Question Annoying "Kind of Connected" Networking Issue

EXCellR8

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Sep 1, 2010
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I've been having this rather weird network connectivity issues on one of my PC's... but before I try explaining all of my ethernet drivers are up to date and I'm on the latest build of Windows 10.

This board has both a Aquantia 5G LAN port and a Intel I211 Gigabit LAN port, in which I am using the latter. Now, typically either one will work but for some reason some things work and others do not. For example, my web browsers can get to all sites no problem (and I've turned off my web caching server and proxy settings to test) but Steam, Blizzard app, my email client, AnyDesk and pinging other machines on the same exact network does not. Meanwhile Discord, Microsoft Store, Teams and Epic Games launcher all work fine...

I've reinstalled my Antivirus software and temporarily disabled my shields but nothing seems to help. Thoughts?
 

mxnerd

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Are both NICs in the same IP range? If yes, see if the following steps help.

Set static IP for both. Then give Aquantia a higher priority (lower metric number) then Intel.


Believe that your internet is <= 1 Gbits?

And only set a gateway for Intel. Do not set a gateway for Aquantia, however.

That way, internet traffic should always go through Intel and LAN traffic always go through Aquantia.

You also need to make sure both NICs use Private network profile.

 
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EXCellR8

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I should have been more clear, so I apologize. I am NOT using the Aquantia 5G port at all at the moment, since my service is indeed only up to 1Gbps.

This adapter is also using the private profile
 

mxnerd

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If you are not using Aquantia, is it disabled?

We want to exclude all possibilities.

Besides, did you use any ads-blocking DNS servers?
 
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EXCellR8

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Yes, the Aquantia port is disabled, as is the board's wireless NIC. Only other adapters are virtual for VMWare.

FWIW when I try to use the 'ping' command, I always get the 'Ping request could not find host..."
 

mxnerd

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And Steam, Blizzard app, my email client, AnyDesk don't work? More details needed. Probably also Windows firewall issues.

 
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VirtualLarry

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For completeness sake, I remember reading some threads in the past two years, regarding Windows 10 in an office setting, and that, a select unfortunate few PCs, would suddenly default, essentially, to "Public Network", instead of "Private Network" (but might not indicate that in the UI???), and as such, could no longer connect or be connected to SMB shares and workgroups and stuff.
 

EXCellR8

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And Steam, Blizzard app, my email client, AnyDesk don't work? More details needed. Probably also Windows firewall issues.

Those apps can only start in offline mode... they never connect to servers.

I've been using Avast Premium security for years, which includes the software firewall and replaces the Windows one. Disabling it doesn't change anything... but perhaps it's time to unload that. It hasn't updated all day so perhaps I'm in some kind of gimp mode catch 22 or something where something isn't patched and it's causing issues.
 

mxnerd

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Those apps can only start in offline mode... they never connect to servers.

've been using Avast Premium security for years, which includes the software firewall and replaces the Windows one. Disabling it doesn't change anything.

So disable both Avast and Windows firewall also doesn't work?
 
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EXCellR8

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Nope, with Avast firewall installed the Windows one gets disabled, so I'm thinking maybe a recent OS update broke it or something.

I've rebooted my modem and router a couple of times now but still can't get some apps (mainly Steam and AnyDesk) to connect; they work fine on other systems. No idea, but I'll take another look at it tomorrow.

Thanks for the advice thus far gents.
 

EXCellR8

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I'm almost wondering if the NIC controller is crapping out or something, because the cause of the issue isn't obvious at all.

I can spin up my Knoppix live environment tonight but of course this morning after turning the PC on everything works fine--like I simply imagined it all. I shant be made a fool though!

Will post back if (when) I encounter the problem once again.
 
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VirtualLarry

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I'm almost wondering if the NIC controller is crapping out or something, because the cause of the issue isn't obvious at all.
Honestly, before you go and decide that your hardware is faulty, you should go as far as actually un-installing any "security suite" software (that has a 3rd-party firewall). Simply "Disabling" it, may not help.

I'm not saying that IS the problem HERE, but I've... seen it before.

Had one "Security Suite" hardware, that had effectively firewalled the NIC so badly, that when we upgraded the OS, the NIC didn't even show up as present in the machine, or as a NIC, at all! Un-installing the Security Suite software, let the NIC driver re-install, and be able to talk to the rest of the system again.
 

EXCellR8

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That's pretty brave of you, Windows 7 and 8 (excluding 8.1) had some fairly serious security exploits that had to be patched...

Anywho, my connection was flawless all day today so I've nothing to report. Not as much as a single hiccup. I think my computer may just be expressing it's disgust for using it for productivity and not recreation.

Point proven PC, well played.
 

EXCellR8

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[JUNE 3 UPDATE]

Alright, so the issue has reared it's ugly menacing head again, after nearly a month of smooth sailing--but this time I got a clue: IPv4 seems to be failing/not resolving.

If I ping my server, I only get back an IPv6 address; IPv4 doesn't work and drops out. I suppose this could be why some services still work while others don't connect at all...

Internets!
 

EXCellR8

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My Knoppix 8.6 LiveCD doesn't produce the same thing unfortunately, so I'm still leaning more toward software. Problem is the issue isn't widespread, and some of my PC's work fine, so I haven't been able to pinpoint any faults.

For example, email clients and Steam can't connect on my primary PC still, but they load fine on other PC's running the same OS and same LAN settings--and it's all connected to the same switch/network. On affected machines, I can still browse the web, use Microsoft Teams, AnyDesk, and download files.

Despite this, I still get "Ping request could not find host X. Please check the name and try again." This doesn't happen on other computers connected on the same exact network.
 

VirtualLarry

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Despite this, I still get "Ping request could not find host X. Please check the name and try again." This doesn't happen on other computers connected on the same exact network.
Does that PC have RealTek 8118 "Dragon LAN", by any chance? Did you install the "Proper" drivers for it, with the priority-processing, and not just your standard RealTek drivers? The "Proper" drivers may be branded by your mobo OEM.
 

EXCellR8

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Nope, just a run-of-the-mill Intel I211 Gigabit NIC... but it actually doesn't matter which one I use on this PC. There's an Aquantia 5G NIC and I've tried a USB NIC as well just for troubleshooting purposes.

I've already tried Network Reset.
 
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