Start with the network cable connections at the cable modem and the PC.

There is normally an LED indicator associated with the RJ45 jack which comes
on when the network cable is plugged in.  Make sure that LED goes on and off
as you insert and remove the cable.  If there is a hub or switch you would
also see an LED on the hub/switch port go on and off at the same time.

If that all checks out, then move to the configuration of the network card
in the PC.

Control Panel > Network > TCP/IP > Properties > IP Address
should have "obtain an IP address automatically" selected.
If not, change it, then reboot.

Now, Start, Run, "winipcfg".  What is the IP address?
If it starts with 169.254, click Renew and see if it changes to something
else.
If still 169.254, then the network card or the cables in the path to the
cable modem (despite LED light indications) could be bad.

Carl

-----Original Message-----
From: PCBUILD - Personal Computer Hardware discussion List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of bob warasila
Sent: Friday, May 28, 2004 4:42 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [PCBUILD] Cable modem problem - USB connection.

My son is running an HP system ~5 years old on W98.  Recently he had a
crashed that brought the system down.  He was able to recover from that
event with the recovery disk, but then while a friend was trying to
update his MacAfee AV for him the system locked up.  While trouble
shooting that problem we found the power switch needed to be rewired
which we did.  The recovery disk we were using was the original and was
giving us some problems.   Since it was kind of scratched up so we
burned a copy and that seems to have been OK.   At that point the
system was reinstalled.  We can see the devices and drivers in the
system manager BUT we are unable to get the cable modem to "talk" to
the system.   We were able to do this after the first recovery.  The
cable people said the modem is fine on their side and their diagnostic
says it's not communicating with the computer.  How do we trouble shoot
this?   Where do we start?

Bob Warasila

[log in to unmask]
[log in to unmask]
[log in to unmask]

               The NOSPIN Group Promotions is now offering
              Mandrake Linux or Red Hat Linux CD sets along
             with the OpenOffice CD...  at a great price!!!
             http://freepctech.com/goodies/promotions.shtml