[eneedshelp]

The ingredients: cable modem, Trendnet 5 port ethernet (not wireless) hub, laptop running current version of OS X Leopard PPC, PC running XP SP2

The hub went in yesterday. Cable modem is in port 1
OS X laptop is in port 2. OS X found a connection with no problem.
XP box is in port 3. XP says, 'weak connection' and delivers nothing.

And I am dead in the water. The Network Setup Wizard on XP advises tells me to turn off file/printer sharing so Windows Firewall can protect the computer. Other sources on the web tell me that Windows Firewall is a joke, and that any third party firewall is a better choice. File sharing is an integral part of having a network at home, I thought.

What am I missing? Before the hub, I was just turning off the cable modem and switching ethernet cords. It was not an elegant system, but it worked.

Do I need to designate one computer as an always-on server? I prefer not to do that. All I want to do is share the cable connection, and occasionally move some files.

[JPCompHelp]

What is the exact error message you receive and how is your network configured?

[zx10guy]

Based on what you've posted, the cable modem you have is just that a cable modem. And because I think it is safe to assume the ISP service you have is residential, you CANNOT just connect a switch behind the cable modem and expect your ISP to provide more than one dynamic public IP. To get both computers to be online at the same time, you need a ROUTER and NOT a switch.

[eneedshelp]

XP reported that it could not obtain an IP address. That makes sense to me if my laptop took the only available one.

So, I need another device.

Maybe the people at Radio Shack will be nicer than the jerks at Micro Center.


Once I have a router, things should be more streamlined, correct?