My internet connection won't work in either Gentoo, Mandriva or Debian on my laptop when plugged directly into my cable modem. The only thing that works is Windows! I can understand having problems in one but three on two different computers. Any suggestions? Please? I hate having to use windows.

Is the modem acting as a dhcp server or is the ip static?
Cable and dsl modems frequently use the port's hardware address to allow hook up. (It is why routers have a "clone address" option.) If this is the case, you could release the ip while in windows, then leave windows and gain access again in Linux.
In windows, you could type "ipconfig /all" at the command line and duplicate the information manually in Linux.

Over the years, I have had to do the above on various occasions.

I'm not sure what you meant about the ipconfig /all and duplicating the settings but I did do ipconfig /release and then plugged my gentoo box in and went to restart dhcp. It completely freaked on me. I get Error, eth0: ignoring packet with xid -XXXXXXXXX as it's not ours (i101516628) I have no idea what this means or how to fix it. And nothing is working through my router atm so I'm plugged directly into the modem.

Edit: Now dhcp is working in Debian on the laptop but nothing in Gentoo or Mandriva

Edit again. Now Debian's not working either.

On our cable modem, you need to reboot it to swap between computers -- unplug it from power for ten seconds, and then replug it.

James

I still get the same error messages but then it starts. Guess I need a new router. Thanks iphitus.

I got a really nice new Netgear router and everything is working again! Yay! I get so frustrated when I'm having problems with my computers. Now I'm happy!