Help me generate an IP address for my computer!
May 10, 2010 8:52 AM Subscribe
NetworkGuruFilter: I am having a heck of a time trying to get my computer to generate an IP address. Please help! Details inside..
Problem:
My girlfriend's computer recently got a nasty virus, and I opted to simply perform a system restore on her computer using the manufacturers (gateway) Windows XP CD. Ever since I reformatted the OS, I can't get the computer to connect to the Internet, even though it was working an hour beforehand! Its a Gateway GT5228 desktop computer using Windows XP connecting through a Speedstream 4200 modem. The wireless works just fine (via linksys router). However, If I run "ipconfig" in cmd, I do not get any results. Also, the LAN connection in Network settings says that it is connected, but if I try to repair, it says that I cannot query the TCP/IP connection.
Methods used to no avail thus far:
I tried reinstalling the OS again, reinstalled all of the drivers for the computer via Gateways website, I removed the network driver from the Hardware manager then rebooted so that Windows would reinstall, all with no luck. I reinstalled the TCP/IP stack, removed the WinSock registry keys, tried plugging the modem in via USB instead of ethernet, all with no luck. The light does flicker in the ethernet port when I plug it in, and if I ping 127.0.0.1 I get full results back with no problems. I called Windstream to see if they had any suggestions, but eventually came up with no new suggestions. I plugged the ethernet from the modem into my laptop and it gave me internet without any problems. I really don't have any money, so I wanted to avoid buying a new NIC if possible (it seems that it really isnt the issue at this point). Does anyone have any suggestions for this problem? I am beyond stumped.
Problem:
My girlfriend's computer recently got a nasty virus, and I opted to simply perform a system restore on her computer using the manufacturers (gateway) Windows XP CD. Ever since I reformatted the OS, I can't get the computer to connect to the Internet, even though it was working an hour beforehand! Its a Gateway GT5228 desktop computer using Windows XP connecting through a Speedstream 4200 modem. The wireless works just fine (via linksys router). However, If I run "ipconfig" in cmd, I do not get any results. Also, the LAN connection in Network settings says that it is connected, but if I try to repair, it says that I cannot query the TCP/IP connection.
Methods used to no avail thus far:
I tried reinstalling the OS again, reinstalled all of the drivers for the computer via Gateways website, I removed the network driver from the Hardware manager then rebooted so that Windows would reinstall, all with no luck. I reinstalled the TCP/IP stack, removed the WinSock registry keys, tried plugging the modem in via USB instead of ethernet, all with no luck. The light does flicker in the ethernet port when I plug it in, and if I ping 127.0.0.1 I get full results back with no problems. I called Windstream to see if they had any suggestions, but eventually came up with no new suggestions. I plugged the ethernet from the modem into my laptop and it gave me internet without any problems. I really don't have any money, so I wanted to avoid buying a new NIC if possible (it seems that it really isnt the issue at this point). Does anyone have any suggestions for this problem? I am beyond stumped.
Response by poster: If I type in "ipconfig", it will give me no results. all I see is...
command line> ipconfig
Windows IP Configuration
command line>.....
posted by SharkLangasta at 9:00 AM on May 10, 2010
command line> ipconfig
Windows IP Configuration
command line>.....
posted by SharkLangasta at 9:00 AM on May 10, 2010
There's a forum with this thread here that addresses a similar problem to yours.
The two main things to try it seems is to make sure there isn't any anti-virus software causing problems or the network interface driver (which you fixed, so I'm not sure what else it can be).
posted by forforf at 9:13 AM on May 10, 2010
The two main things to try it seems is to make sure there isn't any anti-virus software causing problems or the network interface driver (which you fixed, so I'm not sure what else it can be).
posted by forforf at 9:13 AM on May 10, 2010
(On preview- go into your wireless network configuration and see if there is an option that's something like "disable wired connection when wireless networks are available" or something like that. It might be in the wireless card's node in the device manager as well.)
I'd say that you are almost for sure dealing with a software problem, but just to be sure, boot the computer up with a Linux live cd of some kind and see if you can get a connection that way. If you can, you know it's not a hardware problem on the desktop.
Next, plug your laptop into the ethernet cable coming off of the linksys router into your laptop. Make sure the connection works.
Next, plug the ethernet cable back into the desktop and boot it up. Go into the device manager and make sure the ethernet card doesn't have any errors. Maybe even go up to the view menu and change the "show hidden objects" option. Make sure everything looks right. Go into the network connections and see if there is a "local area connection" object. Dig through the properties and make sure everything looks right. In fact, there probably ought to be two of them- one for the wireless connection, and one for the wired connection.
If all of that doesn't work, delete the local area connection in the network manager, and then delete the network card from the device manager. Then scan for new devices and install the driver as manually as possible. And/or, let it install the Microsoft driver rather than the Gateway driver. Then see if a local area connection was created. If it was, see if it works. If it doesn't work, or if there was no connection, run the create new connection wizzard.
If none of that works, I'm not sure what to tell you. If anything weird happens, report it here or pm me and maybe someone can help.
posted by gjc at 9:34 AM on May 10, 2010
I'd say that you are almost for sure dealing with a software problem, but just to be sure, boot the computer up with a Linux live cd of some kind and see if you can get a connection that way. If you can, you know it's not a hardware problem on the desktop.
Next, plug your laptop into the ethernet cable coming off of the linksys router into your laptop. Make sure the connection works.
Next, plug the ethernet cable back into the desktop and boot it up. Go into the device manager and make sure the ethernet card doesn't have any errors. Maybe even go up to the view menu and change the "show hidden objects" option. Make sure everything looks right. Go into the network connections and see if there is a "local area connection" object. Dig through the properties and make sure everything looks right. In fact, there probably ought to be two of them- one for the wireless connection, and one for the wired connection.
If all of that doesn't work, delete the local area connection in the network manager, and then delete the network card from the device manager. Then scan for new devices and install the driver as manually as possible. And/or, let it install the Microsoft driver rather than the Gateway driver. Then see if a local area connection was created. If it was, see if it works. If it doesn't work, or if there was no connection, run the create new connection wizzard.
If none of that works, I'm not sure what to tell you. If anything weird happens, report it here or pm me and maybe someone can help.
posted by gjc at 9:34 AM on May 10, 2010
You should also try from the command prompt: "netsh winsock reset catalog".
posted by yeoz at 9:36 AM on May 10, 2010
posted by yeoz at 9:36 AM on May 10, 2010
I have had a similar problem recently. In my case the drivers were fine. While it's not a pretty method, I started killing off processes in the task manager and alternately running ipconfig. Eventually I killed the offending process and ipconfig started to function normally. A quick google on the process name led to a solution.
Once you know the name of the process it should be much easier to debug...
I'm my case it was an itunes related process...bonjour (?) maybe, in any case it was easy to uninstall and everything started working...
posted by NoDef at 9:37 AM on May 10, 2010
Once you know the name of the process it should be much easier to debug...
I'm my case it was an itunes related process...bonjour (?) maybe, in any case it was easy to uninstall and everything started working...
posted by NoDef at 9:37 AM on May 10, 2010
Sounds like the network card isn't installed. Go into the device manager, uninstall it and reboot - that may fix it.
posted by Fun Bobbie at 10:06 AM on May 10, 2010
posted by Fun Bobbie at 10:06 AM on May 10, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 8:58 AM on May 10, 2010