Connecting to the Internet

[Guest]

Recently installed Xp Home and have Verizon DSL as my ISP. After my computer
has been idle for a while and I try to go to the Internet thru Firefox or
Internet Explorer, I get an error message "Firefox can't find the server at
google.com" or with IE the message is "Page cannot be displayed". Sometimes
after trying Firefox and then IE, IE will slowly load the page and then I can
go back to Firefox and it will load OK. However, most of the time it is
necessary to reboot my computer to be able to access the Internet again.
Turning the modem off or resetting the modem does not cause the problem to go
away.

 

[Chuck]

Recently installed Xp Home and have Verizon DSL as my ISP. After my computer
has been idle for a while and I try to go to the Internet thru Firefox or
Internet Explorer, I get an error message "Firefox can't find the server at
google.com" or with IE the message is "Page cannot be displayed". Sometimes
after trying Firefox and then IE, IE will slowly load the page and then I can
go back to Firefox and it will load OK. However, most of the time it is
necessary to reboot my computer to be able to access the Internet again.
Turning the modem off or resetting the modem does not cause the problem to go
away.

When you say "After my computer has been idle for a while", the power setting on
the network card is a good suspect.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/does-your-computer-lose-network.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/does-your-computer-lose-network.html

Also, check the MTU setting.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/internet-connectivity-problems-caused.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/internet-connectivity-problems-caused.html

Finally, the DNS servers that you use could be problematic.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/03/dns-server-settings-on-your-computer.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/03/dns-server-settings-on-your-computer.html

 

[Guest]

I am still having a problem connecting to the Internet the first time I try.
To try to correct the problem, I have installed the latest driver in my
ethernet adpter, which did not change anything. The box is unchecked so the
computer would not power the adpter down. Also installed a new network
adapter card. The problem continues. In IE6, I set the Security Controls to
Default. I have also run ipconfig /release followed by ipconfig /renew.
Following that procedure, I have no problem getting back on the Internet on
the first try. In reading PChuck's Network info, after running ipconfig
/all, both DNS servers have the same IP Address, instead of two separate
numbers. Could this be part of the problem and is it anything I can adjust?

D Roberts

 

[Chuck]

I am still having a problem connecting to the Internet the first time I try.
To try to correct the problem, I have installed the latest driver in my
ethernet adpter, which did not change anything. The box is unchecked so the
computer would not power the adpter down. Also installed a new network
adapter card. The problem continues. In IE6, I set the Security Controls to
Default. I have also run ipconfig /release followed by ipconfig /renew.
Following that procedure, I have no problem getting back on the Internet on
the first try. In reading PChuck's Network info, after running ipconfig
/all, both DNS servers have the same IP Address, instead of two separate
numbers. Could this be part of the problem and is it anything I can adjust?

D Roberts

You certainly should have 2 different DNS servers specified. Specifying the
same server twice won't accomplish a thing. And the first needs to have the
same ability as the first.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/03/dns-server-settings-on-your-computer.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/03/dns-server-settings-on-your-computer.html

 

[Guest]

Chuck:

Default Gateway, DHCP Server and DNS Servers have the same IP address of
192.168.1.1. Are the DNS Server IP Address's assigned by Verizon or is that
something assigned by Windows XP Home?
-D Roberts
-
D Roberts

 

[Chuck]

Chuck:

Default Gateway, DHCP Server and DNS Servers have the same IP address of
192.168.1.1. Are the DNS Server IP Address's assigned by Verizon or is that
something assigned by Windows XP Home?
-D Roberts
-
D Roberts

This is normal with a NAT router. The router has to be the default gateway.
The DHCP settings, made in the router configuration, direct each client computer
to refer to the router for DNS. The router then relays any DNS request to the
DNS servers provided by your ISP, again, as made in the router DHCP
configuration.

 

[Guest]

Chuck:

Your last response went right over the top of my head. In layman's terms,
can you give me any suggestions and/or directions on how to correct the
problem?

Regards,

Dan

 

[Chuck]

Chuck:

Your last response went right over the top of my head. In layman's terms,
can you give me any suggestions and/or directions on how to correct the
problem?

Regards,

Dan

Dan,

You'll have to be patient here. Right now, I'm still diagnosing the problem. I
will ask that you read each article to which I provide links.

Let's look at "ipconfig /all" first.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/reading-ipconfig-and-diagnosing.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/reading-ipconfig-and-diagnosing.html

 

[Guest]

Chuck:

Read your article on ipconfig and have printed out my ipconfig file. Please
advise when you are ready.

Regards,

Dan

 

[Chuck]

Chuck:

Read your article on ipconfig and have printed out my ipconfig file. Please
advise when you are ready.

Regards,

Dan

Any time, Dan.

 

[Guest]

Chuck:

I must be going blind in my old age. Missed your reply last night. Where
do we go from here? Do you want the information from my ipconfig file and if
so, how should I transmit it to you?

Regards,

Dan

 

[Chuck]

Chuck:

I must be going blind in my old age. Missed your reply last night. Where
do we go from here? Do you want the information from my ipconfig file and if
so, how should I transmit it to you?

Regards,

Dan

Dan,

You should be able to get them in plain text, and paste them into your next post
here. Read the article for instructions.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/reading-ipconfig-and-diagnosing.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/reading-ipconfig-and-diagnosing.html

 

[Guest]

Chuck:

Here is the info.

Windows IP Configuration



Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : owner-fb633300e

Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :

Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown

IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : myhome.westell.com



Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:



Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : myhome.westell.com

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : ASUSTeK/Broadcom 440x 10/100
Integrated Controller

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-E0-18-B7-17-4B

Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes

Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.47

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

192.168.1.1

Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, May 03, 2006 9:53:22 AM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, May 04, 2006 9:53:22 AM

Regards,

Dan

 

[Chuck]

Chuck:

Here is the info.

Regards,

Dan

Well, Dan,

Nothing strange there, except as you said "192.168.1.1" (ie the router) for both
primary and secondary DNS servers. Your original reports said that you tried
resetting the modem when this happens. Have you tried resetting the router?
What make and model is the router anyway?

 

[Guest]

Chuck,

Verizon suggested I turn the modem off and then back on after 30 seconds or
so which would reset the IP config and this hopefully would correct the
problem of not being able to get to the Internet. I have also tried to do
the ipconfig /release followed by ipconfig /renew. I believe the IP address
of 198.168.1.1 is the address for Verizon as my ISP. As far as the router is
concerned, I didn't know I had one, second, where it would be located so I
can obtain the make and model, and lastl, how to reset it. If you have a
blogspot about it I should read, please let me know.

Regards,

Dan

 

[Guest]

Chuck:

More info. According to a Verizon tech I just finished talking to, the
modem is also the router, and 192.168.1.1 is it's IP address. The modem is a
Westell VersaLink 327W and I have reset it in the past while discussing the
problem with Verizon techs.

Regards,

Dan

 

[Chuck]

Chuck:

More info. According to a Verizon tech I just finished talking to, the
modem is also the router, and 192.168.1.1 is it's IP address. The modem is a
Westell VersaLink 327W and I have reset it in the past while discussing the
problem with Verizon techs.

Regards,

Dan

DOHH. Of course, a combo modem router.

So look in the router status page ("http://192.168.1.1") and see what the DNS
servers are setup as. And since owner-fb633300e is picking up the DNS settings
(ie same DNS server twice) from the DHCP server (the router), check the DHCP
settings and see if the dual entry is in the router DHCP server.

When you were talking to Verizon techs, did you mention the dual DNS entries?

 

[Guest]

--
D Roberts

DOHH. Of course, a combo modem router.

So look in the router status page ("http://192.168.1.1") and see what the DNS
servers are setup as. And since owner-fb633300e is picking up the DNS settings
(ie same DNS server twice) from the DHCP server (the router), check the DHCP
settings and see if the dual entry is in the router DHCP server.

When you were talking to Verizon techs, did you mention the dual DNS entries?

Chuck:

Talked to a Verizon tech again. He had me reset the modem since the current
user and password for the unit were unknown.

Modem numbers are:
Currently the IP address is 71.113.9.129
Primary DNS 68.238.128.12
Secondary DNS 68.238.64.12

I just checked ipconfig/all and both the primary and secondary DNS IP
address's are still 192.168.1.1

Apparently, the owner-fb633300e is not picking up the current DNS IP
address's from the router. (beyond me)

I told him about the dual DNS entries and said it should not be a problem
since the DNS servers are supposed to be automatically detected.

Hope this information helps.

Regards,

Dan

 

[Chuck]

Chuck:

Talked to a Verizon tech again. He had me reset the modem since the current
user and password for the unit were unknown.

Modem numbers are:
Currently the IP address is 71.113.9.129
Primary DNS 68.238.128.12
Secondary DNS 68.238.64.12

I just checked ipconfig/all and both the primary and secondary DNS IP
address's are still 192.168.1.1

Apparently, the owner-fb633300e is not picking up the current DNS IP
address's from the router. (beyond me)

I told him about the dual DNS entries and said it should not be a problem
since the DNS servers are supposed to be automatically detected.

Hope this information helps.

Regards,

Dan

Dan,

He's right - the dual, identical, DNS entries shouldn't be a problem - - if
there is no other problem.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/03/dns-server-settings-on-your-computer.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/03/dns-server-settings-on-your-computer.html

But if there is a problem contacting the primary DNS server, the computer tries
to contact the secondary (and the tertiary, if defined, in turn). If there is a
problem contacting the last server in the sequence, you're out of luck.

The bottom line is that there should always be a primary and secondary server
available. DNS is essential to Internet access. But if you use a NAT router
for your DNS "server", you have no backup. How does this work?

I think the reasoning is that, as long as the NAT router is functioning, you're
OK. It's a single point of failure. If the router goes down, or can't be
contacted, having a secondary DNS server won't help, because you have no
connectivity. So the router, when it's up, simply relays the DNS requests to
the real servers, in your case 68.238.128.12 and 68.238.64.12.

Now the whole flaw in the primary - secondary sequence appears to be that the
primary always has a backup - the secondary. But the secondary (if no tertiary
is defined) has no backup. If you're using the secondary, and it goes down,
you're out of luck. That's when you restart the client - the computer, or in
your case, the router (modem).

Are you following me so far?

 

[Guest]

--
D Roberts

Dan,

He's right - the dual, identical, DNS entries shouldn't be a problem - - if
there is no other problem.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/03/dns-server-settings-on-your-computer.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/03/dns-server-settings-on-your-computer.html

But if there is a problem contacting the primary DNS server, the computer tries
to contact the secondary (and the tertiary, if defined, in turn). If there is a
problem contacting the last server in the sequence, you're out of luck.

The bottom line is that there should always be a primary and secondary server
available. DNS is essential to Internet access. But if you use a NAT router
for your DNS "server", you have no backup. How does this work?

I think the reasoning is that, as long as the NAT router is functioning, you're
OK. It's a single point of failure. If the router goes down, or can't be
contacted, having a secondary DNS server won't help, because you have no
connectivity. So the router, when it's up, simply relays the DNS requests to
the real servers, in your case 68.238.128.12 and 68.238.64.12.

Now the whole flaw in the primary - secondary sequence appears to be that the
primary always has a backup - the secondary. But the secondary (if no tertiary
is defined) has no backup. If you're using the secondary, and it goes down,
you're out of luck. That's when you restart the client - the computer, or in
your case, the router (modem).

Are you following me so far?

Chuck:

I think I have a grasp of what you are saying. It is more clear after
seeing the Primary DNS of 68.238.128.12 and the Secondary DNS of 68.238.64.12
in the DSL Connection Information for the Westell modem. What I don't
understand is when I look at ipconfig /all, both the Primary and Secondary
DNS IP numbers are 192.168.1.1 and the modem is showing the true IP
address's. Why doesn't Windows recognize the true Primary and Secondary DNS
address's? Or, is Windows only looking for the modem at IP address
192.168.1.1 and it (the modem) does not have or need a Secondary IP Address
which Windows would utilize?

Regards,

Dan