LAN ICS IP address problems

[snake66]

I have a home network set up, 2 pc's connected with a crossover cable. PC1 is XP pro SP2 with a usb dsl internet connection. PC2 is XP home SP2.

I am trying to set up ICS for the network but the LAN connection keeps giving the "limited or no connection - unable to acquire IP address" or "acquiring IP address" error.

I have been trying the advice in thread581-337688 - How to start DHCP client service after renew lease failed, as that was were I ended up after much trawling, with limited success.

I tried the winsock fix suggested on the MS website with no improvement. Also tried restarting the dhcp client and dns client services on both pc's, disabling the firewalls etc.

I have set an exception on the firewalls for the lan connection. When I restart the dhcp client on PC1 and do the "netsh int ip reset resetlog.txt" command, after about a minute the problem seemed to be solved. I did this on PC2 and I thought it was fixed. After a couple of restarts the problem reappeared. I tried the same procedure again on both pc's it worked on pc1 but not on PC2.

I can access files on each machine from the other, but cannot access the internet or run any software that requires tcp/ip networking on PC2.

The really annoying bit is that PC2 is brand new and this problem has existed from the first start-up, so i'm guessing that this must be a windows problem.

Anyone got a clue?

Jim Leigh

 

[bcastner]

As likely the author of some of the advice you followed, I appreciate the feedback. I think I am not assertive enough in faq779-4625 in suggesting you do not run WinsockFix on XP SP2 machines.

You question raises two possible issues:

. Winsock stack problems
Do only this:
Start button, Run, cmd

In the black box that opens, type:
netsh winsock reset catalog

(wait for the message that you need to restart.)
Reboot the computer.

This will give you a valid Winsock stack.

2. Extended version. (The above should sort the issue, I hope.)
Sometimes (and this is discussed in faq779-4625 ) you need to repair the TCP/IP Service as well:

Perform a winsock Fix including reinstalling TCP/IP

Step 1: Delete registry keys

A) Open Regedit from the Run line
B) Go to both of the following keys, export each of them, and then delete them:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock and
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock2
C) Restart the computer

NOTE: It is important to restart the computer after deleting the Winsock keys. Doing so causes the XP operating system to recreate shell entries for those two
keys. If this is not done, the next step does not work correctly.

Step 2: Install TCP/IP on top of itself

A) Open the properties window of the network connection
B) Click Install
C) Click Protocol, then Add
D) Click Have Disk
E) Type the path to the nettcpip.inf file, for example: c:\windows\inf, and click
OK (if you try to click Browse, then browse to the \inf folder, it may not show up
in the list).
F) You should now see "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" in the list of available
protocols. Select it and click OK.
G) Restart the computer

When the computer reboots you will have functional Winsock keys.

NOTE: If the network connection properties contained more than the following three items: Client for Microsoft Networks, File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks, and TCP/IP, then the additional items may need to be removed in order to restore browsing. If those items are needed they can be reinstalled. The reason
for removing them is due to those items placing entries into the Winsock keys and those entries will no longer be there.

Side effects and possible problems:

This method will restore basic functionality to the Winsock keys, but is not a complete rebuild. On a default install of Windows XP the registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock2\ParametersProtocol_Catalog9\Catalog_Entries - will have 11 sub-keys. When applying this method, the
Catalog_Entries will only have three sub-keys. However, it works and there does not appear to be any side effects. The missing entries relate back to the:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\Interfaces key.
Also, third-party proxy software or firewalls may need to be reinstalled.

Finally, Start, Run, cmd

netsh winsock reset catalog
(Wait for it to complete)
netsh int ip reset reset.log
(Wait for it to complete)

Reboot the computer.

 

[bcastner]

Also note that ICS is fussy if you attempt manual IP assignments. Do not, unless you follow all of the steps involved.

In particular, do not attempt static IP assignments on the ICS HOST computer, watch out for firewall settings -- you need to configure them properly, watch out for "hidden" firewalls in antivirus products -- "PC-Illan" is nortorious for this, and watch out for installed VPN Client software -- the CISCO VPN client is famouse for this.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q308006

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q309642

 

[snake66]

My fault, your instructions in the other post were fine. I didn't run the WinsockFix, i just followed the instructions from the KB article that you reproduced here. I did this last night and eventually it worked. I have just tried it again, and the problem is still there.

The problem seems to be that the DHCP is not assigning IP address and uses automatic private address instead. Both computers are throwing up an ip address 169.254.xxx.xxx (different for each) and a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0 The default gateway, DNS server and Wins server are all blank.

I'm guessing that the 169.254.xxx.xxx address should be a 192.168.0.x address so I need to know how to get the DHCP to assign the correct address or how to manually configure the address on both computers (although everything I have read suggests that I should not manually assign an address on the computer that has ICS enabled)

Any Ideas?

 

[bcastner]

The 169.xx.xx.xx is an APIA address.
It means that the DHCP server could not be reached.

. hardware
Are you sure you have a cross-over cable between the two workstations; a regular CAT-5 drop cable will not work;

. software
Firewall issues? Watch out for hidden firewalls in antivirus software. "PC-Illan" for example, is notorious for this.

Any software fireall software needs to be configured to allow Netbios and other traffic, or uninstalled. "Disabling" the software will not work.

VPN Client software? CISCO VPN and several other VPN client software can lead to this problem.

Lets leave the Winsock service and TCP/IP alone for now. Your issue is either hardware, a firewall, or a rogue client such as VPN client software.

See Hans-Michna's site:

http://www.michna.com/kb/wxnet.htm

It may be that your Node Type or something equally silly as a setting are not correct.

Please post again if the issue is not sorted.

 

[tcambridge]

Jim,

Any particular reason you are using ICS instead of a router?


Tim
Certified AND Qualified