Sometimes connection

[Happy Husband]

I’m hopeful that someone will be able to assist me with this problem.

I’m having trouble connecting to the internet wirelessly with my laptop computer.

The only changes made to the computer are updates to XP and to Norton. One month ago I could connect without ANY difficulty.

The computer connects to the router without any problems and I can even get into the router if I need to. There are two other routers in the area but they are both on different channels. They are secure so I cannot check to see if I can get out on them. My router is a Visionnet that is provided by my ISP.

Here’s the kicker though. I can dial-in from a remote site and remotely control the computer wirelessly, via the internet and while doing this I cannot get either browser to connect to the internet.

The computer will connect through dial-up without any problems and I can access the internet that way.

I know more details are better but I’m not where the laptop is so I don’t have all its statistics.

New Toshiba M105 w/1024MB of RAM and a 120GB HD
XP Pro – fully updated
Norton virus, err… Antivirus 2006
Internet Explorer & Firefox
Intel wireless chipset b/g

I have tried adjusting the Norton settings and told it to allow the browsers to connect. Nothing. I’ve tried selective startup with all Norton items disabled and still no connection.

Thanks in advance for all your help.

Tim

[M/Q]

It sounds like a DNS issue. On that computer get to a command prompt and type ping www.yahoo.com.

If that does not work try ping 209.73.186.238.

Let us know the results.

[Happy Husband]

Ok, heres what came out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
C:\ping 209.73.186.238

Pinging 209.73.186.238 with 32 bytes of data:

Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.

Ping statistics for 209.73.186.238:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 <100% loss>,

C:\
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This only gets better. My Desktop which also connects wirelessly has also been doing exactly the same thing as the laptop. On the desktop I have completely removed Norton Antivirus, run Norton's own removal tool and removed it from the registry too. I can access the internet on dial-up.

The desktop is set-up as follows
XP Pro
Now only Windows firewall, was Norton Antivirus 2006
IE & Firefox
linksys wireless USB adapter
Removed the last 8 windows updates.

I can also access the router but not the internet. I have re-set the router to factory default and still the same story.

On the previously mentioned laptop the problem is getting worse, if that is possible. Now on dial-up it cannot get out to the internet but outlook does receive messages with no problem.

I mentioned that I could remotely access the laptop (and the desktop) but now I cannot.

As further diagnostic I pulled out an old (slow) laptop and connected wirelessly to the internet without any difficulty. This old laptop is set-up as follows.
XP Pro
IE & Firefox
Zone Alarm Free - updated
AVG Free - updated
linksys wireless USB adapter. (The same unit I usually use on the desktop)
No windows updates since June

Thanks for the help, Tim

[M/Q]

Just to make sure, you mentioned that you used the USB device that does not work on the desktop on a different computer and it worked?

On the computers that do not work, can you get to a command line and try the command ipconfig /all on both of them as well as the one that works. While you are at the command line can you try the ping command to the default gateway?

[Happy Husband]

Well I'm back and I hope you will reply.

This problem seems at best intermittent and sporatic.
I have even tried stopping WZC as some suggested but it was no help.
I was actually on-line for about two hours earlier before I was kicked off and after an hour I'm back on and sending this post from my desktop, but I'm sure it will not last.

I was right, it timed out and I got total packet loss until I got google to come back up. Then I was able to finish this post!

Here are the ipconfig /all tests you talked about.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Tim Mintz>cd\

C:\>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : dxxxxxx1
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Linksys Wireless-G Portable USB Adap
ter #4
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0F-66-EC-DC-E6
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.4
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.0.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.2
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.2
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.2
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, October 07, 2006 9:26:36 P
M
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, October 08, 2006 9:26:36 AM

C:\>ping 10.0.0.2

Pinging 10.0.0.2 with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 10.0.0.2: bytes=32 time=92ms TTL=128
Reply from 10.0.0.2: bytes=32 time=23ms TTL=128
Reply from 10.0.0.2: bytes=32 time=70ms TTL=128
Reply from 10.0.0.2: bytes=32 time=117ms TTL=128

Ping statistics for 10.0.0.2:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 23ms, Maximum = 117ms, Average = 75ms

C:\>ping 209.73.186.238

Pinging 209.73.186.238 with 32 bytes of data:

Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.

Ping statistics for 209.73.186.238:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss),

C:\>ping www.yahoo.com

Pinging www.yahoo-ht2.akadns.net [209.131.36.158] with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 209.131.36.158: bytes=32 time=223ms TTL=49
Reply from 209.131.36.158: bytes=32 time=152ms TTL=52
Reply from 209.131.36.158: bytes=32 time=199ms TTL=49
Reply from 209.131.36.158: bytes=32 time=129ms TTL=49

Ping statistics for 209.131.36.158:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 129ms, Maximum = 223ms, Average = 175ms

C:\>ping 209.131.36.158

Pinging 209.131.36.158 with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 209.131.36.158: bytes=32 time=165ms TTL=52
Reply from 209.131.36.158: bytes=32 time=212ms TTL=49
Reply from 209.131.36.158: bytes=32 time=143ms TTL=49
Reply from 209.131.36.158: bytes=32 time=190ms TTL=49

Ping statistics for 209.131.36.158:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 143ms, Maximum = 212ms, Average = 177ms

C:\>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is on my desktop. I had no internet when I started but after I pinged www.yahoo.com I had a connection.

This next is on the old laptop.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Tricia>cd\

C:\>ping 10.0.0.2

Pinging 10.0.0.2 with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 10.0.0.2: bytes=32 time=21ms TTL=128
Reply from 10.0.0.2: bytes=32 time=68ms TTL=128
Reply from 10.0.0.2: bytes=32 time=111ms TTL=128
Reply from 10.0.0.2: bytes=32 time=42ms TTL=128

Ping statistics for 10.0.0.2:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 21ms, Maximum = 111ms, Average = 60ms

C:\>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : tslaptop
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Mixed
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139/810X Family PCI Fast
Ethernet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-02-3F-7A-5F-30

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 21:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Linksys Wireless-G Portable USB Adap
ter #15
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0F-66-EC-DC-E6
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.4
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.0.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.2
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.2
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.2
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, October 07, 2006 8:50:34 P
M
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, October 08, 2006 8:50:34 AM

C:\>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This next is the new laptop, which was also connecting for a couple minutes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Tricia & Tim>cd\

C:\>ping 10.0.0.2

Pinging 10.0.0.2 with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 10.0.0.2: bytes=32 time=83ms TTL=128
Reply from 10.0.0.2: bytes=32 time=23ms TTL=128
Reply from 10.0.0.2: bytes=32 time=71ms TTL=128
Reply from 10.0.0.2: bytes=32 time=3ms TTL=128

Ping statistics for 10.0.0.2:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 3ms, Maximum = 83ms, Average = 45ms

C:\>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : TnT
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Networ
k Connection
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-13-02-80-8C-F0
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.3
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.0.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.2
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.2
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.2
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, October 07, 2006 8:23:18 P
M
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, October 08, 2006 8:23:18 AM

C:\>ping www.yahoo.com

Pinging www.yahoo-ht2.akadns.net [209.131.36.158] with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 209.131.36.158: bytes=32 time=230ms TTL=49
Reply from 209.131.36.158: bytes=32 time=155ms TTL=52
Reply from 209.131.36.158: bytes=32 time=204ms TTL=49
Reply from 209.131.36.158: bytes=32 time=134ms TTL=49

Ping statistics for 209.131.36.158:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 134ms, Maximum = 230ms, Average = 180ms

C:\>ping www.google.com

Pinging www.l.google.com [66.102.7.99] with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 66.102.7.99: bytes=32 time=147ms TTL=242
Reply from 66.102.7.99: bytes=32 time=201ms TTL=242
Reply from 66.102.7.99: bytes=32 time=134ms TTL=242
Reply from 66.102.7.99: bytes=32 time=183ms TTL=242

Ping statistics for 66.102.7.99:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 134ms, Maximum = 201ms, Average = 166ms

C:\>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The more I read about this problem the more I believe it is a windows issue.

Thanks for your help.

Tim

[Happy Husband]

Another clue.

I'm running Zone Alarm Security Suite and I had internet access when the following alert popped up and then I had no access.

The firewall has blocked internet access to your computer [NetBIOS Session] from 10.0.0.3 [TCP Port 2527] [TCP Flags: S].

Thanks, Tim

[M/Q]

Sorry Tim,

I have been very busy this weekend. Disable ZA and if you have to uninstall it. ZA is famous for this sort of behavior and causing this type of problem.

If the problem goes away, we then can work with ZA and configure it to not affect your network access.

If I have missed something, I apologize as I have been working way too many hours straight. I felt that I at least owed you a response though.

[Happy Husband]

I just checked the new laptop and it is ip address 10.0.0.3 which is the one ZA is seeing.

The weird thing is that my wireless internet adapter is on this old laptop I'm sending the message from...... but......
I'm sorry that I did not mention this next before but I didn't think it was an issue.

My desktop and the new laptop are linked via a local router that does not have internet access and they are the following ip addresses.

Desktop - 192.168.0.3 / 255.255.255.0 / 192.168.0.1 / 192.168.0.1
New laptop - 192.168.0.2 / 255.255.255.0 / 192.168.0.1 / 192.168.0.1

The only physical connection between the to computers is over the 198 ip address so I don't know how the desktop is seeing the 10.0.0.3 ip address.

This problem exsisted while I had norton Anti-virus installed, without anything installed and even after scouring the registry and now with ZA installed. At least ZA has given a clue as to the problem. Yes the 198 ip was connected the entire time.

The new laptop has norton Anti-virus on it, which I hate and is suffering the same issues as mine.

After I send this post I will switch the adapter back to the desktop, disconnect the local 198 ip and see if I can get/stay connected to the internet.

Tim

[Happy Husband]

I pray that this was the problem.

Well it's been 1 1/2 hours with the 192 ip address disabled and I was only booted off one brief time for only a few seconds. Now I guess the question is can I set this 192 wired connection up and not have it lock everything up the way it has been doing?

Tim

[M/Q]

Well, I am really confused now Tim.

Can you make a simple diagram like this.

Internet Device
|
| - Signifies Ethernet cable
|
>- Wireless Router
.....<>
.....<> - Signifies Wireless connection
.....<>
.......>- Computer

That way we will see how it is actually setup. I am not following how the different computers are getting different IP addresses. This will help explain it.

[Happy Husband]

I'm not following your "simple" diagram. Could you give me a (hehe) "simple" example.

Sorry guess I'm a little thick.

Tim

[M/Q]

OK, just give us a detailed explanation what is connected to what starting at the Internet device. Also tell us whether the connection is a wired or wireless one.

[Happy Husband]

Ok, I'm awake now. I think I understand your diagram now.

Here it is.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~
Internet Device
|
| - Signifies Ethernet cable
|
>- Wireless Router (10.0.0.2)
.....<>
.....<> - Signifies Wireless connection
.....<>
.......>- Desktop Computer
|
| - Signifies Ethernet cable
|
Router local Home Intranet access (192.168.0.1)
|
| - Signifies Ethernet cable
|
.......>- New Laptop Computer
.....<>
.....<> - Signifies Wireless connection
.....<>
>- Wireless Router (10.0.0.2)
|
| - Signifies Ethernet cable
|
Internet Device
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~
This is how it was set up when I was getting random internet access.
And, after eliminating this section;
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
| - Signifies Ethernet cable
|
Router local Home Intranet access (192.168.0.1)
|
| - Signifies Ethernet cable
|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Both computers are now getting a solid wireness connection to the internet.

The reason I don't network my two computers through the wireless is because it is in my neighbors home and sometimes if he is not home and has turned it off and has forgotten to turn on the wireless router I have to use dial-up. He knows I use his wireless and he even had me secure his network for him.

Call it a return of favor in a rural community.

Thanks, Tim

[M/Q]

Well, we are making some progress I think. Let me try and see if this is what you have.

Internet Device
|..|
|..>- Wireless Router (10.0.0.2)
|………<>
|………..>- Desktop
|
>- Local Router (192.168.0.1)
…….<>
……….>- New Notebook

I am not sure what the remaining duplication is about. I also do not understand if you both have Internet access or if you are sharing the neighbors. Or which one of the router is the neighbors or how many routers you actually have.

[Happy Husband]

Internet Device
|..|
|..>- Wireless Router (10.0.0.2)
|………<>
|………..>- Desktop "DT"
|
>- Local Router (192.168.0.1)
…….<>
……….>- New Notebook "NN"


I follow now. Yes that is the setup. But the New Notebook also has the exact setup. (The second half diagram was the mirror of the first half. Using my old router as the center point) The wireless router is in my neighbor's home and is connected to his DSL modem. He has two compters connected via ethernet cable and one connected wirelessly on his own network.

I was linking my DT and the NN through my old router (Motorola SBG1000 802.11b) simply to network only my computers (without internet access) without relying on my neighbor's wireless network. Again this was not for highspeed internet access but just to network the computers. If my neighbor's DSL is off, I have to use my dial-up account and only connect one computer to the internet.

Hope this makes sense.

Tim

[M/Q]

Still not clear. Is the 10.0.0.2 wireless router the one at your neighbors? How many computers do you have? How many routers do you have? This appears to be really complex and should not be. I still do not understand the mirror aspect.

You have a certain number of routers, and you connect a certain amount of computer to them using wired or wireless connections. That is all I want to know as It seems like you are using too many routers.

[Happy Husband]

The wireless router (10.0.0.2) is my neighbor's and is the one I use to connect my two computers (Desktop & Laptop) to the internet. Each of my two computers have wireless capability and connect to his wireless router independant of each other.

I have my own router (Motorola SBG1000 Cable modem/router/print server) that the only thing I was trying to use it for was to connect my two computers via ethernet cables using it's router capabilities.

Hope this un-muddies the waters

Tim

[M/Q]

OK, I think I understand. First your original problem was that Windows XP will give an Ethernet connection preference. So that is why it would shut off the wireless Internet connection. If you still want your own network to share files, be more private and isolated from your neighbor’s network that is possible.

You would do this.

Neighbor’s Wireless Router
<>
<> Signifies wireless signal
<>
..>- Access Point in AP client mode
……….|
……….| Signifies Ethernet cable
……….|
……….>- Wireless router
……………..<>..<>
……………..<>…..>- Desktop
………………..>- Notebook

You setup the access point to connect to the neighbor’s router. The Ethernet cable is plugged into your wireless routers WAN/Internet port. You setup the Internet connections on your wireless router to use the neighbor’s wireless router as the default gateway. Then your computers will attach to yours and then pass Internet traffic to the neighbor.

Just make sure what ever channel the neighbor’s router is on you use one that does not interfere. That means channel 1, 6 or 11.

[Happy Husband]

I think I understand but I do not have a wireless router to set as an access point, to capture my neighbor's wireless signal. My desktop has a USB wireless adapter and the laptop has an internal wireless card.

Could I set my router/gateway to only router with a private ip address and eliminate the conflict that way?

This would in theory keep my internet and my network completely separate.

Tim

[M/Q]

If I understand you correctly you want to be able to have your hard wired network and then access the Internet via the wireless adapter. That will work, but as I mentioned Ethernet adapters take priority in the MS world. So you have to unplug/shut off the wired adapter in order to have the wireless adapter work correctly.

That is why I added the additional access point. Also, remember a normal wireless router will not work as an access point client.

[Happy Husband]

Ok, then it looks like the problem is solved. XP pushes priority to the hardwired ethernet and puts wireless on the back burner. So the only way to do this is how you diagrahmed it in your post yesterday, which is not an option right now. My wireless connection has been mostly quite good since I unplugged the ethernet cable. I think it has only dropped 1 or 2 times in the past three days so I think I'll just let it be.

Thank you VERY much for all your help.

Tim