Windows 7 New Win 7 machine cannot connect to internet - solutions and possilbe downgrade?

[Manday]

Some background: I have looked through dozens of posts and google results and tried many troubleshooting steps including over 15 hours on the phone with HP tech support. I cannot get my computer to recognize the internet at all. I have had 2 HP computers and am now on a Gateway. All have Windows 7 on them and none will recognize the internet. The Dell I am trying to replace runs XP and connects immediately to the internet.

So, I guess what I'm looking for is a response to either or both of the following questions:

1. Does anyone have a fix for the internet connection problem? I can provide details from ipconfig or anything else, but I'm not sure what information is needed. Just ask, and I will post it.

2. Barring that, I've thought about downgrading back to XP, assuming I can find a copy to install. I've thought about Vista, but have heard it has similar problems. Can anyone tell me if it is possible to install XP on a brand-new machine and what I would need to do? I have no data on the new machine as everything I do is online so I'm fine with a reformat, I've just never done anything like that before.

I appreciate all of your help and will provide any information needed to figure this out.
Thanks!

 

[kemical]

Hi,
what type of connection are you running? Do you have a disk from your isp? If not, check out their web site and you should be able to download the connection settings..

As for re-installing xp.. It's the same routine for installing any os. Make sure you have the correct drivers before hand (if possible) and that the system bios is of the latest version. You'll need to change the boot order so you can boot from disk (to perform a clean install). This involves changing settings in the bios so post back if your unsure what to do..
Mind you, I'm pretty sure we'll have you running with 7 in no time..

 

[Trouble]

I think Kemical is on the right track here. Three windows 7 machines and no internet connection....common denominator sounds like your connections, actually and more likely specifically your router.
Check the manufacturer's website for a firmware update if available.
Disable IPv6 in the properties of your Network Interface Card on the machine, as some older routers have issues it seems with IPv6.
Statically assign values for DNS servers in the properties of IPv4 in the properties of your NIC(s), as some routers don't do a very good job of DNS forwarding for query resolution. Use public DNS servers like googles at 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4
Hope this helps and
Welcome to the forums.

 

[Manday]

Thanks for the quick reply. I would definitely prefer to get this working as-is instead of going through a reinstall.

As for the connection type: I am on Cincinnati Bell Cable internet with a direct ethernet connection to a SBV5322 Digital Voice Modem. I've called my ISP and they assure me that they show a valid IP address for my connection and that as far as they can tell, I'm connected to the internet. They say I do not need any credentials and there are no settings available on their site.

Let me know if you need any other information and thanks again!

 

[Manday]

I thought it might be my connection, too (as did HP), but my Dell works perfectly. I've assigned the IP address to the one that my Dell gets and it still shows no connection. I've also disabled the IPv6 since my IP is an IPv4 and that didn't work either. I have not tried the public dns servers yet, but will as soon as I can get the other computer set up again (I'm having to switch back and forth between computers as I refuse to open all of the other boxes with the monitor, keyboard, and mouse again until I know whether I need to take this 3rd computer back...I'm just so tired of packing and unpacking computers!)

 

[Trouble]

If I understand correctly, you do not have an actual router in your environment, but are actually using the ethernet connection on the back of your Motorola modem to go straight to your PC. Is that a correct understanding?
If so forget everything that I said before.
When you switch the connection from one computer to the other, you may have to reboot your network. So anything that you may have changed in regard to IPv4 switch back to auto IP and auto DNS. Shut down the new PC, and the modem. Unplug the modem from the wall and if it has a battery installed remove it. Wait a couple minutes, then replace the battery, plug the modem back into the wall, wait till all the lights are steady green, then with the new PC plugged into the ethernet port on the back of the modem, boot it up and see if you have made any progress.
If not launch an elevated command prompt and type
ipconfig /release hit enter
ipconfig /renew hit enter
ipconfig /flushdns hit enter
ping www.google.com hit enter (Let us know if this is successful)
ping 64.233.169.99 (Let us know if this is successful
and try again to open a browser
if nothing has produced good results then again open a command prompt and type
ipconfig /all
copy and paste the information relative to the NIC that you are using into your next post.
Please confirm and or clarify you actual network environment any additional routers, switches hubs, etc.

 

[Manday]

Quick progress update: The reset seems to have worked, or at least it seems to have made progress. I was afraid to take the battery out before is the only reason I hadn't tried it before. After the reset, I got a message inside Internet Explorer that there was a problem registering my computer on the cable network and to call my provider. Of course, I waited until just a few minutes after they closed for the day, so any further progress will have to wait until tomorrow.

Thanks so much for the help! I'll let you know what happens and if this worked.

 

[Manday]

Ok. Just got off the phone with my ISP. I am apparently getting a valid IP address that matches the one returned with ipconfig but I still cannot get to the internet. I went from the error message telling me to contact my ISP to the same old "Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage" and the Network and Sharing indicator says I have no internet access.

I did all of the commands above (release, renew, flushdns, and ping) with no luck. The following is the result of the ipconfig /all command:


I have no routers connected anywhere. My computer is connected directly to the modem with the same ethernet cable that works with my Dell. I have a wireless router that has never worked with this ISP so it is not connected anymore. I have a wireless card in this computer, but it is disabled since I'm not using it.

Thanks again for any help.

 

[Trouble]

First, let me ask that you re-do your release and renew.
Command prompt, type ipconfig /release wait a couple minutes then
ipconfig /renew (make sure you have a new one, not the one you have currently)
Not because there is anything wrong with your addressing scheme, but just because you have a publicly addressable IP address and it's not a good idea to make it generally available, on a website that is very popular around the world. So just perform the release and renew process let some time pass between the two commands until you get a new one.
Now back to pinging
Can you ping 216.196.224.1 (that's your default gateway, if you can't ping that then there is definitely a problem.)
Can you ping 64.233.169.99 what's the results, looking for something like sent 4 received 4 lost 0
How is the network and sharing center showing your network (public, home, work)?
Do you have any third party software installed that may be causing an issue? (Firewalls or Antivirus Security Suites, these types of programs often need additional tweaking to support various network traffic, your machine may need to be included into a trusted group, read any documentation regarding the setup of such software.
Have you attempted to change anything within the built in windows firewall.
Can you ask your ISP if they have a recommendation for a router that works well with their modem? I know I would feel better if you were behind a NAT device and using an addressing scheme that was private reserved, just to add an additional layer of protection.

EDIT: Another thing to try or perhaps try again, open control panel in the top right corner where it says view by: choose the drop down arrow and then small icons, click the link that says Troubleshooting, then under the heading Network and Internet, click the link that says Connect to the Internet and work through the troubleshooter. Let us know of any specific error messages.

 

[Manday]

I just wanted to let you know that we got it up and running. My husband decided to unhook the modem again and pulled all the cables off the back of it and let it sit for a few hours. When he hooked it back up, it connected immediately and has been working ever since. Guess it just didn't get a good enough reset on it.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Trouble]

Thanks for updating your thread with the solution that worked for you. Glad to hear that you were able to resolved your issue, hope to continue to see you around in the fourms.