Network Connection Dies Without Any Apparant Reason

[MountainNetworks]

Fresh Install of Windows 2000
All ServicePacks and Windows KB Updates have been applied
Have tried three separate network cards of varied mfrs
These same NICs work fine in other machines, no problems
Static IP and DHCP same behavior

While doing any kind of "intensive" downloading, like MP3s or copy/pasting from a shared network resource, the system just loses it's network connection. ipconfig /release /renew won't work. The machine must be rebooted in order to get its network connection back.

Other than a faulty motherboard or CPU, any ideas?

 

[MountainNetworks]

I tried changing the network speed of the card from automatic to 10mb/half duplex. The connections stays alive a little longer, but it still dies without any reason. I've also tried putting the network card in a different PCI slot.

 

[bcastner]

Have you tried updating the drivers for the NICs?

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/j.buchanan/winmx/faq-restart.html

http://www.dessent.net/btfaq/#freeze

 

[MountainNetworks]

Yes, all the drivers have been updated. Good call, though. That's something a lot of people frequently overlook.

 

[Nettekkie1010]

Can you transfer smaller files successfully? If this only seems to afect larger file sizes, like MP3's etc..., check the memory because Windows caches transfers prior to writing them to disk.

Haveagoodun!
Nettekkie1010

 

[MountainNetworks]

I thought about the memory and actually changed the memory sticks out for new ones to test. Same behavior. It'll do small files, then just the network connection will itself just die.

 

[onepair]

Have you tried swapping out the nic?
Connect a laptop to the node and see if it looses connectivity.

Changing a nic..takes 5 minutes
Saving hair ....last a lifetime

 

[shannanl]

I had the same problem with some older (350mhz k62) computers with 3com 3c905b nics. I upgraded the computers to 2gig with same nics and have had zero probs. The computers would lose connection and when I tried to connect to the domain 1/2 the time they would not see the domain server. I had some older computers running xp and they did not have the same promlems, only the 2k boxes.