broadband connection problem

[Shadow]

I know very little about connection problems, so maybe somebody can help me. I'd be nice to do school work from my pc instead of the family computer. Anyhow...

We have a motorla SURFboard cable modem. We have a broadband internet connection which is advertised at 256K. The modem software is properly installed onto the family pc, and I am currently sending this message from the family pc. The digital, coaxial cable runs into the back of the modem, then the modem plugs into the family PC via usb. My computer, is hooked into a LAN output jack, in which the cord runs directly from the back of the modem, throughout the house via a 50 foot lan cord, into the back of my computer going into my motherboard's onboard LAN. Both computers use the same modem. This has worked flawlessly and effortlessly ever since I built my pc.

The LAN, and motherboard drivers for my pc are installed properly, and up-to-date. Not only that, but the connection is active, so-to-speak. I can uninstall the network adapter, then when I goto the networking performance tab on system properties with Windows XP it shows that no adapter is found. So, the drivers get reinstalled, and then the networking performance tab has the typical chart and shows the connection as operational. I can also unhook my cable from the back of the modem by the family pc, then my computer will say a local area network cable is unplugged.

However, I cannot get anything that connects to the internet to load at all. I get DNS errors, p2p file tranfer progs won't connect and outlook tries to receive messages forever.

It shows that it's active, but it won't receive anything or "work." The kicker is, it worked like 2 days ago, perfectly. All I did was shut my computer off for the night, then tried to use it the next day, and have been observing this problem ever since. I didn't change a dang thing and I make sure to show profenciency in system software.

Shoot, when my dad brings a laptop home from school which has onboard LAN, he does the same thing I usually do. He plugs the output jack on the modem into the LAN jack on the laptop and instant internet.

Any ideas why mine is being stubborn?

[RoD]

any kind of firewall? If so, try shutting it off, or if its xp's, disable it. Other than that i'll have to think. you might try making a new connection by a new name and running thru setup.

[Shadow]

I run no firewalls due to file transfer complications with messengers. Besides that, I'm cautious.

Also, my internet connection on both computers - mine, and the family pc, is up to about number 7 by now.

[zornthrohacker]

I get the same sort of errors sometimes and fix them by...

<<First I restart the modem, if that dosn't work I restart my computer with everyithing attached, that allways works for me>>

If that dosn't work thoe, I would see if the network itself works (ping.. more uses then just hacking). If that's the case give me info and I'll try to help you from there...

[Shadow]

Restarting modem, and pc along with pinging an IP does not work.

The hardware is operational, there's just a mix up in data transmission somehow.

[Hammer]

Run command ipconfig /all in a dos window. Does it give you any clues? (Trying comparing its output to the same command on a working PC)

Have you tried ipconfig /release followed by ipconfig /renew

[Shadow]

release/renew wouldn't work, and for ipconfig /all - my computer spits out half the information the family pc does(this pc/family pc is internet-working)

[face_master]

I have the same modem. Have you tried using it through ethernet? Ive heard that using it though USB is much slower.

[Shadow]

Well, my pc has an ethernet card, and my parents computer doesn't have one.

We still max out, and go beyond the advertised connection speed for our plan though, so it seems to work.

USB is a fast connection..

[Shadow]

Just a followup:
My dad brought the laptop home from school for troubleshooting because it has a perfectly fine LAN. Well, that didn't work still. Do, we weren't sure if it was the cable, or the output jack on the modem. Well, our other cable modem wouldn't even work(I was in a rush anyhow to figure it out).

While I was gone, trying to meet with an instructor at my school, my dad hooked up the Motorola again, and then unplugged every possible thing that would make the internet work on both computes. LAN cords, USB cords, power cords, you name it. He then ran all over hooking everything back up. Laptop, family computer, and my computer all loaded google instantly.

Problem solved.