Help Cant't Log On!

[Chrisk]

My kid at school can't log on to the intenet, was ok, came home for weekend and now no good. He can't get online running anything- IE, Outlook, Aim etc.
He's at appartment and people let him hook up to their router.
Win98 SE - nic card no conflicts - tcp/ip protocol ok - tried other ports on router that work on other pcs - winipcfg gives all info ok.
I'm lost any help would be much appreciated.

[Byte 2.0]

any firewalls? I am shooting in the dark here.
winipcfg gives vaild IP addresses? Did you do a release and renew and see if they come back?

also, I assume you are not getting an IP address starting with a 169 right?

How is he currently trying to connect, to a router that already has other PC's currently working from it?

If there is any firewall software, find and lower the security settings, you would be surprised how many times I find that to be the problem.

Also, don't just uninstall firewalls and don't disable them from start up, can cause the same problems.

[Chrisk]

He renewed settings ok but still not online.
Ip adress ok
Connected to router with 2 other pcs
Tried plugging in to port that was working on another pc
Tried new cable
Was ok on Friday-not on Monday
Owners said the only thing they did was move router from floor to desk
Don't know about firewall but owner didn't change settings

[avx]

Ive had a very similar problem...Ive narrowed it down to either ber router problems/settings, or there are too many programs loading in my brother PC and is not allowing me to connect...I dont know how to explain how that last one makes sense, but its something to do with system resources or conflcits...It was a Bellsouth rep that was telling me about it, and I thought we might have had a good reason, but then I went and made the mistake of making it seem like it wasnt bellsouth was the problem and she took the chance to get off the phone immidiatly and started blaming it on the router for like 5 mins, so I just gave up and said fine....

Maybe byte can elaborate...Im still trying to understand exactly what they rep was meaning...

Anyways, I find that I always get this problem if I turn my computer off, and then back on, sometimes I have to wait like 15 mins for a connection to be established.

[Byte 2.0]

There are certain programs that advisely affect computers

Sometime system resources can be very low do to programs in start up.
start, settings, control panel, system, preformance
you can check and see the percent of system resources the system is at, should be 80 or above but I have seem them work much lower.

Second is programs that attempt to setup proxies in the computer

see if you can ping out
go to start run type in command
at the dos prompt.
c:\ping www.google.com
and also
c:\ping 216.239.37.99
see if those can get out to the web and give you a few replies.

[Chrisk]

cannot ping out either

[Chrisk]

Do all pc's have to be in the same group to just go online and not share folders?

[Byte 2.0]

nope, work group is for file sharing.
when you do the winipcfg to get your IP address

does it give a network IP like 192.168.1.XXX
with a default gateway like 192.168.1.1(just a common on with routers)
can you ping your gateway?

Also try to ping 127.0.0.1
and ping localhost

I am going to see if I can get some info to find a way for you to check to make sure your winsock file is not corrupted.


Also since you have win98SE, check your netstack, do you have more then 5 TCP/IPs?

you may want to remove all TCP/IPs, from bottom up, remove extra network adapters such as Dial up adapter number2 and MS VPN support.
then re add the TCP/IP protocal and reboot. You win98 SE CD or cab files will be required to do this safely.

[Chrisk]

I'll check the ip but I think it was 24 then something.
There is only one tcp/ip.
I will have him try pinging thos you gave
Thanks

[Chrisk]

He can ping localhost - what does that mean?

[glc]

That means that the TCP/IP stack and the nic are good. Try a different cable and check the TCP/IP settings - if it's a normal home grade router, DHCP should take care of it. The fact that the IP is 24. something tells me it's not set correctly, that's a real world IP, all home grade routers I've seen assign IP's in the 192.168.x.x range.

[Chrisk]

I did find that when I run winipcfg and go to my adapter the IP adress line changes to IP adress auto config. Mine at home doesn't do this - should his? His IP adress now starts with 169 now that he renewed - what does that mean?

[Byte 2.0]

a 169 IP address is a place holder for when windows does not gain an IP address from a DHCP serrver(in most cases a router)

Most home networks that are connected to a router, have the computers set to obtain IP automatically, during boot and or during release and renew, it looks for a DHCP server. If it does not find one, it makes up an IP address starting with 169 and mores on.

What you rebuilt the TCP/IP stack yet?

[glc]

It means that Windows cannot find a DHCP server. He needs to discuss this with the router's "owner" - he may have to set up a static IP, gateway, and DNS, the router could be out of available addresses in its DHCP pool or DHCP may not be enabled.

Example - the default IP for a Linksys router is 192.168.1.1 and its default DHCP pool is 192.168.1.100 through 192.168.1.149. When I assign static IP's on a Linksys system, I start at 192.168.1.200 and go up - and if you do this, you add 192.168.1.1 for a default gateway, enable DNS, use the machine name for DNS host, and add 192.168.1.1 as the DNS server. These settings are all done in the Network Neighborhood properties - specifically the instance of TCP/IP -> his Ethernet adapter.

I do occasionally run across Win98 systems that can't grab an IP address using DHCP off a router to save its life - it always comes up with a 169.254.x.x IP - but assigning a static IP as I described will get it on line.

[Chrisk]

Will see him tonight. I have Win98 disk so can try to delete adapter fist then try to assign ip adress. Will let you know what works.

[Chrisk]

I had him do all of the above to no avail! He is getting a valid ip address now and he can ping the router but can't browse the network. Seems like he can't get past the router. Will have him hook up directly to the modem and let you know whaat happens.