Network card works, but can't connect to internet

[duragezic]

I went through hell putting this damn rig together for the parents for when I goto college and bring mine, so I finally get XP installed and normally XP is real easy to get the internet going when the ISP is DHCP. All I would have to do is click like LAN, auto ip in the wizard and I'd get an IP as soon as I loaded IE.

But after I did that, it just doesn't load any pages. When run ipconfig, it just shows 0.0.0.0 for the entries. But I even went ahead and installed NetBEUI and connected to our home network to verify that the network card was working. Hell I even tried two different NICs.

I've had this problem before, I think it happened in win2k though... For some reason I just can't get any IP. I even tried plugging the cable modem directly into the pc instead of through a hub and it still does the same. I've uninstalled, took out nic, booted, put back in nic, booted. STILL doesn't work... just doesnt get an IP, even though all my settings are for DHCP/auto look-up.

This cable modem/hub definitely works too, cause as soon as I turn off the rig in question and plug my own in its place the internet works like it always has on that machine. I'm thinking of just reinstalling XP... I don't believe I had the cable modem plugged into the ethernet while it was installing last time.

 

[BigJ]

Did you try setting a static ip?

 

[Fencer128]

Hi,

I don't know which ISP you are using, but mine is a cable company. The cable modem I have captures and remembers the MAC address of the first NIC to be plugged into it (LAN port). This means that if I plug into the modem with my computer everything will be fine and I will connected to the internet via the modem and assigned an IP address via the ISPs DHCP server.

Now, if I then unplug my computer from the modem and plug in a different one with a different NIC (and so MAC address) the modem will check the new MAC address against the one stored in its CMOS (from the last computer), realise that they don't match and refuse to connect me to the internet.

The only way to clear the stored MAC address on the modem is to do a "reset to defaults" operation (usually via a small hidden button somewhere on the modem).

I don't know whether this is your problem but it has all the symptoms of this one that plagued me for a while.

Good luck,

Andy

 

[Cheetah8799]

I even tried plugging the cable modem directly into the pc instead of through a hub and it still does the same

If you are simply using a hub or switch to connect your computer to the cable modem, then I am sad for you.... First, you are basically simply splitting the line from the cable modem. Your cable company likely limits how many IPs they give out per user to one or two, and you are probably over that limit. The 2nd thing that really bothers me is that if you are NOT using a router, then you are WIDE OPEN to any virus and hack attempts coming through your cable modem.

If you had a router, such as a Netgear MR814, then the router would get 1 IP from the cable company, and ALL of your other computers would "route" their traffic through the router to get internet access. So as far as the cable company is concerned, you only have 1 computer connected to them, when in reality you have many. Also, the router would provide private DHCP addresses to your whole network.


Anyway, I hope I didn't just explain something you already know. Hope it helps.

 

[duragezic]

Originally posted by: Cheetah8799

I even tried plugging the cable modem directly into the pc instead of through a hub and it still does the same

If you are simply using a hub or switch to connect your computer to the cable modem, then I am sad for you.... First, you are basically simply splitting the line from the cable modem. Your cable company likely limits how many IPs they give out per user to one or two, and you are probably over that limit. The 2nd thing that really bothers me is that if you are NOT using a router, then you are WIDE OPEN to any virus and hack attempts coming through your cable modem.

If you had a router, such as a Netgear MR814, then the router would get 1 IP from the cable company, and ALL of your other computers would "route" their traffic through the router to get internet access. So as far as the cable company is concerned, you only have 1 computer connected to them, when in reality you have many. Also, the router would provide private DHCP addresses to your whole network.


Anyway, I hope I didn't just explain something you already know. Hope it helps.

Yes it is splitting the line. I don't know how many IPs my ISP will assign, but I only have two computers connected and two is okay, they even tell you that you can share the connection at home (I think they used to schiest the people who had no clue like $10/month extra heh). However, the MAC address that Andy suggested could be related to this. Maybe the max is just two and it is the NIC in my rig and the NIC in my bros that is registered.

I am aware of the risks of using a hub but I don't see it. We've used ICS (win98-crap) in the past but for all the times we've simply used a hub to share neither me or my bro have ever had a virus. I haven't even had a virus checker installed for years. Yet I can do countless web scans just out of curiousity and not have a single one. No spyware or hacks either. We both use a firewall. I've ran the system security checks (for what they are worth) and came out pretty damn secure. And I'm still working on patching some things up and configuring the firewall better. NEVER have I had a problem.

And besides, I'm moving in... 3 days so no more hub @ home. My buddy got a wireless router.

 

[duragezic]

Well, Fencer128, you're right. I unplugged the cable modem then plugged it back in, then booted up the comp and it got an IP. After doing what I needed to do on that comp, I plugged mine back in and got the same problem, but of course it was easily solved this time. Good stuff to know.... Thanks for the advice all!