On 17 May 2003, at 8:45, Jim Besse wrote:

> I have a Dell Latitude LS with an intergrated NIC.  This machine was
> networked to a desktop using a crossover cable and worked fine.  I
> installed a DSL line with a Linksys DSL Router and I get the Network
> Cable Unplugged status from Windows 2000 when I use the proper cable.  It
> doesn't light the status light on the router either.  I have tried using
> different patch cables that work on other machines.  A desktop and
> another laptop using a PCMCIA NIC work fine with the router.  I'm
> stumped, any suggestions?
>
> Thanks, Jim

  There are two crucial NIC parameters which need to be set correctly for
this to work:  speed (10 or 100 Mbps) and duplex (full or half).

  Most NICs will let you set either or both of these to "auto-negotiate",
meaning "figure out what the thing I'm talking to wants".  This works well
for the speed, but can be problematical for the duplex setting when mixing
equipment from different manufacturers.

  You may have either or both specified, and it worked before because your
other machines could auto-negotiate a sorkable configuration with it, or
they may be set to auto and it may be that that doesn't work between Linksys
and this PCMCIA manufacturer or model.

David Gillett

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