Windows Update site not reachable in XP

OH NO Nasir ~ Ugh! ~ Do we have to use Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE)? I was exactly where you are 2 years ago.

I'm guessing: the software piece you have to install is either something called Tango or EnterNet 300, the provider doesn't support more than one computer without a larger monthly fee. (Then the provider gives you a Speedstream 5400 series router with 4 ethernet ports.) Sometimes I could get ICS to work, sort-of, on a couple of our Win98 machines at a time with the software on each machine and the Speedstream uplinked from a hub but not just any hub (Some hubs worked and some didn't). The provider basically just "hinted at solutions," or "didn't have a clue," or "laughed at me," depending on the technician.

My solution was to put in a residential gateway that supported PPPoE. (There are a lot of them on the market now. You can even find a wireless gateway/switch w/4 wired 10/100 ethernet ports for less than $50.00.) The gateway can be set using Internet explorer to provide the "user name," "password," "service name" (if needed), for your provider and your done with PPPoE at the gateway. No software needed!

Most likely IP and DNS addressing are dynamic and the gateway can be configured to have the provider assign them (At least this is the most common, static addresses seem to usually be more expensive). I let the gateway work as a DHCP server and firewall for the LAN and stopped using Windows ICS. I could even have the gateway close the Internet connection after a "Maximum Idle time" (This was suppose to discourage hackers and be a big advantage of ADSL.) and the gateway would automatically reconnect (This was suppose to help ADSL sell against dial-up and ISDN and give you the feeling that you were always connected I think?). Early on I had to clone the MAC address of the Ethernet adapter registered with the provider on the gateway. I don't think that is still required these days. The gateway did everything for me that the software did with a lot less hassle. No installing and re-installing.

My boss loved it! He sold Internet to the rest of the building so our access was free and productivity soared. We had 5 people using Internet applications instead of 1 sometimes 2 sort of. We sold more of our excess bandwidth. My old boss is still using the same set-up today. There are 12? machines sharing his ADSL connection. (He is right next door to the telephone company switch.)

Newt, I hope I'm not too tough on PPPoE or too passionate and superfluous?? I hope I haven't deviated from an acceptable solution and posting?? I'm new to this stuff.

I'm anxious to know what you think Nasir! I hope this is helpful and will save you some time! I'm also anxious to know if there is a better solution!

I think my diatribe is over, Good Luck Nasir! Keep us up to date!

 

Hi euphonius,
Thanks for so detalied reply. Your solution looks great. I can use a gateway to overcome these problems, have to spend some money .

But I cant understand one thing. Why PC2 is browsing msn web sites, msn messenger and yahoo messenger. It opens hotmail and other msn sites very quickly but stuck with other web sites. If
there is a problem, then it should not open any sites and messengers. If I ping www.yahoo.com, I get reply but it not opens in explorer.

PC2 working good a week ago, browsing all web sites with the same setup. I guess I used HijackThis on both PC1 and PC2, but I dont think it caused problem. Its just to remove malicious enteries.

Thanks for your help. Waiting for your suggestions.

 

I hope someone can give us some insight regarding the sporadic performance of PC2 in your current configuration.

I'm thinking it is the same problem that I experienced before and I have been trying to understand it ever since. We had a seasoned network engineer come out then and he was completely frustrated by the sporadic nature also. Sometimes, we could do anything we wanted and sometimes we got unrpedictable results. We brought in a new Windows 2000 server that was supposed to fix the problem. The network engineer set up the server in the same configuration as you have PC1 except with Windows 2000 and he pulled his hair out trying to get it to work at all, let alone as sporadically as we had it working originally.

I'm convinced if you kept the very same set-up as you have now except for removing the PPPoE software still using ICS and putting and configuring the gateway in between your speedstream and the wayward NIC that can't get an address on PC1 that your system will work perfectly.

This would be a neat test that might give us some more data if my assumption is wrong. You could always return the gateway.

I think that the problem is somehow between the PPPoE software and windows ICS. I hope someone will stumble on our thread who can give us better information or at least understanding of what is happening.

Keep me posted and best wishes!
mike

 

I hope I'm not too tough on PPPoE or too passionate and superfluous

euphonius - Not at all. But I suspect Nasir has no choice unless he could change ISPs to one that didn't use PPPoE even with their broadband customers.

Nasir - I'm never really comfortable with ICS and especially if there are problems when you use it.

In this case, your ISP has disabled the NIC you connect to your modem with and forces you to use a "virtual" PPPoE device. When we were all on dial-up, there were advantages to the end user for this setup. With broadband, the advantages are all to the ISP.

Your profile doesn't say where you live but regardless, I'd suggest that if you can spend a little money ($50-$60 US) to get a router/switch and use it rather than ICS, you'll be in better shape. If you do get one, you'll only need a single NIC in each PC though so you'll have a spare NIC.

Take a look Here for a good explanation of how your ISP sets things up. There are also links to a list of the router/switches that will support PPPoE internally and how to set them up.

The surfing problem you have sounds like an issue with DNS caching somewhere. Possibly on your PCs or possibly at your ISP. Quick way to find out is on both the PCs do
start~run~ipconfig /flushdns
and see if the problem clears up.

Please post back after you've read the linked article and tried the flushdns command.

 

Could XPs ICF have something to do with this mess ? I understand that it can cause problems.

Newt says you have problems with one of the NICs. I agree.

Lets take a shot at making life a little simpler.

Why not stick a Router/Switch into the mix. Pull one NIC From PC1 and plug boths NICs directly into the Router. Then the Modem into the Router.

Power the Router and the Modem from a separate Surge Procter.

Then let the Router/Switch be the DHCP server.

Also as an add Bonus the Router is a hardware Firewall and will take a lot of pressure of of the Software Firewalls.

Also when the Router is working I believe the possibley troublesome ICF can be disposed of. ( premanently )

Also the Router will keep the Internet and the LAN separated.

Each machine will be able to connect at the same time with just one account.

And a lot less problems due to the loss of the need to SHARE Internet connections thru one machine.

Also If I undersatnd correct how things are set up now if PC1 goes down every one is SOL on getting to the Internet.

I think we can make that better

Note: I said I THINK

What do you think Newt

BillyBob

 

OOPS !!

I see what newt thinks and my reply says I agree.

BillyBob

 

Yahooo!!! at last, I got my PC2 to work. The problem was at the MTU (MAX TRANSFERABLE UNIT) setting. I just decreased it. Originally, it was at default which I think is 1510. I made it 1410 and PC2 was on its way. It was driving me crazy until I got to fix it. Now, I am so relaxed

I guess, with that 1510 MTU speed, packets were getting lost when it reaches to PC2 NIC and syncronizing problem.

I used a registry shortcut tool called "DRTCP ". From DRTCP, I changed the value of MTU to 1410.

I got this idea from www.homenethelp.com. I was just browsing that web site and found a thread which was similar to mine and got the solution.


Special thanks to Newt,euphonius and BillyBob for all their deep interest in this thread and guiding me.

Thanks

 

Well that is good news.

But even though things are working right now I would give some though to changing over to what I believe would be a more reliable Router/Switch and get things setup so that neither PC relies on the other.

Plus if you decided to add another PC it would be much eaiser.

BillyBob

 

How COOL! I see, no wonder we had so much trouble 2 years ago.

Here is a tip that I found that had some more explanation of what was happening and also included a method for maximizing your MTU setting on your client machine. Maybe you have found it already. JSI Tip 3157

I hate being outdone, it is great to have this information. After you put PPPoE and MTU together. There are all sorts of places that warn that you have to lower MTU settings with clients that rely on ICS with PPPoE.

I'm looking at making a change to DSL from my cable just to lower costs in my workshop. This exploration has been really rewarding.

Great find Nasir! Thanks! I'm not sure I'm ready to give up my gateway. But its nice to know that PPPoE and ICS can work together!

Newt, that page you posted last was awesome.

Best Regards! Mike

 

Hi,
Now that all things are going prefect, I am Still not confirmed why msn sites(like hotmail, msn, msn messenger) were opening at the MTU rate set high at PC2.

Thanks

 

I do not know for 100% sure but I highly suspect that the problem(s) have a lot to do with Internet Connection SHARING

Newt might be able to verify it that is the truth or not.

PC2 is having to go thru 3 cards instead of one.

Every thing has to go thru two machines instead of one. And unless I am way off base any changes on CP1 may well effect PC2.

As stated before I am on Cable Internet Via a Linksys Router/Switch.

And If I am indeed looking at the same thing you refer to I just checked my Win98SE machine and MTU is set at 1500 I have had it as high as 7500 but that was too high.

euphonius

Is it possible that you may lower your preformance also ?

BillyBob

 

I do not know for 100% sure but I highly suspect that the problem(s) have a lot to do with Internet Connection SHARING

BB - I tend to agree with you but don't have any hard information.

As to DSL vs. cable, I made the switch a few months ago. Having horrible problems with RR staying up and the techs couldn't fix things. Probably a bad piece of cable in the area somewhere. The speed I'm paying for is less than with cable but we haven't been unhappy with it. Fast enough for what I want to do. None of the bad feelings I used to get going from the T3 at work to dial-up at home.

 

Well Newt it looks like it may depend on where we live and the ISP.

For the first 6 months I was about ready tell Time Warner what to do with it. But when I got hold of an HONEST tech that FINALLY told me that they were replacing some CHEAP & BAD equipment then thing gradually got better.

I just checked now with BroadBand Wizard and I am running in excess of 3100Kbps. So I can not complain.

However I have had Internet access problems for the last few days. Yesterday my Modem itself kept reseting all by itself. Today it has not reset once.

But I do not put the blame all on RR. We have had some BAD T Storms and Tornados ( worse than Isabell in our area ) early this week. A lot of trees on lines and power outages.

Good Grief Man. I just realized that all three machines on line here and all are hammering Hello out of the Net. Me here. One on a game site somewhere. And the other on AIM.

I really do not have any hard info either. I just assmeble in my head what ICS has to do. And the route it has to travel. All the hardware along that route. Toss in what little knowledge I do have. Apply what experience I have had and come with my wild ideas. But my main concern would still be that if PC1 goes down all others would lose access also.

Oh BTW. When I wrote my first reply about the Router I had not seen your mention of it.

Have a good Evening
BillyBob