PC network weirdness

S

Sam Goldwasser

Jan 1, 1970
0
OK, so here's the really strange problem dejour. :)

One day last week, my Internet access dropped out a couple times
(I have DSL). That's not totally unusual. But the next day, it
would only stay up for a couple minutes after booting and then was dead.

Swapped DSL modem - nothing.
Bypassed wireless router - nothing.

Figured, OK, so for some reason, the PC's on-board Ethernet port is dying.
Bought a PCI Ethernet card on eBay for $6 including shipping :).

No change.

Then I discovered that it works fine locally. All PCs on my LAN,
wireless or direct, can talk to each other. But for some reason
this PC refuses to go out over the DSL modem. In fact, it won't even
talk to the DSL modem directly (if the Ethernet cable is plugged
into the model bypassing the router and entering the model URL),
but will talk to the router directly.

What the !@#$!@# is going on??? :) Virus? Some setting got corrupted?

Any info or thoughts appreciated.

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Sites: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is
ignored unless my full name AND either lasers or electronics is included in the
subject line. Or, you can contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.
 
R

Rich Webb

Jan 1, 1970
0
OK, so here's the really strange problem dejour. :)

One day last week, my Internet access dropped out a couple times
(I have DSL). That's not totally unusual. But the next day, it
would only stay up for a couple minutes after booting and then was dead.

Swapped DSL modem - nothing.
Bypassed wireless router - nothing.

Figured, OK, so for some reason, the PC's on-board Ethernet port is dying.
Bought a PCI Ethernet card on eBay for $6 including shipping :).

No change.

Then I discovered that it works fine locally. All PCs on my LAN,
wireless or direct, can talk to each other. But for some reason
this PC refuses to go out over the DSL modem. In fact, it won't even
talk to the DSL modem directly (if the Ethernet cable is plugged
into the model bypassing the router and entering the model URL),
but will talk to the router directly.

What the !@#$!@# is going on??? :) Virus? Some setting got corrupted?

Any info or thoughts appreciated.
Click to expand...

Maybe there are two problems, the existing flaky DSL that you
characterize as "not totally unusual" and a separate issue with
ZoneAlarm and the most recent MS update?

Zonie didn't like the behavior of a file that the MS update changed and
it blocked all "internet" access while allowing "local zone" to proceed
as usual. That problem was fixed pretty quickly with a ZoneAlarm update.
 
A

Archon

Jan 1, 1970
0
Sam said:
OK, so here's the really strange problem dejour. :)

One day last week, my Internet access dropped out a couple times
(I have DSL). That's not totally unusual. But the next day, it
would only stay up for a couple minutes after booting and then was dead.

Swapped DSL modem - nothing.
Bypassed wireless router - nothing.

Figured, OK, so for some reason, the PC's on-board Ethernet port is dying.
Bought a PCI Ethernet card on eBay for $6 including shipping :).

No change.

Then I discovered that it works fine locally. All PCs on my LAN,
wireless or direct, can talk to each other. But for some reason
this PC refuses to go out over the DSL modem. In fact, it won't even
talk to the DSL modem directly (if the Ethernet cable is plugged
into the model bypassing the router and entering the model URL),
but will talk to the router directly.

What the !@#$!@# is going on??? :) Virus? Some setting got corrupted?

Any info or thoughts appreciated.

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Sites: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is
ignored unless my full name AND either lasers or electronics is included in the
subject line. Or, you can contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.
Click to expand...

I had a similar problem (Lan worked but no internet access, happened
overnight) when my ISP changed hands, hours spent with online help
finally got me to someone helpful who suggested I needed to
release/renew the IP address due to the company changeover and
subsequent maintenance with their equipment.

http://compnetworking.about.com/cs/windowsnetworkin1/ht/renewipaddrwxp.htm
 
G

greenpjs

Jan 1, 1970
0
OK, so here's the really strange problem dejour. :)

One day last week, my Internet access dropped out a couple times
(I have DSL). That's not totally unusual. But the next day, it
would only stay up for a couple minutes after booting and then was dead.

Swapped DSL modem - nothing.
Bypassed wireless router - nothing.

Figured, OK, so for some reason, the PC's on-board Ethernet port is dying.
Bought a PCI Ethernet card on eBay for $6 including shipping :).

No change.

Then I discovered that it works fine locally. All PCs on my LAN,
wireless or direct, can talk to each other. But for some reason
this PC refuses to go out over the DSL modem. In fact, it won't even
talk to the DSL modem directly (if the Ethernet cable is plugged
into the model bypassing the router and entering the model URL),
but will talk to the router directly.

What the !@#$!@# is going on??? :) Virus? Some setting got corrupted?

Any info or thoughts appreciated.

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Sites: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is
ignored unless my full name AND either lasers or electronics is included in the
subject line. Or, you can contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.
Click to expand...

Sam,
I have no idea what causes this symptom, but I have a friend with a PC
that does the exact same thing (except he has a cable modem instead of
DSL). I went over to fix it and left totally stumped. We replaced
the NIC for the same reason you did but no change. We even
reinstalled Windows (but did not totally wipe the HD) with no change
in symptoms. Since the PC in question was fairly old and he was
looking for an excuse to upgrade, we gave up. But, it bothers me to
have never figured out the root cause. Let us all know if you figure
it out.

Regards,
Pat
 
D

Dave

Jan 1, 1970
0
Sam Goldwasser said:
Then I discovered that it works fine locally. All PCs on my LAN,
wireless or direct, can talk to each other. But for some reason
this PC refuses to go out over the DSL modem. In fact, it won't even
talk to the DSL modem directly (if the Ethernet cable is plugged
into the model bypassing the router and entering the model URL),
but will talk to the router directly.
Click to expand...

Sam:

If your machines can talk to each other and the router, either your DSL
modem (you swapped that out already so nix that) or a problem with your ISP.
Talk to them, they can check the DSL port at their CO and make sure it's
passing traffic. Your hardware is functioning perfectly. Do you get a a
"LINK" light on the ADSL modem for the DSL line?

Dave
 
J

Jitt

Jan 1, 1970
0
Then I discovered that it works fine locally. All PCs on my LAN,
wireless or direct, can talk to each other. But for some reason
this PC refuses to go out over the DSL modem. In fact, it won't even
talk to the DSL modem directly (if the Ethernet cable is plugged
into the model bypassing the router and entering the model URL),
but will talk to the router directly.

What the !@#$!@# is going on??? :) Virus? Some setting got corrupted?

Any info or thoughts appreciated.
Click to expand...
You didn't say which OS? I wonder if your ISP changed
your IP? Can you check "gateway" setting in router?
 
G

greenpjs

Jan 1, 1970
0
You didn't say which OS? I wonder if your ISP changed
your IP? Can you check "gateway" setting in router?
Click to expand...

Not sure about Sam's case, but in my similar case, other PC's on the
network could get to the Internet. ...Pat
 
A

Allodoxaphobia

Jan 1, 1970
0
On 22 Jul 2008 08:42:19 -0400, Sam Goldwasser wrote:

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Sites: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is
ignored unless my full name AND either lasers or electronics is included in the
subject line. Or, you can contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.
Click to expand...

Sam,

You should fix your .sig. The first line of your .sig needs to be a "-- ".
Thats is: just 2 dashes and a blank - _nothing_ else.

Without that, everyone's followups to you include your (already too
long) .sig and make a mess in trying to read the thread -- that is,
unless they are clever and kind enough to trim their followups.

Regards,
Jonesy
 
A

Allodoxaphobia

Jan 1, 1970
0
If you have a SPI capable router using NAT, and are aware of what
programs (including adware/spyware) are running on your computer, you
don't really need ZoneAlarm or any other additional firewall software
above Microsoft's...
Click to expand...

<cough> <cough>
*Everything* on _this_ computer is "above Microsoft's".
In fact, there is *NO* m$ code on this computer.
 
S

Sam Goldwasser

Jan 1, 1970
0
Gareth Magennis said:
Do you have Zone Alarm? A week or so ago after an automatic Microsoft
update, millions of computers could not access the net, including mine.
Some Zone Alarm firewall and MicroPants software issue.

If you have Zone Alarm, go to their website and there is info on fixes.
Click to expand...

Thank you! That was exactly it. Even though I had disabled ZA the
first thing I tried and rebooted that way, it didn't help so I didn't
think ZA was the problem. But the interaction with MicroShaft software,
anything's possible! It seemed like updating ZA alone fixed the problem,
but I uninstalled the MS patch anyhow.

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Sites: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is
ignored unless my full name AND either lasers or electronics is included in the
subject line. Or, you can contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.
 
S

Sam Goldwasser

Jan 1, 1970
0
Gareth Magennis said:
But if you have no net access you can't do that can you. Oops.
Click to expand...

Fortunately, I have multiple PCs and since the LAN worked, I could
transfer the ZA update easily enough. :)
When I first rang my ISP about no Interweb, the chap advised me to uninstall
Zone Alarm as he had suffered the same problem!. I did and immediately got
my Net access back. I quickly downloaded a Free Antivirus to cover my arse.
However, I couldn't find out how to download Zone Alarm again. The key I
have will only fit the version it is designed for, and trial versions
couldn't be switched to the Pro version I had paid for.
I sent them an email and several days later got a pointer to the reinstall
thingy, with the advice to Save to the hard drive rather than jut run it.
This is it.
http://download.zonealarm.com/bin/free/1043_zl/zaAvSetup_70_483_000_en.exe

What a palaver that was, I can tell you.

Gareth.
Click to expand...

Aren't PCs wonderful? I hate PCs, and laptops even more. :)

Cheers!

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Sites: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is
ignored unless my full name AND either lasers or electronics is included in the
subject line. Or, you can contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.
 
S

Sam Goldwasser

Jan 1, 1970
0
Adrian C said:
If you have a SPI capable router using NAT, and are aware of what
programs (including adware/spyware) are running on your computer, you
don't really need ZoneAlarm or any other additional firewall software
above Microsoft's...
Click to expand...

Yeah, both my router and DSL modem have ALL kinds of features I haven't
the slightest clue about! :)

Zonealarm has been good to me so I stick with it. :)

Was the information on the ZA/MS interaction sent as an email advisory?
I'm supposed to get those.....

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Sites: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is
ignored unless my full name AND either lasers or electronics is included in the
subject line. Or, you can contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.
 
S

Sam Goldwasser

Jan 1, 1970
0
greenpjs said:
Not sure about Sam's case, but in my similar case, other PC's on the
network could get to the Internet. ...Pat
Click to expand...

Yes, I should have noted that only the one PC couldn't get to the
Internet. And it was the ZoneAlarm/Microsoft patch problem.

Thanks to all who replied.

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Sites: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is
ignored unless my full name AND either lasers or electronics is included in the
subject line. Or, you can contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.
 
S

Sam Goldwasser

Jan 1, 1970
0
Rich Webb said:
Maybe there are two problems, the existing flaky DSL that you
characterize as "not totally unusual" and a separate issue with
ZoneAlarm and the most recent MS update?

Zonie didn't like the behavior of a file that the MS update changed and
it blocked all "internet" access while allowing "local zone" to proceed
as usual. That problem was fixed pretty quickly with a ZoneAlarm update.
Click to expand...

The weird thing is that I disabled (e.g., took it out of the startup
list) ZoneAlarm but that didn't fix the problem. But installing the
update did.

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Sites: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is
ignored unless my full name AND either lasers or electronics is included in the
subject line. Or, you can contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.
 
G

Gareth Magennis

Jan 1, 1970
0
Sam Goldwasser said:
Yeah, both my router and DSL modem have ALL kinds of features I haven't
the slightest clue about! :)

Zonealarm has been good to me so I stick with it. :)

Was the information on the ZA/MS interaction sent as an email advisory?
I'm supposed to get those.....
Click to expand...


I didn't get anything.

If you are using Zone Alarm I would seriously start considering this to be
the cause of your problem, unless you have done something to fix it. My
network was fine, other computers without Zone Alarm could access the Net,
mine with Zone Alarm could not.



Gareth.
 
R

Rich Webb

Jan 1, 1970
0
Thank you! That was exactly it. Even though I had disabled ZA the
first thing I tried and rebooted that way, it didn't help so I didn't
think ZA was the problem. But the interaction with MicroShaft software,
anything's possible! It seemed like updating ZA alone fixed the problem,
but I uninstalled the MS patch anyhow.
Click to expand...

Once you've installed the ZA update it's safe to re-install the MS
update that started the whole mess.

The guys at Zone Labs (or whoever their corporate overlords are
nowadays) were actually pretty quick in identifying work-arounds (set
security for the Internet Zone to "medium" instead of "high" or else
uninstall the MS update) and in getting out an update that played nicely
with Microsoft.
 
F

Franc Zabkar

Jan 1, 1970
0
The weird thing is that I disabled (e.g., took it out of the startup
list) ZoneAlarm but that didn't fix the problem. But installing the
update did.
Click to expand...

I don't use XP, but the Win9x version of ZoneAlarm loads a .vxd file
early in the startup sequence. This driver cannot be disabled - it
must be uninstalled.

- Franc Zabkar
 
C

Curtis Brown

Jan 1, 1970
0
Meat Plow said:
Can you ping the gateway? Does the questioned PC get an address from the
DHCP server?
Click to expand...

Like he couldn't figure that one out for himself, moron.
 
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