I am confused right out of my socks.
I don't know why the ICS connection quit like that. Of course, I don't really understand how the thing was hooked up. Where was the hub, you mentioned? What was plugged into that? How many "real" IP addresses do you get from your service provider?
Sometimes it's better not to ask the questions that confuse, but rather find the solution that works. Pretty Confucian, wouldn't you say?
How about sometimes you have to destroy the village to save the village?
Here's what I suggest.
The router and the switch need to change places. I'd try that first. Put the router downstairs? next to the DSL modem and put the switch upstairs? on the home PCs.
Maybe you'll get lucky and everything will be 5x5 indicating all is well. If all the connection lights (on the router,switch and PCs) are all on then okay. Just configure the PCs and everything should work fine. If certain connection lights aren't coming on then you could then just pull that individual cable. If no connection lights come. No harm, no foul. It had to be done. Start from scratch, pull all the cables and salvage what you can.
It's my understanding and with concern for your particular situation that the router needs to be as close to the router as possible. Meaning they should be physically connected with nothing in between.
Maybe, my brain's just fried for the night and a new day will bring new understanding....or something.
