Strange Connectivity Issue 2

[goombawaho]

I've got a customer that has a new (two month old) desktop and it randomly will not be able to browse the internet. It's pretty much been doing this from day one. It CAN ping internal devices on the network when the problem is happening. A reboot fixes the issue. There is no malware and other devices connected to the same switch are not having connectivity issues. I'm not really sure what to do here? IP stack reset? Manually assign DNS? Looking for a few good ideas for when I go over there.

There is no newer network card driver available. BTW - it's an HP 500-205t
It doesn't have any different DNS than the rest of the devices on the network.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[edfair]

Manual IP addressing is my choice based on 4 of 5 machine DCHP failures in a small network over several months. That led to manual DNS addressing. Router was experienced with XP stuff, trouble was only with 7 machines.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[xwb]

Is it one of those things that only happens after the screen saver has cut in? If so check the NIC configuration: make sure it doesn't have "switch off network card to save power" checked. That used to wreak havoc on my network in the Win95/98 days.

Another possibility - is there another card on the network with the same MAC address? I've had that one before as well.

 

[rclarke250]

How is the network configured, home or public or work? What about firewall settings either on router or computer interfering with internet connection? winsock reset....I hate intermittent issues.

 

[goombawaho]

edfair >>> I've never seen any generalized problems with DHCP in small or large networks that would make me avoid it. Windows 7 included. And I use Cisco RV routers where I can manually specify a static ip address in the router if I want to do that vs. at each PC.

xwb >>> Nothing to do with screen saver.

rclarke250 >>> Network configured as WORK. No special firewall settings on router except to allow PPTP to the router itself. Nothing but defaults on the Windows firewall and running M.S.E. so no third party software firewall.

It just seems dumb/intermittent which are the toughest to troubleshoot.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[technome]

Is Pathping showing a high packet loss at any point?
Disable ALL power saving settings temporarily.
Possible bad wire/connection to switch, even if wire pairs/continuity test good.
Since a reboot allows connection, in taskmanager, any services/software ever increasing in memory or handle use?
Any old AOL software (malware of yesteryear) installed (just kidding)
Any chance you have an Intel NIC you could swap in ?... not worth playing with the issue for one affected machine (even if you enjoy the challenge)?

Hate intermittent issues, they can be so time consuming.



........................................
Chernobyl disaster..a must see pictorial

http://www.kiddofspeed.com/default.htm

"Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons."
Popular Mechanics, 1949

 

[goombawaho]

I will ponder these suggestions. It's intermittent but it's happens consistently.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[guitarzan]

You may want to try testing it after a clean boot in safe mode with networking, to rule out some service doing something unexpected.

 

[goombawaho]

So, the problem with that last suggestion: I don't work there (not there all the time) and I can't leave it in a clean boot condition until it acts up. It needs to be in regular mode when I leave.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[IndianaSkinny]

You can ping internal IPs while having the browsing issue but can you ping external IPs?

I have an HP computer (XP) with an HP wireless printer on my network that just gives me fits with my internet connectivity. I have to kill the HP Network Communicator process to get access back. It works fine after a reboot but by the next day I'm ready to bounce something off the floor. It even keeps Outlook from populating web info, pictures, etc. until I kill the process. Never had a problem before I installed the printer on that machine. Thus far, though, I haven't seen a similar issue in my win7 box.

 

[hairlessupportmonkey]

I would look beyond the PC. Its amazing what a firmware upgrade to a router will fix sometimes.

ACSS - SME
General Geek

 

[goombawaho]

I can't recall if I tried to ping web sites by ip address. It's been two months since I was last there and I don't want to go back until I have a good game plan. Can't just show up and shrug my shoulders at the customer - "beats me".

The router was new in March and thus is the latest firmware.
Oops, there is a new one, so that's a possibility. But my problem is not listed in bug fixes. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't update.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[hairlessupportmonkey]

Its defo worth just doing.

ACSS - SME
General Geek

 

[DSummZZZ]

Any idea what IPCONFIG says when it isn't connecting?
Just curious if a release/renew would re-establish a connection without rebooting.


-Dave Summers-

Even more Fox stuff at:

http://www.davesummers.net/foxprolinks.htm

 

[goombawaho]

As I recall, IPCONFIG looks 100% normal. IP address is correct (statically defined on the router), Gateway is correct, DNS is correct.

Release/renew didn't help. I'm going to go over when the problem is happening again and I'll review this post to make sure I tried all these ideas and verified what I thought I had done before.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[kjv1611]

How often, or how do they use their PC? Could you give them a bootable Ubuntu CD, and explain how to use it, and explain to not install it, just use it for a while? If the Ubuntu CD gives no issues the whole time, then we know it's likely a software, not hardware issue, at least. (Yes, I realize there is a HIGH chance that you won't feel safe getting them to use Ubuntu, and if they do any business on it, then changing the OS is not usually an option anyway).

The reason I say using a totally different operating system is that it would absolutely, unquestionably take out ANY software issues. And they might find it fun, who knows. Then again, they might be petrified by the idea. I have some folks I help at times who would be willing to try, but honestly many of them would not even dream of attempting that.

"But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:57

 

[goombawaho]

Well, the plot thickens because their "SERVER" (another windows 7 Pro PC) is also having the same issue. So, I'll have to get over there and check everything starting at the router. Two machines flaking out kind of makes it a higher level issue where the problem lies.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[edfair]

That is how my DHCP issues started with 7, one machine at the beginning, a couple of weeks later another, then a delay till the 3rd, then the 4th. I didn't wait for the last.

It reminded me of a Lantastic problem of long ago where there was an incompatibility between NICs, stuff woule show as available, start the file transfer process, then hang for as long as 45 minutes awaiting sync, then transfer.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[technome]

DHCP issues will do it.
Fondest memories I have had are where clients either mis-repaired broken wires, or added cable runs (no proper CAT testing) , without being honest about it...in most cases, strange, intermittent issues occurred.



........................................
Chernobyl disaster..a must see pictorial

http://www.kiddofspeed.com/default.htm

"Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons."
Popular Mechanics, 1949

 

[goombawaho]

So.................. When I put in the new router (Cisco RV042) I used the old crappy SOHO router as an access point because the Cisco has no wireless. And apparently I left the DHCP ON on the old router. So, clients were getting a different DHCP address from a device that wasn't doing any routing and they didn't know how to get to the internet from it. DHCP off and all is well.

I know I had turned it off when I was there, but I had to turn it on again to make some changes because I couldn't get to it for some reason and forgot to turn off the DHCP for the second time. Dumb. First mistake this year!

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.