NIC forced to 10mbps, dhcp fails

[Guest]

My client's PC is running Win2k, and is having a problem with NIC cards. The
NIC is forced to 10mbps, and it fails to pickup its IP address via DHCP. I
have tried different switches and cables. Reinstalled TCP/IP, didn't help.
Manually specifying the IP address works, but I am still connected at 10mbps.
I disabled the onboard NIC (Intel) and installed a PCI NIC by D-Link. It does
the exact same thing. Sounds like something is corrupt in the operating
system itself. Any comments or suggestions that may save me from blowing
away this PC?

Thanks!

Tracy

 

[Achint Setia]

Hi,

It can also be an interoperability problem between the
NIC and the switch. Have you checked if all the config
parameters match(eg. the duplex mode) for the two.

 

[Shalom B.]

In the Windows Device Manager (devmgmt.msc) locate the NIC and right
click -> Properties, under the Advanced tab, you can set the duplex
settings that dictate at what speeds the NIC should run. It is almost
always better to set this to the duplex and speed you require, i suppose
in your case you want to run it at 100Mbps Full duplex(for switched
ethernet i.e. Conected through a ethernet switch or direct X-over cable)
or 100Mbps Half duplex (for Broadcast ethernet i.e. connected through a
hub). Also make sure that the ethernet port other end of the ethernet
cable , maybe the ethernet switch's port is set to the same speed and
duplex settings or there will be no connectivity over the cable.

AS far as the DHCP problem goes, you could try setting a fixed IP
address, then pinging the DHCP server (by IP address), if successful,
undo these actions and edit the following key in the registry to always
force the client computer to contact a particular DHCP server.

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\Interfaces\<AdapterName>

and set the value of "DhcpServer" to point to the IP address of your
DHCP server.

I should presume that the DHCP problem should rectify itself once you
set the speed and duplex settings.

 

[Guest]

Unfortunately, I have tried these suggestions. The PC was originally on an
SMC 10/100 switch, and I moved it to the other side of the building and
hooked it up to an HP 10/100 switch. I borrowed a patch cable and jack from a
PC that I know is good (and is identical model), and is connected to an
entirely different switch. All attempts at forcing the card to 100 mbps at
either half or full duplex results in a cable disconnected error.
Replacement card had the same problem. This office has 15 other computers
with identical hardware, they were all purchased and installed at the same
time a little over 2 years ago. I can live with the DHCP issue, but I can't
leave it at 10 mbps. This PC does very large check runs, so the NIC speed is
critical. I really think its some type of OS corruption. Googling the
problem found one other person who posted this issue to a forum (not
microsoft), but he didn't get an answer.

Thanks for your suggestions!

Tracy