Terminal Confusion

Please forgive the little play on words. (Terminal refers to my life force rather than the CRT.)

I have a home network with three computers connected to a D-Link 5 port hub (switch) which is connected to a Linksys Cable Router. Until very recently I have been running Win98 one one computer and ME on the other two. Everything has been running just dandy up until I decided to install XP on two of the computers (the ones that previously had ME). Initially everything seemed to be all right and then I lost my network connections between the XP computers and the rest of the universe. With some coaxing I managed to get the XP computers to show that the connection is all right (100 mbs), however they will not connect to the Internet. I have tried just about everything I can think of with no success. I sincerely hope that there is a known bug in XP that I can somehow correct. If someone out there knows of one please feel free to end my suffering by sharing some information.

I should mention that when I try the XP "repair" on the connection it always says that it fails trying to renew the IP address. I am running DHCP on my router and fail to understand the error message. Additionally, the connections are coming up with strange IP addresses that I have never heard of.

Thanks in advance.

Clueless in Windows

 

More info!

Xp Home or Xp Pro?

What kind of internet connection? Where is it connected?

Post the following back on each, make sure to identify each computer.

command prompt
ipconfig /all >\setings.out

find this file in c:\
open with wordpad
then copy and paste each back to us

Of course you will have to put on a disk to send the XPs to us.

mike

 

before u try anything else, u should install the latest service pack, if it hasn't yet been installed of course.

 

I would like to install the latest service pack but I really don't know how to go about that without a connection to the Internet. Perhaps you might suggest a way I might get the service pack on this machine (WIN98) and use it on the XP.

 

Hi Mike,

Sorry for the delay. The configuration information is as follows:

==========================================

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : fallon
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 3:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : ph.cox.net
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : D-Link DFE-538TX 10/100 Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-50-BA-D7-EB-96
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.101
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.2.16.30
68.2.16.25
68.6.16.30
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, June 22, 2003 1:57:06 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Monday, June 23, 2003 1:57:06 PM

====================================

I installed XP Pro and the connection as I previously mentioned is a cable broadband connection. It is connected via cable modem, router, hub, and CAT5 cable to all machines. Oddly enough the blasted thing is seeing the rest of the network, but I can't talk to the other machine nor connect to the Internet.

Paul

 

Sp would be good but should have no bearing here unless you have other issues.

I presume this is the 98 machine.

Looks OK so far.

Now get me the same on the other 2 machines and tell which one is which so we can distinguish them apart.

To do it name one of the files xp1.out and the other xp2.out, copy to floppy bring to internet machine and post back.

A couple of things to do.

In XP go to control panel-system-network identification and make sure the workgroup matches exactly the one on the 98 if not, change it to be so.

Log off the 98 and back on with the exact same username and password as the one of the XP machines.

You must be using a password for sharing to work on the XP machines. If you have a blank password choose one. Then log on with it.

Don't forget to actually share something on each!

So now the 98 and 1 XP are logged on with the "EXACT" same username and "EXACT" same password.

You will probably have a network connection at this point but there is a couple of steps more to get internet.

But!

I am out for dinner for a couple hours. Perhaps someone else will step in while I am gone. Will check back later.

Mike

 

If by "cleared" you mean the problem is over please read to the end. I still cannot connect to the Internet.

 

I cleared a message after you finally responded.

No problem.

mike

 

The information I sent is for the XP machine. I can't send you the information for the other XP machine as it is in use offline for some serious word processing. The information for the WIN98 machine is as follows:

==================

Windows 98 IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . : HARWOOD.ph.cox.net
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . : 68.2.16.30
68.2.16.25
68.6.16.30
Node Type . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
NetBIOS Scope ID. . . . . . :
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . : No
NetBIOS Resolution Uses DNS : No

0 Ethernet adapter :

Description . . . . . . . . : PPP Adapter.
Physical Address. . . . . . : 44-45-53-54-00-00
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . :
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
Primary WINS Server . . . . :
Secondary WINS Server . . . :
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . :
Lease Expires . . . . . . . :

1 Ethernet adapter :

Description . . . . . . . . : NDIS 5.0 driver
Physical Address. . . . . . : 00-50-BA-D7-EF-A4
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.100
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Primary WINS Server . . . . :
Secondary WINS Server . . . :
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . : 06 22 03 6:15:33 AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . : 06 23 03 6:15:33 AM
============================

I know it must appear that the XP machine should be fine but it won't talk to anyone but itself (perhaps it is insane?).

 

phar1944

I don't know what you have done here, but on the 98 Machine you have a protocol driver listed instead of a Netetwork card.

The 98 = NDIS 5.0 driver (wrong)
The XP = D-Link DFE-538TX 10/100 Adapter (correct)

The 98 should have a Network card listed in description. Apprearently the NIC is not installed corrrectly or the protocols are not or both.

Rt click network neighborhood on the 98, then properties then give me the list that is installed?

Also look in control panel-system-device mgr-network adapters and give me all listed here.

Mike

 

In both places you asked for the NIC is listed as D-link DFE-530TX+ 10/100 PCI yadda yadda. The odd description in ipconfig is beyond me. I believe it happed after one of the many Windows Updates I have partaken of over the years. You might have noticed that MS is sharply vague in many of their descriptions when they have anything to say at all.

In any case, that is not the problem. I have given up for now and decided to return to ME on the other computers an remain calm. When and if I decide to return to the XP wars I will let you know.

I do appreciate you efforts very much. I have never been disappointed when seeking help on this forum. I only wish I was enlightened enough to assist others in need as well as you have.

Thanks,


Paul

 

Paul hold off on this.

It is hard to back up to ME without a format.

XP is the way 98 and ME are leaving.

Lot of work involved in this move and it still may not work.

I am at work today and I will post the steps to try and fix this tonight from home.

Which basically will involve removing all protocols Clients, File and printer sharing from network Neighborhood.

Then in Add/Remove-Windows Setup-Communications uncheck Dialup networking. Then remove the NIC itself from Device mgr reboot and let it reinstall then put the Dialup networking back then the Clients and protocols. This should correct any errors contained in the present config.

And working or not on the 98 it is not correct.

If you understand the steps above you can do them yourself, if not let me know and I will post details.

Mike

 

I know how to do all you say regarding the removal of the network and reinstall on the W98 machine and I am considering trying to do just that. However, I have uninstalled XP on the other two machines and returned to ME with the result that everything is running all right. Each computer can reach the Web and each can talk to one and other.

I am a bit resistant to trying to fix something that "ain't broke ". I worked for many years as a combination hardware and software field engineer for the Burroughs Corp and I never had much luck fixing things that weren't really broken. I don't know if you know what a card punch is (a real dinosaur now), but in my early days I spent three hours using an expensive scope and many schematics in order to find a card hopper weight. That won't mean too much to you but trust me the blasted machine wasn't "broke ". It happened over 20 years ago and I still feel silly.

I will let you know when I have reinstalled the network on the 98.

Paul

 

Hello again.

I removed all the network protocols, clients, and whatnot. I also removed the adapter (NIC) and restarted and went through the reinstall of the NIC and the all the protocols except the dial-up adapter which I never use on this computer anyway. The resulting output of ipconfig /all is as follows:

========================================

Windows 98 IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . : HARWOOD.ph.cox.net
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . : 68.2.16.30
68.2.16.25
68.6.16.30
Node Type . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
NetBIOS Scope ID. . . . . . :
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . : No
NetBIOS Resolution Uses DNS : No

0 Ethernet adapter :

Description . . . . . . . . : NDIS 5.0 driver
Physical Address. . . . . . : 00-50-BA-D7-EF-A4
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.100
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Primary WINS Server . . . . :
Secondary WINS Server . . . :
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . : 06 23 03 7:46:46 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . : 06 24 03 7:46:46 PM
========================================

Looks remarkably similar to the previous one. Everything still seems to be running just fine too. (If is ain't broke.....)

 

Paul

I did not mean to do this if infact you did go back to ME and it worked.

I agree it works here. Only in the context of XP did it seem not to work. And this very item the NDIS thing was probably causing XP a problem where in ME it is ignored. XP is much more controlling and has much higher levels of required hooks.

NDIS is a very base, lowlevel protocol that is used and needed by windows, but should not show up as a description of the NIC. This indicates an error or misconfiguration, working or not.

This NDIS that is being picked up here is not the same as on your ME configs which show a NIC here.

I have seen this somewhere long ago, but cain't remember when or where and how I handled it.

Newt, Bitbyter others, anyone ever seen this?


Mike

 

I'm sorry, but the thread has me confused.

Is the problem solved? Or not?

Did you go back to ME on the two machines and everything now works as before?

And if this is the case, does that mean you still want to upgrade to Windows XP?

If the last is true, then maybe we can discuss preparing to upgrade from WME to WXP? This would involve discovering network parameters and what drivers might be needed.

Or am I just confused and don't know where the process has landed?

 

Hi Bitbyter

Look at the ipconfigs on all his nic's (Adapter 1) notice that when he had XP on the other 2 they properly listed the name of the NIC in description.

After back tracking to ME these now show the NIC's still correctly.

But notice the 98 shows NDIS 5.0 in description instead of a NIC??

This returned even after removing the nic and tcp/ip and rebooting to reinstall.

Have you seen this before?

Mike

 

Mike,

I went back to ME very easily because I installed XP as an update over the then current ME installation. I just finished installing XP on a blank HD (I have replacable HD carriers on all my computers as a hedge against catastrophe) and it went very smoothly and brought up the network without any difficulty. The lesson I have learned is to avoid updates. I have had trouble with them in Linux installations, but this is the first time I have had a problem with Windows.

As to the improper name on the 98 system, I can remember that it happend some time ago when I downloaded and installed one of the Microsoft updates on the web. While I noticed the change I never noticed any drop in performance or unusual difficulty with the network so I just ignored it. If you find there is something to it I would be happy to make a change, but I think that it is just a naming error and what the heck, a rose by any other name smells as sweet.

Thanks again for all your help. I think I can consider this problem solved at least 85%--which is probably quite good for Windows.

 

I noticed a few curious things about the IPCONFIG listings, but I wanted to find out where things "stood ". Seems like all is well at the moment.

I was going to suggest waving the 98 CD at a clean install of XP, but I see that is done and the problem solved.

All my W98 machines show a NIC name, like 3COM Etherlink PCI for instance (and like that), in the description.

On the other hand, READ THIS which is the FAQ for dfe530tx cards (I know I have one of these in something somewhere in the world), and which says: The network adapter "will be (one of) PCI Ethernet Adapter, NDIS 4.0 driver, or NDIS 5.0 driver" about 2/3's down the page. ...and above this is shown an illustration that has the name, NDIS 5.0 driver, in the Ethernet Adapter Information. (Question 2 under Troubleshooting in the article.)

Drivers for the DLINK can be downloaded from here. Under dfe530tx under NIC.

For the two machines that had been upgraded, one could guess that the NIC drivers for the previous OS may have been accepted, but were not functioning well for WXP -- just a WAG.