Network problems 2

Im having problems with setting up a LAN connected to a dhcp router/gateway.
Im attempting to connect xp computers to the router, and only some are working, so Im guessing its a setting problem on the other computers. I have checked the cables and they are fine. The non-working computers cannot see anyone on the network, hence are assigning theselves private ip address instead of getting them from the dhcp server.
I'm using an :
R-ADSL-C4 Dynamode 4 Port ADSL
Router (Conexant).

10.0.0.2 is the default ip for the router. And have changed the subnet mask to 255.255.255.0

Of the 2 computers that are woking one is XP Sp2 and one is XP Sp1.
Of the two I'm attempting to connect on is XP Sp2 and one is XP Sp1.

Does anbody have any idea what is going wrong???

Freewas x

 

Do the PCs and the router have statis lights for the connection?

Also,
In the network connection properties there is a check box to put a connection icon in the sys tray. That might give you some clues about whats going on.

 

more info

The switch connected to the router indicates an active link, the computer running sp2 gives a limited connectivity message, and the one running sp1 says it is not connected.

 

So, are you still sure the cables are fine?

Sounds like they arent.

 

ssmith10pn may well be right that this is a cable issue.

However, reading your initial post one thought struck me, when you changed the router's default mask to 255.255.255.0, did you update the DHCP settings so that the same subnet mask is given out to the client computers?

There is a peculiarity of the 10.0.0.0 address space which means that systems don't see 10.0.0.0/255.255.255.0 and 10.0.0.0/255.255.0.0 and 10.0.0.0/255.0.0.0 as different sub-networks when in fact they are three different subnets. This means that if your router is in the 10.0.0.0/255.0.0.0 IP space, and your computers are using 10.0.0.0/255.255.255.0 strictly the computers should not be able to directly connect to the router (because they are in a different subnet). However they often will, and what you get is some very strange behaviour where systems sometimes connect and sometimes do not. What you describe could be an instance of this.

 

not cables

Well I have moved my computer into another room, and connected using that cable, and had no problems getting an ip or seeing other workgroup computers. I will do as you suggest and manually assign ip's and subnets.
There is no chance its an issue on the pc's like winsock corruption, etc?

 

If you can set the PCs up with static IPs, I doubt it is anything to do with winsock. In fact I doubt it's anything to do with winsock full stop. I believe winsock is a high level protocol that runs on top of TCP/IP. DHCP and the associated BOOTP works at the Ethernet/IP level (layer 2 and 3).

One thing I have seen quite commonly on some networks is that when you first add a new PC it can't seem to communicate with the DHCP server. However, if you assign the PC a static IP in the same subnet as the DHCP server, reboot, and then switch it back to Auto/dynamic IP addressing, it then finds and works with the DHCP server fine.

I'm not sure why this works but I'd suggest that after you get a PC working with a static IP, try switching it back to auto/dynamic IP and see if it works then.

As I am writing, I've thought of another thing to look at: are you sure that there are no statically assigned devices using the addresses that the DHCP server is giving out. If there are, this can cause some odd problems. To ensure this is not the case, either limit the number of addresses being given out by the DHCP server, or add an exclusion range. Then make sure all statically assigned IPs are outside the DHCP range (or in the exclusion range).

Also check that you only have one DHCP server on the network. This can be a gotcha if you add a new router or wireless access point to the network. Pick one DHCP device, and switch the service off on all other devices on the network.