Problems with Ethernet

[Motek]

Here are my specs:
Windows XP Pro SP2 OEM
Asus P5N E SLI
Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 3GHz
EVGA 8800GT 512MB SSC
Western Digital WD5000AAKS 500GB SATA
Antec TruePower Trio 550W PSU

So my system and ethernet connection were working fine until system restarted suddenly and when it was back on, I got the "Limited or no connectivity" message on Local Area Connection.

So first I tried repair, but got stuck at "Renewing IP Address" so I thought I would restart modem but still no luck.

I then plugged in my modem through USB. (I use no router, just direct connection between computer and modem)

Eventually I reformatted, downloaded nforce drivers ( http://www.nvidia.com/object/nforce_winxp_8.43.html ) for motherboard hoping it would work, this time it seemed it didn't even recognize I had an ethernet deivce!

I immediately reformatted and installed drivers again, this time thank God, it recognized it, but when I plugged the ethernet connection in, I still got the Limited or no connectivity error . Repair still got stuck at Renewing IP Address.
So I tried uninstalling the Nvidia drivers and got the ones from Asus Website (which have for some reason disappeared now from their website, they were called Marvell Miniport Drivers) but still no luck.
Then I just tried installing all the drivers supplied with the motherboard CD but still no luck.

Then I even tried plugging in another ethernet cable from my family's network but still no luck.

Can anyone suggest what is wrong/help me?

[Edit: I am not as technical as most guys here]

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: Motek
Here are my specs:
Windows XP Pro SP2 OEM
Asus P5N E SLI
Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 3GHz
EVGA 8800GT 512MB SSC
Western Digital WD5000AAKS 500GB SATA
Antec TruePower Trio 550W PSU

So my system and ethernet connection were working fine until system restarted suddenly and when it was back on, I got the "Limited or no connectivity" message on Local Area Connection.

So first I tried repair, but got stuck at "Renewing IP Address" so I thought I would restart modem but still no luck.

I then plugged in my modem through USB. (I use no router, just direct connection between computer and modem)

Eventually I reformatted, downloaded nforce drivers ( http://www.nvidia.com/object/nforce_winxp_8.43.html ) for motherboard hoping it would work, this time it seemed it didn't even recognize I had an ethernet deivce!

I immediately reformatted and installed drivers again, this time thank God, it recognized it, but when I plugged the ethernet connection in, I still got the Limited or no connectivity error . Repair still got stuck at Renewing IP Address.
So I tried uninstalling the Nvidia drivers and got the ones from Asus Website (which have for some reason disappeared now from their website, they were called Marvell Miniport Drivers) but still no luck.
Then I just tried installing all the drivers supplied with the motherboard CD but still no luck.

Then I even tried plugging in another ethernet cable from my family's network but still no luck.

Can anyone suggest what is wrong/help me?

[Edit: I am not as technical as most guys here]

Buy a router. I'd never dream of putting an XP machine directly on the internet.

That said, it could be simply a modem issue - are you sure the modem is good?

I'd get all drivers from nVidia, not a third party, and I'd get the latest version, not from an old CD.

 

[Motek]

Ok I managed to get hold of a Network Card.

Now ethernet works!

But still not the inbuilt motherboard one..

Can someone still help me get that working.
I might just RMA mobo.

@dclive, yes I usually just download the nforce ones from nvidia. I just tried the cd ones incase.

 

[dclive]

Hard-code an IP address; anything change?

 

[Motek]

Someone said:
"click on the internet protocol and then click install

You will havea small window pop up with 3 options, pick the 3rd options on the list,

It should read protocols, Click on it then select add.

and in that list you will see an option for

WNLink IPX/SPX/NETBios Compatible Transport Protocol

Click it and then select add, it will install it and then go back to the main screen for the whole set, you can then come out of it and hit Ok on your Local Are Network 3 box"

It works now
Thanks though for reading dclive.

But one question still remains, Why would it suddenly stop working? and why must I do this to get it to work again?

 

[The Bakery]

That protocol is very old, TCP/IP is the standard.

Isn't it used to connect computers together, ie shared printing?

Something sounds fishy - but someone with more experience
using that protocol would be able to tell you more. Who told you
to install it?

But if you are connecting directly to the internet using windows, and you don't
have a firewall - you should fix that first, even if your computer is currently on
fire.

And I would recommend booting to safe mode and scanning your computer.

Firewall firewall firewall.

 

[Motek]

No I do have Zonealarm as my firwall.

Some guy from this forum told me to do it: http://forums.ebuyer.com/showthread.php?p=301794

 

[Old Hippie]

Weird.

 

[The Bakery]

That is strange to me.

You really really really should have a hardware firewall and SP2 before connecting to the internet.
But if zonealarm works for you - then use it and scan for viruses daily.

You might want to get a second opinion on that protocol you installed, I don't know much about it
but I thought it was just for connecting computers on a LAN, not to the web.

But I don't use it.

 

[Motek]

Originally posted by: The Bakery
That is strange to me.

You really really really should have a hardware firewall and SP2 before connecting to the internet.
But if zonealarm works for you - then use it and scan for viruses daily.

You might want to get a second opinion on that protocol you installed, I don't know much about it
but I thought it was just for connecting computers on a LAN, not to the web.

But I don't use it.

Why is it so important to use a hardware firewall?

Yes, I would also like to know what protocol I installed and what exactly it does, and why my ethernet has worked before without having to do it before.

Could my motherboard be faulty?

 

[degibson]

Why is it so important to use a hardware firewall?

1) Adds computation overhead to all incoming (and some outgoing) packets.
2) A failure of the software firewall leaves your computer vulnerable
3) A failure of the hardware firewall leaves your router vulnerable (better than your computer)
4) Random windows applications (with lots of well-known exploits) are no longer directly visible to those evil hacker types

Edit: spellng is hrd

 

[ch33zw1z]

Originally posted by: Motek

Originally posted by: The Bakery
That is strange to me.

You really really really should have a hardware firewall and SP2 before connecting to the internet.
But if zonealarm works for you - then use it and scan for viruses daily.

You might want to get a second opinion on that protocol you installed, I don't know much about it
but I thought it was just for connecting computers on a LAN, not to the web.

But I don't use it.

Why is it so important to use a hardware firewall?

Yes, I would also like to know what protocol I installed and what exactly it does, and why my ethernet has worked before without having to do it before.

Could my motherboard be faulty?

1. If you're using a software firewall and you're happy, don't worry about it. A SOHO router is not technically a firewall in the typical sense of the word, but many SOHO routers are coming with some firewall features. SOHO routers use NAT and PAT to convert internal, non-internet routable IP's into that single external IP that your ISP dishes out to you. This creates a "firewall" in a general sense. Google if you're confused about any of this.

2. NWLink IPX/SPX is Novel Networks' protocol. This was originally non-routable, but after 4 or 5? they began encapsulating the packets into TCP/IP packets to make it routable. You do NOT need this for internet access. TCP/IP is all you really need. I suggest you remove IPX/SPX and TCP/IP. Then readd the TCP/IP back onto the list.

3. It very well could be a faulty NIC.

 

[Motek]

Originally posted by: ch33zw1z1. If you're using a software firewall and you're happy, don't worry about it. A SOHO router is not technically a firewall in the typical sense of the word, but many SOHO routers are coming with some firewall features. SOHO routers use NAT and PAT to convert internal, non-internet routable IP's into that single external IP that your ISP dishes out to you. This creates a "firewall" in a general sense. Google if you're confused about any of this.

2. NWLink IPX/SPX is Novel Networks' protocol. This was originally non-routable, but after 4 or 5? they began encapsulating the packets into TCP/IP packets to make it routable. You do NOT need this for internet access. TCP/IP is all you really need. I suggest you remove IPX/SPX and TCP/IP. Then readd the TCP/IP back onto the list.

3. It very well could be a faulty NIC.

I'll see if I can get hold of a router, it will probably be wireless.

Now I have removed the NWLink IPX/SPX, but can't remove TCP/IP, and ethernet connection still working.
Strange.

If mobo is faulty it's going to be a pain getting the CPU back on after RMA, because I haven't ever done it before. Last time friend did it.

 

[Old Hippie]

If mobo is faulty it's going to be a pain getting the CPU back on after RMA, because I haven't ever done it before. Last time friend did it.

The RMA postage will probably cost the same as a cheap PCI NIC.

I'd just keep the board rather than tearing things all apart. Course, maybe yours isn't as bad.

Good Luck!

 

[Motek]

Originally posted by: Old Hippie

If mobo is faulty it's going to be a pain getting the CPU back on after RMA, because I haven't ever done it before. Last time friend did it.

The RMA postage will probably cost the same as a cheap PCI NIC.

I'd just keep the board rather than tearing things all apart. Course, maybe yours isn't as bad.

Good Luck!

Actually I already have a Network card I found earlier. But I feel like there's no point having a faulty motherboard.

And for RMA I think they will come and pick it up.
But yeah it will be a real hassle taking out the motherboard.

 

[sutahz]

My first thought was a bad modem too but good to hear it was only the onboard NIC. The onboard secondary NIC on my NF2 mobo went bad mysteriously as well. I agree the hassles of actually doing an RMA for something so minor is not worth it.