Windows Millenium Edition & Verizon DSL

[swany971]

(solved) Windows Millenium Edition & Verizon DSL

I dropped off a customer's computer last nite and i'm really stumped on something. The computer is a Dell Dimension L Series, an old one that runs Windows ME. I re-installed the OS, because she was getting a number of weird errors, the kind that Windows ME was known for.

Had no problems doing the re-install with the computer on my bench. I have a cable modem and a Linksys router, and had the computer hard wired for 3 days, and never lost a connection once. When i went to return the computer last nite though, i connect it up to her Verizon DSL modem, and can't get online. The NIC card in the computer is a Realtek rtl8139 pci card. And the Verizon Modem/Router is a Westell Versalink 327W.

Here is what i've already tried :

-ipconifg /release_all , /renew_all
-unplugging all connnections to the DSL modem/router
-tried a different port on the router
-using a different Cat5 cable
-uninstall/re-install NIC driver (built-in ME driver), and tried alternate driver (Realtek driver i found online)
-rebooting the computer
-tried to ping the modem/router 192.168.1.1, "destination cannot be reached"

Also, i know it must be something to do with the computer, and not Verizon, because I connected my laptop running XP and i got online instantly.

Other than witchcraft, what else is there to do with this thing

The internet was working when i went to pick up the computer because I opened up Internet Explorer and Outlook Express and both were connecting to the internet.

At this point the only thing I can think to try would be a new NIC card, or try to add a new router into the mix. I have doubts that either of these things will make a difference. But i'm going back on Sunday to try anyway.

Not sure if it makes a bit of difference, but I noticed the Cat5 and the NIC card each are missing gold contacts. They seem to have only about 4-5 on each. But they do match up correctly.

If anyone can offer anything on this I'd appreciate it. I'll be going back in a few days, and wanted to have a some ideas in mind.

 

[Phishie]

Try having your customer call Verizon customer service for you and let you talk to them. I kind of doubt this will work, but maybe they can try releasing and renewing your IP address from the office? Sometimes that works wonderfully.

Try repairing the Local Area Connection.
Repair the LSP Chain.
Make sure that TCP/IP is setup to obtain an IP automatically.

Good luck with it.

 

[acs]

Was the PC on a static IP when you picked it up?

 

[swany971]

Was the PC on a static IP when you picked it up?

Unfortunately I did not check the settings before I re-installed. When I was on the phone with the Verizon tech last nite, I asked him if I could use a static IP. He said that if I couldn't ping the modem, then using a static IP wouldn't make a difference. Might try it anyway when I go back.

 

[JohnG]

I had the exact same problem with a computer when a customer switched from cable to DSL...the only thing that worked for me was to manually create a new connection.

 

[Pijiu]

It sounds the problem cause by the bad NIC card and cable. I had the same problem with a bad pin on a NIC card, and it worked on linsys router but won't work on D-link one. make sure the 1,2,3, and 6 pins are good on both nic and cable.

 

[swany971]

Thanks to all for the tips. I tried to troubleshoot it further yesterday by switching out the NIC and creating a new connection in ME. When neither of those worked I was back on the phone with a Verizon network specialist. He had me go through all the steps again, and even had me do a "hard reset" on the modem, which I hadn't tried yet. None of that worked so he blamed the NIC card. I pointed out to him though, that computer could get an IP from the DLink router that I had brought with me, just not from their modem. He said, if that's the case they would send out a replacement modem.
Something else I noticed yesterday is that when it was plugged into my laptop it would get online, but every so often the message showed that my NIC was unplugged. Wiggling the cable and connections didn't make a difference, so maybe it is the something inside the modem. I hope so. I'll find out Tues when the new modem comes.

 

[tartis]

Check for a bad DSL filter on the line. Take a known good DSL filter on site. Is there a good DSL filter on all phones? You can buy them at radio Shack for $10.

 

[swany971]

The replacement modem was the fix.