I can't get laptop working with cable modem!!!

Kevster

Member
Apr 15, 2001
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I recently upgraded to a cable modem and have had no troubles with it on my desktop but when i tried to get it to work on my win2k pro based laptop it doesn't go online. The connection panel just stays in packet form and doesn't switch over to bytes transferred. What is the problem and how can i fix it?
 

Kevster

Member
Apr 15, 2001
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I'm not sharing the connection, I just can't get it to work in general on a straight connection to the cable modem
 

cipher00

Golden Member
Jan 29, 2001
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Actually, you are trying to share the connection, in a sense. The MAC address is unique to the network interface card. When you hook up the modem to the desktop, the ISP sees the MAC of the desktop NIC and all is well. When you switch to the laptop, the ISP sees a new NIC and cannot identify it. The result is no connection.

I think.

You'd need two IPs to have two machines connected. In the not very long run, a router is cheaper.

(Smarter people please weigh in here. I think I've got this right but don't want to confuse Kevster with wrong info.)
 

ojai00

Diamond Member
Sep 29, 2001
3,291
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<< Actually, you are trying to share the connection, in a sense. The MAC address is unique to the network interface card. When you hook up the modem to the desktop, the ISP sees the MAC of the desktop NIC and all is well. When you switch to the laptop, the ISP sees a new NIC and cannot identify it. The result is no connection.

I think.

You'd need two IPs to have two machines connected. In the not very long run, a router is cheaper.

(Smarter people please weigh in here. I think I've got this right but don't want to confuse Kevster with wrong info.)
>>



Sounds correct to me. If your cable company logs MAC addresses, it will only allow you to get on with the one that you first register with. Some will allow up to 3 or 4 MAC addresses, but some will only allow 1. That might be your case. If you get a router, there's something in there called MAC cloning, where you hook up your computer to the first port, and it will clone the MAC address of the NIC on your desktop. Then you should be able to share the connection between your laptop and your desktop. Hope this helps.
 

FUBAR

Senior member
Oct 11, 1999
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Also, remember to reset your modem whenever you switch pc's.

Many companies will allow several MAC's but you may have to call them first. Mine will allow you to just plug it in.
 

JackMDS

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 25, 1999
29,516
408
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>>>I'm not sharing the connection, I just can't get it to work in general on a straight connection to the cable modem <<<

The first line in my previous post explains why you can not connect.

If your Cable provider authenticates via the MAC number of the Desktop, the Laptop will not get on the Internet.

Hopefully you will have few minutes to read the content of the Links to find a solution.