Humorous Network troubleshooting

[Panama Red]

I set up a home network for a customer about 6 months ago. 2 computers running on dsl with a router, both wired. The owner calls about 3 weeks ago and says they can't get online with the basement pc. I tell him how to power cycle the modem, router and reboot the pc. "Call me if that doesn't work", I tell him. I assume all is well cuz I don't hear from him. Last nite his wife calls; can I stop by today and see if I can fix the problem. Husband never got it working. When I get there, he's home, she's working. First thing I do is try to get on with the basement pc, no luck. Check IPCONFIG and it looks like a job for Winsockfix. I go upstairs, unplug the router and modem power and let them clear while I return to the car for my usb drive. Come back in, plug in router and modem and return to the basement. Run the Winsockfix, reboot - still no connection! Go back upstairs and run ipconfig/all on that pc. Go back down stairs and try to set IP manually - no luck! Didn't bring my laptop so I had no way to test the cable. Gave it a quick visual and all looked well in the basement. Back upstairs to double check the modem/router wiring. Now you wouldn't believe the amount of wiring all wadded up under this desk! And the office floor is the filing cabinet - paper everywhere. I check the modem and all lights are lit. I look at the router and lights are flashing. I look at the back of the router and there's no cable in the WAN port! What the....! Back to the modem, trace yellow ethernet cable and find it connected directly to the upstairs pc! The router isn't even in the circuit! Arrrgggghhhh! The owner is leaning in looking as I'm sorting wires. Now I see that three lan ports have wires plugged in but I'm dealing with only two computers!? I see a dark gray wire, then a silver wire (just like the one in the basement) and another dark gray wire. I plug the yellow wire back in the Wan port and unplug one of the dark gray wires to unsnarl it from the nest. Then it dawns on me - I unplug the other dark gray wire and, lo and behold! - it's the other end of the same wire!! The dark gray wire was looped back and both ends were plugged into the Lan ports! Now the owner is turning red and I'm trying not to laugh. Corrected the wiring, back to the basement to verify the connection - solid and back upstairs. Job done. He paid me $50 without even flinching, but he was still red!!

[FLG]

Great story panama....just goes to show ya, you always got to look at the obvious first...no matter how simple it may be

[rspassey]

50$ and a chuckle - I would take that any day ... nice story - I have had my fair deal of issues with insane wiring. I wonder who fiddled with it in the first place - I don't know how a wire just connects both it's end to the router.