[HB2]

I have a wired desktop with win2k Pro and a wireless laptop with XP. Netgear wgr614 router. Verizon DSL westell 2200 modem. Modem is in full bridge mode because the westell 2200 is a modem/router . My laptop is set up for wireless and works fine. However, I have no internet connection on my desktop.

Downloaded all the service packs and updates etc. for windows.

Cables are fine, ports are fine, powered on etc, etc. Uninstalled Zone Alarm on desktop. Tried static IP address. Nothing. When I do ipconfig always comes up 169.254.x.x or 0.0.0.0. ipconfig /release gives me: All adapters bound to DHCP do not have DHCP addresses. Addresses were auto configured and can't be released.

Device manager shows that NIC (3com etherlink 10/100 PCI TX NIC(3C905B-TX) is fine. Drivers are fine. Everything working properly. I've uninstalled and reinstalled and installed the latest drivers.

Here's what I think is happening. I wiped out the computer and did a clean install of windows 2K Pro. I didn't have the disk so I borrowed one from a friend. The ethernet card on that disk is 3com 3C918 Integrated Fast Ethernet Controller (3C905B-TX compatible) whereas the actual NIC installed in the computer (as I mentioned above) is 3com Etherlink 10/100 PCI TX NIC (3C905B-TX).

Is this why I get 169.254.x.x???? Subnet mask is always 255.255.0.0

Will installing a new NIC solve the problem??

Also: can ping 127.0.0.1 fine but nothing else--request timed out

More info. :Prior to setting up router, I could not connect to internet via ethernet cable and westell 2200 modem in regular mode. Only could connect to internet with USB cable. Again, device manager never shows a probnlem device or yellow exclamation point next to network adapter.

Thanks!

[TerryNet]

I think the first step--probably the only one needed--is to use your working computer to find the correct driver for that ethernet card and get it to the Win 2k via floppy, CD or flash drive.

[HB2]

Thanks for your reply!

When I did the reinstall of win2K the drivers were missing for the NIC. I went to 3com and downloaded what I thought were the correct drivers for 3095B on a flash drive and then installed them using wizard or whatever it's called on the desktop. Is it possible that the drivers were not the right ones? Would the wrong drivers install without giving me some sort of msg.?

Should I just uninstall and start over--downloading the drivers on a flash drive etc?

[TerryNet]

Welcome to the forums, HB2. (Better late than never, right?)

Guess I got lost somewhere in the middle and thought the wrong NIC driver was installed from the borrowed CD. Sorry.

But that made me think of something else. Maybe not all the correct (and latest) chipset drivers were installed--I think sometimes Windows will install "generic" drivers if the proper ones for the motherboard are not available.

See if you can find better drivers for the Network Controller and other such built-in devices either on the "driver CD" or on your PC manufacturer's web site. Or from motherboard manufacturer.

You're sure that the cable is OK (not just that it "used to work")?

[TerryNet]

The reason you get IP of 169.254.x.y is because no Dhcp server was found, so Windows assigns one.

Assuming that you do have the router's Dhcp server enabled, either the cable is bad, driver is bad, controller has a problem or NIC has failed.

0.0.0.0 could result from some of the above and also from a duplicate IP on the network.

[HB2]

Thanks again...and no problem internet media is sometimes difficult to communicate on--as we all know.

At the risk of looking like a complete idiot, which I confess that I am when it comes to computers btw, I found this box with my computer stuff. I don't know what it means but maybe this is the actual network adapter/NIC I have in my computer and not a 3com???? Could it be that the win2k installation disk I used had the 3com NIC and drivers but I don't have them and that's why the whole thing doesn't work??

Linksys Ether1610 BaseT LAN Card (plug n play)


1. Cable is fine. I've double and triple checked it with another one. Plus originally the modem (un bridged) was connected to my laptop via ethernet cable and worked fine. So cable is ruled out.

2. When I get 0.0.0.0 and then do ipconfig /all it goes into auto config. 169.254 (this info probably doesn't matter right?)

3. How do I check to see if the router's DHCP server is enabled? When I go into router basic settings it says use DHCP as a server. Should I check my desktop and/or laptop settings?

4. During reinstall I had to also download the Video Controller drivers. And, the media audio controller drivers. My motherboard is made by chaintech and they do not have drivers available for download. I have Intel 815 chipset on the motherboard.

Could you explain this in more detail?
"Maybe not all the correct (and latest) chipset drivers were installed--I think sometimes Windows will install "generic" drivers if the proper ones for the motherboard are not available."

Also what's a network controller? See if you can find better drivers for the Network Controller and other such built-in devices either on the "driver CD" or on your PC manufacturer's web site. Or from motherboard manufacturer.

HB

[TerryNet]

I think that you know as much as I do about the various drivers--and have apparently taken care of getting them.

Sometimes in Device Manager I've seen "Network Controller" along with the network adapter(s). I assume that whatever it is, it has to work for the adapter(s) to work. And note that I said "sometimes;" there is not one on my desktop.

Device Manager is the place to look to see exactly what ethernet adapter(s) you have installed.

[HB2]

Ok. When I check Device Mgr. It says either 3com 3095B or 3com 30918 depending on which drivers I install. So........................I'm thinking that if this Linsys LAN is indeed the NIC network adapter then if I install the drivers for it, then all will be well. Worth a try. Also going to look for Network Controller. Thanks for that tip!

[HB2]

Linksys idea didn't work. Ran Belarc and it says that the 3com 3C905B is the Network Adapter. Linksys must be from a previous system I suppose. No idea. So....Going to download the drives from 3com again and reinstall.

[TerryNet]

If the reinstall doesn't work consider the possibility that the NIC is bad or that you have too much Windows corruption for us to figure out. Since you were able to connect via the USB port I'd suggest trying a new ethernet adapter.

[HB2]

Agreed!!! I have HAD it. Where's that icon of the little guy pounding on his computer??

Tried downloading the drivers again but windows will only do the default drivers. I've given up. It's been 8 days since I began the clean install of my desktop. I've had enough. Zero to 90 in 8 days...

I'll be back to report what happens after i install a new NIC tomorrow. Thanks for your help in the meantime.

[HB2]

Someone on another thread I posted here suggested this and here's what happened:

Try physically removing the NIC and putting it into a different PCI slot (assuming it's not on-board). This should confuse the OS just enough to prompt for drivers. Also, if you have a bad PCI slot (yep, I've seen it) Win2K will often recognize whatever you put in there, but still the device wouldn't work.

AND IT WORKED!!!!!!! I did just what he suggested. Took off the computer case, removed the NIC and inserted it into the PCI slot above. Fired up the computer and it asked for the CD. I inserted the CD containing the proper drivers I downloaded from 3com for my NIC...and the system installed them. Voila! Internet connection.

[TerryNet]

Good going!