HAving Internet connection problems in Win98

[EDB]

My parent's computer (98, ~500mhz, 192MB RAM) is not connecting to the SBC Yahoo acct like it should. It's worked well-enough in the past, but due to some unknown changes, it's not connecting to pages quickly anymore, if at all.

They use a speedstream 5100 modem (4 lights) and Efficient's PPPoE client (Enternet 300) which I installed without the rest of the garbage on the SBC CD. When I hook my laptop (XP home) up to their modem and use their acct, loggin in and surfing is fine. So the problem is on their computer, and its settings or activity.

I was able to get normal speed by uninstalling their McAfee security center (firewall/virusscan) but I don't want them surfing unprotected.
Originally, I had installed the free version of ZoneAlarm, and they didn't uninstall it before installing McAfee. Instead, they just deleted it. This created a conflict where the McAfee firewall warning kept popping up, saying ZA was trying to access the internet. I was able to solve this by using regcleaner and Ccleaner to remove issues and broken links, and finally remove all references to ZA. However the speed/connection quality remained poor. I thought it might be an infestation of some sort, so I ran Hijackthis and autoruns to see what what was running. Not much was, all McAfee programs, with a couple exceptions. Then I thought of a socket layer problem, so I ran winsockxpfix and lspfix, both to no avail.
A friend suggested I set the 5100 up as a router, and let it login PPPoE, instead of the comp, but I can't seem to get into the modem through default IPs, and endedup resetting it (which seemed like a good idea at the time) but still keeps me out. (note my laptop still connects fine!)

Suggestions on how I can best make their surfing safe and yet quick? Could you let me know what I can do to tweak the network settings for them? I feel like maybe I set the connection or adapters up incorrectly. What tests might I run and what responses should I expect? (I've pinged and ipconfiged (/renew_all, /release_all, etc.) BTW- My Ipconfig /all tells me I have 2 adapters, one of which is the physical NIC, and the other the Enternet app (I think.) Can I use this model Modem as a PPPoE, and will that help lessen resource usage on my folk's comp?

Finally, if nothing else, can anyone recommend a low resource using firewall and antivirus? Alternatively, I can try and set McAfee to not automaticall check for updates or scan, and get my parents to do it manually regularly.

Thoughts?

Oh Yeah... A change has occured that I wouldlike to reverse. The Comp now asks for Windos Network login password upon startup. No password was entered upon install, so I can press ok or cancel and move on, but I'd like to know how to disable it asking. Is that just a setting in the control panel, or do I have to uninstall windows family logon or other things?

[glc]

Go spend $40 for a basic router (a Linksys BEFSR41 is the old standby) and let it do the PPPoE login. Sounds like their 5100 is one of the earlier ones that's bridge only. Uninstall all the garbage on the PC (Enternet, etc.). The router is a basic NAT firewall, 98 is relatively safe without a software firewall behind one of those. Put AVG or one of the other low footprint antiviruses on it. Go to dslreports.com, Tools, and run the tweak test, increase the MTU and adjust other parameters as recommended, when it asks you to describe your connection, it's "routerpppoe".

To get rid of the login box, change primary network login to Windows Logon or Microsoft Family Logon. While you are in there, remove NetBeui and IPX/SPX if they are installed - if this is a standalone computer. All you need is TCP/IP bound to the NIC card, and you don't need a dialup or PPPoE adapter either if you use a router.

[EDB]

Thanks for the response glc, I always appreciate your wisdom, especially when it’s applied to my situations! :)

I spent the last couple hours at my folk’s on the phone w/ SBC tech support. I pretty much stumped them. My modem settings are apparently fine, despite my reset, and the modem is the older one (bridge) which doesn’t have a gui interface to browse to and change easily. The line is fine, their server’s are fine, everyone’s fine except my parents and me!

The symptoms are weird: I get a “Gateway0125” error when I start Enternet300, but it’ll connect, be authenticated, and I can surf. I can’t be pinged. I can surf fine for about 5 minutes, then pages won’t load. After it stops, the comp can be restarted, and then the internet will work fine, but only for about 5 minutes. My parents say if they restart the comp, wait a while (around 5 mins) then try the internet, it won’t work. (I didn’t verify this.) Computer is running fine besides that, although I'm having some trouble with devices which should be recognized by the usb port, and are not. (That's a separate issue, and I might make it into a thread later.)

I’ve completely disabled McAfee, and even uninstalled it. I’m pretty sure there are no viruses or spyware running, and there are very few programs running on startup. I've removed all references in the registry to McAfee or Network Associates.

I ran the dslreports test that you suggested, but didn’t set my connection as routerpppoe, instead I did it as enternet. Not sure how badly that skews the results. I haven’t had a chance to read the faqs they point to or use their suggestions. I will look at it later.

I've checked the network adapters properties (2, one for the NIC and the other for the Enternet prog) and only TCP/IP is activated and bound. Primary network login is windows login.

I do plan on getting a router (surpise gift for my mom, who I'm also gonna give an old laptop with wireless adapter (if it'll work, next project)) so that will come into effect.

BAsically the only further suggestions the SBC guy could give were to uninstall and reinstall the adapters (but I didn't have my 98SE upgrade disk handy, only the HP recovery disk), or to do a complete reformat. (nuke and pave, man, nuke and pave!) I'm tempted to, but I really wish I could understand this issue and get it working, I know 98 can be picky, but c'mon!

TIA

[glc]

ALL my recommendations were based on using a router, not Enternet.