Adding Linksys network hub causes new firewall issues?

[WAZ]

So my working setup was:

- Linksys WRT54GL Wireless Router
- 1 PC connected via LAN port (same room)
- Xbox 360 connected via LAN port (upstairs; cat5 cable running down through wall jack to router)
- 1 PC and 1 laptop connected wirelessly

We recently got a DirecTV HD-DVR, which has internet connectivity. It's upstairs by the Xbox which is already using the ethernet wall jack, so I decided to add more ports up there by using a spare "Linksys 5-Port Ethernet Hub".

On the hub, I have a cat5 running from the Uplink (port 5) to router port 1, via the wall jack... then the Xbox and the HD-DVR plugged into the Hub (ports 1 and 3, I think, as port 2 appears to be broken).

Now everything can connect online, BUT some things are now giving me firewall messages. For example, Windows Messenger can't connect and says Service Unavailable (google results tell me that could be a router/firewall issue). And BitTornado runs my torrents with a yellow light instead of green, indicating it's behind a firewall and can't connect to other users. This happens on every computer, including the ones connected wirelessly, and was not a problem before I installed the hub.

Any idea why this would happen, and what I could change in my setup? Thanks!

 

[Crusty]

If you are really using a hub you need to throw it away and buy a switch.

 

[ViviTheMage]

Yeah, get rid of the hub, and get a proper switch.

 

[WAZ]

Yeah, this is the hub:

http://homesupport.cisco.com/en-us/wireless/lbc/EFAH05W?referrer=www.linksysbycisco.com

So using a switch would immediately work as-is, and get rid of the firewall issues with these programs?

I see a couple Rosewills at Newegg for about $13... otherwise I didn't really want to spend $50 just to get my DVR online. I had the hub lying around so it was a quick (FREE) setup. Is buying a switch the only way? There are no router settings or anything that would help? Does it look like my setup is "correct" except that the hub is a piece of garbage?

(Please excuse my crappy 3-minute drawing :$)

 

[Crusty]

It might not fix your problem, but it gets you out of the dark ages of networking. Once you have modern gear then you can worry about fixing the problem.

You mentioned one of the ports 'might' be bad... just sounds like the thing needs to go to be sure that it is not the problem.

 

[Pheran]

Note that the setup you have should work, even with a hub. But perhaps the hub is defective and is causing issues. Does the PC go back to working if the hub is disconnected?

 

[JackMDS]

It might be that the specific Hub it "Bad".

However for few devices Hub or switch per-se will not make any difference.

Does every thing works as it worked before if you leave the Hub but disconnect the DVR from the Network?


😎

 

[WAZ]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Interestingly, after a lot of trial and error, everything started working properly with the existing hub. In the end, I didn't change any settings; I swapped out some cables, tried some different ports, and suddenly everything came up okay... Messenger works fine, torrents are no longer showing up as behind a firewall, and all the computers are still online.

Maybe someday I'll update to a "real" switch, but for now, for whatever reason, the hub seems to be working for what I need it to do. Thanks again for the replies.