here is the scenario:

• Running windows XP Pro
  
• have a crossover cable
  
• have player connected via serial to make player config changes
  
• wants to connect ethernet
  
• have a cable modem and access to the internet
  
• read the ethernet hookup FAQ
  
• most importantly, still having troubles hookin' up via ethernet.
  

any suggestion would be appreciated. I know this has been covered and after a 2 weeks of screwin' with it, this BBS has become my last hope.

Thank-you in advance!

Are you connected to your cable modem via ethernet? If so, the absolute easiest thing to do would be to purchase a Cable/DSL router that has multiple ports and plug your computer and your empeg both into it. Plus, you'd get additional security from the router.

If not, you'll need to either get an additional ethernet card in your computer to connect directly to the empeg or unplug your cable modem connection when communicating with the empeg. In either of those cases, you'll need to assign addresses to both the empeg and your computer (it's likely getting one automatically from your cable modem now). I'd suggest 192.168.0.1 and 192.168.0.2 (it doesn't really make any difference which is which). The netmask on both should be 255.255.255.0. After setting that up, it should work. Let us know what happens.

going to Best Buy tomorrow to buy a router. I'll let you know what happens.

Make sure that you get one that has multiple ethernet jacks on it. And you'll need non-crossover ethernet cables to attach both your computer and your empeg to it.

Edit: Oh, and I think you have to tell the empeg to automatically get an IP address from the router via DHCP. I forget if this is the default or not and I forget where it's set at all, so wander around and look for it via emplode.

Yes, get a Linksys BEFSR41 4 port Cable/DSL router. Configure it to use DHCP (via it's kickin' web interface) and tell your computer to use DHCP also (aka: "Get IP address automatically"). Then, make sure the empeg is set for DHCP.

Plug the comp and empeg into the "Linksys box" with straight-thru cables and plug the cable modem into the Linksys with a straight-thru cable, and you're done. Well, then there's some configuration for the Linksys.

Oh wait... Horrible memories of setting up a Linksys on a one way cable modem are coming back to me! The Linksys will handle your internet connection now. You can connect and disconnet the cable connection via the Linksys; no longer with your computer. (that's a good thing because now it's always on) But, some Cable companies are obnoxious with routers.

In working with a cable modem / Linksys setup, I learned this. The cable company assigns your cable modem an IP address via DHCP based on the MAC address of the computer (or, in this case, the Linksys) that is used to connect to the cable network. The trick is, the first time you connect to their network, they'll get your MAC and associate it with a DHCP table entry (or associate it with an IP, I guess).

So, if you try to drop a Linksys between your comp and cable modem, it won't work because the Linksys has a different MAC than the comp. There are two ways to handle this. The clean way, which doesn't work, is to call the cable company, tell them "Look, I'm putting a new comp on my cable modem. Reset my DHCP entry so that the MAC of the next device that connects should now be assigned my IP address." That doesn't work, though, because the Linksys has trouble making that connection, for some stupid reason. The other option, which is where the Linksys shines, is to fool the cable company. The Linksys (BEFSR41, still) can "clone" it's MAC address (which rocks, in my opinion). In the web interface, set it's "cloned" MAC to be the MAC of your computer. Then, though a different device is maintaining your cable connection, the cable company will still think it's your main PC.

THEN plug in all your devices and enjoy perminant connection, no more need for X over cables, added router security, and the Linksys' extra cool flashing lights on your desktop which makes your desk look more like a spaceship command console when you turn the lights out. Enjoy.

I concur with recommendation to buy a Cable/DSL router-switch. I have had very good luck with the SMC 7004 series and the Netgear RP614. The documentation on the Netgear router is outstanding. You should be alble, with rebates and discounts, to purchase a router for $50-80. Good luck.

Michael

You could buy a cheap hub and turn an old 486 PC with 2 NICs into a NAT/DHCP firewall between the cable modem and the hub. I can't recommend www.smoothwall.org highly enough for the DHCP/NAT/firewall part of the equation, I think the GPL ISO CD image is something like 20MB. You get a proper firewalled LAN without trusting XP to provide a NAT firewall and so on with all it's inherant vulnerabilities.

After going to Best Buy today I realized that my budget wouldn't allow $80 for a new router. But it allowed $24.95 for a new Linksys 10/100 LAN Card and after about 10 minutes everything was working like a well oiled machine. Thanks for all the suggestions, it just reiterates to me why I enjoy visiting this message board.

Thanks again!

Damnation, why didn't I find this 8 weks ago before lashing out on a (not so hot) Zyxel NAT router?? Arrggghhh

mkay. I had everything running okay, transfered around 3GB of mp3's then *poof* everything stops working. I had zip-tied all of my wires then pulled on my desk and felt some resistance and then, *poof* nothing works(felt like something gave way). I thought that i may have pulled some threads on my crossover cable so i clipped the ends and put on new connectors at work. my second LAN card works, it has something to do the empeg, just cant figure out what. my cards ip is set at 192.168.0.1 and the players is 192.168.0.2, any suggestions?

thanks in advance again!

BTW: i read some old posts of people having trouble with the double ethernet connection. I decided to uninstall and reinstall the card, but that didn't work. Also I have a blown display fuse that will be sent into service within the next week, does that have anything to do with it?

You made the cable yourself? Make sure you used the proper RJ45 heads for the type of wiring you're using. That is, stranded wire and solid wire each have different connectors in order to make a solid connection.

Given how cheap CAT 5 cables are, there is very little point bothering to make them any more.

I paid $15 for the cable and i busted the ends. For me it was cheaper to spend 5 minutes and fix it then it was to spend another $15 for a new one.

Length issues, I think, are a great reason to make them one's self.

And if you are going to do so, a cable tester is always a good thing to have around. I've put ends on thousands of cables, and every once in a blue moon, I still mess one up.

I clipped them again and re-did it. I accidently wired it for a patch cable the first time. Made sure to test it at work before I left and it worked fine. And when I got home from work today I plugged it in and it worked. It must have been the cable. Oh well, all's well that ends well!

Recently, I spent an evening with my ISP working on a modification to the wireless system. We couldn't figure out why the modification wasn't working. The wired network segments didn't function as expected.

He was so sure that his cable crimps were correct that he didn't re-check them until after I'd badgered him about it a few times. And even then, when he checked them, they "looked fine to him". Finally, I dug out a "known good" cable of sufficient length and sure enough, everything started working. Only after being shown that a different cable solved the problem did he notice that there was in fact a subtle problem with the crimps.

Moral of the story: Never trust cables you crimped yourself. If you have communications problems with handmade cables, always suspect the cables first. If you have communications problems with store-bought cables, suspect those first, too. Always swap out cables and connectors with known-good ones as the first diagnostic step. This goes for just about anything: Networks, disk drives, serial communications, telephones, audio, video...

I've found this to be true time and again in all of the years I've been working with electronic gear and computers.

This is kind of scary!

I was driving in my car today and was sitting at a red light and out of the blue a thought popped into my head

"I can't believe in my post the other day I blamed the empeg! The problem is most likely me. Tony/Hugo/Rob/Dave/Drakino/wfaulk/loren/....... is gonna be upset that I blamed the empeg instead of checking and rechecking my cable"

On another humorous note, I was sitting in my office and my Boss, the IT guru of our company, got a tech support call from one of our stores. It seems that someone in the store put in a new color ink cartridge into the printer and now the printer will only print in black and white. My boss asked the person if the tape was still on the cartridge, they laughed and said "how dumb do you think I am?". After about a minute of my boss saying "For my sake, please check to see if the tape is still on. This has always been my starting point for troubleshooting and I will not go any farther until you do so". There was a pause and then I heard him give instructions on how to open the top of the printer to check the cartridges. After another short pause I heard him say "that's okay! It happens to the best of us." It's amazing sometimes. I swear if ignorance is bliss, than 97% of the world population is in pure ecstasy.

Said exactly what I meant, couldn't say, and said it concisely too. Well said, that man (Rob's catchphrase of the moment)

Excellent! Go to Computer Stupidities and post that story for eternal (well-deserved) fame.