Windows Me machine dropping network connection.

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Mick - 20 Mar 2005 17:42 GMT

I am a networking novice. I have a Windows Me PC networked with a
Windows XP Home machine via my ADSL router.

The XP Home machine seems to be fine. The Me machine however, seems
to drop the network connection frequently. Sometimes re-booting or
powering the router on/off or unplugging and replugging the cable
fixes this but sometimes not. It does work occasionally but is very
unreliable and rarley lasts more than a few minutes.

I'd appreciate any help to get this fixed please as I'm stuck.
Additional info that may help is below. TIA, Mick W

The Me machine gets an IP address ok. An IPCONFIG /RENEW_ALL gives
"DHCP server unavailable" and a PING of the DHCP server typically
times out.

IPCONFIG shows I have an IP address 192.168.0.3

DHCP is 192.168.0.1

C:\WINDOWS>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . : OLDPC
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
212.159.13.50
Node Type . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
NetBIOS Scope ID. . . . . . :
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . : Yes
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . : No
NetBIOS Resolution Uses DNS : No

0 Ethernet adapter :

Description . . . . . . . . : F5D5000, PCI Card/Desktop
Network PCI Card

Physical Address. . . . . . : 00-30-BD-27-20-03
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.3
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
Primary WINS Server . . . . :
Secondary WINS Server . . . :
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . : 03 19 05 18:16:44
Lease Expires . . . . . . . : 03 22 05 18:16:44

1 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 . . . . . . . :

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Mick - 29 Mar 2005 15:16 GMT

If anyone is interested, I finally seem to have cracked this with help
from the excellent......

http://www.careyholzman.com/
especially....
http://www.homenethelp.com/help/networking-me.asp

Apart from getting all of the setting correct (whcih the networking
wizard didn't seem to do ), these also pointed out the need for
fixes....

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q284084/
and
http://www.support.microsoft.com/?kbid=272991

> I am a networking novice. I have a Windows Me PC networked with a
> Windows XP Home machine via my ADSL router.
[quoted text clipped - 58 lines]
> Lease Obtained. . . . . . . :
> Lease Expires . . . . . . . :

Reply to this Message

Mick - 11 Apr 2005 13:14 GMT

Ah, I spoke too soon. The problem seems to return randomly -
sometimes within a few days, sometimes within a few minutes. I am at
a loss. Any advice please?

> If anyone is interested, I finally seem to have cracked this with help
> from the excellent......
[quoted text clipped - 73 lines]
> > Lease Obtained. . . . . . . :
> > Lease Expires . . . . . . . :

Reply to this Message

Mick - 22 Apr 2005 10:33 GMT

Wow, I don't believe it, it's working!

From the following site..
http://www.homenethelp.com/help/networking-me.asp
I did this...
"TIP #18: Internet Explorer will not find any web pages.

1) Go to Control Panel | Internet Options | Connections | LAN Settings
and clear all of the boxes.

2) Re-create the Winsock2 registry entries:
a. Un-install ICS (if installed).
b. Un-install Dial-Up Networking. Do NOT reboot.
c. Delete registry key HLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock2
d. Re-install Dial-Up Networking. Reboot.
e. Re-install ICS (if desired).

[Thanks go to Microsoft MVP, Steve Winograd, for this tip.]"

...and it all seems to work. I'm not going to celebrate too much until
it's stood the test of time but it looks good.

> Ah, I spoke too soon. The problem seems to return randomly -
> sometimes within a few days, sometimes within a few minutes. I am at
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> > and
> > htt

p://www.support.microsoft.com/?kbid=272991

> > > I am a networking novice. I have a Windows Me PC networked with a
> > > Windows XP Home machine via my ADSL router.
[quoted text clipped - 58 lines]
> > > Lease Obtained. . . . . . . :
> > > Lease Expires . . . . . . . :

Reply to this Message

Steve Winograd [MVP] - 23 Apr 2005 08:01 GMT

>Wow, I don't believe it, it's working!
>
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>...and it all seems to work. I'm not going to celebrate too much until
>it's stood the test of time but it looks good.

I'm glad that my tip is working for you, Mick!

The help guide on the web page that you cited copied that tip
word-for-word from news group messages that I've posted. I complained
to the author about plagiarism, and he added my name to the tip.

I have no connection with that web page or that help guide. In my
opinion, that help guide contains numerous technical errors and isn't
a reliable source of networking information.

Signature

Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional - Windows Networking
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Steve Winograd's Networking FAQ
http://www.bcmaven.com/networking/faq.htm

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