New installatio woes - network adaptor error

[BigBadKev]

It's almost a shame that I've found this forum as it means theres a lot of people having problems with NTL broadband ......

I have a problem. I had a new install yesterday of a 600k broadband, stand alone modem. And it doesn't work. I've searched around here, and found other problems similar to mine, but not quite the same. Basically, I'm running winXP Pro, brand new network card. My PC meets all the required specs. However, when running through the install I get the same "Network Adaptor Error" that others are getting - but I know it's not the network card as that is working fine. NTL are saying they can see my modem is working (how?) and a friend of mine "who knows about these things " says my computer is talking to the modem (he did something with 192.168.0.1 / 2 and gateways, but I'm a software guy not hardware).

I dont seem to be able to release my IP address from being 169 when it's connected to the modem.

Is there anything I can look at? NTL are saying the problem is my operating system (in other words, they've got less of an idea than I have). I am connecting through ethernet, but got the same results with USB (though interestingly it recognised a cable modem, which gives me some more ammo when I suggest that my problem is NOT particularly with me).

Any pointers would be very gratefully received from someone who is feeling a little depressed right now

[Stuartbe]

Originally Posted by BigBadKev

It's almost a shame that I've found this forum as it means theres a lot of people having problems with NTL broadband ......

I have a problem. I had a new install yesterday of a 600k broadband, stand alone modem. And it doesn't work. I've searched around here, and found other problems similar to mine, but not quite the same. Basically, I'm running winXP Pro, brand new network card. My PC meets all the required specs. However, when running through the install I get the same "Network Adaptor Error" that others are getting - but I know it's not the network card as that is working fine. NTL are saying they can see my modem is working (how?) and a friend of mine "who knows about these things " says my computer is talking to the modem (he did something with 192.168.0.1 / 2 and gateways, but I'm a software guy not hardware).

I dont seem to be able to release my IP address from being 169 when it's connected to the modem.

Is there anything I can look at? NTL are saying the problem is my operating system (in other words, they've got less of an idea than I have). I am connecting through ethernet, but got the same results with USB (though interestingly it recognised a cable modem, which gives me some more ammo when I suggest that my problem is NOT particularly with me).

Any pointers would be very gratefully received from someone who is feeling a little depressed right now

Hi m8 and to the site

Have a look at this thread - http://forum.nthellworld.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7603

It details the install proccess

HTH

[BigBadKev]

Trouble is I cant seem to get past the ip release / renew process

(but thanks for the welcome )

Is your pc connected direct to the CM ? Do you have any software firewalls installed and running - or the built-in XP firewall running ? It sounds like something is blocking your dhcp requests and so the OS is giving you a default 169.254.x.x address instead.

[BigBadKev]

Originally Posted by pem

Is your pc connected direct to the CM ? Do you have any software firewalls installed and running - or the built-in XP firewall running ? It sounds like something is blocking your dhcp requests and so the OS is giving you a default 169.254.x.x address instead.

Yes, connected directly (I thought I'd leave the wireless router alone until I got the connection working). I dont *believe* I have any firewall up and running - when I look at the connection in Network Places it certainly doesn't indicate a firewall. What else could be blocking the dhcp requests, as I think that may be the issue.

[Stuartbe]

Originally Posted by BigBadKev

Yes, connected directly (I thought I'd leave the wireless router alone until I got the connection working). I dont *believe* I have any firewall up and running - when I look at the connection in Network Places it certainly doesn't indicate a firewall. What else could be blocking the dhcp requests, as I think that may be the issue.

Check the properties of the connection again. There is a small tick box marked £ use the windows xp firewall for this connection " (or something like that) make sure that it is not ticked.

BTW - are the sync and rdy lights on the modem lit ?

[Ben]

Hiya,

Have you checked the XP firewall? Possible it could be causing an issue with picking up an address?

[BigBadKev]

I will check the properties (the wife will when she gets back from the shops ).

But yes, the lights on the modem show stable lights for sync and rdy/

[quadplay]

ntl techs can see that the modem is online, even without it being connected to your PC, because it is a seperate piece of hardware, with its own unique address. If this address is registered on your local server (known as a UBR or CMTS), then the modem can be found and it will report as online/offline/ranging/whatever. In the case that it is online (as suggested by the ntl tech and by the fact that the SYNC and RDY lights are solid), it is most likely to be a problem with your PC. It is possible that the local DHCP server has run out of pre-registration IP addresses, but it is unlikely that the problem would have lasted this long.

You say that you are getting a 169.254.x.x IP address both through Ethernet and USB. This means, as you say, that it is unlikely to be a problem with your Ethernet card, and means it is almost certainly an Operating System issue. If you open a command prompt window (Click on Start, then Run, and enter cmd, then click OK) and enter ipconfig /release followed by ipconfig /renew, you should get one of two messages:

• Unable to contact DHCP server, or
• An operation was attempted on something that is not a socket

The first means that for some reason, your PC cannot communicate with the DHCP server. This could be a corruption in the Windows network stack - try typing into the command prompt window netsh int ip reset reset.log, then reboot the PC and see if you have an IP address then. If not, then some more detailed jiggery-pokery might be required to get your network connection working again. Alternatively, it's not impossible that the Cable Modem could be faulty - but it's unlikey to be online if that's the case. You could try getting ntl to replace it, but be aware that if they test the modem (at your premises, not remotely) and find that it is not at fault, you are liable to pay a call-out charge which could be up to £100 in some areas.

The second error means that there is definately a corruption in your Windows Network Stack, and you will need to reset this to be able to connect to the Internet. This is very often caused by uninstalling Internet/networking software incorrectly. Have you ever had a firewall (especially McAfee) on this PC, and perhaps removed it? That can be a common cause of this particular error. More information on that particular issue, and how to fix it, can be found at the Microsoft Support site. Be aware, however, that this does not always fix the problem, because it depends on exactly what is at the root of it.

Hope this helps!
Jimbo.

[BigBadKev]

thankyou thankyou thankyou thankyou thankyou jimbo!

Guess what - it works!!! It ended up being McAfee virus scanner that was preventing it from releasing, but it was the hint you gave me that led us to that end.

Many many thanks

[quadplay]

Only just returned to this thread - but I'm glad to know you got it sorted! Just goes to show not all ntl techs are incompetent.