Delay in connecting to network

I recently had CAT5 cable installed to create two remote network points at
home. The two runs terminate in a single wall box, which is connected by a
short flylead to the router, a Linksys WAG54G (I'm not currently using the
wireless functions). Both runs were tested by the installers.

The oddity is that the desktop computer on one extension can't see the
network connection at all for about 10 mins after booting up. If I open and
reopen Explorer, Network Neighbourhood and generally keep trying to connect,
it eventually comes on and stays stable thereafter. I can't see any reason
why this should happen. I'm not changing any settings, just persisting until
the network appears as if by magic. The desktop is a Win98 machine and runs
Zonelarm, with the entire home network in the Trusted zone.

Yesterday I tried to use the other network point for the first time with a
WinXP HE laptop and couldn't connect at all - "network cable unplugged". By
running a different wire direct back to the router I could connect with no
problems, so this looks like a cabling problem.

Any ideas please?

Chris R

"ChrisR" <(E-Mail Removed) y.com.address>
wrote in message news:445da1ea$0$9258$(E-Mail Removed)...
>I recently had CAT5 cable installed to create two remote network points at
>home. The two runs terminate in a single wall box, which is connected by a
>short flylead to the router, a Linksys WAG54G (I'm not currently using the
>wireless functions). Both runs were tested by the installers.
>
> The oddity is that the desktop computer on one extension can't see the
> network connection at all for about 10 mins after booting up. If I open
> and reopen Explorer, Network Neighbourhood and generally keep trying to
> connect, it eventually comes on and stays stable thereafter. I can't see
> any reason why this should happen. I'm not changing any settings, just
> persisting until the network appears as if by magic. The desktop is a
> Win98 machine and runs Zonelarm, with the entire home network in the
> Trusted zone.
>
> Yesterday I tried to use the other network point for the first time with a
> WinXP HE laptop and couldn't connect at all - "network cable unplugged".
> By running a different wire direct back to the router I could connect with
> no problems, so this looks like a cabling problem.
>
> Any ideas please?
>
> Chris R
10 minutes sounds okay. Alter anything on a 98 net and go for a coffee
before even trying it. Faulting can be worse, go and grind the beans first.
It is mainly affecting you 'seeing' the other computer, it'll have no
problems itself and you can even share resources before long at all.