Hope I'm in the right place
I've got cable internet now and am trying to get my two Linux machines (Mandrake 10) hooked up to it with no luck.
First though, the machine went off last night in a storm
and this AM the modem wouldn't work. I was getting another cable modem anyway so didn't bother with trying to find out the problem. I mention that in case something got snafued that is stopping the cable modem also.
I guess first I need to find out what to do to get the cable modem running. Then if the proper proceedure doesn't work I'll know to look elseware
Thanks for your help

A little more info is required:
USB or ethernet (i.e. RJ45 interface)
If USB only what is the modem make and model

Are you trying to connect the PCs in parallel or configure one as a router/gateway.

ethernet and all I'm trying to do at this point is just get the one computer hooked up. I had the two Linux machines sharing an internet connection when they were on the modem. I'll do the sharing again later after I get the cable hooked up and working on my main Linux machine.

Try the MDK control center wizard for internet connection. It should be straight foward by just selecting the type of connection. Of course in a perfect world this would work all of the time too.

I would remove power to the modem for a few seconds first before trying to setup the connection. Some ISPs "remember" a network cards MAC and you will not be able to connect without "erasing" it first, if different from when it was first powered.

Been there 10 times. I went to remove connection and removed all of them. I then go to new connection and set up the nic card etc... I get nothing, after doing that though I can click on internet access and it lists my connection as a lan. I go delete all connections again and then click on internet access and a window comes up saying there are no configured connections. Great I go back to new connection click cable setup the card etc.. restart nothing. I check internet access again and it reads lan again. Any ideas?????/

Were the machines hooked to the cable during the storm? Any chance that a lightning strike might have blown the nic?

Try the console command netconfig and select DHCP. As root try the command
ifup eth0
If everything works you should see an IP address for eth0
ifconfig eth0
Also check the file /etc/resolv.conf. If there some nameserver info you should be set.

When the power blinked, if you will, the two Linux machines were hooked together with a compound cable and shared the internet through a modem. The modem as it turns out works fine on the other machine now but I had to delete all connections there and set up a new connection, that worked on that machine. That doesn't work on the use to be host machine.
The lights are working on the nic card and I don't think thats the problem. The problem I think has to do with the configuration of the old network. I can't seem to get rid of the lan listing no matter what I do. That's just my guess, I'm taking all advice.

Nope, no go.
I've got one listing in etc/resolv.conf and I've got an IP address listed in eth0 but nothing. When I click internet access in configure computer it still says LAN status not connected.

All the lights on the modem just came on. I went out and smoked a cig and when I came back they were on. I still can't go any where on the net though. That happened with my modem before and I had to edit my ?etc/resolv.conf I'm going to try that and will let you know.

The /etc/resolv.conf is fine.
I'm on the internet but can't go anywhere. What's the problem, it's got to be easy, a setting, a simple little something that is kicking my butt!!!!!!!

You are on the internet as in you have an IP address? Try pinging google or connecting to google via IP address.

google IP: 216.239.41.99

If you can type the IP into your browser and get it to come up that way your DNS settings are probably off. I had this problem and reset my resolv.conf and it seemed to work.

I'll try it.

I couldn't ping it and when I tried to connect it said the connection was refused as opposed to blah blah blan couldn't be found. What next?????

What does ifconfig return on both machines?
To get this right. You have one machine connect to the cable modem and the other connected to the machine that is connected to the cable modem?