TCP/IP addressing

[kb5zue]

Hello All,

After reading the forum for some time, I have come to the idea that if anyone can help me, it has to be in here. So here it goes.

About six months ago, I purchased a do-it-yourself from www.t___rdirect.com (never do that again :mad: ), but while our internet service was only a 56k dial-up, everything was fine. We were using an internal modem without any problems.

The problem now is that COX cable has come into town with high speed internet via cable and we have signed up for their service. Now I'm not a computer genius but I have some experience so I thought that I could do the upgrade without to much trouble. Take note, the motherboard I am using is an "FIC AZ31". It has onboard USB and sound BUT NOT LAN.

I went through the remove hardware process and removed the 56k modem. After that was done, I installed a Netgear FA311 fast ethernet NIC. Installed the drivers for the NIC from the floppy that came with the card, and so far so good. Checking the device-hardware-properties I can see where the NIC installed just fine and there are no conflicts of any kind. It says the device is working properly under the description. Hey, great. So far so good. Yea, right........

Using WindowsME, pressing the 'start-run' buttons and then typing in the windows command 'winipcfg', I should be able to "Release All" clearing the computer assigned TCP/IP address of 169.254.107.103 subnet mask 255.255.0.0 but here where the problem arises. That TCP/IP address WILL NOT RELEASE. After releasing, I should be able to "Renew All" so that I could pick up the TCP/IP address assigned by the COX high speed internet equipment.

But it just won't release no matter what I do. Can you please help? I am at the end of my rope on this one. Anything that anyone can do to help me over this one will be greatly appreciated. You just can't imagine how much appreciated. I am really desperate here.
:(

[araaraara]

Try restarting your computer. That did it for me when I setup my DSL.

[BipolarBill]

That IP address range and subnet mask is what's called Automatic Private IP Addressing (http://www.win2000mag.com/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=7464). What it indicates is that yor NIC hasn't "gotten the call" from the modem yet. It may need a restart or perhaps has a cabling problem.

Read up on APIPA.

[gfunkmartin]

I'm assuming that you're using DHCP to get your IP address, otherwise you wouldn't have gotten those numbers. Just hook up to the cable modem, and restart it. If you still get the same numbers, then the cable modem probably isn't working right. It took me almost 3 months of fighting ComCast to get mine working finally, and all because they were too frigging stupid to realize that the error was because of them. Don't immediately assume that the fault is yours.

[kb5zue]

Thanks for the quick replies, but I am still having nothing but bad luck. I currently have the offending computer hooked up to my own computer network at my house thinking the problem my lie somewhere within the confines of the cable modem.

I wouldn't be so lucky.

I have a home computer network that I put together and installed that includes four PC's, a PC notebook, and an Apple iMac DV+. The internet comes into the house via the COX cable and into a cable modem. From the cable modem, the signal goes through a NetGear WebSafe 4 Port Router. The Router is connected to two of the PC's and a NetGear four port hub while leaving one of the ports open.

The NetGear Hub is connected to the remaining two PC's as well as the Apple iMac DV+. Each PC along with the Apple have their own TCP/IP address (192.168.0.1, etc.....).

The computer that I have been having the problems with is now connected to the network via CAT5 cable to the NetGear Router, just like the other two PC's.

At last brainfart, I decided that maybe the problem was the WindowsME operating system. As a result, I fdisked the drive and installed Windows98. (I'm retired so I have a lot of time to kill). Guess what, that didn't do it either.

I suppose my next step is to try and get some help out of Microsoft since the hardware appears to be working fine. Maybe they will have some ideas. Cross your fingers.

dan

[BipolarBill]

Check that "patch cable" and be sure that it is just that. A crossover cable is wrong for this application *unless you're using an Uplink port on the hub*. If it's a crossover cable, move it an uplink port on the hub. If it is a patch cable, be sure that it's not in an Uplink port.

Bill

[gfunkmartin]

Try the connection on a single computer first: For example, take the notebook, set it to use DHCP, and connect it directly to the cable modem.

See if you can get cable modem access without the network in the way.

[kb5zue]

gfunkmartin,

Will do, give me some time to work it in the schedule. In other words, I need to wait until my boy gets done playing his current round of Red Faction via the internet.

dan

[gfunkmartin]

wait...you say your son can play over the cable modem?

[rextex]

I can tell you are aware of network setups but I will still offer a reference to some good pages for anyone else or if you want to doublecheck in case you missed something:

http://www.directron.com/pariichoosne.html#top

[kb5zue]

Many thanks to all for helping me with this situation but alas, I have found the solution. I changed out the motherboard for something a little newer and BINGO!!!!!. We have internet.

So, have I learned a lesson from all of this? Yes, I have. And the lesson is never to advise anyone to purchase anything from www.ti???gerdirect.com. That thing of a motherboard is a certified genuine piece of junk.

And that goes for their "tech support" as well. What a complete waste of time and effort.

Once again, thanks for all the help. I really appreciate it.

dan

[gfunkmartin]

I agree...whenever I see someone suggesting tigerdirect.com, I go out of my way to dissuade them

Tigerdirect is a zit on the face of computer vendors everywhere

[kb5zue]

Gfunkmartin,

Yes, he can play games via the internet through the cable modem. Actually, he must pass through a hub, then the router, then the cable modem to hit the internet. He and I play Red Faction together just about every night for an hour or so. Hey, it isn't bowling or baseball but we both enjoy it and I have a good time playing with him. He is 14 years old and on the weekends he is constantly nagging me about when are we going to play next. Sad part is, his eyesight and reflexes are better than mine so if he ends up on the opposing team, he really enjoys kicking my ****. But then, what else could I expect??????

Now, staying on topic...........

Take care, and I really appreciate all the help that you guys have given me concerning this TCP/IP addressing problem. Got it fixed today by replacing the motherboard.

dan
(kb5zue@cox.net)

[gfunkmartin]

I'm glad you got it working correctly
have fun w/ your high speed connection...I know I am!

[Mindwarp]

Ok, one observation, do taht mobo had a via chipset????
sometimes taht is the first problem, win98 and ME sometimes assigns the wrong irq to some devices. Other thing, to how many IP addresses do you have assigned to your account by your ISP, mine only allows only 2 IPs and then if I need more I have to pay extra for them. Just my 2 cents

[gfunkmartin]

Unless I'm mistaken, the router he's using should only require one IP address, and then the other computers should be on a private network which is hidden from the internet. So, in effect, externally all computers seem to have the same IP