Silly question about cable modem and PC

[cim]

Do I need a crossover cable to connect my cable modem directly to the NIC on my PC? I simply cannot remember...

[Soopafresh]

Depends on the modem, but yes, probably.

[redwudz]

My older cable modem that has since been updated needed a crossover cable and the cable company supplied it. My newer one, and my router use a straight cable but I believe they will also work with a crossover cable. I still use the old crossover cable for hooking directly between two computers.

[cim]

It's an RCA... I'm trying to figure out if I have a problem with my NIC or my Router. The wireless functions still work through the router, but the "wired" PC does not.

[cim]

Hmmmm.... Thank you, Now I just have to find that darn crossover cable... I know I had one at one time, just couldn't remember if it came with my router.

[redwudz]

What's the model of your router? The manual should tell you what it needs. But usually the output from a router is a straight cable. It never hurts to try a different cable anyway. I've had a couple of cables that had bad connections to the plug ends and I ended up replacing them. Crossover cables aren't always labeled as such, so you might have to check the wire color codes at the plug ends to see what you have.

[cim]

My router is a DI-614+. I'll try all of my cables, got nothing to lose...

[redwudz]

Then that appears to be a D-Link router. You shouldn't need a crossover cable from the router to the PC. If you can get it to hook up to the computer, even over wireless, you might log into the router and see what the settings are there. Or if all else fails, you could do a reset. But you would lose your wireless settings. I doubt the wired settings have been blocked, though.

Do your link lights light up on the router and the NIC? If not, maybe it is the cable.

If it's a D-link, the manual should available at their site. If you haven't logged into the router before, the address is usually, '192.168.0.1' and it may use the default password, which I think is none. Good idea to change that, BTW.

[cim]

I want to eliminate the router, temporarily, to make sure it is not the problem. I want to connect my RCA modem directly to the NIC on my PC.

Yes, the lights work, so the router is "seeing" the cables plugged in. And, yes, it's a D-Link, settings are fine, have tried reseting with no luck.

[redwudz]

I'm not sure how familiar you are with networking, but I'll assume the NIC is showing properly in your Network Connections and you have either assigned it an address or you are having the router assign one automatically. It doesn't hurt to run the Networking Wizard again if you have any old settings still may being used. I believe if your link lights are on, your problem may be elsewhere and not the cabling.

[cim]

Yes, the NIC is showing properly, but says not connected. The router should assign the address automatically...

Just trying to isolate the problem to either the NIC on the PC, or the router itself. I'll know more later, when I get home.

Thank you for your help!

[TooLFooL]

NO! crossover cables are for connecting 2 computers together. modem to router to pc all use straight cables!

[cim]

Toolfool, No, on older cable modems, like mine, a crossover cable is required as they do not have switching capabilities. Newer cable modems do not require a crossover cable.

At any rate, I found the problem, it was my NIC, replaced it and everything is fine1

Thanks to everyone!

[ofbarea]

My father´s cable modem requires a x-over cable.

[jameshgross]

If the cable modem specs define the ethernet port as DCE the you will need a crossover cable to connect to you NIC. If the specs say DTE then a regular cable will do.

From Wikipedia:

Data terminal equipment (DTE) is an end instrument that converts user information into signals for transmission or reconverts received signals into user information. A DTE device communicates with the data circuit-terminating equipment (DCE). The DTE/DCE classification was introduced by IBM.

A DTE is the functional unit of a data station that serves as a data source or a data sink and provides for the data communication control function to be performed in accordance with link protocol.

The data terminal equipment may be a single piece of equipment or an interconnected subsystem of multiple pieces of equipment that perform all the required functions necessary to permit users to communicate. A user interacts with the DTE (e.g. through a human-machine interface), or the DTE may be the user.

Usually, the DTE device is the terminal (or a computer emulating a terminal), and the DCE is a modem.

DTE is usually a male connector and DCE is a female connector.

A general rule is that DCE devices provide the clock signal (internal clocking) and the DTE device synchronizes on the provided clock (external clocking). D-sub connectors follow another rule for pin assignment. DTE devices usually transmit on pin connector number 2 and receive on pin connector number 3. DCE devices are just the opposite: pin connector number 2 is receiving and pin connector number 3 is transmitting the signals.

This term is also generally used in the Telco context to designate any device unable to generate clock signs, hence a PC to PC ethernet connection can also be called a DTE to DTE communication. This communication is done via an Ethernet crossover cable as opposed to a PC to DCE (hub, switch, or bridge) communication which is done via a Ethernet straight cable.

[buttzilla]

If its a new modem no you do not. A stardard cable will do the job.