Motorola Surfboard 5100 Help!

digitard · Post by **digitard** » Wed Oct 01, 2003 12:31 am

Hey,
I have this weak cable modem Cox gave me .. it uses a straight cable (non twisted) and that apparently doesn't like my router (twisted connection) so when they're plugged in together they hate each other. I hook directly to my PC im kosher, I hook directly to my router and I can download fine but upload like crap and gaming requires a constant both.

Anyone know if the Surfboard 5100 series is a twisted pair connection or is it a straight cable connection?

If its straight what modems woudl be compatable with my Linksys Cable/DSL router?

wee96 · Post by **wee96** » Wed Oct 01, 2003 1:02 pm

YET another linksys problem (sorry, just saying that to the linksys lovers out there) the SB5100 is straight, not twisted, and "should" work just fine with a router. Odds are your router, being a linksys pos, is causing a problem (well obviously, since when you connect it direct its fine).

digitard · Post by **digitard** » Wed Oct 01, 2003 1:15 pm

I dunno about that

When I had my DSL connection it used an external DSL modem that connected via RJ45 to my router and that worked just fine. It did use a twisted connection cause I could take any network cable I had and hook that into my router and modem and they'd work fine and it'd see it and it worked fine and great. The DSL modem apparently used a twisted connection since it worked with my router. I actually had 2 different modem manufacturers during my 2yrs w/ that DSL provider and both used the twisted connection as an output.

But this modem doesn't. If I connect it to the router it works, but I have absolutely no upload. I even tried the UPLINK port just to be sure... same thing. I switched cables and it only see's the one straight cable that came with my modem.

Its a POS modem that came free w/ my service so I need to figure out if I should get a new modem or a new router, but I need to be 100% sure before buying one. Its odd that all my DSL modems used thta twisted connection and this one uses a straight cable.

Dave

digitard · Post by **digitard** » Wed Oct 01, 2003 2:22 pm

I figured it out it looks like.

The cable modem I have uses a Crossover cable only instead of a standard RJ45 cable. If I plug any of my normal network cables in from any of my other computers the modem cannot connect, but if I use their cable it connects. This means for some random reason it only uses a Xover cable so I'm going to replace it with a Surfboard.

Dave

wee96 · Post by **wee96** » Wed Oct 01, 2003 10:21 pm

Ive not seen any modems use crossover (what i referred to as twisted) all the modems in our inventory are straight, at least thats what works on them. I havent actually tried a crossover, both might actually work.

digitard · Post by **digitard** » Thu Oct 02, 2003 12:11 am

I've never seen a modem use crossover either.

But I checked out the cable and its a crossover cable.

That explains whats happening too.

I can use the modem directly into my PC just fine (pings servers/games just perfect). But if I put it into my router I cant ping games right and stuff.

If I plug the cable that came with it in I get a PC light on the modem, if I put a normal network cable in (Tried 3) it doesn't get a PC light.

Its odd ... but I'm getting a surfboard tomorrow.

Dave

phatoneusa · Post by **phatoneusa** » Fri Oct 17, 2003 8:32 am

If your having upload problems might it be your A. Using a crossover cable which crossovers are for pc to pc. B.maybe your cable companys line is messed up and your upload doesnt work at all, Ive never had a cable modem that the upload doesnt work.

digitard · Post by **digitard** » Fri Oct 17, 2003 11:44 am

The modem I "had" used a crossover cable...I picked up a Surfboard and it worked fine

phatoneusa · Post by **phatoneusa** » Fri Oct 17, 2003 6:27 pm

well then yeah its your modem, but it isnt always the modem sometimes its hit and miss, some people get good modems from their cable company.