For the love of god, help me!!!

[Berserk Monk]

I can't get on the internet in my dorm room. I don't know why. I bought a cord to hook up to the phone line outlet thingy (that provides internet right? I'm not good with technology) and nothing. Is it the cord, cause I got the cheapest one they had, $4. Do certain phone cords not work with computers to give you internet? And what's modem? The box it came in said something about modem. Like I said earlier, I know crap about technology. Please don't make fun of my lack of computer skills. I'm without internet and I'm scared. :smalleek: Anytime I wanna go online, I have to go to the first floor lobby and hope one of the computers are vacant. I can't live like this for the next four months.

It might also be my computer. I got a PC and one of my roommates also has one and he can't get online, but another roommate of mine has a mac and he's able to go online. I hope it isn't my computer 'cause as much I want to get a mac, I don't have $2,000 to spend on one. Any suggestions. Please, for the love of god, help me!!!

[Ponce]

Alright, are you certain the cord/outlet you are using is a phone line? If so, you shouldn't really expect it to work. There's another type of port called an ethernet port which looks like a phone port but is in actuality slightly larger. Look on the back of your computer, you may see two similar ports that look like phone ports, but one is slightly larger. THAT is the ethernet port, which will connect you to the school network (and presumably get you online). If that is the port you are using then you should be able to get online, and if you can't you should contact the network administrator at your school.

If you are using the SMALLER port, then you are actually connecting the 56k modem on your computer to a phone jack on the wall. This isn't going to get you online. You have to find the slightly larger port and connect to that. At the store, you need to ask for an ethernet cable. Post pictures if you can.

Failing all that, just get the network administrator to hook you up. Thats his job.

[Vmag]

Did you call your local internet service provider and set up a date for some expensive installation (read: hooking up wires to ports that are already there)?

[RS14]

Failing all that, just get the network administrator to hook you up. Thats his job.

This. Furthermore, your admin will know far more than any of us about your dorm's network configuration and what exactly is required.

[Berserk Monk]

Alright, are you certain the cord/outlet you are using is a phone line? If so, you shouldn't really expect it to work. There's another type of port called an ethernet port which looks like a phone port but is in actuality slightly larger. Look on the back of your computer, you may see two similar ports that look like phone ports, but one is slightly larger. THAT is the ethernet port, which will connect you to the school network (and presumably get you online). If that is the port you are using then you should be able to get online, and if you can't you should contact the network administrator at your school.

If you are using the SMALLER port, then you are actually connecting the 56k modem on your computer to a phone jack on the wall. This isn't going to get you online. You have to find the slightly larger port and connect to that. At the store, you need to ask for an ethernet cable. Post pictures if you can.

Failing all that, just get the network administrator to hook you up. Thats his job.

Okay, I know what ports you're talking about now and I've bought an ethernet cord, and the cord is too small to fit in the ethernet port. Any ideas what to do? My laptops a Compaq if that helps.

[Zeb The Troll]

Okay, I know what ports you're talking about now and I've bought an ethernet cord, and the cord is too small to fit in the ethernet port. Any ideas what to do? My laptops a Compaq if that helps.Ethernet doesn't come in different sizes. If it has 8 wires, it's ethernet, if it has 4 wires, it's a phone cord. Also, what are you plugging the other end into?

There are things that could explain why your Mac room mate might be getting connected and you are not. For example, his computer might have built in wireless that's letting him connect (this assumes your school has wireless available in the dorms). There is nothing special about a Mac that would, merely by virtue of it being a Mac, allow it to get online and not a Windows PC.

Do you have the capability of posting pictures of what you're trying to do?

[Ditto]

Talk to your RA. They've hooked up the Internet in dorms before, they probably already set their own system up, they should be able to walk you through it. Getting the right plug in the right socket is half the battle. :smallsmile: