XP and D-Link router

Hello,
I have been trying to resolve this problem with my new laptop running XP. I have no problem connecting my main 98se computer to the D-Link router and the xp laptop. They can see each other and files transfer fine (both ways). The problem is the xp laptop after visiting 20 to 30 websites will start the led on the router blinking rapidly and the internet slows to a crawl! This will occur whether both machines are on on the 98se machine is off. I have to shut down the xp laptop and hard reboot (unplug) the D-Link router to get them going again. The 98se machine will start going again if I just unplug the xp laptops cat5 cable. What in the world is causing the xp laptop to make this happen? If the xp laptop is connected direct to the internet (no router) it runs fine.
Thanks for any help
Gene

 

On the Laptop.

Is ICS ( Internet Connection Sharing ) enabled ?

With the Router it is not needed.

98se computer to the D-Link router and the xp laptop

This is a little confusing.

Are both machines cabled directly to the Router ?

BillyBob

 

Billy Bob,
Yes both machines are cabled directly to the router. The 98se is the "main" machine. I have turned off the "main" machine and the xp laptop still goes to a crawl after a few minutes surfing the net. I have disconnected the "main" machine from the router and run the xp laptop alone thru the router and the same thing happens, after a short time surfing comes to a crawl.
Gene

PS--How do I know if ICS is enabled, and if it is how do I disconnect it?

 

OK. I have to admit that I do not understand what you mean by The Main Machine.

If both machines are cabled directly to the Router then there is no real main machine. They should be independent of each other as far as the Internet goes. You should be able to have one or the other or both on at the same time if all is set up correctly.

But the problem does appear to be in the Laptop.

Did you check on ICS on the Laptop ? I am not on XP right now so I can not tell you just where to check on it.

BB

 

The "main" machine is just my desktop home computer (the one I use the most). I agree that with the router each one should be independent of each other. I don't know anything about ICS, so don't know if it is enable or not. I have only had XP for 3 days now. I have never had a problem with any 98se machine.
Gene

Edit--No, ICS is not enabled, just found it

 

OK. That says that you need help from someone other than me.

Oh BTW. I NEVER had a problem with 98SE either.

And thanks for clearing up the main machine bit.

You will more than likely be asked if XP came pre-installed or did you do it.

A little more info will help.

BillyBob

 

Thanks Billy Bob--yes the new machine came pre-installed with XP. Personally I would have never used it, but I don't have a choice now. I have used win98se since it first came out and have never wanted to change because I know how it works and always performed well. Course, I was one of those people who used DOS well beyond the Windows inception period because I did not want and understand windows for a long time.
Gene

 

Another thing that seems odd is that I was told to set both machines to 100 full duplex. I did that, but everytime I go in and check the XP machine it has re-set itself to the "auto" mode. I don't understand what is changing this--XP has a mind of its own?
Gene

 

You are not alone is the use of DOS. I still use it.

I also have one machine that has 98SE on it that will NEVER get changed untill the day it dies a natural death.

Plus of more importance my Wife would hand me my head if she lost her DOS/Win3.1 games.

Oh how true. It certainly does. It does take AT LOT of getting used to.

BillyBob

 

Billy Bob,
Update, I have connected my xp machine directly to my cable modem and it has been to over 100 sites with extreme speed! So I an assuming that the problem is somewhere between ny xp computer and the D-Link router. The router does not like this machine. Any ideas on why the router does not want to let this machine run thru it?
Gene

 

I am thinking that it may well be due to settings.

And I am in no way familiar with as I just plugged mine in away it went.

But I also have a system that I installed myself. I put XP over SE and ot just grabed every thing and ran with it. I did not have to touch a thing. ( unless I wanted to mess things up )

BillyBob

 

Gene - you for sure have a PC with problems. It should not be acting this way.

For one thing, the speed/duplexing settings should stay where you set them.

I'd get with whoever sold it to you and make them fix things if it were mine.

But if you want to mess around with it,
- desktop or laptop?
- NIC in a slot so you can remove it or built in?

Since the issue happens when you are connected thru the router, could well be a settings issue. MTU too high will do that. Take a look Here for a recent long of the topic with some ways you can test things.

XP, if configured properly and working right should do networking, including internet, better than 98. Not as obvious on a small network but on a larger one, you can really start to see the differences.

 

Well, I just got off the phone with D-Link support and after several aborted attempts thay say that the router is now bad and they are going to replace it for me. Could it be that the old laptop a 333mhz was so slow that it never affected the router and this new 2.8 gig 16.1" laptop was too fast for the marginal router, because it never happened with the slower laptop?
Gene

 

This is a strange one on me--I pulled the new xp laptop from the system and hooked up the old 98se laptop to the router and you guessed it--everything was fine, played with it for over an hour and never once did the internet slow down. So, I have a hard time believing that the router is at fault? Is is possible that the router/firmware (the latest firmware) is not compatible with xp? D-Link is sending me a new one, but I am doubful that that is the problem. Anybody have any ideas?
Gene

 

Errrr -

 

So--Newt,
In laymans terms--how do you set the mtu on the xp system?
Gene

 

Update!!!
Well, I can't believe what I just found on my new xp laptop-that I have had for 4 days now--the Welchia worm/virus. I saw another post on another website somewhere and went to symantec website and downloaded the tool--it said I had it and fixed it, and now an hour later my computer and router have not failed once, and usually it was bonkers after 5 minutes or so. I can not believe that a new computer was shipped with a worm/virus as I have been behind this di-604 since the computer came. I am keeping my fingers crossed that that was the problem and is now fixed. And thanks to all of you who tried to help me!

Second update--next day and everything is fine! Would like to let everyone know that according to Symantec a regular virus scan will not detect this virus, you must obtain the tool from them and run it paying close attention to their instructions especially with XP.
Gene