cannot log on to network -- NIC problem?

[Kiriray]

Hello,

I need help to identify the culprit: We have a user who needs to unplug his workstation every now and then when he goes to different locations (no he's not using a laptop since this is a tempory situation). We have 3 different locations/buildings. When he's in Blg A (where he's from originally) he can log on just fine. When he's moves to Bldg B, he just could not log on. The NIC card will not give any sign that it's working. He brought the computer to Bldg C then back to A and it works fine. We've checked the cable and other connections over at Bldg B and everything is fine. Only when he logs on from that Bldg does he gets the problem.
The PDC is on Bldg C and both Bldgs A & B have a BDC.

What are we missing?

thanks!

 

[tlcscousin]

Which OS?
Is he part of the local group?
Is he using the same frame type?

 

[Kiriray]

He's using Windows NT, and I've just checked and found out that he's NOT a member of any local groups (!), same frame type as eveyone else.

 

[moogie]

when you say the nic gives no sign it is working, do you mean there are NO comms lights on either the NIC or the switch/hub that it patches to? if no coms lights, NIC is not co-operating with switch/hub, and also check both patch leads (sounds obvious, but if I had a dollar for every time...)

what network protols are you using? If TCP/IP, and the other building is in a different subnet (quite unlikely), it could be that the IP of his machine already exists in that subnet. again that seems unlikely as NT errors on that.

have you tried swapping the NIC's? If swapping NICS fixes the problem, you're looking at a physical problem, if swapping NICS doesn't work you know you're looking at a protocol problem.

matthew
genecon, sydney

 

[tlcscousin]

If it works in two out of three buildings the NIC card is probably ok.I have no experience with NT4 but W2K says he has to be a member of a global or local group.So I was kinda wondering if maybe he just has no rights in that setup.

 

[bdux]

when his computer is plugged into building b are you using the same cable from the computer to the rj 45 socket in the wall as in the other buildings . I have heard of rj45 connectors that have not been wired to run at 100mb/s but will run at 10mb/s . If the machine is running a 100 meg network card but building b has a bad wiring job that runs at 10 m/s then it might not work . Also if the cable with the desktop is wired as a patch but the socket is wired for a crossover cable it may seem non responsive .

 

[Zorlod]

Can you move a computer that you know is working in bld B to his spot and get it to connect to the network using all of the same cabling? If that works, its either his NIC or his software settings. I would think the latter because you know his NIC works in 2/3 buildings. Then try comparing the different settings from his and the one you got to work from bld B and see if something sticks out to ya

 

[Kiriray]

There is no problem with the cabling because two other machines share the same network cable --one running win95 (older hardware) and the onterh win2k (relatively newer)-- and we have no problems with them. The only thing that I found interesting was that he wasn't a member of any local groups. He belongs to the global group (domain users) and that was it. I made him a member of a local group. We have not tried it but I will definitely let you know what happens...

THANKS!