Linsys Router problems

[Shack]

Thanks delcecchi.

Was looking for something else but found something in the third party world for free worth checking into for with the XP connectivity issue. Search cnet and then search within their site for XP TCP/IP Repair 2.0

Quote:

This application resets your TCP/IP settings and repairs your Windows Sockets, but it should be only used to repair a specific problem. XP TCP/IP Repair's plain and simple two-button interface briefly explains each repair button. This program performs two functions that reset to default status pertinent sections of the Windows Registry that may have been damaged by spyware or other problems. You should use this program only as a last resort to repair corrupt Internet protocols or malformed Layered Service Providers (LSP). Click the Reset TCP/IP button to reset the Internet Protocol to newly installed status. Click the Repair Winsock button to remove all LSPs. You won't see this program make the changes, but your Internet connectivity should return. This program does not speed up systems without Registry errors. We recommend this freeware for all users who have the specified connectivity problems.

I saw "Worked great and restored connectivity." "absolutely amazing" and "Perfect one-click fix" for the titles of the first three most recent user reviews, which IMO is rare and good enough to rank it up as a creditable free and easy solution to toss out as a first step.

[upnorth]

Simply put a router is a gateway to the another network. A router has at least 2 interfaces(Network cards), 1 internal, 1 external. You PC uses the router as it's gateway any network other than the one it is not on. And yes the Internet is a on huge network. If you communicate with PC or printer on the internal network it goes through the switch portion of the router it doesn't actually hit the router.

A router knows about at least 2 networks, the internal connected network and the external connected network. It keeps network info in its routing table. There are several ways it can learn of other networks, static entries or dynamic entries. Bigger enterprise routers can have many router(not switch ports yes there is difference) interfaces allowing it to talk to and directly route traffic to and from more than just a couple networks. There are also layer 3 switches, but that is bit more complex.

What you see as the subnet mask is what define the network.

192.168.1.0 with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0 would have hosts from 192.168.1.1 through 192.168.1.254, any address not in that range will have to go to the router routing table, if it is not in the routers routing table it is sent off to the routers default gateway(gateway of last resort) in hopes the next router will know where the address is. This is what you see if you do trace route (tracert) seen below. All the addresses on the right are the routers that need to be traversed to arrive the address specified.

C:\Users\Scott>tracert hotspotoutdoors.com

Tracing route to hotspotoutdoors.com [69.73.132.114]

over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 2 ms 2 ms 1 ms 192.168.1.1

2 11 ms 10 ms 9 ms 10.24.32.1

3 9 ms 8 ms 9 ms 172.30.25.1

4 26 ms 26 ms 25 ms 12.118.104.13

5 34 ms 28 ms 30 ms cr84.cgcil.ip.att.net [12.122.132.98]

6 28 ms 26 ms 31 ms cr2.cgcil.ip.att.net [12.123.7.250]

7 29 ms 25 ms 27 ms ggr3.cgcil.ip.att.net [12.122.132.9]

8 25 ms 27 ms 27 ms 192.205.34.198

9 53 ms 53 ms 52 ms dls-bb1-link.telia.net [213.248.80.149]

10 90 ms 87 ms 88 ms atl-bb1-link.telia.net [80.91.251.28]

11 78 ms 83 ms 81 ms globalnet-127291-atl-bb1.c.telia.net [213.248.90

.54]

12 80 ms 80 ms 80 ms atl-core-g-g1-6.gnax.net [63.247.69.178]

13 89 ms 90 ms 86 ms core-gi1-1.nocdirect.com [209.51.131.90]

14 88 ms 87 ms 88 ms hso.fishingminnesota.com [69.73.132.114]

Trace complete.

Yes you can string a bunch of routers together and make them work together, but in the context of home networks it is not really something you would do.

A switch or hub is simply a device that will allow multiple devices to use one up-link to a router or another switch. So if you have a decent sized network at home with more than the typical 4 or so wired devices you could hook another switch to one of the switch ports on the router and connect more PCs, printers etc to your network. A switch is a little more complex than a hub, but I won't go there.

[delcecchi]

A switch is also handy if you need to make one wired port into several someplace in your house.

[spearchucker]

A switch is also handy if you need to make one wired port into several someplace in your house.

That is pretty much the one and only purpose of a switch.