Windows 7 Fix for "Unidentified Network" / No Internet Access

[rickyQ]

I also have the problem of unidentified network, public and am unable to access the internet.

Is this the place to post my problem by joining in to this discussion and to seek help (I've never posted anywhere in the world before)?

The PC is my main work PC with my files and e-mail. It is one of several towers and laptops in the house, it is Windows 7, was on the internet for most of its 2 year life, though this problem happened twice before. Last time I did a system restore, which failed, but the internet did come back anyway, by doing the restore. That was Aug 2010.

All the other PC's belonging to family members, myself in other rooms, or visitors all just go on, wired or wireless.

This failed 5 days ago and is driving me crazy!! The Windows gadgets / RSS desktop feed seem to see the internet and I can fx it by doing a diagnostic on the NIC (which has the latest driver) or by uninstalling and re-installing the NIC - but it goes absent again, always, within approx 60 seconds. I changes from a named Home network with Homegroup, to an unidentified betwork with a public profile. Then it says that the Internet is still available, but I cannot browse or use e-mail.

I have tried ans succeeded, a few seconds at a time because of time-limited connection, to obtain the latest Intel 82566-DM2 drivers, the diagnostics say no valid gateway, they auto repair that, giving me another 60secsw or so.

I have tried setting the IP and default gateway by hand with Google DNS servers, no connection. I do not have Bonjour. I replaced my antivirus and firewall and spyware protection.

Historically there are 2 broadband sources here, one cable and one phone line, with two wireless routers and mainsnetworking and a switch going to NAS media drives. The idea was to have reliability, especially as the downstairs router couldn't send wireless to the bottom of the garden building where my wife runs sports club admin. In fact, originally I didn't know if it would work with the 2 networks linked together via the switch going to the NAS drives. But for years and months all machines would use either broadband, though not all machines could reliably see the music library. It led to the interesting situation where one ogf the mains networking pair is on 192.168.1.x and the other one is on 10.0.0.x as these were the respective IP areas of the two broadbands.

But, from here, upstairs, this all just works - it has continued to work ever since I started this upstairs PC also about 2 years ago and it works now - I can see the broadband and the machine downstairs and its shares. But tthis upstairs PC doesn't have all the programs on that I have and need in my downstairs. To simplify things though, I did separate the 2 supplies from mingling at PC level a couple of days ago, including removing the wireless link from the main machine to the alternate broadband.

Earlier, three days ago I also tried simplifying everything. I switched off the broadband router the machine normally uses, I hard wired from the alternate supply i.e direct from the cable router to the main machine usong tens of metres of network cable, then switched off the cable modem and the PC and re-booted first the modem and then, 3 minutes later, the PC, so that it would negotiate the correct ip and dns and it worked. For about 60 seconds, before the Home neywork again became unidentified. Resetting and fiddling with the NIC gave the usual very brief connection.

I have checked other things. As soon as it fails, the network discovery service becomes switched off, though the 3 services that MS Windows Help (on board) says that are needed, do continue to run. The default gateway disappears. I can see no iterms in MSConfig or in Services or in the Programs list or as candidates for removal, that worry me.

All this an much more troubleshooting has happened over the past 5 days since it stopped connecting out of the blue, I may have mis-remembered bits but have done my best and am at my wits end to get my internet back on the main PC.

Thanks anone who can suggest the solution.

rickyQ

 

[Trouble]

RickyQ;
Hello and welcome to the forums.
Probably as good a place as any for the post. If it gets too confusing we'll move you to your own thread.
I like the fact that you seem to have done quite a bit of troubleshooting on your own, but the narrative is a bit difficult to completely get my head around. So let's start simple
Turn off your computer. Plug the cat5 ehternet cable back into your ISP provided device, reboot that device and start your computer in safemode with networking by tapping the F8 key as the machine is booting.
Please let us know if the problem persists with the machine in safemode with networking.
If not (meaning the connection seems to work fine) please boot back into normal mode and use the Microsoft Information Utility by typing
msinfo32 into the search or run dialog box and hit enter.
Use the File->Save menu to save a copy to your desktop
Zip it up and attach it to your next post by clicking reply and then Go Advanced and using the paperclip from the menu bar to upload it here.
If the problem does persist, even in safemode with networking then please provide as much information about your network adapter as possible by;
Opening device manager
Expanding network adapters, selecting the right clicking the wired adapter and choosing properties.
Then select the "Details" tab
click the drop down arrow and change it to "Hardware Ids"
Right click the value box area and choose select all
Right click it again and choose copy
Paste the results into your next post here.
Keep us posted
Randy

 

[rickyQ]

Randy / Trouble. Thank you, yes I did try hard before seeking help, I've not remembered or advised all that I tried (including safe mode with etworking and a lot of network adaptor fiddling, trying to get a default gateway and also removing and re-installing Nokia PC Suite in case of conflict somehow) because it all started off ad hoc and I imagined I'd quickly crack it. Then I tried to put it back to normal i.e auto ip etc before contacting you.

What seems to distinguish my problem is that internet works for about 60 secs before the network become unidentified, also that it has reported internet connected in the network summary, though internet explorer and mail do not work whilst feeds seem to work.

Going into Safe Mode with Networking was hindered by some of the recently available Windows Updates being downloaded during the very brief internet access periods, they installedduring the shut down. Cold starting into Safe Mode with Networking looked like normal mode after the avalable Updates had finished during the boot - no mention of Safe Mode and no internet access. An nfo file relates to this, it is the older of the three (they are named and dated).

Bypassing an attempt to download the balance of the Windows Updates by logging off and shutting then directl down, I entered Safe Mode w Networking and achieved Internet access. I exect email would also work, but didn't try in the abasence of the antivirus. The middle nfo file shows this, along with the presence of the default gateway, which I think is relevant. It is wortmetioning that PC Suite reported aloading error relsting to not having found its language file and also that PC Suite was recently updated before the problem w internet started.

Back into nomal mode (and this PC Suite error has now become a feature of the startup), no internet access and the nfo file - the newest - relates.

Originally I had also w/l access, but this too failed and now it is disconnected, then I tried USB NIC's and again disconnected these and I also tried the direct supply from the other broadband, so I presume whatever is causing the problem relates to any network adaptor I choose being knocked off course.

My next step when I get back in later will depend on whether you have been able to respond, but if I am awaiting a reply I will most likely test after removing (again) the PC Suite.

Many thanks.

Rick.

RickyQ;
Hello and welcome to the forums.
Probably as good a place as any for the post. If it gets too confusing we'll move you to your own thread.
I like the fact that you seem to have done quite a bit of troubleshooting on your own, but the narrative is a bit difficult to completely get my head around. So let's start simple
Turn off your computer. Plug the cat5 ehternet cable back into your ISP provided device, reboot that device and start your computer in safemode with networking by tapping the F8 key as the machine is booting.
Please let us know if the problem persists with the machine in safemode with networking.
If not (meaning the connection seems to work fine) please boot back into normal mode and use the Microsoft Information Utility by typing
msinfo32 into the search or run dialog box and hit enter.
Use the File->Save menu to save a copy to your desktop
Zip it up and attach it to your next post by clicking reply and then Go Advanced and using the paperclip from the menu bar to upload it here.
If the problem does persist, even in safemode with networking then please provide as much information about your network adapter as possible by;
Opening device manager
Expanding network adapters, selecting the right clicking the wired adapter and choosing properties.
Then select the "Details" tab
click the drop down arrow and change it to "Hardware Ids"
Right click the value box area and choose select all
Right click it again and choose copy
Paste the results into your next post here.
Keep us posted
Randy

 

[rickyQ]

I tried to reinstall the Nokia PC Suite which had been loading with an error msg at Windows start up (it could not could not find the language file), but it said it could not register a .dll file during the re-instllation, so I completely uninstalled PC Suite.

This not help, I still have no internt access.

 

[Trouble]

Try this first.
Open the configuration utility by typing
msconfig
into the search or run dialog box and hitting enter
select the startup tab
you should see these listed.

EPSON SX600FW Series c:\windows\system32\spool\drivers\w32x86\3\e_fatieke.exe /fu "c:\windows\temp\e_sba49.tmp" /ef "hkcu" NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM HKU\S-1-5-18\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Sidebar %programfiles%\windows sidebar\sidebar.exe /autorun NT AUTHORITY\LOCAL SERVICE HKU\S-1-5-19\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Sidebar %programfiles%\windows sidebar\sidebar.exe /autorun NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE HKU\S-1-5-20\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Dropbox dropbox.lnk PCS-Lenovo-PC\Rick Startup
ERUNT AutoBackup erunt autobackup.lnk PCS-Lenovo-PC\Rick Startup
Sidebar c:\program files\windows sidebar\sidebar.exe /autorun PCS-Lenovo-PC\Rick HKU\S-1-5-21-549673039-1852390550-3995489233-1005\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
EPSON SX600FW Series c:\windows\system32\spool\drivers\w32x86\3\e_fatieke.exe /fu "c:\users\rick\appdata\local\temp\e_sd474.tmp" /ef "hkcu" PCS-Lenovo-PC\Rick HKU\S-1-5-21-549673039-1852390550-3995489233-1005\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
swg "c:\program files\google\googletoolbarnotifier\googletoolbarnotifier.exe" PCS-Lenovo-PC\Rick HKU\S-1-5-21-549673039-1852390550-3995489233-1005\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Skype "c:\program files\skype\phone\skype.exe" /nosplash /minimized PCS-Lenovo-PC\Rick HKU\S-1-5-21-549673039-1852390550-3995489233-1005\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
SmartRAM "c:\program files\iobit\advanced systemcare 3\sup_smartram.exe" /m PCS-Lenovo-PC\Rick HKU\S-1-5-21-549673039-1852390550-3995489233-1005\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
TomTomHOME.exe "c:\program files\tomtom home 2\tomtomhomerunner.exe" PCS-Lenovo-PC\Rick HKU\S-1-5-21-549673039-1852390550-3995489233-1005\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
PC Suite Tray "c:\program files\nokia\nokia pc suite 7\pcsuite.exe" -onlytray PCS-Lenovo-PC\Rick HKU\S-1-5-21-549673039-1852390550-3995489233-1005\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
EPSON SX600FW Series c:\windows\system32\spool\drivers\w32x86\3\e_fatieke.exe /fu "c:\windows\temp\e_sba49.tmp" /ef "hkcu" .DEFAULT HKU\.DEFAULT\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Easy-PrintToolBox c:\program files\canon\easy-printtoolbox\bjpsmain.exe /logon Public HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
VirtualCloneDrive "c:\program files\elaborate bytes\virtualclonedrive\vcddaemon.exe" /s Public HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
EEventManager c:\progra~1\epsons~1\eventm~1\eevent~1.exe Public HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
IgfxTray c:\windows\system32\igfxtray.exe Public HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HotKeysCmds c:\windows\system32\hkcmd.exe Public HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Persistence c:\windows\system32\igfxpers.exe Public HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
SunJavaUpdateSched "c:\program files\common files\java\java update\jusched.exe" Public HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Cobian Backup 10 Interface "c:\program files\cobian backup 10\cbinterface.exe" -service Public HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
MyGarminAgent c:\program files\garmin\mygarminagent\mygarminagent.exe Public HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware "c:\program files\malwarebytes' anti-malware\mbamgui.exe" /starttray Public HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Windows Defender %programfiles%\windows defender\msascui.exe -hide Public HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
DLSService "c:\program files\dymo\dymo label software\dlsservice.exe" Public HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
avast5 "c:\program files\alwil software\avast5\avastui.exe" /nogui Public HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Uncheck them all with the possible exception of Avast (that shouldn't be an issue), reboot and test the internet and see what happens.
If it works fine in safemode with networking but not in normal mode, then it is almost certainly a running application or process/service.
You may want to read this article regarding Clean Booting the system and go through the steps. It's very time consuming but along with a lot of apps running at startup you also have even more processes running under normal boot which is to be expected but you really have a lot. And if the startup tab doesn't do the trick then you are going to have to start next with services (hide all Microsoft services) and selectively turning them off as suggested in the article. You may want to divide them into smaller groups than half at a time, but that is up to you.

 

[rickyQ]

Thank you Trouble.

Events didn't proceed as expected. We know I can see the internet in Safe Mode with Networking achieved by interrupting the boot by F8, indeed I am back there now, on the problem PC.

Using the msconfig utility to disable first all the Start Up (SU) items except Avast, leaving all Services intact, did not yield the Internet.
Re-instating the SU items except a few I always have preferred are off, then disabling all the Services, did not yield the Internet connecting.
Avast would start anyway, so I then managed to switch it off after the Selective start had completed, using Task Manager (TM) at which point the PC was said by Avast to be completely unprotected, though the Avast service was also showing as running. No Internet. Bear in mind that this problem started during a long period of AVG Internet Security, so using Avast was troubleshooting anyway.

No internet meant actually that IE8 actually stopped functioning whilst displaying "Connecting" and had to be unfrozen via TM. However Firefox announced "Oops.. cannot load page" and behaved as I might expect when no internet was available.

Then I used MSConfig to load with no SU items and no Services and obtained... no Internet.
Then I used config to load a basic diagnostic boot... no Internet.

And then I used MSConfig to load a Safe Boot with Network and obtained... no Internet.

Worrying that I could no longer troubleshoot on a level playing field, I concluded by loading a Safe Boot with Network via the F8 key and here is the internet (no protection, no printing, cannot do the office part of my job or play, but it is the Internet.

So, there is a difference between an MSConfig Safe Boot with Networking and one obtained via the F8 key when booting.

Where next with this??? When I get back in from work, I am minded to produce 2x MSInfo32 reports, one for each method of starting, but this might be like looking at a huge list of symptoms. I am wondering if anything is SHOUTING out "OK, in that case it has to be xyz, voilá monsieur!"

 

[Trouble]

Bear in mind that this problem started during a long period of AVG Internet Security, so using Avast was troubleshooting anyway.

Didn't know that. And if you mentioned it before, please excuse my poor reading skills. So, next
Run the AVG uninstaller from here AVG Worldwide - Download tools
Uninstall Avast from the control panel then run its' uninstaller from here http://files.avast.com/files/eng/aswclear.exe
Install MSE from here Link Removed due to 404 Error
Keep us posted.

 

[rickyQ]

AVG had previously been uninstalled and the uninstallation had said it was successful.
Ran the AVG removal program, it did not appear to complete, there was no message of confirmation.

Uninstalled the Avast. Ran the Avast removal program, completed.
Rebooted, no internet.

Re-installed AVG, no internet. Uninstalled AVG, said to complete successfully. Finally, ran the AVG removal program, this time expecting it to announce completion. It did not announce this. Rebooted, obtained for a minute a post-uninstallation of AVG survey on the internet, but by the time I completed it and tried to submit the internet had gone.

Installed MSE in case this fixed any settings left wrong from previous protection, or in case it ran even in Safe Mode with Networking (SMwN), rebooted, it failed to update as no internet. No internet.

Booted into SMwN by interrupting boot w F8. MSE does not, by the way, run in SMwN, despite my hopes of some usability of the PC in this state.

8 days, no internet. Something kicks in to switch it off. What?

 

[rickyQ]

Re: Don't fall asleep!

To summarise:

8 days no internet, except in Safe Mode w Networking obtained by interrupting the boot by F8, where the internet remains available.

Also, internet for approx 60 seconds if the NIC drivers are uninstalled and re-installed, or if Network Discovery is turned back on. But it only stays on that briefly and the named Home network then reverts to Public and Unidentified.

However, no internet if MSConfig is used to invoke a Safe Mode with Networking boot (what's the difference?).

No internet except for approx 60 secs if other sources of broadband or other connection devices (USB NIC, W/L NIC) are used.

Avast is uninstalled and removed; AVG Internet Security is uninstalled (confirmed by uninstaller), but removal program did not complete and reviewing my notes I need to correct - the remover actually crashed. Then I re-installed AVG and then I uninstalled it, to give the remover a second chance, but it crashed again. I see no AVG Internet Security e.g. I cannot find an AVG driver persisting in thenetwork connections, though I may not be looking in the right place.

There were problems similar to mine in Vista and to a degree in XP, it seems, but I do not know if I can cure this by trying some of the fixes or whether I might completely break my Windows or my SMwN internet, or if these methods do not exist in Windows 7. Those fixes seem to include (from other discussions):

1. manual reset of TCP/IP by using a command prompt netshell
netsh int ip reset c:\resetlog.txt
then reboot the PC

2. examine network protocols in MSInfo32 to see if the Winsock2 key is corrupted - my list runs into the 20's and it is said, at least in Vista, that 10 is the correct number (I posted MSInfo32 reports earlier, though I have since engaged in system troubleshooting, so details may have changed, the sysmptoms have not!). What I can or need to do about this, if anything, I have no idea.

3. possibly use netshell to reset the Winsock at the command prompt
netsh winsock reset

4. flush the DNS cache
ipconfig /flushdns

Don't want to try any of these unguided in case I break things.

Driving me mad, I just cannot get on & do what I have to without internet in normal mode. Help!!! Please.

 

[Trouble]

Re: Don't fall asleep!

Difficult for us to say at this point and guided or not, things can "break". That's why you will often see us stress the importance of manually creating system restore points, backing up the registry, exporting registry keys before making any edits as well as backing up all your critical personal data and using a good hard drive imaging product (like Acronis True Image Home 2011) to make sure you have a good strong fallback position.
What progress have you made in regards to using the step by step guide to clean booting the OS from Microsoft that I linked to in an earlier post. Specifically regarding non-microsoft services starting up at boot time.
As you can see below there is an incredible disparity between the running tasks during a safemode with networking boot where in your network seems to work ok as compared to a normal boot wherein your network seems problematic.

"Latest posted normal boot ""Running Tasks"" Internet interrupted after brief period:"
atchksrv.exe
audiodg.exe
avastsvc.exe
avastui.exe
btntservice.exe
cbinterface.exe
cbservice.exe
cbvscservice.exe
csrss.exe
csrss.exe
dllhost.exe
dlsservice.exe
dropbox.exe
dwm.exe
e_s40rp7.exe
e_s40st7.exe
eeventmanager.exe
explorer.exe
googletoolbarnotifier.exe
googleupdate.exe
hkcmd.exe
igfxpers.exe
igfxsrvc.exe
igfxtray.exe
ipssvc.exe
iuservice.exe
iviregmgr.exe
jusched.exe
lms.exe
lsass.exe
lsm.exe
mbamgui.exe
mbamservice.exe
mdm.exe
memeobackgroundservice.exe
msinfo32.exe
mygarminagent.exe
ose.exe
printisolationhost.exe
searchfilterhost.exe
searchindexer.exe
searchprotocolhost.exe
services.exe
sidebar.exe
skype.exe
smss.exe
smsvchost.exe
spoolsv.exe
sppsvc.exe
startskysolsvc.exe
sup_smartram.exe
suservice.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
system
system idle process
taskeng.exe
taskhost.exe
taskhost.exe
tomtomhomerunner.exe
tomtomhomeservice.exe
tvttcsd.exe
uns.exe
vcddaemon.exe
wininit.exe
winlogon.exe
wlidsvc.exe
wlidsvcm.exe
wmiprvse.exe
wmiprvse.exe
wmpnetwk.exe
wuauclt.exe
wudfhost.exe
yahooauservice.exe

"Last posted safemode with networking boot ""Running Tasks"" Internet seems to work fine:"
csrss.exe
csrss.exe
ctfmon.exe
explorer.exe
iexplore.exe
iexplore.exe
lsass.exe
lsm.exe
msinfo32.exe
services.exe
smss.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
system
system idle process
wininit.exe
winlogon.exe
wmiprvse.exe
wmiprvse.exe

You can also see a similar disparity between the two boot options when looking at "System Drivers" ->Started vs. Stopped
As well as "Loaded Modules"
It's a difficult, time consuming and arduous task to track down the offending process or combinations of processes that is causing your issue. But if you use the Clean Boot guide and take the time and make the effort to track down the problem you may be able to resolve your issue.
I'd like to be able to pinpoint the problem for you, but that's just not possible for me to do. I'd like to be able to tell you to run msconfig and under the startup tab uncheck everything and under the services tab, hide all microsoft services and uncheck everything that remains, but that might not be the best solution for you, because at some point you are going to have to start rechecking things and it's probably better to find the problem on the way down, then on the way back up.

 

[rickyQ]

Re: Don't fall asleep!

Yes, thanks, it's great to have all these trouble-shooting tools and the overall context, including now knowing there is no "magic" fix from someone else from me to instantly pass on. It's easy to become disheartened and to lose clarity, let alone not knowing which way it might be best to focus. Thanks for all of this!! I am so pleased there are people and this forum helping. Over the past week I have spent all my available time on this, excluding work and existing commitments, that's at least 40 hours, much more probably. I haven't been slack! It is strange that my first ideas of restoring back using Windows system restore didn't fix it, I have other avenues such as eRuNT it now occurs to try plus yes, I do back up my data and create images. Anyway, am here now again this Sat morning bright & early to make another go at it and study and act on the system files as to what loads and will let you know.

 

[rickyQ]

Re: Don't fall asleep!

About 6 or 7 hours on this today, once again confirming first that a boot with no services and no startup items does not yield the internet, then loading only the Microsoft services but no others and no startup items, again no internet, but for reassurance doing an F8 safe mode with networking, this does give the internet. This is what has beeen called a clean boot, but same result as tried and reported several days back - no internet.

Made a copy of msinfo32 of the clean boot and the F8 boot and identified 21 drivers which did not load in F8 compared to clean - then booted clean and tried to stop the drivers but found that it would have been better to compare the services running as once the drivers are loaded they can't exactly be swirched off obviously, what a nanna, oh well. Into the right tab of the 2 msinfo32 files and compared the services. Then booted into clean but followed up by starting and stopping services, one at a time to match, as far as possible, the F8 boot, trying for network connectivity by resfreshinbg the network map after each change. No joy. Also changed the network cable, a long shot, no change in connectivity as a result.

Also re-inserted the wireless network USB network adaptor and in a normal boot one can see the 2 network connections trying to get to the internet - the public network of each has several goes, but it stays public and the homegroup, which I turned on at some point in all this as it is a reference as to how close the PC is to connecting properly, the homegroup originally seen, then becomes unavailable although the membership is still stated.

So, went in normal mode with the usual services running again there is no internet and yet the shared resources, including the music on an NAS drive and sight of the other PC / laptops persists, as does Skype telling me who is online and my RSS feeds displaying material. Just no internet.

I am back at an F8 w networking. There is, I suppose, some mileage in determining when in normal mode just how well the network allows browsing of shares and whether Skype actually makes a call, not just displays contact status, but can't do that this minute, when in safe mode with networking and internet working.

Checking the e-mails, taking a break. Might need to do something major soon, to get my work back on track, clients are unwittingly hanging about as the days of troubleshooting go on. 7 hrs today then and still no joy, going out for the weekly food shop. They sell hammers in the supermarket thse days, don't they? Tee hee.

 

[Trouble]

Re: Don't fall asleep!

Please boot into safemode with networking and examine the IPv4 addressing information that you receive as it applies to the specific adapter that you are using and that works while in safemode with networking. Write it down, IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, dns server address(es).
Boot into normal mode and statically assign those IPv4 values to the same network adapter and reboot to make sure that those values are preserved through a reboot.
Any positive results when values are manually set?

 

[rickyQ]

Re: Don't fall asleep!

Thanks, when I did that the other day the DNS server became unset. Suring the approx 60 secs of connection I imagine it was OK, but the unsetting of the server occurred, as di the transition from named to unidenrified network and it changing to pulic. I guess that all 3 events coincided and it is this that I have been wrestling with, i.e. what unseta my default gateway. You may remember that I can recreate that gateway by running the NIC diagnotics or by uninstalling the NIC and re-installing it, but only for about 60 secs, then the internet goes.

I did mention today that I had connected i.e. plugged in my w/l adaptor and this was both with and without the wired networ.

At the moment, in SM w N via F8 I have both internet connections. The LAN connection is a Home network, I see, named 120120 (in the network map of this PC) which relates to what I call the network connected to my Cable modem, router and switches. The w/l connection, I see, is a Work network named (in the network map of this PC) 120120o2 and uses my phone line's ADSL2+ w/l router. This broadband redundancy of supply stems from when the cable provision became unreliable a couple of years ago and I mean to stop using one but like the security of having - but not the cost of! - both.

The actual connection from this PC is wired to the phone line router o2, plus the w/l adaptor can ppick up either o2 or cable. Earlier today in normal mode only the 02 router seemed to be received, the w/l could not pick up the cable w/l signal, which is unusual. For most of the last 2 years the phone router and cable router supplies were in effect joined near a distant PC near which are the NAS drives and other PC's. All this worked ok, but when troubleshooting I split the two sources and have kept it that way. Now, to simplify the anlysis, I am unplugging the w/l dongle. This means that the only supply right now to this PC is the wired o2 router. It obtains its IP address automatically since I put that back the other day, but it looks like I either forgot to reset the DNS to auto or it has grabbed hold of what I know it should be, which is 192.168.1.254. The moment I go to normal mode that preferred (and only) DNS disappears, i.e. becomes empty. As I write this, it seems quite implasible, but I set 192.168.1.254 many times, and that is what happens. The other stuff is 192.168.1.xxx if done manually (I used xxx = 200) and 255. etc. I'll send this and later I will have a chance to reboot, so I can check then. Thanks. P.S. I did untick the ip v.6, but I see that the w/l dongle didn't have that unticked, yet it was working. It is now unplugged, of course. P.P.S. Do you remember that when the 2 networks were both in place it must have been that which led to different ranges on opposite ends of the home plug which takes the wired signal upstairs for broadcast to the garden - 192.168.1.xxx and 10.0.0.yyy, not that this seems in the equation now, as their is no join of the 2 broadbands. Another thought, though, has just occurred - the 2 w/l keys and channels are the same, but the SSID's are not.. again, I imagine irrelevant as all that is not being connected to from down here, just the one wired ADSL router.

 

[rickyQ]

Re: Don't fall asleep!

P.S. Sorry about my spelling, I am rushing now, but when I do the work, I do check for accuracy!

 

[Trouble]

Re: Don't fall asleep!

Whenever you are dealing with a computer with multiple NICs (multi-homed), especially adding wireless/multiple wireless to the mix, you may very well end up with more problems than solutions as you are likely to have multiple default gateways as well as different DNS resolvers, depending on what is available through the DHCP source. That's why I recommended initialy that you simplify everything as much as possible by removing or disabling other adapters and concentrate on the wired adapter only.
Now if the DNS is truly the problem, which it could and likely is. Than please temporarily stop relying on your router to resolve DNS queries and manually assign a static value for this in the properties of IPv4 for the (only) NIC that you are using. Please use either the same DNS addresses that are being used by the WAN side of your router (open the Router's html/browser page and get them from the WAN setup side, they should be your ISP's DNS servers), or try using a public DNS server like Google's which are
8.8.8.8
and
8.8.4.4
Keep us posted

 

[rickyQ]

Re: Don't fall asleep!

Yes, I did initially fairly soon after we started on this (i.e when you advised it) simplify everything by relying on the wired adaptor only and by having this onboard NIC card see only the one source of broadband. The other adaptor, the wireless, I put back into the PC a day or so ago to see how it handled default gateway. It is interesting that it maintains the default of 192.168.1.254 gateway and connects in an F8 boot through either that or through the automatic unspecific gateway and works whether ipv6 is on or not. I since removed (again) the w/l adaptor to keep things simple. The wired adaptor acts differently and it was after doing the steps you now propose that I ran out of ideas - I'd been tackling the problem for a while as mentioned at the time - and contacted the forum. Setting the wired adaptor to have a fixed IP of 192.168.1.222 and a subnet mask appears of 255.255.255.0 and a default gateway of 192.168.1.254 and the DNS servers as 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 this will not connect in either safe networking or normal modes. In normal mode I can validate and am told there is no valid DHCP server and the Windows then resets everything to auto, claiming to have fixed it. I do not have my ISP DNS and will call them for the info. When the IP etc are all fixed, in normal mode, there are the first few seconds or maybe one minute of difference - no internet, but the network is correctly named and seen as private. Then, as always, the network becomes unidentified and public. One other thing I will try later is to disable the wired NIC and re-instate i.e. plug in the w/l, then separately also the USB wired NIC I tried earlier with the onboard wired adaptor still disabled, in case the onboard wired NIC card is upsetting things via a hardware fault, though how it could propgate to the rest of this system, i.e the other network adaptors, I do not see. Remember too, that there are several other laptops and towers all picking up the internet wired, wireless or both, from this source of broadband or the other source of broadband or both (by which I mean from either source, at will). It is just this one - but it is my main work - computer.

Soon there will come a time when I can no longer carry on troubleshooting at this intensity, regrettably, after all the forum effort and my own over the 10 days. Iin order to save my work and clients I will need in the next day or two if not solved to build up all the software and data onto another existing or a fresh machine. Lots of work and potentially cost there too, but at least I have done this many times over the years and will have a very definite direction in which to go.

Not despondent, as I am receiving the best advice there is - thank you so very very much - and have worked hard and well on this, so I could not have done better to date. But now need a solution and the other direction beckons.

 

[Garrawar]

Hi,

It seems that I have a similar problem. :\

It appeared a few days after a clean install. Also a clean reinstall did not solve the problem. I checked the router and cables, but they seem to work. Other computers/devices have no problems with wireless/wired connections. Here is the ipconfig/all output:

Windows IP Configuration

   Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Altair
   Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . :
   Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
   IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
   WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8168B/8111B Family PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet NIC (NDIS 6.20)
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-24-8C-94-A1-7F
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
   Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::4c24:2b4f:4808:19b2%11(Preferred)
   Autoconfiguration IPv4 Address. . : 169.254.25.178(Preferred)
   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
   DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 234890380
   DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-14-F4-50-C8-00-24-8C-94-A1-7F

   DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : fec0:0:0:ffff::1%1
                                       fec0:0:0:ffff::2%1
                                       fec0:0:0:ffff::3%1
   NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter isatap.{9C07685B-244B-469F-A86C-8AA7511B8FAE}:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

So yeah, the computer can't get an IP address. Static ip didn't solve the problem. Although once or twice it did apparently connect, but pinging google.com results in package loss (average 50%) and actual browser doesn't connect to any site.

Pinging 127.0.0.1 seems to be responding without package loss. Ipconfig/release works but Ipconfig/renew times out with the following message:

An error occurred while renewing interface Local Area Connection : unable to con
tact your DHCP server. Request has timed out.

I also checked with another NIC but it didn't help, so I guess it is unlikely to be a hardware failure (unless it is something more subtle than a simple NIC...). Also I don't think the drivers are at fault since before it connected nicely after installation with windows default drivers. I'm running a 64bit Windows.

So any help is much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[Trouble]

Hi,

It seems that I have a similar problem. :\

It appeared a few days after a clean install. Also a clean reinstall did not solve the problem. I checked the router and cables, but they seem to work. Other computers/devices have no problems with wireless/wired connections. Here is the ipconfig/all output:

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Altair
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8168B/8111B Family PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet NIC (NDIS 6.20)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-24-8C-94-A1-7F
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::4c24:2b4f:4808:19b2%11(Preferred)
Autoconfiguration IPv4 Address. . : 169.254.25.178(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 234890380
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-14-F4-50-C8-00-24-8C-94-A1-7F

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : fec0:0:0:ffff::1%1
fec0:0:0:ffff::2%1
fec0:0:0:ffff::3%1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter isatap.{9C07685B-244B-469F-A86C-8AA7511B8FAE}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

So yeah, the computer can't get an IP address. Static ip didn't solve the problem. Although once or twice it did apparently connect, but pinging google.com results in package loss (average 50%) and actual browser doesn't connect to any site.

Pinging 127.0.0.1 seems to be responding without package loss. Ipconfig/release works but Ipconfig/renew times out with the following message:

An error occurred while renewing interface Local Area Connection : unable to con
tact your DHCP server. Request has timed out.

I also checked with another NIC but it didn't help, so I guess it is unlikely to be a hardware failure (unless it is something more subtle than a simple NIC...). Also I don't think the drivers are at fault since before it connected nicely after installation with windows default drivers. I'm running a 64bit Windows.

So any help is much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Garrawar;
Hello and welcome to the forums.
First go here Realtek and download the latest driver from Realtek for your adapter (just the driver, it's a small 623k file dated 2011/2/22) to a folder and your computer and unzip it. It contains a Win7 folder, which contains two folder (32 and 64) you need the 64 folder. Then open device manager and force a manual update of the driver for your network adapter.
Expand Network Adpater
Select then right click the correct adapter and choose update driver software, then browse, then let me pick, then click the Have Disk button, then the browse button again and find the folder where you unzipped the files double click the rt64win7.inf file and continue with the driver update.
If that links doesn't seem to work for you, let me know. I have the same card and keep a local copy of the file, I can zip it up and attach it to a subsequent post. Sometimes Realtek's software download site acts a bit strange so let me know.
Reboot
If that still doesn't resolve your issue
Open device manager
expand network adapter
select the right click the adapter and choose properties
select the advanced tab at the top and then
select the Speed & Duplex property in the left box
change the value in the right box by selecting 10 Mbps Half Duplex from the drop down.
OK your way back out of there and reboot again.
If that seems to fix the issue, we will probably want to experiment with other speed and duplex settings like 10 full, 100 half and ultimately ending up with 100 full.
Keep us posted.

 

[Garrawar]

Thanks for a quick reply , Trouble.

Setting the Speed & Duplex to 10 Mbps Half duplex seemed to fix the problem (I also updated the driver, but it itself did not do the trick). Here's a quick breakdown of other options

10 Half - Working
10 Full - Working
100 half - not working
100 full - not working