Erratic Ethernet Card - Problems connecting to internet. Please HELP.

[SK]

Hi All,

The following is the configuration of my m/c:
ASUS A7V400-MX (VIA KM400A Chipset) Mainboard, AMD 2600+ Processor, 512
SD DDR RAM, 80 GB SEAGATE 7200 RPM HDD with WIN XP Prof SP2-All Patches
(Primary Partion), WIN 2K Prof SP4-All Patches (Primary Partition),
MANDRAKE 10.1 (Logical Drive on Extended Partition). The onboard
Ethernet card on my machine is: VIA VT6103 10/100 Mbps Ethernet PHY
(ONBOARD)

I connect to my broadband ISP using a cable modem connected onto my
onboard Ethernet card mentioned above.

Although everything was running without glitches for the past few
months, suddenly I started experiencing problems with my internet
connection. Btw I'm connecting using the PPPoE protocol using XP's
inbuilt dialer. Mandrake Linux 10.1 comes with a default PPPoE driver
which is auto detected. For Windows 2000 am using RASPPPOE driver.

The problems I'm facing are as follows.
1. When trying to connect in XP I get the following message box for a
long time: "Connecting via WAN miniport (PPPoE)..." , after a long
time, I get the following errors: Error 678 (Remote computer down) (or)
Error: 691 (Access denied).

2. Constantly I get the message: "Network cable unplugged".
3. Of late, I'm never able to connect and am experiencing only symptom
1.

That's when I suspected a problem in my machine. I checked all the
cables and as a final check I tried connecting my Compaq Laptop running
XP Home - SP1. It connected immediately without any errors. Link is
steady with a steady speed.

I also did a clean install of Windows 2000 Professional with SP4 all
patches. and tried connecting but am unsuccessful. Connecting from
Linux is also unsuccessful.

The following is the URL to my Motherboard with complete specs:
http://usa.asus.com/prog/spec.asp?m=A7V400-MX&langs=09

Your inputs would be really appreciated. I've posted to all the groups
I found relevant. I apologize in advance if I have posted to an
incorrect group.

Please help. Thanks in advance.

- SK.

 

[David H. Lipman]

| Hi All,
|
| The following is the configuration of my m/c:
| ASUS A7V400-MX (VIA KM400A Chipset) Mainboard, AMD 2600+ Processor, 512
| SD DDR RAM, 80 GB SEAGATE 7200 RPM HDD with WIN XP Prof SP2-All Patches
| (Primary Partion), WIN 2K Prof SP4-All Patches (Primary Partition),
| MANDRAKE 10.1 (Logical Drive on Extended Partition). The onboard
| Ethernet card on my machine is: VIA VT6103 10/100 Mbps Ethernet PHY
| (ONBOARD)
|
| I connect to my broadband ISP using a cable modem connected onto my
| onboard Ethernet card mentioned above.
|
| Although everything was running without glitches for the past few
| months, suddenly I started experiencing problems with my internet
| connection. Btw I'm connecting using the PPPoE protocol using XP's
| inbuilt dialer. Mandrake Linux 10.1 comes with a default PPPoE driver
| which is auto detected. For Windows 2000 am using RASPPPOE driver.
|
| The problems I'm facing are as follows.
| 1. When trying to connect in XP I get the following message box for a
| long time: "Connecting via WAN miniport (PPPoE)..." , after a long
| time, I get the following errors: Error 678 (Remote computer down) (or)
| Error: 691 (Access denied).
|
| 2. Constantly I get the message: "Network cable unplugged".
| 3. Of late, I'm never able to connect and am experiencing only symptom
| 1.
|
| That's when I suspected a problem in my machine. I checked all the
| cables and as a final check I tried connecting my Compaq Laptop running
| XP Home - SP1. It connected immediately without any errors. Link is
| steady with a steady speed.
|
| I also did a clean install of Windows 2000 Professional with SP4 all
| patches. and tried connecting but am unsuccessful. Connecting from
| Linux is also unsuccessful.
|
| The following is the URL to my Motherboard with complete specs:
| http://usa.asus.com/prog/spec.asp?m=A7V400-MX&langs=09
|
| Your inputs would be really appreciated. I've posted to all the groups
| I found relevant. I apologize in advance if I have posted to an
| incorrect group.
|
| Please help. Thanks in advance.
|
| - SK.

Get a Cable/DSL Router such as the Linksys BEFSR41. It will make the PPPoE connection, not
the PC. Such a device supplies other benefits as well including, but not limited to...

No ISP software is needd on the LAN side
4 port 10/100 Mb/s Ethernet switch
Share the one WAN IP with up to 253 LAN nodes.
Simplistic FireWall
DHCP Server

As always I suggest blocking both TCP and UDP ports 135 ~ 139 and 445 on *any* SOHO Router.