HELP! (regards ethernet)

ganonbanned · Post by **ganonbanned** » Sat Sep 09, 2006 9:51 am

yesterdaymy friend called me up and told me to come over there and help him set up his new computer. He got it from his uncle, who said it was a windows millenium. he already had a win98. I helped him set up the computer, and we found out it was a windows 95. we tried to plug the ethernet cable in the back where it said "LINE" but it wont fit! help! I already destroyed his old computer pretty much except the video card and hard drive!

thanks,
-Ty

Post by **SpongeBuell** » Sat Sep 09, 2006 10:03 am

um, you're probably trying to plug your ethernet card into and old fashioned thing called a "modem." This is how dinosaurs would communicate with each other before computers were even made. The plugs on these use something called a "phone cord" which is the same thing as most phones made today.

totokan · Post by **totokan** » Sat Sep 09, 2006 10:12 am

It helps to have an ethernet card installed when you are trying to connect through an ethernet connection. I mean, computers are now almost 100 percent idiot-proof, I guess they HAVE made a better idiot. Sorry if I offend.

ganonbanned · Post by **ganonbanned** » Sat Sep 09, 2006 10:16 am

SpongeBuell wrote:um, you're probably trying to plug your ethernet card into and old fashioned thing called a "modem." This is how dinosaurs would communicate with each other before computers were even made. The plugs on these use something called a "phone cord" which is the same thing as most phones made today.

yeah ummm. thats all I have to say umm. we plugged it in FROM the modem

vb_master · Post by **vb_master** » Sat Sep 09, 2006 10:31 am

ganonbanned wrote:
SpongeBuell wrote:um, you're probably trying to plug your ethernet card into and old fashioned thing called a "modem." This is how dinosaurs would communicate with each other before computers were even made. The plugs on these use something called a "phone cord" which is the same thing as most phones made today.
yeah ummm. thats all I have to say umm. we plugged it in FROM the modem

These went over phone lines, see here.

Post by **Sparkfist** » Sat Sep 09, 2006 10:33 am

Guess I should say this for others. With a computer, if it doesn't go in and you're forcing it, it doesn't belong there. Most connecitons for a device/componet on a computer should not require any force. USB are the only exception.

Post by **bicostp** » Sat Sep 09, 2006 10:54 am

From the sound of it, you're trying to connect an old fashoined modem to the PC's ethernet card.

No. Just... no.

If it is a dial-up modem, connect it through the serial port. If it has an ethernet jack, it is probably a discarded DSL modem, which won't dial out through traditional signals. Unless your friend has DSL it won't do anything useful.

A diagram as to exactly what you're trying to do would be useful.

vb_master · Post by **vb_master** » Sat Sep 09, 2006 11:06 am

bicostp wrote:A diagram as to exactly what you're trying to do would be useful.

Sir Games-A-Lot · Post by **Sir Games-A-Lot** » Sat Sep 09, 2006 12:37 pm

OK, this is what seems to be going on:

The computer you got has an internal modem meant for communicating over analog phone line, that modem is where you are attempting to plug the Ethernet cable into.

Modem stands for Modulator Demodulator. The one in your computer is meant to allow the computer to send data to and receive data from another computer (for instance a server at your Internet Service Provider) over the phone lines by turning data into sound signals that can carry over those lines and interpreting the sounds it is sent by the receiving computer and vice versa.

Now the modem you seem to be thinking of is your cable modem or DSL modem. These perform similar function to a modem meant for use on telephone line but are different in implementation. For instance I have cable Internet. My cable modem uses the analog cable line coming into my house to communicate with whatever kind of equipment its installed on the telephone pole where the cable television line is connected and thence on the my ISP, I think over the fiber optic systems. Now to do this my cable modem must have some way to communicate with my computer or Xbox or whatever. It does that through an Ethernet cable.

So here are the steps I would take in order to get to the Internet on this second hand computer (and remember this is just what I would do I don't guaranty the accuracy or effectiveness of any of this. and please read it whole before trying anything.):

1. Stuff you seem to have:

1A. A DSL or cable modem that is meant to communicate with a computer via an Ethernet cable.

1B. A computer with no ability to connect to anything with using using an ethernet cable.

1C. An Ethernet cable.

1D. A DSL or cable Internet service provider.

1E. An operating system that probably won't think to much of an ethernet card or the concept of DSL or cable Internet.

2. What you need:

2A. ethernet adapter that has some where to physically connect to your second hand computer (such as a PC card slot, or usb port or something). NOTE: make sure to read the step below this before procuring adapter.

2B. An Operating system that has drivers available for the ethernet adapter you get. I recommend Blueflops Linux for starters, has a very high chance and being compatible with what you buy but still check first. Or probably even better Damn Small Linux.

2C. Something to put the OS you get on. For Blueflops you need two 1.44Mb floppy diskette. For Damn Small you will need a CD-R or CD-RW.

3. Things you need to do:

3A. Physically connect the Ethernet adapter wherever it is designed to go
(EG let's say you got an usb Ethernet adapter, it goes in the available usb port).

3B. Use a computer other than the second hand one we are making Internet ready to download either Blueflops or Damn Small Linux. For Damn Small Linux the file you download will be an ISO. To make the ISO turn into a bunch of folders/files it must be burned to a CD-R/RW. BUT you cannot drag and drop it using a Windows Writable Media folder. You will need to download and install this software: http://www.cdburnerxp.se/
once you have it installed, launch it. Click Create Data CD when it opens. Then near the top of the window click: "File" and the click: Write disk from ISO file. A new window will replace the one your looking at. Click the button with the three periods on it and use the window it opens to locate where you saved the file you downloaded from the Damn Small Linux website and select it then click open. Then make sure that the finalize disk box is checked. now click the "Write Disc" button and wait until the cd drive opens again. For bluflops just follow the simple instructions in the readme that is included in the folder you download. You will of course need a functional floppy drive.

3C. Ok good were close to being done. Insert on end of your Ethernet cable into the Cable modem and one end into the Ethernet adapter you attached to the computer in step 3A.

3D. Either put the cd you just burned into the cd drive of the second hand computer or insert floppy one of Blueflops in. Not both. Now if you put the cd in you will obviously have to have turned the computer on. turn it off . Now turn it back on. Yes you heard right. One of the first things you should see is a black screen with white words on it. That's called the BIOS or basic input output system. Read the words you see as best you can until you see something that says what key you must press or hold down on the keyboard in order to enter boot set up, change boot order, configure settings something like that. if the words move to fast hold down the "Pause break" key on your key board to stop them and give you time to read. once you have found out the appropriate key press it as directed. you may need to turn the computer off and on again after you find out wah the key is, since you may already see windows booting. now you should see a menu after you hit that key use the instructions the computer gives you in order to move around. Select "Boot order" or something similar to that and follow the controls the computer gives you to either find a sequence where the cd drive or boot from cd option are first on the ist or in some bios you will get to move the possible boot options around make sure cd drive or boot from cd are at the to. If you are using the floppies don't bother changing the boot order unless they don't boot, most computers have the bios set to boot from floppies by default. If you must change the boot order, make sure drive A is at the top of first on the list, or the boot from floppy option.

3E. Now use the appropriate key (the computer will tell you which) to save the changes you mad and exit. the computer should try to reboot again. if all went well you will see the Damn Small Linux logo. Hit enter when you see it or just leave it alone and it will boot Damn Small Linux. Once you see the Damn small Linux desktop try to connect to the Internet. If it doesn't connect, resetting the cable modem. after that I'm out of ideas I'm still getting used to Linux myself. For bluflops just follow the configuration options on screen should be pretty simple from what I remember.

Phwew that was long. Once again I'm not a a computer expert, this is just stuff I would try to get to the Internet on an old machine.

Happy Hacking

totokan · Post by **totokan** » Sat Sep 09, 2006 12:43 pm

Sir Games-A-Lot wrote: Happy Hacking

If his hacking 'skillz' are as good as his skills at plugging wires in, He'll end up hacking 127.0.0.1 with some proggie he got off the 'net.

Sir Games-A-Lot · Post by **Sir Games-A-Lot** » Sat Sep 09, 2006 1:08 pm

Look on the bright side, at least there were no questions about " how to fix the cupholder".