Router help needed (before I tear my hair out)

[Spatial]

Any help on this will be greatfully recieved as my network / router skills are a bare minimum to start with.

I've got two PC's and my Xbox set up to a cNET router and all's been well for ages. The other day, whilst just browsing the internet (this forum in fact) on my main PC, suddenly I couldn't access the internet through any program at all.

Through a process of trail and error I found that the Xbox and other PC could still connect and work just fine, it's just my XP enabled PC that's just decided it doesn't want to play.

I hadn't changed any settings but my first thought was to check the routers settings, but I can't access it via the HTML interface. Even when I try to ping it, it just times out. Oddly if I ping it from the other PC it works just fine.

I've tried just about everything I can think of, like letting it automatically detect the IP address, setting my own, uninstalling and reinstalling the network drivers, going back to a system restore point but nothing works

Anyone have any idea, as this Speedtouch modem is pants and I want my network back

[marcus]

I take it then that you cant ping the other PC at the moment either? You arent running any firewall software, or have enabled XPs own one have you? From the other PC you can check the config of the router, so preferably reboot it from there. it should also show you what is connecting to that router. Try swapping the cable over also, never know.

You really need to be able to ping the router to get anywhere with this, Id suggest stripping the network down to just the router and PC setting the PC to DHCP, rebooting the router and PC and trying again.

One other thing, remove and reinstall TCPIP protocol from the pc which isnt working, perhaps thats become damaged in some way.

[gtskater]

Further to Marcus' comments, I trust you've tried the old, power off on everything networked, 30 seconds wait, then power up trick. Why can't you use your second PC to admin the router? At least that will give you a better idea of what's going on.

[Spatial]

I take it then that you cant ping the other PC at the moment either? You arent running any firewall software, or have enabled XPs own one have you? From the other PC you can check the config of the router, so preferably reboot it from there. it should also show you what is connecting to that router. Try swapping the cable over also, never know.

Nope, can't ping anything from the XP PC other than it's own assigned IP address.

I tried swapping the cable (forgot to mention that as it was the first thing I thought might be wrong). There is a firewall running, but even when that's disabled (which it is at the moment while I try to sort things) it still doesn't work.

I can access the router from the PC that still works, but that's not proving much help either. I've rebooted the router from there (and also done the power off thing gtskater suggested) but still nothing.

I've set the XP PC (the one that isn't working) to have an IP of 10.0.0.3 which shows up on the routers main page when you access it. Thing is, even though it shows up, I can't ping it from the working system - I can only ping it from the XP system. Don't know if that's supposed to happen

Hope this is making sense.

[marcus]

Would it be possible to swap the Network card over to see if thats at fault? Id still remove/reinstall TCPIP also.

Set the router to be a DHCP server, and the client pc to DHCP, rather than assigning the IP address. Then, try DOS and IPCONFIG /ALL. Once thats there, using the DOS menu paste the information here by doing EDIT/SELECT ALL/COPY so we can see the network setup.

[Jei]

Try disabling your firewall and antivirus protection.....see what happens.

My version of mcafee restricted all network activity when it was first installed

[Spatial]

I've just added the network card from the working PC to the non working one and it works now - seems the onboard network card on my motherboard is knackered (and it's only a month old)

Thanks for you help everyone, it's much appreciated

[marcus]

Should be able to get that replaced under warranty Id of thought. At least you know now whats causing the problem

[EvilBoris]

I guess you could try checking to see if there is any newer drivers for the onboard LAN and check all the settings for it are OK in the BIOS

[Spatial]

At least you know now whats causing the problem

Yeah, nothing worse than a PC with a problem that could be just about anything

I guess you could try checking to see if there is any newer drivers for the onboard LAN and check all the settings for it are OK in the BIOS

I've had to tinker with the Bios to get the network card to work (*mumble mumble* bloody onboard systems *mumble mumble*) so I don't think there's anything going on in there (nothing looked untoward anyway). But checking for an update is a good idea and something I'll give a go.