Thanx Richard - I try......
I bladdy well hope it doesn't turn out to be the cable since I wasted the first night (about 4 hrs) cos I mistakenly used a patch cable not a crossover one (the dummy that I am) so I bought a new one the following day....
Have just had another thought - I hadn't connected the new Lappy up to windows update yet so will go there now in the hope that it's got Bills original offering in it's bag of bits and the new offerings MAY help.
Will keep you posted (and yes that's a threat hehe!)
Anyhow - surely if it's the cable I wouldn't have got a successful ping from the host would I?