Router/Connection Problem Please help me

[JKO]

Hello All, I am a complete newbie here and I seen in other posts that you guys are so helpful and do not hesitate to answer questions so here my problem if anyone is willing to help out.

ok first, I have a Motorola SB4200 SURFboard Cable Modem with a Linksys Etherfast Cable/DSL Router 4 Port Switch. I have a HP Pavilion PC desktop where the cable modem is hooked up to with the router and the other pc is a Dell Dimension 8100. HP has Windows XP and the Dell has Windows ME

Now I used to have the ethernet cable hooked up to the router going to the other pc (Dell) sharing the connection and everything was fine for a few months until a couple of weeks ago I noticed I wasnt getting a connection on the Dell PC so I looked at the back of the pc and noticed instead of having a green light it was orange so I thought it was the cable and went and bought another one and that didnt work neither. I tried reformatting the Dell pc a few times as a matter fact I reformatted it about 6 times already and installing the right drivers for it and still I get no connection and I paid to get another slot installed in the pc and this time I DO get the green light but still I get no connection whatsoever, Is there something im not doing right? Do I have to do something in the HP Pavilion pc in order to get a connection on the other one again? or should I install XP on the other pc which I was told would be my best bet if I wanted to get a connection again onthe Dell pc but what I dont understand is that I used to get a connection b4 and now out of the blue its just been acting up and I just dont know what else to do and dont want to spend more money buying another pc when I know it can be something simple that can be fixed. So guys please I need your help here, Any help would be appreciated alot, Thanks for your time.

[JKO]

Anyone Please?