cannot connect to LAN & internet

[Kiki Burgh]

hi! i'd like to seek your advise about internet/LAN connectivity issue ... my wife just received an acer aspire one notebook from her mom ... it has win xp home sp3 & realtek rtl8102e family pci-e ethernet nic ... everything seems ok as far as the device mgr is concerned ... gen properties show that device is working properly ... we have active cable internet connection (cable modem is motorola sufboard) at home & is regularly connected to the desktop & we just normally unplug it from the desktop & connect it to another (notebook: lenovo) for instant connection to the internet ... this one though just can't connect to the net via the same process ... even while the network cable is plugged in (to this notebook: acer), still shows limited or no connectivity ... both desktop & notebook have tcp/ip set to: obtain ip addres automatically ... modem configuration status page could be accessed from the desktop but not in the notebook

here are a few steps we've done to no avail:

1. run acer erecovery to reinstall everything including drivers & applications

2. run the network troubleshooter

3. ipconfig /release & ipconfig /renew (***always gets stuck at ipconfig / renew & eventually says: an error occurred while renewing interface local area connection : unable to contact your dhcp server. request has timed out.)

4. disabled & enabled the connection

5. uninstalled & reinstalled the driver

6. disabled firewall

6: restarted pc & modem

if it's any help, please find the details below helpful:

from desktop cmd

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : mydestiny.net

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Marvell Yukon 88E8056 PCI-E Gigabit

Ethernet Controller

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-EA-01-0F-D6-5F

Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes

Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 202.8.238.152

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.254.0

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 202.8.238.1

DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.1.1.11

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 202.8.224.39

202.8.224.36

from notebook cmd

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8102E Family PCI-E Fast E

thernet NIC

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-23-8B-1C-AF-15

Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes

Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Autoconfiguration IP Address. . . . 169.254.217.94 (would there be a way to auto-correct this?)

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

your support will be greatly appreciated!

cheers!

Edited April 4, 2010 by Kiki Burgh

[submix8c]

On one of the PC's that have connectivity, enter "http://192.168.100.1/address.html". On mine, it has a limit of 3 "learned" MAC addresses. See if the MAX=3 has been reached.

You can try sticking a wire in the "reset hole" in the back or unplug about 10-min then replug (if that's the case).

Seems that as long as it's not "reset" and it "stores" the MAC's to the MAX=3-different (at least on mine), it will not "communicate". Same thing happened to me once switching between different PC's.

Worth a shot, HTH

[Kiki Burgh]

On one of the PC's that have connectivity, enter "http://192.168.100.1/address.html". On mine, it has a limit of 3 "learned" MAC addresses. See if the MAX=3 has been reached.

You can try sticking a wire in the "reset hole" in the back or unplug about 10-min then replug (if that's the case).

Seems that as long as it's not "reset" and it "stores" the MAC's to the MAX=3-different (at least on mine), it will not "communicate". Same thing happened to me once switching between different PC's.

Worth a shot, HTH

thanks for the immediate reply submix8c! only have 1 self & 1 learned:

# Known CPE MAC Address Status

1 00:1a:de:95:f6:ba Self

2 00:ea:01:0f:d6:5f Learned

btw, i failed to include in my earlier post that DHCP Client (svc) is started & set to automatic.

as far as the cable modem goes: tried leaving it unplugged for a short while, tried shutting it down & restarting it --- still no go

update: there are a couple of things that could have solved this:

1. disabled (& re-enabled mcafee security firewall) ???

2. resetting the cable modem ... pushing the button on top of it (i don't know how different this could be from unplugging/replugging &/or shutting down/restarting it)

now though, it'd seem everytime i need to transfer the connection from the desktop to the notebook (acer) & then back, i would need to reset the modem again since the limited or no connectivity status shows up in the pc where the ethernet cable has been reconnected ... could there be a way to work around not having to push reset button everytime i do this as this never happened before? could this be a known issue about motorola surfboard or with acer aspire, in particular? i've yet to test if the same behavior would be apparent when connecting to the other notebook (lenovo) ...

appreciate it submix8c ... seemingly trivial yet indeed worth the shot!

cheers!

Edited April 4, 2010 by Kiki Burgh

[VideoRipper]

I used the Motorola Surfboard in the past and while it's able to hand out multiple LAN IP's

(using the ISP's DHCP-server... it doesn't have one itself), my ISP only allowed one LAN IP

at a time.

If you have the same problem, you can only circumvent this by getting yourself a router

[Kiki Burgh]

thanks for sharing your experience with motorola surfboard Video Ripper! i'll keep this extra info in mind.

submix8c, just a little correction on the link ... from http://192.168.100.1/address.html to http://192.168.100.1/address.asp i have connection now ... thanks again!

there's a hardware update for realtek via windows update ... i'm currently downloading & installing it & see if my connection experience after this will be better (like i need not always shutdown & reset the cable modem to be connected).

happy easter!

cheers!

[bphlpt]

I use a surfboard now, and have for the last 10 years or more, and I think your most flexible solution would be to get an inexpensive router as Video Ripper suggests. I've used the Cisco/Linksys models, various ones, but Netgear or most others should work just fine. New they can be gotten for as little as ~$40 or so. Most have an ability to "clone" your PC's MAC address so that as far as the surfboard and your internet provider is concerned, you still have just the desktop PC it already knows about plugged in, regardless of which computer you're using. And of course it would allow you to have both computers plugged in and use them simultaneously.

Cheers and Regards

[Tripredacus]

Motorola Surfboards (as noted above) have the ability to learn MAC Addresses. The best way to be able to hot-plug devices to this modem is to use MAC Address cloning. Otherwise, you need to cycle the power on the modem, as it is designed to allow connectivity to only 1 device at a time (the learned address) and is not smart enough to allow for dynamic connections. You may wish to get a router to use instead.

[submix8c]

?

Can you "clone" the MAC in the Surfboard (mine is obviously older, as noted in the URL)? I can "clone" the MAC in my router to a "fixed" one, but that's irrelevant when always using the router's MAC address ("learned" in the SB, one and only one).

Pressing the button on top doesn't reset, that's a "standby". In the URL, there's a place to "reset on-the-fly" (same as pushing a paperclip in the "hole" in the back). AFAIK, unplugging the SB and plugging in back in resets it; the LED's will cycle though self-test, etc. BTW, mine appears to allow for 3 "learned"; switching between more is where I "got got" and had to reset it (then got a router - problem solved). The ISP's control "what you get" in the Modem. It also has a MAC, on record at the ISP. I haven't a clue what their "process" is if you use your own (they may not allow it; never tried it).

A sure-cure (nearly) is to get a dependable (and inexpensive) router (mine is "old"). Be aware that some ISP's (mine is RR) won't support problems Modem->Router->PC's unless you acquire it from them (Who cares? You have MSFN).

(bets are, your Modem was supplied by your ISP; Motorola usually has the manual available; and ISP's alter the Firmware to disallow any modifications, other than Reset)

[GrofLuigi]

I successfully solved the problem of one of the "smart" ISPs that allow only ONE computer per connection by adding a second computer to the Surfboard and cloning the MAC address of the first one (in Windows, device manager, properties of the network card, advanced; I've never ever seen a network card by ANY manufacturer that doesn't allow you to do this) and then switching the network cable on demand. And a third one through USB (but not two at the same time).

Even the technicians didn't believe it was possible.

But ANY router will do and it would be most comfortable solution.

GL

[submix8c]

Sounds reasonable to me... never even occurred to me. It's a NIC/OS solution (maybe I misunderstood Tripedacus' post; yours clarified). IOW, all PC's have the same NIC MAC (as modified in Locally Administered Address).

[Kiki Burgh]

bphlpt, GrofLuigi, Tripredacus - appreciate what you guys have shared!

submix8c, VideoRipper - thanks again!

running ipconfig /all shows:

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : mydestiny.net

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek PCIe FE Family Controller

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-23-8B-1C-AF-15

Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes

Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 202.8.238.113

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.254.0

IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : fe80::223:8bff:fe1c:af15%7

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 202.8.238.1

DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.1.1.11

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 202.8.224.39

202.8.224.36

fec0:0:0:ffff::1%2

fec0:0:0:ffff::2%2

fec0:0:0:ffff::3%2

Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, April 06, 2010 1:20:44 PM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, April 07, 2010 1:27:24 AM

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 80-00-FB-49-35-F7-11-8E

Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No

IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : fe80::ffff:ffff:fffd%6

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

Tunnel adapter 6to4 Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : mydestiny.net

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : 6to4 Tunneling Pseudo-Interface

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : CA-08-EE-71

Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No

IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 2002:ca08:ee71::ca08:ee71

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 2002:c058:6301::c058:6301

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : fec0:0:0:ffff::1%2

fec0:0:0:ffff::2%2

fec0:0:0:ffff::3%2

NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

Tunnel adapter Automatic Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : mydestiny.net

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Automatic Tunneling Pseudo-Interface

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : CA-08-EE-71

Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No

IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : fe80::5efe:202.8.238.113%2

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : fec0:0:0:ffff::1%2

fec0:0:0:ffff::2%2

fec0:0:0:ffff::3%2

NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

didn't notice before the Tunner adapter portions when running ipconfig /all ... could be from the driver update offered by WU

really just wondering howcome when connecting the lenovo i don't need to do something else other than plug in the ethernet cable ... with the acer i had problems like i consulted you guys about & now for me to get connection, i always need to restart the cable modem (& disconnect/reconnect the ethernet cable) ... as for the learned address, like what i posted above it has been refreshed from what i previously posted as it now looks like this:

# Known CPE MAC Address Status

1 00:1a:de:95:f6:ba Self

2 00:23:8b:1c:af:15 Learned

atm, i'm opening cabinets & looking for my still unused router (i think i got it from Vonage) ... & see if i could find my way around your suggestions for better connection experience.

cheers!

Edited April 6, 2010 by Kiki Burgh