Network only works in safe mode

[Mervin]

Hope someone can help, i am starting to pull my hair out over this!

I have 3 laptops Vista Home Premium (all wireless) and a Dell Dimension 9000
XP SP3 (wired) all on the same network. The network connects via Virgin NTL,
and uses a NTL modem and a netgear WGR614-6VGUKS wireless router.

Up until last Saturday, everything has worked perfectly, being able to
connect all the time on all machines. Then on Saturday, the lights on the
modem weren't working correctly, which was a fault with my ISP, and stopped
the laptops from connecting to the net periodically. This was re-established
about an hour later.

The on Sunday i went on the net with my PC, and was on about an hour before
things started going wrong. I was on the net along with another 2 laptops in
my home, when we all lost our connection. I switched them all off, unplugged
both the modem and the router to reset them, but couldn't get any connected
at all. I rang my ISP, Virgin NTL, and they took me through several routines
to try and reconnect to no avail, and they told me it was my firewall. I was
then on the phone for about 6 hours arguing with them, and asking how one
firewall could affect 2 wireless laptops and a wired pc.

Anyway, they tried all sorts to get me connected, until they got me to
connect direct through the modem on my pc and in safe mode with networking,
and Boom, it was connected. We then tried the same thing, but with the router
and modem connected together again in safe mode and it was connecting, but
not in normal mode. We then tried connecting each laptop wired, and they were
working fine, and also wirelessly fine. But, when i now connect my pc to the
network it will not connect, and it also stops the laptops from connecting
wirelessly, but all the laptops work if i disconnect my pc from the network.

So, the main problem now is my pc and getting it connecting again. I have
searched the web for answers, and have tried several solutions. I have tried
clearing the netbt and fixing the winsock, but nothing has worked and i am
going mad.

To summarise the problem, when i connect my pc in normal mode to the network
i can't connect to the net and it stops the laptops from connecting also.
However, if i check the properties of my local area connection it is
connected, sending but not receiving, this is also clarified by the lights on
my modem. Also, if i check my network in McAffee it says i am connected, but
i can't run any updates to it.

I am running McAffee antivirus and Spysweeper Spyware software on my pc, i
have checked all the settings on both, and all the settings on my windows
firewall and everything is all the same before the trouble started. I have
also run both a virus check and spyware check and found nothing. I have also
tried completing a restore and this doesn't work either.

Please help!!

 

[Mervin]

Thanks Hans-Georg, i checked the link and there is no description at all of
my symptoms, so couldn't use the facilities.

 

[Jack-MVP]

Hi
Given your description it might be a problem with the Router's
configuration.
I would switch Off all but one computer that is connected with a wire to the
Router.
With this computer log to the Router Menu system and check its configuration
(look at the WAN configuration too and make sure that the ISP authentication
is correct).
If the computer can not connect while normally booting, use this method to
find what is wrong with the computer's Network configuration.
http://www.ezlan.net/debug.html
Only after one computer behave totally Normal switch your attention to the
other computers.
Jack (MS, MVP-Networking).

 

[Mervin]

Hi Jack
Thanks for the pointers, i have copied them in to word and saved it for
future use.

I managed to sort the problem out before i received your response. When i
was closing the system, i noticed a window trying to shut called "Autolt", i
had never seen this window before on my system. Even though i had already
tried to scan for viruses, i decided to try again. Anyway, i never found a
thing, then i decided to scan in safe mode, but Macaffee wouldn't run, so i
downloaded AVG.

When i ran AVG on a command line scan of my whole system, it found 5 trogans
and 2 worms. Well as soon as i started my system it connected to the net
straight away, so the problem had always been viruses, even though i had
scanned with Mcaffee 5-6 times and found nothing, so the problem is now
solved.

The only thing i am bothered about now is how they got on in the first
place, cause i'm usually very hot on keeping my system clean.

Anyway Jack & Georg, thanks for all your effort in trying to resolve this
problem for me, it is very much appreciated.
Mervin