New Network Wont Work

Ok, lets see, I have recently put together a new comp and want to be online all the time, but had no networking stuff, so I got a hub and set it all up.
We have 1 home/family computer, Xbox live, and my new comp. the home comp and xbox live can work together or independently just fine. But my comp wont get anything even if no one else is online. If i plug directly into the cable modem i get full strength (so its not the ports or cables). I've ran the microsoft wizzard for networking, selecting "this computer connects through a hub" with no help. i've also tried the "repair this connection" but that doesn't fix it either.
what happens when i go though the hub, is it connects to a 169.xxxxxxx IP and says connected I have since found out 169is a blank microsoft IP that just makes you look connected.

I know very little about networking, but enough about software/hardware to build this comp. So i'm not retarded, but I dont know what DNS or gateway is so....
The family comp has a defult DNS server address set up, where as my computer is set to auto. Ive tried typing in the same DNS for my comp as the family comp, that doesn't work either. As far as i can tell all the options on both computers are the same, and its leaving me pissed off and fighting for my network.

Any Ideas??
Thanks
Gman

are the computers and the xbox in the same room? otherwise you don't need a hub you need a router. A hub splits a single connection to multiple workstations...a router emulates seperate internal IPs for each workstation connected to it....169. prefixes are the internal IP being assigned to your computer via the router(which makes me think you meant router and not hub) It's a way for the router to keep track of where each workstation is so that when packets come into the router the router knows which workstation to route them to. Also, do you have the xbox live plugged in at all times? and does the other "family" computer get a connection? XBox live is bandwidth hog...it will suck every kb of available bandwidth out of your connection.

Well, the comps and xbox aren't in the same room, but the cat5 cables i have are long enough to reach across to get to the hub. Its not a router, ive tried a router - like you said the xbox took all the bandwidth. It sucks it all up and makes it pointless to have a hub or router in the 1st place. Yes the Xbox is pluged in at all times, but its not on all the time. I dont think it takes its share of bandwidth unless your running xbox live. and our incomming cable modem has a 5 Mbs connection. It should be plenty for atlesat the 2 comps to run at the same time. but i cant connect to google even.
thanks for the idea, keep em comming

You need a router as Algren Cole has already said, or a network switch(Basically a router). If you don't have these, then you can only use one IP address when you have more than one device on at once. However, if your modem has more than one Ethernet port, it's quite possible it's a router anyway.

What is your hardware you are trying to use, such as PC OS, setup and the Hub you are using?

Also, the XBOX won't suck up all the bandwidth if you have a decent modem/router at the connection point. I have both and don't have a problem. Actually, I have several machines all connected to one ADSL connection. If you are having a problem with bandwidth, it could be a naff modem/cable device you have or something is wrong with your setup.

We need a little more info on your setup before we can help further.

Also, have you tried the cable you use for the XBOX and connected that to the PC to see if it works that way?

on a side note: Dirkiess what Modem/Router combo do you use? A buddy of mine has a little brother that's on XBOX live nonstop...it makes it nearly impossible for him to get a decent connection. Thinking maybe it's his router/modem combo...


Gman: You definately need a router. You've already established that it isn't a problem with the NIC in the computer(as it works fine when you plug-in directly)...so my guess is that you aren't getting an IP address from the DNS. go to start -> run -> cmd and type ipconfig and hit enter. You should get a bunch of 0's or nothing at all. That will confirm you aren't getting an IP address. You could try ipconfig/release and then ipconfig/renew to see if maybe you can force an IP assignment. But my guess is the same as dirkiess...you need a router.

When you purchase an account at an ISP, you get one singular IP address to use. A router will allow you to split this connection - the router will pretend to be the one machine allowed to use the IP address, and will make all your internet requests for you. This uses a process called NAT - Network Address Translation. It's a very involved process, so I won't pester you with it.

If you just have a 'hub' or 'switch' connected directly to your modem, it will function on a first-come-first-served basis -- the first machine to make an active connection will get the singular IP address, and the others won't know what to do, hence your 169.254.*.* APIPA address.

Since your xBox is always connected, it gets priority. If you were to unplug the box from the network and reboot your PC, then you'd be able to function again, but the way you have it now it's one or the other and never both.

Buy a router. You can find them relatively inexpensively at Best Buy (AFTER rebate), say, $20 for a good SOHO router. I've had the best experiences with Netgear's equipment.

-sam

Not necessary, this differ from ISP to ISP, my last had 3 IP's for each Modem. But otherwise, I think you are right. His ISP gives one IP, perhaps two only.

Samarium was saying that he is assigned 1 IP at a time...if your ISP gives you three IPs it simply means that you are allowed to USE one and RESERVE 2...you can only be USING 1 at a time.

I've had AWFUL luck with Netgear...I much prefer linksys or cisco...but it really is a personal preference thing.

Yah, cisco would be the best choice. I didn't have the option available to me in the store I went to, but that'll be my next purchase (especially considering my Netgear's now giving me problems in the wireless area )

Let's just generalize and say that all SOHO routing equipment sucks. You've had miserable experiences with Netgear, I've had terrible experiences with Linksys, and someone else I know had an awful time with D-Link. You pays your money and you takes your chances I suppose.

True enough, but the great majority of them (particularly the big names) limit you to one public IP per modem on account of the diminishing IPv4 space (unless you pay extra, of course).

-sam

just out of curiosity, what isp do you use, gman?

I would get a linksys router (linksys was bought out by cisco). If you have wirless there standard 4 port with 802.11g wireless is inexpensive and relaible.

Now you only have some much bandwidth (upload/download speed). Cable high speed tends to be faster then Phone Line DSL (DSL speeds vary based on how close you are to one of the stations running DSL). I know when I was running a certain app for the web that was sucking too much transfer rate my PS2 networking suffered.

You could try this, if your pc has two networking cards in it, hook you xbox in to your pc and use "Internet Connection Sharing" to share your internet to the xbox. It will only give 50% of the conneciton speed to the xbox.