RVS4000 won't recognize laptop

[fuzzbuster]

Hi all:  My son gave me his old laptop (Dell Inspiron 8000) which works on his Linksys BEFSR41 router, but it will not work with my RVS4000 router.  My desktop works with my RVS4000 router, and I have tried connecting the laptop directly to my router with the cable I use for my desktop (as well as a different cable), but the laptop will not work (it says my network cable is unplugged).  The additional ports on the RVS4000 are black (the green LED lights won't turn on).  My desktop works using different RVS4000 ports, but alas, the laptop won't.  I have rechecked the router settings, tried disconnecting the cable modem and the router (to reboot), and unplugged the power overnight, but nothing works.  I even tried changing the duplex settings from auto to 100 full duplex (suggestion I found doing an Internet search) which didn't work either.  Is this a compatibility issue?  If anyone can help me, I would be most appreciative.  Thanks. 

[cadet alain]

Hi,

Have you tried changing the type of cable: straight or crossover ?

Regards.

Alain

[fuzzbuster]

Hello,

Thanks for the reply. The issue is we are trying to use the router to connect the laptop to the internet, not another computer. I know a crossover cable has some of the pins switched to allow two computers to connect directly to each other; is there a reason you believe that a crossover cable would work when plugged into the laptop and router, and if so, could you tell me why?

The desktop is running Windows 2000 while the laptop is running Windows XP if that matters.

[cadet alain]

Hi,

to connect a PC to a regular fastethernet port on a router you need a crossover cable But if there is an integrated switch in the router and you are linking the PC to such a port then you need a straight-through cable.

If both devices supported autoMDIX then you could use either one provided the port on the router was a switchport.

Regards.

Alain

[fuzzbuster]

Hi:

You lost me with the integrated switch in the router (I have no idea if the RSV4000 has an integrated switch, but I assume it does since I can connect to the Internet through the router with a regular cable).  I assume both devices support MDIX (had to look up MDIX and found out ports on newer network interfaces detect if the  connection would require a crossover, and automatically chooses the MDI  or MDIX configuration to properly match the other end of the link).  All I know is I am using a regular cable to connect my desktop to the Internet (through the RVS4000), but I can't connect to the Internet with the laptop (through the RVS 4000).  I am only using the router as a firewall, not to connect two computers.  I just bought the RVS4000 in September 2010 (of course, just missed the year time limit I had to call tech support) so I assume it is new enough to automatically choose the correct configuration.

I did figure out I had to change the duplex settings from auto to 100 full duplex on both the router and the laptop (I had only changed it on one) and now it no longer says my network cable is unplugged, but I still can't connect to the Internet with the laptop.    Thanks.