My current set up involves an ne2k-pci hooked up directly to a cablemodem, and my second NIC is the 3c509 which goes to my AOpenHub 528 - I've got two Windows machines plugged in to the hub as well.

Everything works perfectly and as expected; only the Linux box is visible to the outside world, IP Masquerading is set up and the two Windows boxes are able to surf the web. All three machines can see each other on the local network (Samba works fine).

Now, here's where the problem begins: I simply want to swap the AOpenHub (10bt) with a 100bt hub to get my local network talking faster. However, when plugging the three local NICs in to the hub, the link indicator light for the 3c509 does not light up - the two Windows boxes do - and of course, my local network does not work properly.

What am I missing here? Am I perhaps being naive in thinking that simply replacing the old hub with a faster one should work right away? What could be preventing the link indicator light to light up on the new hub when it works fine on the old? Any help or pointers is greatly appreciated!!

Is it possible that your hub does not support both 10bt and 100bt? The 509 card is 10bt and I bet the Win boxes are 100. I have a 10/100 switch and my 3c509 and 2 100bt Linksys cards talk just fine.

Well, it's certainly possible - I know very little about this new hub except that it's definitely got 100 Base-T capabilities. Would a hub that doesn't support 10b-t behave this way? What should happen if you were to plug a 10, 100, and 100 NIC in to a 10/100 hub anyway? I'm just desperately trying to eliminate the possibilities here so as to see if this hub of mine is faulty or perhaps underfeatured.. Thanks in advance..

Are you using Cat 5 wire? If so, you may need a crossover cable with your new hub, check the instructions.

Most 100 Hubs are 10/100, but some are just 100Mbit.

I suggest as your cable modem is not running faster then 10Mbit you swap the cards so it uses the 3com and the ne2k-pci is on your internal lan. "check that its 100Mbit card with the manufacture first"

You'll get no led light if the Hub is 100 only.
If the hubs a 10/100 it will auto negotiate and the light will come on.
note: most 10/100 hubs will have 2 led's for each connection to show you the speed, or muti-colour led, i.e green 100, yellow 10, if yours just has one led per port then it could just be a 100bit.

Also check your cable, i.e use one from the windows boxes that you know is fine.

or get hold of a 10/100 card for your Linux box, they are dirt cheap.

/Raz

Unorthodox,

All these gentlemen are on the right track.
If your card is a 3c509 it is 10baset only. If it is a 3c905
it is 10/100. Most hubs are 10/100 I have had a few locations I deal with get an Intel SOHO I believe which is a 100 only. Will not work with a 10 card. A lot of hubs "partition" the port, rendering it useless, with a non working card and show you by use of an orange led.
My solution would be a) make sure you card is 100 capable, and that the parameters are set for 100.
b) if not get a 100 card, cheap enough now and you will love transferring huge files in seconds since you already have a hub.

Good luck, you are almost there.