Got DHCP address; Vista machine says No Router

G

Grand_Poobah

I am trying to troubleshoot my daughter's desktop Vista computer. She
has several other machines (XP and Vista) that are connected to her
local LAN and workgroup. The problem computer is set to receive a DHCP
address - which it gets - but then labels the connection as
"Unidentified" and the Diagnose reports that it can't see the router.
It cannot see any of the other computers either.

The computer is set up as a Private network; network discovery ON; File
Sharing ON; Public folder sharing ON; Printer sharing ON; Password
Protected Sharing OFF; Media sharing OFF.

When trying to customize the connection, she can NOT enter a name for
the network. Text entered in the field will appear, but not "take".
Manage Network Connections shows only one network and it is labeled
"Unidentified".

She has gone into the Router and checked the DHCP table - her problem
computer is there. If she clears that entry out and reboots the problem
computer it appears again. Obviously, the computer IS talking to the
router, but just doesn't know it for some reason.

All NIC drivers have been updated. The device has been removed from DM
and rebooted to reinstall the latest drivers.

She has tried giving the computer a static IP (outside the range of the
DHCP assignment area) and that will not work either.

This is a wired connection directly from the computer to the router
port. Ports have been switched to see if one of them is bad and cables
have been switched also.

How is it possible for a computer to get a DHCP address from the router
and then tell us that it can't see the router?

GP
 
R

Robert L. \(MS-MVP\)

Assuming the default gateway is 0.0.0.0, you may want to use reset it by
using route delete 0.0.0.0 command to fix it. Or this search result may
help.

Vista Gateway is 0.0.0.0The solutions of Vista computer default gateway
0.0.0.0 are 1) reset it by using route delete 0.0.0.0 command; 2) Disable
IPv6; 3) install new firmware for ...
www.chicagotech.net/vista/gateway0.htm


--
Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on
http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on
http://www.HowToNetworking.com
 
G

Grand_Poobah

--->
Assuming the default gateway is 0.0.0.0, you may want to use reset it by
using route delete 0.0.0.0 command to fix it. Or this search result may
help.

Vista Gateway is 0.0.0.0The solutions of Vista computer default gateway
0.0.0.0 are 1) reset it by using route delete 0.0.0.0 command; 2)
Disable IPv6; 3) install new firmware for ...
www.chicagotech.net/vista/gateway0.htm

That was a pretty confusing post Bob. I'm not quite sure what you meant
by it. The default gateway is showing the correct address for the
router (192.68.1.1).

GP
 
G

Grand_Poobah

--->
In this case, posting the result of ipconfig /all may help.

Thanks, Bob, but late last night we located and eliminated the problem.
I asked her to make sure that the physical path was completely
checked. When she reached for the cable in the back of the router, the
cable fell off the end of the plug. This was a purchased "snagless"
cable, but failed anyway. It had been in use on another computer with
no failures, but, did fail on this computer. She made up another cable,
plugged it in, and the connection normalled up immediately.

What was strange was the way it would communicate just long enough to
get an IP address, but then refuse to connect. I'm betting just one
wire was broken and then the stress of removing the cable finally parted
the whole thing.

GP
 

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