Every now and then my computer 1.7ghz, win XP will display the following message

Local area connection 4, a network cable is unplugged.

Have cable internet, linksys cable/dsl router, netgear 16 port 10/100 hub and netgear pci network cards in all computers.

Things I've done since this problem started, replaced network card in PC, crimped new rj45 plugs onto cat5 cable and replaced two 5 port hubs with one netgear 16 port hub.

My daughter tells me her computer goes off line "all the time" and says it can't find the server. The cable/router has a firewall installed and so does XP(somethiing that happened with XP SP2 upgrade. This problem was occurring before the SP2 upgrade. Sometimes it happens several times a day and sometimes won't occur for days or even weeks.

Your suggestions would be appreciated. Pete

Click on start-Network Connections-Right click on local area connection, click on properties, click on configure- power management and make sure that the "allow computer to turn off this device to save power" is not checked.

I would check the power and the CAT5 cable routing. Keep the cable away from fans, ballasts, or anything else that can cause EMF. Also, how is your power? I run everything (modem,router, and PC) through an APC UPS/Power conditioner.

I don't know if your equipment can lock down port speed and duplex on each connection, but I do that as well.

Connect your computer directly to the linksys router.

Do you still have problems? If so connect your computer directly to the cable modem.

Do you still have problems? If so try a different cable.

Do you still have problems? If so try the same things with a different system.

Does it have the same problems?

If her problems are different than yours put her system where yours was and vice-versa. Do the symptoms change according to location or do the problems move with the systems?

See where I'm headed? You can use the process of elimination to help find the problem.

What protocols run on your network? I'd venture a guess TCP/IP is all you need. Could you have a traffic issue?

Your system seems to indicate a problem with the physical link. Is your cat5 wiring correct (http://www.duxcw.com/digest/Howto/network/cable/cable5.htm)?

Could there be a power problem where the hub is plugged in?

Just some thoughts.

Ok linksys routers typically make you loose one port if you use the wan port. I made the mistake of trying to occupy every port. It states at least for mine that I think port 4 can't be used if the wan port is used check that. Another thing to check is make sure the nic's are set to a hard frame rate not auto. that usually is done in device manager for the nic card or with software that comes with the nic card. Set them to 10/100 or whatever the router and hubs are capable of. Make sure there isn't a duplicate ip on the lan? Make sure you haven't ran cable to far and need something to repeat/amplify the signal(not likely but you never know). when system goes down are they on the same hub? switch the hubs around and see if other systems start to drop it might be a flaky hub or port. Update drivers on the affected boxes maybe it is a driver issue. Are you using dhcp maybe a lease is expiring or something and not renewing correctly? That is all I can think of off the top of my head.