usb.
Anyway now I have a new laptop with Wifi built-in, hence I decided to get a wireless router!! Also got the network card for the old PC which sits just next to the VM modem and the router.

Now my problem is, when I connect the ethernet cable to the modem and router (WAN port), the VM modem loses the internet!! (btw I am aware that USB and ethernet cannot be used simultanuously)

Here are the few things that I tried:

1. VM modem direct to the PC with RJ45 - does not work, it always gives me 169.254.x.x ip address. Even after several on/offs, restarts etc. Also tried half duplex, full duplex and all sorts in the network advance settings but same result.

2. Forget the VM Modem for now, just connected the router to the PC via RJ45. It works great router is 192.168.1.1 and PC is 192.168.1.3 which is fine. I also can access router web-page 192.168.1.1 OK.

3. Forget my Old PC for now. Just connected VM modem direct to the laptop with RJ45. it always gives me 169.254.x.x ip address.

4. Connected vm modem > RJ45 > Router : Can access wirelessly the router only from the laptop but no internet!! Same with old PC via RJ45, no internet even though it has 192.168 address.

5. But as soon as I take the ethernet out of the equation, my old PC with USB works fine, which is I don't won't as I wont have internet on the laptop then, that was the whole idea of me buying the router.

6. Been on the phone with VM support for an hour, went through all sorts of rituals but no joy. The guy from tech surprisingly suggested me to contact my PC vendor to reset my static IP address!! (I have doubts about this as my laptop is not picking the internet either but it picks up the router ok!!)

I am not sure what to do next but just hope that the modem IP renews it soon and work. Or could it be the etherner port on the modem is faulty? BTW I did swapped with few ethernet cables and definitely sure all cables are working. None of them are cross-over ones. I tested these with router connected to the PC/Laptop.

Please help..

[moaningmags]

Sounds like a faulty ethernet port on the modem, given that computer to router works fine, there's no issue with the cable or the NIC.
That only leaves the modem, it needs swapped out.

[Turkey Machine]

This might sound daft at first, but are you absolutely sure you've connected the modem to the right port on the router? If the computer can get an IP address from the router no probs, then it's either a problem with the modem or possibly what I just mentioned.

[tomjleeds]

You could try cloning the MAC address of the old USB network adapter in your router control panel (the MAC will probably be printed on a label on the adapter, and look something like 01:23:45:67:89:ab - if not, hook the adapter up to your PC, let it get an IP, then go Start > Run> cmd > ipconfig). I don't know if it's still ocurring, but certainly quite recently some ex-C&W areas needed registered MAC addresses.

[moaningmags]

No longer need to register MAC address, reboot of the modem does this.

He's also tried direct connection to the modem, rebooted the modem and no connection, definitely sounds like a faulty ethernet port on modem

[popper]

whats the make and models of your ethernet PCi card/router etc, some PCi cards have a generic MAC of 00.00.00.00 and dont work well when you put windows OS to the VM cable modem,

wereas the old NTL supplyed blue USBtoEthernet adaptor with its generic 00.00.00.00 MAC works fine and without a problem in windows.

whats the generic MAC of that PCI card
start/run cmd enter ipconfig /all enter

if its a generic PCI card (the laptop might be using PCI internally too for its internal ethernet port so that too could be the generic PCi 00.00.00.00 MAC problem) direct to VM CM problem ,then download, burn and boot a slax liveCD and try a direct CM to PC/laptop booted with that instead.

although the router should NOT be the same problem as they are not running windows OC.
http://www.slax.org/

if a direct CM<===>PCi-ethernet works with a quick slax, it proves the hardwares working and wired up fine and so you move on to configuring your HD installed windows OS the right way.

if its working there, its registered the new IP from the MAC/CM combination and so you can use that slax generated MAC in the master router to CM connection then, for instance

the simple way is to take the slax given MAC its replaced the (assumed)generic 00.00.00.00 with a valid and working MAC , to then generate the valid VM WAN IP and pass your data through the VM network on the windows PC/laptop.

then work out why the routers WAN side is not doing the same thing.

it does sound like you might have a bad ethernet port on the VM CM but try the basic and quick liveCD first on a direct straight ethernet connection to the PC PCI ethernet card.....

[MovedGoalPosts]

The modem is being powered off (rebooted) every time the device connected directly to it is swapped over? Can't see a direct reference to that in the first post. If that is the case then get the modem replaced. I have seen a modem with dodgy ethernet port but the USB was fine.

[TheMissingNTLDR]

Originally Posted by Turkey Machine

This might sound daft at first, but are you absolutely sure you've connected the modem to the right port on the router? If the computer can get an IP address from the router no probs, then it's either a problem with the modem or possibly what I just mentioned.

good question. yes, the ports are correct - modem to router on WAN port. thx..

[Joxer]

You see this fairly often, people who have been using USB for years discover the Ethernet port doesn't work, my theory is the exposed contacts get dirty (smokers in the house?) - I'm with moaningmags on this I'd swap it - though you could try some contact cleaner on the Ethernet port first.

[TheMissingNTLDR]

Originally Posted by Joxer

You see this fairly often, people who have been using USB for years discover the Ethernet port doesn't work, my theory is the exposed contacts get dirty (smokers in the house?) - I'm with moaningmags on this I'd swap it - though you could try some contact cleaner on the Ethernet port first.

interesting suggestion..but no there are no smokers in the house. May be like just need general cleaning as it was exposed!!?

[Joxer]

You could try cleaning it very gently with a cotton bud or something dipped in some kind of solvent (disconnect from the mains first and allow to dry thoroughly before reconnecting) , it could just be dust but the amount of replugging you have done should have shifted that. Just to double check you are rebooting the modem by removing the power cable? As Rob says you don't explicitly state that you have done that, and if I had a penny for every time someone told me they have rebooted their modem and it has an uptime in excess of 100 days...

[TheMissingNTLDR]

Just an update..
I now got a replacement modem and everything works as expected... Thx for all your help!!

My test on firefox Add-on is as below:
DL: http://www.gotomyhelp.com/speedtest/....php?kbps=1851

UL: http://www.gotomyhelp.com/speedtest/...t.php?kbps=339

Do you think i m getting the appropriate speeds for my 2mbps connection?

regds

[moaningmags]

Glad to hear it's sorted and your speeds look fine.

[LaineY]

You Did It Again Mags! lol

Thought it was a faulty eth port myself to be honest.. Modem Swap out

Glad its all up and running bud

[TheMissingNTLDR]

yes, nice feeling now that it's sorted. thx.

I only now wish I have speeds like this!!!
LOL - btw that's not me (yet)