So my router doesnt work.

[ManBearPig]

I cant figure out what to do...

i have two wires, one is blue, one is white, but theyre both ethernet cables. they look the exact same. anyway, i tried a million combos just in case they werent the same. i put it from the internet plug in the back of the comp, to the internet plug in the back of the router. then i took the other cable and took it from one of the ethernet ports on the back of the router to the actual cable modem itself.

that didnt work. so i tried taking the cable from the internet port in the back of my comp to the ethernet port in the back of the router. then i took the other cable from the internet plug from the back of the router to the actual cable modem itself. nothing.

any ideas?

thanks

 

[Gondola71]

The color of the rj45 cables (ethernet, like a phone cord but thicker head and more wires) doesn't matter, but usually the shorter one is intended to go from the cable modem to the router.

Your cable modem should have diagnostic lights that come on when you have an upstream connection to your provider; anywhere from 2 to 4 lights. Usually one will indicate power, one to show block sync (cable is up), one to show connectivity to a router or PC, and one to show activity.

Your router should have a light indicating connectivity for all of your ports; when you plug a cable into it and the cable modem, lights on either end should light up. Usually routers have one plug that's for Internet (cable modem), and 4 for PC's or other devices.

So, really, there are several troubleshooting steps; mostly consisting of, are the lights on? Cable modem itself, how many lights. Router, how many lights. PC network card, how many lights. Blinking or steady. What color. If the power is on to all devices, but you don't have the link lights, swap the cables.

Ethernet cables come in two flavors; straight through, and flipped. Most cables are straight through, but you sometimes need a flip cable depending on the hardware involved. Your cable modem and router might need a flip cable, or might not. From the router to the PC should require a regular ethernet cable.

To get more help than this, you'll need to post model #'s for your cable modem and router.

 

[boomerang]

Also, you should power down your modem, router and computer. Physically disconnect the power to the modem and router.

With your cables hooked up correctly;

Power up the Modem and wait for the lights to stabilize.

Power up the Router and wait for the lights to stailize.

Power up the PC.

Your modem may also be a router, in which case you have two devices trying to provide DHCP services. One or the other , but not both.

 

[Skeeedunt]

It should go (cable modem ethernet)->(router WAN/uplink port) and (any other router port)->(back of your computer). Then do that ^^

 

[ManBearPig]

i tried turning it off and waiting for the lights, and they did all light up. still doesnt work though. i had it working previously.

they disconected and reconnected our modem because we got in on some sale, but the modem is identicle and everything is the same as it was before.

 

[boomerang]

Well, I'm confused, but if you have cable internet, your ISP is only going to connect to a modem with the MAC address that the account was set up with. If this is the case, you're going to have to contact your ISP.

 

[ManBearPig]

if all the lights are on it should work, right?