My initial problem was that the Cisco VPN client is not compatible with Microsoft's ICS. With the help of some people here, I was able to disable ICS via the XP Administrative options. I then continued with the VPN install and it proceeded to disable IPSec. I think it also wacked my Ethernet card settings and replaced my LAN setup with it's own.
Now the problem..After the install of VPN was complete, I rebooted. I get a 'black' screen condition and XP won't boot up. The only way I got it to boot was to disconnect the cable modem from the Ethernet card. This is when all hell broke loose because I was fumbling with everything under the sun and I don't what the hell I'm doing. Seriously though, I didn't touch any settings that weren't touched by the VPN install.
Loooong (5 hrs) story short, I uninstalled VPN (which took some doing). I enabled IPSec and ICS. Then I kept getting 'network cable unplugged' even though the LAN connection was enabled and functioning (according to XP, anyway). I wound up disabling the LAN setup installed by VPN (or so I assume it was), leaving the cable modem unplugged and rebooting. At that point, I made sure IPSec, ICS and all of their dependent processes started okay. Okay. I shutdown, connected the cable modem and rebooted. XP recognizes 'new hardware' and prompts me to go through the setup wizard. I go through the dialogs and finsh. Same situation (network cable unplugged). I reattempted variations of what I just explained numerous times.
Last ditch effort..I reinstall Comcast @Home software (which is an old version, btw). The cable modem starts to look as if it's alive (line traffic in and out) but I still cannot get any services to recognize it (I.E., AOL, Netscape). I then used the @Home cd to 'install software' as opposed to 'install @Home'. I get prompted for a 'Computer Name' (or host name, I don't remember). I entered the 'computer name' assigned by Comcast. I shutdown XP, unplug the Ethernet connection, unplug the cable modem, wait a couple of minutes and reconnect everything, reboot. After a few minutes I was back in business.
Questions:
Why when VPN disabled IPSec, was I getting the 'black screen'? Is this to say that the combo of VPN and using IPSec for my cable modem is volatile and a conflict, despite the obvious 'black screen'?
When I first hooked the PC up, all I had to do was plug in the cable modem and XP recognized it, dynamically configured it, and viola..I was in business. And I DID NOT install any of the Comcast software and the PC DID NOT come with it installed. Why all the drama now? Why the need to install the Comcast software..blah blah?
Pardon my terminology as like I said in the beginning, I don't know what I'm talking about and I'm sure it's quite obvious.
That being said....Any insight folks?
Thanks in advance..
Dan
Now the problem..After the install of VPN was complete, I rebooted. I get a 'black' screen condition and XP won't boot up. The only way I got it to boot was to disconnect the cable modem from the Ethernet card. This is when all hell broke loose because I was fumbling with everything under the sun and I don't what the hell I'm doing. Seriously though, I didn't touch any settings that weren't touched by the VPN install.
Loooong (5 hrs) story short, I uninstalled VPN (which took some doing). I enabled IPSec and ICS. Then I kept getting 'network cable unplugged' even though the LAN connection was enabled and functioning (according to XP, anyway). I wound up disabling the LAN setup installed by VPN (or so I assume it was), leaving the cable modem unplugged and rebooting. At that point, I made sure IPSec, ICS and all of their dependent processes started okay. Okay. I shutdown, connected the cable modem and rebooted. XP recognizes 'new hardware' and prompts me to go through the setup wizard. I go through the dialogs and finsh. Same situation (network cable unplugged). I reattempted variations of what I just explained numerous times.
Last ditch effort..I reinstall Comcast @Home software (which is an old version, btw). The cable modem starts to look as if it's alive (line traffic in and out) but I still cannot get any services to recognize it (I.E., AOL, Netscape). I then used the @Home cd to 'install software' as opposed to 'install @Home'. I get prompted for a 'Computer Name' (or host name, I don't remember). I entered the 'computer name' assigned by Comcast. I shutdown XP, unplug the Ethernet connection, unplug the cable modem, wait a couple of minutes and reconnect everything, reboot. After a few minutes I was back in business.
Questions:
Why when VPN disabled IPSec, was I getting the 'black screen'? Is this to say that the combo of VPN and using IPSec for my cable modem is volatile and a conflict, despite the obvious 'black screen'?
When I first hooked the PC up, all I had to do was plug in the cable modem and XP recognized it, dynamically configured it, and viola..I was in business. And I DID NOT install any of the Comcast software and the PC DID NOT come with it installed. Why all the drama now? Why the need to install the Comcast software..blah blah?
Pardon my terminology as like I said in the beginning, I don't know what I'm talking about and I'm sure it's quite obvious.
That being said....Any insight folks?
Thanks in advance..
Dan