Fresh install of XP not seeing network

[nahguam]

Hi,

I've just installed a fresh copy of XP on my parent's PC but for the life of me I cannot get the network going.

The install all appeared fine. When Windows finally booted up I plugged the network cable in but no internet.

With or without the cable plugged in, Network Places says 'Local Area Connection 1' is 'Enabled' and properties list the time up etc. I've tried disabling then re-enabling but no success.

There is network availability through the cable as I can transfer the cable to my laptop and it starts working straight away.

ipconfig initially reports the IP as the invalid ip 169.xx.xx.xx. If I /release /renew it is renewed to 0.0.0.0

I've also tried troubleshooting the DSL modem / router to no avail. ie removing router and using cable direct from modem - works on laptop, not on PC.

Looking at the network card properties, the setting are identical to that of the laptop. In device manager, the NIC is reported as working fine - no conflicts.

Before I reinstalled windows the network was working fine.

Oh, an I also switched off the pre-SP2 XP 'firewall' with no change to the symptoms.

Any ideas?

 

[bcastner]

. disable any "Bridges" that may appear under Network Connections. 1394 bridges in particular are troublesome.

. faq779-4625

 

[nahguam]

Thanks for your fast response.

There is only 1 network connection and it isn't bridged.

 

[westredd]

Can u assign a static ip address, just to see what happens?
then try to ping the dsl routers address..

 

[bcastner]

MS-MVP Hans-George Michna has two good troubleshooting resources I would like you to use:

http://www.michna.com/kb/wxnet.htm

http://www.michna.com/kb/WxNetwork.htm

 

[pauljex]

Hi nahguam

I assume that the machine is tryig to pic up a DHCP broadcast for the IP address?

Have you tried to give it a static IP address?

Can it ping a known ip address on your LAN?

Are they any errors in the Event logs?

What speed is the network card set to?

Have you tried a different patch point / lead?

Sorry there are so manby, but this is what i would check.

paulj

 

[nahguam]

When I get home in about an hour I will try assigning a static IP, but the router has dhcp.

Another note - when the cable is plugged into the laptop I can ping both the dsl modem (192.168.1.1) and the router (Linksys WRT54G - 192.168.2.1) absolutely fine. On the PC I get 'Host unavailable' for both.

Probably wont help, but there are 3 other PC's connected to the router by wireless. For security I'm using a MAC filter - I thought this only affected wireless MAC's but I added the NIC's MAC of the PC just to double check.

Also when I plug in the cable to the PC the LED on the NIC blinks and also the LED on the router for that port blinks... so it seems there is connectivity.

I'll let you know what happens soon with the static IP assignment.

 

[pauljex]

Hi nahguam

It would be well worth playing around with the speed on the nic (network card). Sometimes it cant autodetect the NIC speed and therefore wont connect to the hub/switch.

Try setting the speed to 100/half and if this doesnt work try 10/half.

Paulj

 

[westredd]

add a static to troubleshoot. also, check the dhcp server settings to make sure you have available ipaddress to give out still.

 

[nahguam]

Ok, I'll try altering speed and static IP when I get home and let you know.

I just had a thought - I just let windows install the driver for the NIC - would it be worth gettinga specific driver? If I remember rightly I think it it an "Asound..." branded NIC.

Thanks all for help so far.

Dave

 

[westredd]

yeah get the latest driver from the website manufactuer.

 

[nahguam]

I've now tried 100/Half and 10/Half and assigning static IP 192.168.2.110 - no success.

All other currently assigned IP's are:

192.168.1.1 (D-Link DSL-300T modem)
192.168.2.1 (Linksys WRT54G router)
192.168.2.100 (my PC - hardwired (router host))
192.168.2.101 (other PC - wireless)
192.168.2.102 (other laptop - wireless)
192.168.2.103 (my laptop - wireless)

Interesting note - when i booted up at home both LED's (NIC on PC and router) came on... when windows loaded both LED's went off. When I assigned static IP both LED's came back on again. When I reverted changes back - LED's stayed on.

 

[nahguam]

Now also tried the Asound drivers, several. none work.

All this just so i can do windows update... I have to do this all again when I take it back to my parents house and reinstall their USB cable modem!

My housemate has a USB wireless adapter so i'm going to try that.

 

[bcastner]

I can explain the DHCP behavior, although you may not like it:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;167014&Product=win2000

A "Repair" selection should work on a right-click of the Network Connection notification tray icon.

Otherwise:

Start, Run, CMD

ipconfig /release all
ipconfig /renew

 

[nahguam]

(USB adapter not working - any usb input hangs the PC - I seriously needs those updates - will try downloading SP2 on my laptop and burning to CD)

Repair option just leaves the repair 'dialog' perpetually on the screen.

ipconfig /release works ok, /renew does pretty much the same as the repair option above - just sits there never updating - doesn't even time out it appears.

Also that description says it's applicable if you have changed subnet masks - this is a fresh install of windows on a freshly formatted drive.

Thanks for help though.

 

[bcastner]

Exact make and model of the wireless USB adapter.
If linksys WUSB54G Version 4:

Anonymous writes "Version 4 driver for WUSB54G released 11/11/04. Download from here:

http://www.linksys.com/international/driver.asp?coid=6&intdlid=26

No change log available.

 

[nahguam]

Thanks but it's a ZPlus G250... some generic brand. I think it's the PC usb controller with issues... The whole is PC basically in a world of wrongness. Probably my own fault - it's a homebuilt system; all the components are the cheapest of the cheap. :/

 

[nahguam]

...Although it has been running for pretty much 2 years A-OK.

 

[aquias]

Cheap or expensive shouldn't matter much, beyond affecting the speed of the system. As far as a networking stand point goes, pretty much anything you should have tried Bill has already provided a link to.

If the system is having "General" issues beyond the ones you've listed, perhaps you should run a chkdsk and see if there are any problems found within the OS.

 

[jimp56]

two options come to mind - wipe the drive and install windows again with router connection in place during reinstall... -or- just swap out the NIC with another, if possible, before reloading windows to rule out the OS.

also, if the NIC is integrated(?), sometimes you also have to load chipset drivers from the MOBO manufacturer's support website, if available. not device-specific drivers, but the overall driver that supports the MOBO's core chipset. not always applicable however.

all above may be more trouble than its worth, but the main idea is to rule out which is the problem: NIC or OS. Its a shot in the dark.