Adding a hub to a router?

[Durbs]

Hey all

We've got a home network installed which works perfectly well - simple patch panel, 3 PC's (all XP) into a router - no problems.

My girlffriend is moving into my room, and I'm trying to add her PC on to the network too. Sadly, the second jack socket in my room is bust (dodgy cabling I think), so instead I thought I'd just connect our 2 pc's together into a mini-hub, then connect this into the working jack socket and that should work.

But it doesn't - and it doesn't work with only one PC plugged into the hub either...
~ I'm 99% certain the mini-hub is working, the patch cables all work too (i've tried several - I don't think I need a cross-over cable do I?)
~ I've disabled DHCP and manually assigned IP's to everything incase the router was trying to allocate the same IP to 2 machines as they shared the same port... (But anyway, this wouldn't make a difference with only one PC plugged into the hub would it?)

Any ideas?

A quick diagram might help...
This doesn't work:
[My PC] ____[Mini-hub]___[wall jack]____[Router]
[Other PC]

This does:
[My PC]____[wall jack]____[Router]

This doesn't:
[My PC]____[Mini-hub]___[wall jack]____[Router]
no does this:
[Other PC]____[Mini-hub]___[wall jack]____[Router]

This does suggest the hub isn't working, but the lights indicate it is

Cheers :D

[Squashman]

If it is a HUB I would think you would need a crossover cable? What is the make and models of all your network devices? Most newer switches and routers don't need a crossover cable. It will detect that it needs to switch the connection type. But for older hubs and switches you may need a crossover cable.

[Bill_Castner]

Note that the router DHCP server would not be confused by your setup.
If you do not have a cross-over cable, see if the mini-hub has an uplink port and if so use that.

[Volt-Schwibe]

on 99.9% of today's hubs there is an "uplink" or "crossover" or "x-over" port.

usually the first, or last port.

try connecting the wall jack to one of these ports, and then connect the two pc's to ports 2 and 3.

if it's still a no go, try the port at the opposite end.

or, as an alternative, you could tell us which hub you have, and we can find out which port is uplink, or if it even has one.

[Durbs]

Sorry, was a bit slack on details :)

Router: Netgear Firewall Router DG384 - I've disabled DHCP and manually assigned IP's, subnets' etc. - PC still connects when plugged straight into wall.

Mini-Hub: WiseLan 10/100 5port. 1st port is marked as Uplink, 4 normal ports.

Cables: I've checked them all and they're all straight cables (i.e. orange is always on the right on the plugs) - Cat6

I tried to make things simpler, and just took the PC->Wall cable, into port 2 (and 1, 3 & 4 just in case) and then ran another cable from Uplink to wall. However even with just one PC, it doesn't connect... Can't ping router, other pc's or anything... Grrrr.

[Volt-Schwibe]

well, if it says port 1 is uplink, you should be connecting that one to the wall.

however, let me go see if i can find info on that hub, to tell you if it has the auto-sensing feature.

ok, it appears that info on that hub is hard to find, however, i found a couple pictures of it, and it appears that it does in fact need a crossover, as the "uplink" port shows no visual marking that it in fact will auto-sense.

there is also the total lack of a push button switch that one would use to manually "x-over" the port.

as annoying as it is, you will probably need to connect port 1 to the wall plate with a crossover cable.

i will try googling it a little more, but as of yet, i find no sort of a manual for it.

also, if you connect a pc to port 2, and a pc to port 3, and then set the ip's manually, you can do a ping test, and see if the hub is actually defective.

[Durbs]

Hmmm, I'm starting to think the hub is broken/faulty...

Just connecting the 2 pc's in my room, they still can't ping each other.

I got some temporary connection with both my pc's seeing the router and the downstairs pc, but it kept dropping for no reason and the hub needed to be reset and I couldn't get internet access despite the fact the firewall settings were all ok (again, without changing any settings, just using my pc without the hub, everything was fine...)

Wierd.

[Bill_Castner]

ok, it appears that info on that hub is hard to find, however, i found a couple pictures of it, and it appears that it does in fact need a crossover, as the "uplink" port shows no visual marking that it in fact will auto-sense.

No. The whole point of the Uplink port is that a straight-thru cable can be used. You do not need autosensing or a cross-over cable when using the Uplink port. It is cross-wired internally.

Second point, your Hub is a switch. That is why it can offer 10/100 autosensing.

.

[Durbs]

Yep, just seen it says in small letters on the front:
"5 port 10/100mpbs SWITCH MINI HUB"

Which is a little confusing, on top it says:
"10/100 5 port hub"

Meh

[Volt-Schwibe]

well, shows what i know.

or at least, what i thought i knew.

[Durbs]

Ah...after all that, tried a different (better) - proper auto-sensing switch and it worked straight away.

Thanks for you help guys :)

[johnwill]

Another thing to realize, many hub/switch models with an uplink port actually don't allow you to use the port next to the uplink port if you have connected to the uplink port. This is sometimes not obvious.