Could SOMEBODY respond to the question I asked over a month ago???

[Guest]

Hi all, I asked this on June 14 and then reposted it a few days later. I am
still waiting for a reponse. The basic problem is due to some kind of
corruption above the IP layer in which even though I have a valid IP address,
I am unable to migrate my PC from one wireless network to another without
rebooting, because I'll get timeouts on every ping. Please note that I have
also followed the Microsoft assisted help to rebuild the TCP/IP Winsock in
the registry, believing that it may be the cause of my problems, but I am
still seeing them.

Below is the original problem description:

Hi all,

I have a very strange problem that I haven't been able to resolve for over a
year, and I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on it.

I have a Dell Inspiron 9100 with Windows XP SP2 installed.

After owning the computer for about a year, my laptop developed a problem
wherein it could not switch from one wireless network to another, or from the
wired to wireless network, or vice versa. Basically, the thing will say that
it is connected, and if you run through the standard ipconfig release/renew
sequence it acquires a valid IP address (e.g. 192.168.0.100), however, no
network traffic will go through. I am able to ping myself fine, but if I try
to ping any other IP address, even the IP address of my directly connected
gateway (e.g. 192.168.0.1), I get timeouts and 100% packet loss. The only
thing that seems to resolve the problem is for me to reboot, with my computer
already connected to the network I wish to use.

The problem doesn't appear to occur in safe mode, so I believe it is a
software problem. Also, I've noticed that the installation of certain
software programs, namely, those which run in the background to check the
network for software updates (such as Sonic Update Manager) will exaccerbate
the problem, by making it so that 9 out of 10 times, my computer will not be
able to use the network even after a reboot (even though it always says it
has a perfectly valid network connection). I suspect this problem may be due
to the sequence of events during boot up, and these programs are trying to
access the network before it is fully available, which wouldn't be a problem
if dynamic network switching worked properly, but since it doesn't, it kills
me. I have had to uninstall or at least turn off the automatic start up on
load of any program which attempts to access the network before my computer
has completed its login sequence.

 

[Kerry Brown]

Hi all, I asked this on June 14 and then reposted it a few days
later. I am still waiting for a reponse. The basic problem is due
to some kind of corruption above the IP layer in which even though I
have a valid IP address, I am unable to migrate my PC from one
wireless network to another without rebooting, because I'll get
timeouts on every ping. Please note that I have also followed the
Microsoft assisted help to rebuild the TCP/IP Winsock in the
registry, believing that it may be the cause of my problems, but I am
still seeing them.

Below is the original problem description:

Hi all,

I have a very strange problem that I haven't been able to resolve for
over a year, and I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on
it.

I have a Dell Inspiron 9100 with Windows XP SP2 installed.

After owning the computer for about a year, my laptop developed a
problem wherein it could not switch from one wireless network to
another, or from the wired to wireless network, or vice versa.
Basically, the thing will say that it is connected, and if you run
through the standard ipconfig release/renew sequence it acquires a
valid IP address (e.g. 192.168.0.100), however, no network traffic
will go through. I am able to ping myself fine, but if I try to ping
any other IP address, even the IP address of my directly connected
gateway (e.g. 192.168.0.1), I get timeouts and 100% packet loss. The
only thing that seems to resolve the problem is for me to reboot,
with my computer already connected to the network I wish to use.

The problem doesn't appear to occur in safe mode, so I believe it is a
software problem. Also, I've noticed that the installation of certain
software programs, namely, those which run in the background to check
the network for software updates (such as Sonic Update Manager) will
exaccerbate the problem, by making it so that 9 out of 10 times, my
computer will not be able to use the network even after a reboot
(even though it always says it has a perfectly valid network
connection). I suspect this problem may be due to the sequence of
events during boot up, and these programs are trying to access the
network before it is fully available, which wouldn't be a problem if
dynamic network switching worked properly, but since it doesn't, it
kills me. I have had to uninstall or at least turn off the automatic
start up on load of any program which attempts to access the network
before my computer has completed its login sequence.

If no one has responded it is because no one that has read your post has an
answer. Personally I would suspect the hardware. See if you can borrow a
PCMCIA, Cardbus, or USB wireless card to try.

 

[Gene K]

TURN OFF any PopUp/Addware blockers you have running to see if that is part
of the problem. In addition, most current Firewalls have settings to either
block or allow (trusted) certain connections. Be sure your ISP is trusted.
Gene K
| USCCompEng wrote:
| > Hi all, I asked this on June 14 and then reposted it a few days
| > later. I am still waiting for a reponse. The basic problem is due
| > to some kind of corruption above the IP layer in which even though I
| > have a valid IP address, I am unable to migrate my PC from one
| > wireless network to another without rebooting, because I'll get
| > timeouts on every ping. Please note that I have also followed the
| > Microsoft assisted help to rebuild the TCP/IP Winsock in the
| > registry, believing that it may be the cause of my problems, but I am
| > still seeing them.
| >
| > Below is the original problem description:
| >
| > Hi all,
| >
| > I have a very strange problem that I haven't been able to resolve for
| > over a year, and I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on
| > it.
| >
| > I have a Dell Inspiron 9100 with Windows XP SP2 installed.
| >
| > After owning the computer for about a year, my laptop developed a
| > problem wherein it could not switch from one wireless network to
| > another, or from the wired to wireless network, or vice versa.
| > Basically, the thing will say that it is connected, and if you run
| > through the standard ipconfig release/renew sequence it acquires a
| > valid IP address (e.g. 192.168.0.100), however, no network traffic
| > will go through. I am able to ping myself fine, but if I try to ping
| > any other IP address, even the IP address of my directly connected
| > gateway (e.g. 192.168.0.1), I get timeouts and 100% packet loss. The
| > only thing that seems to resolve the problem is for me to reboot,
| > with my computer already connected to the network I wish to use.
| >
| > The problem doesn't appear to occur in safe mode, so I believe it is a
| > software problem. Also, I've noticed that the installation of certain
| > software programs, namely, those which run in the background to check
| > the network for software updates (such as Sonic Update Manager) will
| > exaccerbate the problem, by making it so that 9 out of 10 times, my
| > computer will not be able to use the network even after a reboot
| > (even though it always says it has a perfectly valid network
| > connection). I suspect this problem may be due to the sequence of
| > events during boot up, and these programs are trying to access the
| > network before it is fully available, which wouldn't be a problem if
| > dynamic network switching worked properly, but since it doesn't, it
| > kills me. I have had to uninstall or at least turn off the automatic
| > start up on load of any program which attempts to access the network
| > before my computer has completed its login sequence.
|
| If no one has responded it is because no one that has read your post has
an
| answer. Personally I would suspect the hardware. See if you can borrow a
| PCMCIA, Cardbus, or USB wireless card to try.
|
| --
| Kerry
| MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
| www.VistaHelp.ca
|
|

 

[Guest]

First of all, to the people who responded, thank you.

Here are some additional comments.

I initially suspected the hardware was at fault, too, but I know that isn't
the issue. For one, the problem doesn't occur in safe mode. Two, I've tried
using a Cardbus adapter and I see the same problem.

I've tried disabling all adware/popup blockers, Windows firewall, etc. and I
still have the problem. Furthermore, the network doesn't appear to be the
issue as I move my laptop between two primary networks, one at the university
and one at home. I see the same behavior both places. For example, if I am
connected to one of the access points at school and then move to another part
of the campus and connect to a new AP, (even with the same SSID and assigned
IP address) I have to reboot. If I plug in my wired adapter, and do ipconfig
/release, ipconfig /renew, it gives me a valid IP, but no network traffic,
and I have to reboot. I used to be able to switch between them with no
difficulty, until this unknown problem began to occur.

 

[Kerry Brown]

Have you tried Lspfix?

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4180.html

There is also a good writeup on winsock problems here:

http://windowsxp.mvps.org/winsock.htm

Failing that have you tried a system rstore to a point before the problem
occurred? What firewalls have you had installed at any time in the past?

 

[AJR]

Success with safe mode and failure in normal mode indicates a driver
problem - and I think you have answered your question - from your post:

" I have had to uninstall or at least turn off the automatic start up on
load of any program which attempts to access the network before my computer
has completed its login sequence."

You can set the network not to "configure" until all program loading is
complete (Unfortunately I do not recall procedure). It may be that the boot
log and use of MSCONFIG startup will provide assistance.