Is it my Cat-5 cable

munga

Member
Dec 19, 2003
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I had comcast cable innernets access installed last week. There's about 150' of technician-made cat-5 cable run from the modem, through the basement, to my machine. It works great when connecting those two. When I put a router (DLink DI-824 VUP) in bewteen them, however, I get a limited connection that can't pull an IP address. I can configure the router from my machine just fine, updated the firmware, called DLink support, etc. So as I'm swapping the cables back and forth, I noticed the cat-5 has a couple of solid colored wires next to each other. I have now found the correct pattern and will fix the plug on that end (maybe on both) but here's my question:

If it is the cat-5, why does it work so well connecting to my network card?

Making short questions long, Matt.
 

munga

Member
Dec 19, 2003
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Thanks for the link, but yes, I did clone the MAC addy (before and after upgrading the firmware) and I still couldn't get the router to pull an IP address, even with someone from DLink walking me through it 2 or 3 times.

I was just wondering whether crossed wires in the cable would make it functional enough for the direct connection, but not robust enough to communicate with the router. It could also be that my router's WAN port has recently become damaged (we just moved). I'd like to eliminate the cable as a potential problem without having to actually find a crimper and crimp a new plug on it *or* having to buy a new router without knowing the old one is fubar.
 

JackMDS

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 25, 1999
29,545
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If the same cable works well directly with the computer it means that the able OK.

So either you do not configure the Router correctly, or the Router is damaged.

:sun:

P.S. On a second thought, if you have a crossover cable and your NIC is auto sensing it might work with the computer and not with the Router.

Modem to WAN port of a Router needs straight patch.

http://www.anandtech.com/guides/viewfaq.html?i=91



 

Cooky

Golden Member
Apr 2, 2002
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Cause the MAC number of your NIC is the password to connect to ComC.
How did you find that out?
I don't recall cloning my MAC but it's been so long I could've been mistaken.
 

munga

Member
Dec 19, 2003
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Problem Solved! It was the wiring of the plug. Borrowed a crimper, bought some new RJ-45 plugs, clipped the old and put on a new, with the wiring pattern matching that of the far end.

Just found it wierd that the cable worked (and worked well) when connected directly between the computer and modem.

Thanks for the replies!
 

amdskip

Lifer
Jan 6, 2001
22,530
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Originally posted by: Cooky
Cause the MAC number of your NIC is the password to connect to ComC.
How did you find that out?
I don't recall cloning my MAC but it's been so long I could've been mistaken.
This is pretty standard with all cable internet ISP's. They have to authenticate you somehow. I use mediacom and now they simply have you reboot everything and it is automatic, no need to clone anything.