Windows Me ICS Problem With One-Way Cable Modem

[Frank Vastano]

I have had a problem with my Dell Inspiron 7500 PC acting as the
Host Computer in a wireless home network, sharing a one-way cable modem
connection, through Windows Me ICS. This configuration was working
perfectly with a One-Way Hybrid Cable Modem (non-DOCSIS). The Hybrid Cable Modem is a one-way cable modem with a built-in analogue modem for upstream communications.

Then my cable company decided to "upgrade" there service to accommodate the
DOCSIS Standard, and swapped out my Hybrid Cable Modem, for a two-piece
3COM/USRobotics configuration. This configuration uses an external
USRobotics 56K Sportster V.90 Analogue Modem connected to a 3COM CMX Cable
Modem.

Since this was installed, the cable connection only stays up for 24-36 hours
(whereas I ran 24x7 with the Hybrid Modem), and then the NIC loses the IP
Address from the Cable Provider's DHCP, after which I can not get it back without several reboots of my PC. What I have been able to determine is the following:

(1) At some point in time, the IP Address is lost or expires from the Cable
Providers DHCP.
(2) Windows Me detects this, and assigns an Internal IP Address
(169.254.n.n) and waits for a new IP Address to be assigned. However, this
reassignment never seems to happen.
(3) When my PC makes a request from the Internet, nothing happens. When I
had the Hybrid Cable Modem, the internal dialer would automatically dial out
and the connection (and presumably the new IP Address) would be
re-established. In the case of the 3COM/USRobotics configuration, this
re-dialing never gets initiated.
(4) I then have to turn off the Analogue Modem (but not the Cable Modem),
and then "Shut Down" my PC.
(5) I then turn on my Analogue Modem, and restart my PC.
(6) When the PC is almost completely up, the Analogue Modem begins to dial
out.
(7) However, once my PC is fully booted, but before the Analogue Modem
completes its connection, I must do a "Warm Restart" of my PC.
(8) When my PC comes up for the second time, the Internet Connection is
re-established. NOTE: If I don't do the "Warm Restart", I will have to
restart my PC at least two more times before the connection gets
re-established. I don't fully know why.

From what I can determine, it appears that once Windows Me assigns its
Internal IP Address, it cannot get a new IP Address from DHCP. Conversely,
once the Cable Modem loses its IP Address, it is not able to initiate the
external dialer to reconnect to re-establish the IP Address. This becomes a
deadly embrace.

To date, I have tried the following without success:

(a) Cold Restarts of all three devices (PC, Analogue Modem, Cable Modem) in
every conceivable order.
(b) Disable Windows Me Automatic IP Configuration.
(c) Uninstall and reinstall Windows Me ICS.

Does anyone have an answer to this annoying problem. The Cable Company says
its not their problem, and 3COM tells me that it is my cable providers DHCP. The fact that it worked perfectly before with the Hybrid Cable Modem seems to be falling on deaf ears at the moment. I believe it is some incompatibility between Windows Me and the External Analogue Modem running through the Cable Modem. I'm open to suggestions, since my cable company will not be offering two-way cable service anytime soon.