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Help! Networking Problem

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  • 26-04-2003 3:44pm
    #1
    Mixie
    Registered Users Posts: 935 ✭✭✭


    Having ordered VIA/Netsource's RADSL product I went and bought myself a nice new D-Link 504 router - the idea being I could replace my old home 10Mbps BNC network. I then bought 4 Realtek RTL8139D (LinxPRO Ethernet Adapter) 100Mbit cards to go with it.

    Installed my first one in this PC, no problem configuring it with the router assigning IP/Subnet/Gateway/etc to it. Connected my Laptop via its PCMCIA nic to it, and again no problems. Connected second desktop PC to it, and nothing... Windows assigned the nic an ip of 169.x.x.x, with a subnet of 255.255.0.0 - as I understand it, this is the default when a PC couldn't contact the DHCP server.

    Can't do an ipconfig renew or release, as it just says "DHCP Server Unavailable: Renewing adapter "" "


    Now, this is where I need the help :)

    I've tested all the network cards in the old PC - all behave identically. Those same cards all work in other PCs.

    I've tested the cable in question with the other PCs, and with the nic thats currently in that PC in another PC. So the cable isn't the problem.

    I've tested the routers port by connecting to it through both the same and different cables, and same and different nic's. Again, they all work, so thats not the problem.

    I've tried using static IPs etc. - wouldn't work either.

    So I have to conclude it's the old PC itself? Tried reinstalling the TCP/IP stack, updating drivers, reinstalling windows (different versions), etc.

    I can't figure it out for the life of me, so hoping someone can shed some light it:

    PC : Gateway 2000 G5166m (4/5 Years old). No integrated nic. Realtek TRL8139D Network card (PCI).


Comments

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    #2
    antoinolachtnai
    Registered Users Posts: 9,807 ✭✭✭antoinolachtnai


    i used to get weird problems like these on my win 95 and win 98 laptop at work.

    not a lot you can do about it, to be honest. it just seems to be tricky. sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

    an interesting experiment might be to get some sort of linux install disk, and see if it manages to pick up the DHCP server. Of course, if it does work, it won't be of any real help to you.

    another possibility, just for fun, is to run some type of packet sniffer on your network. This would show you for sure whether the DHCP packets are being sent out by the PC, and whether they are being responded to.

    One other tiny thing that might make a difference is the name of your host. Don't get your hopes up, but an unlucky choice of hostname might cause some sort of conflict.

    Also, have you tried setting the IP number manually? Any joy with that?

    I take it that you never used the Gateway on the BNC network. Is that correct?

    I'm not a microsoft support professional, and I don't play one on the 'Net, but I reckon if i were, I'd tell you to reinstall Windows at this point.

    Good luck ...


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    #3
    shabbyroad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,198 ✭✭✭shabbyroad


    Mixie - if you're in Dublin and want to check out your machine(s) on a working network give me a shout and you can drop over some evening. If they can't get IP on my network then it might help narrow down your troubleshooting.

    I've got ethernet and wireless working for both PC & Mac in my home lan. DHCP from a router/hub (though no DSL ....yet....filling int e forms for netsource today)


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    #4
    Urban Weigl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,784 ✭✭✭Urban Weigl


    Whenever DHCP hasn't worked for me I just set up a static IP address in the range of the router. For the D-Link it's probably 192.168.0.x, so set up a random IP on your PC like 192.168.0.7 and set the subnet mask to 255.255.255.0. If that doesn't work, I guess the only thing that you might be able to do to get it to work is to upgrade Windows to the latest version.


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    #5
    Mixie
    Registered Users Posts: 935 ✭✭✭Mixie


    Geez, sorry I took so long to reply guys, but when I didn't see anyone replying in the first few days I didn't think anyone would - even tried to delete the post :)

    Thanks for the help, but I figured out what it was - I hope. Apparently the card doesn't support a 66 mhz bus, and until I can find a card which is advertised as 66 mhz bus compatabile I cant test it.

    Is it possible that the BNC cards I had (combi cards) supported 66mhz bus for BNC type networks only? (it did work on BNC 10Mbit, just not rj45 100Mbit...)

    Anywho, thanks again, I'll post back if I find out for definate that was the problem :)


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