Networking question...

j_rhine3
Novice
Joined: Mar 18, 2004
Posts: 15
Loc: Southeastern USA
Status: Offline

May 12th, 2004, 7:42 am

Hi,
I have a networking question, but I wasn't sure which forum to post it in. If this is the correct forum, can someone please let me know and if not can they please point me in the right direction. Thanks in advance.

Peace,
Jimmy

Anonymous
Bot
- www.ozzu.com
Joined: 25 Feb 2008
Posts: ?
Loc: Ozzuland
Status: Online

May 12th, 2004, 7:42 am

ATNO/TW
Super Moderator
Joined: May 28, 2003
Posts: 23404
Loc: Woodbridge VA
Status: Offline

May 12th, 2004, 7:46 am

You're probably in the right spot. What's the question?

"There's no place like 127.0.0.1 except for ::1."
Alexandria Networks. Leader in IT consulting for associations/non-profits, and small to medium sized businesses around the northern Virginia and Washington D.C. metro area.

j_rhine3
Novice
Joined: Mar 18, 2004
Posts: 15
Loc: Southeastern USA
Status: Offline

May 12th, 2004, 11:04 am

I've got three computer on my home network. All three were running on Windows ME. Last week I upgraded one to Windows XP and reinstalled my network card with updated drivers for Windows XP. It worked fine for a few days then all of a sudden quit working. When I view the network it shows that I am sending "packets" but I'm not receiving any. Although this is the case on the computer with XP, the other two computers using ME are experiencing no trouble. When I reset the router, it will start to work again but then will stop after anywhere from 5 minutes to 6 hours. I've tried using the command prompt to renew my IP address, but that comes up with a time-out error message. I've contacted Netgear (the products I'm using), but they haven't been able to help much. Just FYI, I am using a NetGear MA301/401 card in my PC along with a MR314 Wireless Router. Any ideas would be appreciated! Thanks in advance.

Peace,
Jimmy

bigcheeez
Graduate
Joined: Mar 30, 2004
Posts: 243
Status: Offline

May 12th, 2004, 12:39 pm

This sounds pretty weird, maybe check the mode that the NIC is running at? It's in the device propterties. Is the router configured as a dhcp server?

Nucleo
SausagePorkPie
Joined: Aug 16, 2003
Posts: 2297
Loc: UK - England
Status: Offline

May 12th, 2004, 12:51 pm

a stab in the dark, but did you enable the Windows Firewall?

also, go to Start- Help and Support
then click on "Use Tools to view your computers information..."
then click on network diagnostics.

did wonders for my network

give it a shot

Codebuddies - Website Development Resource
|INCLUDE(), INCLUDE_ONCE(), REQUIRE() IN PHP | - / - |MICROSOFT CRM 4.0 ONCLICK EVENT WITHIN FORM |

j_rhine3
Novice
Joined: Mar 18, 2004
Posts: 15
Loc: Southeastern USA
Status: Offline

May 12th, 2004, 2:18 pm

Hi all,
Thanks for your help so far. Here are answers to your questions/suggestions:

Did you enable the Windows Firewall?

I checked and it has not been enabled...

go to Start- Help and Support
then click on "Use Tools to view your computers information..."
then click on network diagnostics...

I gave this a shot. My Netgear301 failed the test. When looking at the information presented it failed DefaultIPGateway, DHCP SErver, and DNSServerSearchOrder. All three of these sent 4 packets but did not receive any back and eventually timed out.

Check the mode that the NIC is running at...

I looked under the device properties of the Netgear MA301 card and could not find this anywhere...I also took a stab in the dark and looked under my network properties. Could you possibly provide more info as to where this would be located?

Is the router configured as a dhcp server?

I have no idea. I had this network set up by a professional a few years ago and do not know...I'm debating taking that route with fixing this problem, but since I've become mildly knowledgeable about comptuers I thought I'd take a stab at fixing this myself. Anywho, enough of my rambling. Thanks so far for all of your help. Any other suggestions or ideas are greatly appreciated!

Peace,
Jimmy

DuckIT
Graduate
Joined: May 04, 2004
Posts: 155
Loc: London, UK
Status: Offline

May 12th, 2004, 2:52 pm

Hi

Looking at the MA301/401 and router I see this is all a wireless configuration? Could it be interference or distance from the access point playing a part?

You can try doing an ipconfig when this PC is working and see what you get. Once the PC looses connection do it again. Make a note of all this. This may show if your machine is loosing its IP for some reason.

Also, once your machine looses connection, I presume you get the connection lost message down by the clock? Is the wireless network using any kind of encryption? WEP for instance?

With wireless cards there are typically 2 ways of the vendor setting the card up: It could be that the vendors software (in this case netgear) sets up your wireless settings. Or else Windows sets up your wireless settings. You may have an icon in the system tray by the clock for the Netgear card? Have a nose round in there and see what you can see. Also have a look on the other machines and see what settings they have. The only reason I say this is I sometimes have a similar problem when my WEP encryption is set badly. It will work for a while then stop. Not worth trying to fault find that though unless we clarify if WEP is switched on or not and also if Netgear sets the wireless settings or Windows does.

Good luck!

S

ATNO/TW
Super Moderator
Joined: May 28, 2003
Posts: 23404
Loc: Woodbridge VA
Status: Offline

May 12th, 2004, 3:46 pm

This link appears to be the same problem with a solution:

http://www.winguides.com/forums/showfla ... sb=9&part=

However, I would suggest just manually set a static IP on your XP machine within your routers IP range instead of getting one automatically from the router's DHCP server. The default gateway will be your router's IP address. Also under advanced in the Wins tab check Enable NETBIOS over IP. That should take care of it without much hassle. If you need to enter a DNS server, that would be obtained by asking your ISP for the IP addresses of their DNS servers.

j_rhine3
Novice
Joined: Mar 18, 2004
Posts: 15
Loc: Southeastern USA
Status: Offline

May 12th, 2004, 6:20 pm

I tried accessing the link and it doesn't seem to work. I also navigated to that forum and when clicking on that subject it just doesn't want to open. I hate to be a nuisance, but could you possibly copy and paste the info here. Thanks for everyone's help.

Peace,
Jimmy

ATNO/TW
Super Moderator
Joined: May 28, 2003
Posts: 23404
Loc: Woodbridge VA
Status: Offline

May 12th, 2004, 8:32 pm

Quote:

(Archived) Computer changes IP and loses Network (WXP-Pro)

I have a Windows XP Pro computer connected to a D-Link DI-604 router, then to a cable modem. The computer is less than 3 months old, and has a firewall, and an antivirus, so I doubt a virus is causing my problem.

Quite often (like every time my computer hibernates) when I try to use my internet, I find that my computer has changed it's internal IP (found by ipconfig), and can't access the router anymore. I have since saved out all the registry keys that refrence my IP, and so I can get my network back up by loading the keys back into the registry and then restarting. This is an ok workaround, but it is very annoying. It defeats the purpose of hibernation (because I have to restart right after), and so I was wondering what is causing it, and what to do about it.

For refrence, my IP is changing from 192.168.0.100 to 169.254.254.178 (I think, I have to put the second number from memory). It always changes to the same thing.

My router grants IPs for a week, and this happens about once every day.

I think this has something to do with the way windows connects to the router, because when I restart the router (to change settings), and then try to access it to soon, the IP changes also.

Windows' internal firewall is on, and so is my Zone Alarm Pro's firewall.

Any help would be appreciated.

—E

Xavier_Ao
(Member)
07/15/03 02:53
(Archived) Re: Computer changes IP and loses Network (WXP-Pro) [re: Eric_Burnett]

Try turning off ZoneAlarm for a couple of reboots, and see what happens.
I had a similar issue where, sometimes I suddenly lost my ability to connect to the internet. The connection was there (as I could ping the DNS servers) but I couldn't get online. I turned off ZA Pro, and suddenly I could get online.
Being behind a router provides some protection, and more than likely uses its own firewall.
Out of curiousity: what version of ZA Pro are you using?
Also, Have you tried configuring your IP address manually?

Always glad to help!
Josh

"Got caffeine? Caffeine, a good addition to any toolkit."

Eric_Burnett
(New Member )
07/15/03 09:07
(Archived) Re: Computer changes IP and loses Network (WXP-Pro) [re: Xavier_Ao]

I have tried it with ZA Pro off, no dice. I have version 4.0 (the newest). I can't connect to DNS servers or anything, because the information is stopping whn it hits my router.

What do you mean by setting IP manually? I would If I could, but I can't even figure out what is changing it.

Thanks.

—E

jdharm
(Advisor)
07/15/03 09:36
(Archived) Re: Computer changes IP and loses Network (WXP-Pro) [re: Eric_Burnett]

Check the settings on the router's LAN side: Do a ipconfig /all in a command window then next time the computer's 'Net access stops working and make sure that the Gateway setting that the DHCP server of the router is handing out is the same as the LAN IP of the router.

It could be that when the computer goes to the router to obtain its network settings the router is passing along a Gateway IP that is not the same as the router's IP (transposed digits, one digit off by 1, that kind of thing). This would cause the computer to get an IP OK, but when it tries to go to the 'Net it goes to a gateway device that doesn't exist.

Josh
http://www.jdharm.net

Eric_Burnett
(Member)
07/15/03 10:11
(Archived) Re: Computer changes IP and loses Network (WXP-Pro) [re: jdharm]

My Gateway is gone, and the internal IP and Subnet mask have changed to something way off what they were before.

Here are my results.

When internet works:

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . ERIC
Primary DNS suffix . . .
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . Unknown
IP Routing Enabled . . . NO
Wins Proxy enabled . . . No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . . vc.shawcable.net
Description . . . NVIDIA nForce MCP Networking Adaptor
Physical Address. . . . [my mac address]
Dhcp enabled . . . . Yes
Autoconfiguration enabled . . . Yes
IP address . . . 192.168.0.100
Subnet mask . . . . . .255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . 192.168.0.1
DHCP server . . . . . 192.168.0.1
DNS servers . . . . . . 192.168.0.1
Lease obtained . . . . July 15, 2003 10:02:53 AM
Lease expires . . . . . July 22, 2003 10:02:53 AM

The IP routing enabled . . . No
and the Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . Yes
are puzzling. They could be the problem.

When internet doesn't work:
Windows IP configuration is the same

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection specific DNS Suffix . .
Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NVIDIA nForce MCP Networking Adapter
Physical Address . . . . . . . . . .. .. [My same mac address]
Dhcp Enabled . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Yes
Autoconfiguration enabled . . . . . . yes
Autoconfiguration IP address . . . . 169.254.254.171
Subnet mask . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

So it has something to do with the autoconfiguration, but I don’t know what. (or how to turn it off).

Thanks.

—E

jdharm
(Advisor)
07/15/03 10:50
(Archived) Re: Computer changes IP and loses Network (WXP-Pro) [re: Eric_Burnett]

That looks like to me that the connection isn't fully negotiated between the router and NIC before the system gives up on the DHCP server and auto configures it's own IP.

First, just to test this theory, wait a minute after wake up and then do a ipconfig /release and then (even if you get an error message) do a ipconfig /renew in a command window. If what I stated was the problem then giving the systems a minute to finish negotiating the connection and then using release/renew will get the proper network settings from the router without a restart.

If that works OK then you might try cutting the connection negotiation time, though I'm not sure that will help. Try going into the NIC properties and finding the settings for link speed and duplex. Change the settings from Auto to the proper settings. Maybe doing this will cut out the negotiation time and establish the connection faster, not giving the IP Autoconfig a chance to kick in?

Josh
http://www.jdharm.net

Eric_Burnett
(Member)
07/15/03 15:46
(Archived) Re: Computer changes IP and loses Network (WXP-Pro) [re: jdharm]

When I release, the Ip doesn't change, and then when I renew, it waits about 30 seconds and then times out. This is after waiting for a long time, too.

I couldn't find the values you were talking about, but diring my search I did find something else.
In HKLM\System\ControlSet001\Control\Class\{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002bE10318}\0008\Ndi\params\ForceSpeedDuplex, there is a key default of 0. ({4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002bE10318} is The Network adaptors. 0008 is the Duplex/Speed Settings.) Then in the enum sub-key, there is a list of values.

0 = Full autonegotiation
1 = Force 10 Half Duplex
2 = Force 10 Full Duplex
3 = Force 100 Half Duplex
4 = Force 100 Full Duplex
5 = Autonegotiate for 10HD
6 = Autonegotiate for 10FD
7 = Autonegotiate for 100HD
8 = Autonegotiate for 100FD

Does this have anything to do with my problem? And if so, what should I set it to?

If not, where would I find the values link speed and duplex?

—E

Edited by Eric_Burnett on 07/15/03 15:54.

jdharm
(Advisor)
07/16/03 08:28
(Archived) Re: Computer changes IP and loses Network (WXP-Pro) [re: Eric_Burnett]

Yes, that is the setting I was talking about, however, you should be able to get to it throught the device properties page in the Device Manager. HERE is a pic of mine and where I set the settings.

But that doesn't appear to be the issue since doing a release/renew after waiting a while doesn't fix it. Maybe the NIC isn't powering up after a hibernation or there is no attempt to reestablish the connection.

(I hate to make you jump through these hoops, but this is the process I would go through if I was sitting in front of the computer. It just takes longer over the boards.)

If the NIC is working but the modem and NIC aren't reestablishing a connection you might force the negotiation by pulling the network cable from the NIC or modem (whichever is easier to get to) and reinsert it. Maybe that will force the NIC to try to renegotiate the connection. Wait a few seconds and then try the IP release/renew.

If that doesn't work you might try to "Disable" the NIC in the Device Manager and then "Enable" it. Maybe that will reset it without a restart.

I'm afraid I am out of ideas after that.

Josh
http://www.jdharm.net

Eric_Burnett
(Member)
07/16/03 11:40
(Archived) Re: Computer changes IP and loses Network (WXP-Pro) [re: jdharm]

I GOT IT!!!!

Yay!

Ok, I fould the problem. It was as you said, the NIC wasn't retrying the connection before dropping it and changing its stats. The way I fixed it was I went to Network connections, picked the network and hit properties, then properties of "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)". I changed it from getting an IP automatically to taking a user entered one, and I set mine.

Now to reset the connection when it dies, I can either unplug and replug the router, or disable and enable the network connection, (as you said) and it waits until it gets a response from my router, rather than skipping to something else. I can't use ipconfig release/renew with a static IP, but this is still much faster for repairing the connection. Plus (I hope), this should stop happening so often, since it will wait for the router for a bit before stopping the connection.

Thanks for all your help, as I doubt I would have gotten this without you.

—E

Eric_Burnett
(Member)
07/16/03 12:05
(Archived) Re: Computer changes IP and loses Network (WXP-Pro) [re: Eric_Burnett]

And just for curiosity sake, what do all the different options for duplex mean? I figure 10 and 100 are the mbps settings of the nic, but what do full and half duplex mean?

Thanks

—E

Xavier_Ao
(Member)
07/16/03 17:19
(Archived) Re: Computer changes IP and loses Network (WXP-Pro) [re: Eric_Burnett]

Full duplex means that your nic can send and receive data at the same time, while half duplex means that it will only send or only receive at one time, not both.

Always glad to help!
Josh

"Got caffeine? Caffeine, a good addition to any toolkit."

Eric_Burnett
(Member)
07/16/03 21:06
(Archived) Re: Computer changes IP and loses Network (WXP-Pro) [re: Xavier_Ao]

Ahh. I would never have guessed that.

Thanks again.

—E

jdharm
(Advisor)
07/16/03 23:48
(Archived) Re: Computer changes IP and loses Network (WXP-Pro) [re: Eric_Burnett]

"I GOT IT!!!! "

<happiness>

</happiness>

Josh
http://www.jdharm.net

Page 1 of 1

To Reply to this topic you need to LOGIN or REGISTER. It is free.

Post Information

Total Posts in this topic: 10 posts
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 188 guests

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Networking question...

Post Information

Sponsored Links

Other Languages

Website Development

Graphics

OS & Hardware

Internet Marketing

Marketplace

Community Area

Ozzu Maintenance

Forum Network

Forum Partners

Other Information