>>Hi,
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>>I have been connecting my computer to internet via Wi-Fi (router) for a long time. And I just changed the ISP from Comcast Business to Comcast Home. So, I got a new Comcast modem. The person in the Comcast office assured me that the speed of the Comcast Home will be as good if not better than Comcast Business. This kind of works sometimes, and does not work other times. I have not yet figured out what is the problem, when there is a problem.
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>>Meanwhile I decided to try connecting the computer to the Comcast modem directly, using Cat 5 cable. But, after I connect the computer to the modem with Cat 5, and disconnect from wireless, I have no internet connection. How can I tell or test if my computer is connected to the Comcast modem directly?
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>>TIA
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>Is there an indicator LED on the modem/router that lights up when a cable connected to a live device is connected to it? This could provide you with a basic clue if connection is detected at the physical level. Some items to check if the indicator doesn't light up:
>* If the Ethernet connector on your computer has indicator lights, make sure these light up when cable is connected between it and the modem/router
>* Make sure that both ends of the cable are properly seated.
>* Try a different cable (i.e. the one you're trying to use may be defective). Another thing to check is to make sure that the cable itself is the right type as well as being wired correctly. I'd seen situations where someone handed me a cable that turned out to be cat 3 or cat 4 (i.e. that's what I noticed that was printed on the sheathing). Other times I'd come across cables that weren't wired up properly and the wrong set of wires were being paired. A really old cable might limit you to slower speeds too.
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>I'd seen occasional problems with some cables with molded-on boot over the end -- sometimes the boot doesn't allow the connector to seat properly. Other times, a broken-off locking tab on the cable end means that the cable doesn't lock into place and is prone to falling out (this is one of the annoyances I've got at work -- a few of our techs have a tendency to not depress on the tab when disconnecting network cables and by forcibly yanking the cable loose and breaking the locking tab -- as a result we end up with cables that don't always seat properly or don't stay in place). On a few occasions they managed to break the network connector on the device as well).

I think the problem is with Comcast modem (not happy with them at all). On the back of the Comcast modem there are 4 cat 5 ports. The port no 1 is connected to my wireless router. I was connecting a cat 5 cable to port 2. There is no light on the modem indicating if a port is used or not. I called Comcast tech support today. The woman said "I don't know if port 2 works or not; port 1 does work" (nice answer). She said, if you want to connect your computer directly (not via wireless but with a cat 5 cable), plug the cable into the router. But my router has 4 ports and all are already used. This is the reason I was using the port on the Comcast modem. So, I give up on hard-connecting my computer to the internet.
Wireless is not bad. I get speeds of about 50 mbps download and about 11-12 mbps upload.

Thank you.