Which lead do i use to connect pc to pc? & which lead to connect pc to modem?

[cragwin]

1. I recently bought a pc to pc hub cable and connected it both to my computer upstairs and the one downstairs. but the network folder said that the lan connection was still unplugged or not connected. it may be because of one of my network adaptors or just because one of the computers is old and fails at most things it tries.

2. Also i tried to connect my ''good'' computer to my broadband modem using the same pc to pc lead as it looks exactly the same as the lead i got with the modem just longer (the modem does take usb but my computer is to far away to use a usb cable so i went with the lan), but after it didnt work i looked up to see if there were different types of lan cables and found many different words coming up a few times like ''crossover cable'' ''switch cable'' and a few others. which lead do i need to connect from my computer to the broadband modem?

Any ideas would be helpful!

 

[RealBlackStuff]

Depending on router/modem brand, most often there is a crossover cable between modem and router.
From modem to PC, as above, but try out both. You won't damage anything.
From router to PC always a straight cable.
Hold the two ends of a cable together with same side up.
If both have the same colour-sequence from left to right, it is a straight cable, otherwise a crossover cable.

 

[REB_ElMagnifico]

From router to PC always a straight cable.

RBS, I don't mean to be picky or rude or anything, but I just wanted to make a comment about the router to pc using a straighthrough cable...
I know you were probably refering to home networking routers, but industry routers are considered computers(technically) and require crossover cable to connect directly to other computers (desktops, etc.).

 

[RealBlackStuff]

You're probably right in the industrial case (I never checked at work, what cablesystem they use), but in our forums we usually deal with home-network problems.

Companies with a network would normally have their own network technician, who would rarely come here for help (I guess).

My answers are based mostly on my own home-network experience.
I have wired my whole house, because there are regular large file-transfers between PCs, and it is just that much easier (and cheaper) than wireless.
My broadband is wireless via an antenna on the roof, comes into the house via coax-cable to a small black box (litterally). All BB-equipment is from an Israeli outfit, Alvarion.
From that box, it uses a crossover-cable to my SMC Barricade router's WAN-port.
The LAN-cables to each PC and the printserver are all straight-through.
There is still one (problematic on network transfers) W98SE PC, the other 5 are all W2K.

 

[Nodsu]

It is usually crossover from router to PC but in the case of home routers we have a switch bolted on the router part so we are actually talking about switch-to-PC cabling. In real routers there is no switch but a dedicated network interface for every port.

 

[REB_ElMagnifico]

Good point Nodsu...makes sense.

 

[cragwin]

i got it all working now your comments really helped me alot thanks