low or no connectivity

[dave]

This is my second try on this...I have a 2 computer network connected to a 4
port switch/hub. The internet (DSL) is only connected (via USB) to the host
and is not available to other computer. The number 2 computer is showing low
or no connectivity to the network. I added my laptop to the hub and get the
same message. I tried running the winsockxpfix on the secondary computer but
got no results. I have replaced all other hardware except for the computers.
Is there a fix to be run on the host computer? I am out of options.

 

[Jim]

This is my second try on this...I have a 2 computer network connected to a
4
port switch/hub. The internet (DSL) is only connected (via USB) to the
host
and is not available to other computer. The number 2 computer is showing
low
or no connectivity to the network. I added my laptop to the hub and get
the
same message. I tried running the winsockxpfix on the secondary computer
but
got no results. I have replaced all other hardware except for the
computers.
Is there a fix to be run on the host computer? I am out of options.

Perhaps this is a hardware issue. What is the signal strength? How far
apart are the computers and the router? Once upon a time, my laptop could
not connect even though it was about 5 feet from the router. At this time,
they are more than 25 feet away.
Jim

 

[Lem]

This is my second try on this...I have a 2 computer network connected to a 4
port switch/hub. The internet (DSL) is only connected (via USB) to the host
and is not available to other computer. The number 2 computer is showing low
or no connectivity to the network. I added my laptop to the hub and get the
same message. I tried running the winsockxpfix on the secondary computer but
got no results. I have replaced all other hardware except for the computers.
Is there a fix to be run on the host computer? I am out of options.

Let's try starting from the top.

You have 2 desktop computers.

They are connected, by wire, to what you have called a 4 port switch/hub.

What is the make/model of the "switch/hub"?

Computer 2 shows "little or no connectivity."

If you connect a laptop to the "switch/hub" it also shows "little or no
connectivity."

In your first post, you wrote that "I can access shared files from other
computers." Do you mean that there are actually more than 2 computers
connected to the "switch/hub"? If not, what do you mean?

post the results of ipconfig /all from each of the computers, including
the "host computer," the "secondary computer" (the one with the
problem), and at least one other computer that works OK (if there is one).
http://digitalmediaphile.wordpress.com/ipconfig-all-how-to-get-text-output/


--
Lem -- MS-MVP

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm

 

[dave]

thank you for your reply... sorry for the delay.

there are only 2 computers. Except, I wanted to test the connectivity of my
laptop so I attached it to the hub. This is when I got the same "low or no
connectivity". Files can be accessed from one computer to another, however,
the tax program does the communicating and cannot find the path. My efforts
to repair the connection from the nummber 2 computer fails. It attempts to
renew the IP address but it cannot.

 

[Lem]

thank you for your reply... sorry for the delay.

there are only 2 computers. Except, I wanted to test the connectivity of my
laptop so I attached it to the hub. This is when I got the same "low or no
connectivity". Files can be accessed from one computer to another, however,
the tax program does the communicating and cannot find the path. My efforts
to repair the connection from the nummber 2 computer fails. It attempts to
renew the IP address but it cannot.

Because you didn't provide the ipconfig /all info, I can only guess at
what's going on.

The "little or no connectivity" message means that (1) the LAN
connections are configured to receive an IP address automatically from a
DHCP server and (2) there's no DHCP server on the network to make the
assignment.

That is consistent with your description that your system is configured
using a switch (which does not have a DHCP server). The Win XP default
configuration of the network adapter is to receive an IP address
automatically from a DHCP server but, if no IP address is forthcoming
after a period of time, to automatically assign an IP address in the
range 169.254.0.1 through 169.254.255.254. This is called "APIPA" or
Automatic Private IP Addressing.

If you don't feel like running ipconfig, just go to Control Panel >
Network Connections and click once on the icon for your Local Area
Connection. In the "Details" panel on the lower left, you should see an
IP address of the form 169.254.x.y and a Subnet Mask of 255.255.0.0. If
both computers have such an IP address and that Subnet Mask, they can
communicate and share files with each other, as you've indicated is the
case for your network.

Why your tax program fails is another story altogether. By their
nature, tax programs change from year to year, so perhaps the method it
uses to communicate over a network has changed. Or maybe you need to
configure your firewall appropriately to permit the tax program to
communicate. Make sure that you have only one firewall. Some antivirus
applications have an "Internet Worm" protection feature that amounts to
a firewall. Your best bet is to check support for the tax program.

--
Lem -- MS-MVP

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm

 

[dave]

I looked at the details before and saw that the IP Address and the Subnet
Mask were incomplete numbers. As if it was trying to configure but could
not. Does this make sense? The computer is at another location, so I'll
have to go and look again. How do I run the ipconfig? Is that the command
launched from the the run box?

 

[Lem]

I looked at the details before and saw that the IP Address and the Subnet
Mask were incomplete numbers. As if it was trying to configure but could
not. Does this make sense? The computer is at another location, so I'll
have to go and look again. How do I run the ipconfig? Is that the command
launched from the the run box?

No, run ipconfig /all from a Command Prompt window (otherwise it will
run, but you won't see the output because the window will close too
quickly). See the link in my first post for details.

I've never seen incomplete IP addresses. You may have been looking at
something else.



--
Lem -- MS-MVP

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm

 

[Steve Winograd]

This is my second try on this...I have a 2 computer network connected to a 4
port switch/hub. The internet (DSL) is only connected (via USB) to the host
and is not available to other computer. The number 2 computer is showing low
or no connectivity to the network. I added my laptop to the hub and get the
same message. I tried running the winsockxpfix on the secondary computer but
got no results. I have replaced all other hardware except for the computers.
Is there a fix to be run on the host computer? I am out of options.

The "limited or no connectivity" message just means that the
connection doesn't have access to the Internet. It's normal with your
setup and doesn't indicate a problem. All local area network
functions should work.

Any of these steps will make the message go away:

1. Assign compatible static IP addresses to the LAN connection on each
computer.

2. Open the LAN connection properties and un-check the box "Notify me
when this connection has limited or no connectivity".

3. Enable Internet Connection Sharing on the host computer's DSL
connection.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
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