XP networking nightmare, help please!

[digitalwanderer]

The full thread about it is here at Elite Bastards, but basically a buddy of mine who ain't the most PC literate got his machine totally hosed/infected and then made it a bit worse by "fixing" it.

It had no network connectivity yesterday, about an hour ago I finally got it to see my network and vice-versa....but it can't see/use my shared internet connection and it should be.

My buddy has the same ISP/router set-up as I do, and they're all on the same workgroup as all mine are since I tend to fix 'em a lot....why ain't it seeing the internet?

 

[mito]

DW,

If a computer is hosed to the point of total chaos, the best alternative is a nice reinstall....... That's my 2 cents.

Good luck.

 

[MY80S]

Could you give us a "network map" ? (what's connected to where)

What are you trying to use in order to share your internet connection? ICS ? A proxy ?

 

[StefanS]

It had no network connectivity yesterday, about an hour ago I finally got it to see my network and vice-versa....but it can't see/use my shared internet connection and it should be.

My buddy has the same ISP/router set-up as I do, and they're all on the same workgroup as all mine are since I tend to fix 'em a lot....why ain't it seeing the internet?

Try this one
Windows Network Problem Solver is the best site out there if you're having WinXP network problems (the form work only in IE, though). Just fill in the form and go through the suggested answers. It solved one of my networking problems.

EDIT: Oops i forgot:
Try http://www.ethereal.com/ It is freeware tool that can create complete network traffic logs, which is pretty helpful for solving network problems. E.g.: You'd see if your DNS is working or not etc., where your pings go etc...

 

[digitalwanderer]

Sorry for the lack of set-up explanation; I have a 4-port DSL/router that my 4 PCs are connected to all set to auto-config and it works spiffy. My friend has the same 4-port DSL/router and service and I've had no trouble with their other two machines coming over and joining in on my network. (I unplug either Blue or Bubbles and let 'em tie in thru that connection, Bubbles also has her own lil cable modem so she doesn't mind being off the DSL network for a while. )

I couldn't find my bloody XP CD to boot up and try and repair/re-install his, so I just downloaded an ISO and made one. (Wow, an actual legit use of file-sharing for me! )

 

[MY80S]

Hm, did you try manually setting the default getway ip on your friend's computers to the ip of your router ? ( Of course, this could cause problems when they try to connect to the internet with their own router, but switching to DHCP should solve them, assuming it's enabled on their router )

 

[digitalwanderer]

Yup, I really did throw every trick in the book at it and just gave up in disgust and re-installed XP this morning.

It needed it anyway, the guy was a newbie to file-sharing and downloaded soooo much spyware/viri crap that it wouldn't even have been worth it if I could get it working....better to start fresh now that me friend is a bit more edumacated about what to and not to do with strange files.

 

[digitalwanderer]

Happy-happy, joy-joy!

It had a dual 98se/XP set-up on it so I just wiped out the C: and did a fresh XP install on it and everything is working great. I've been stealing/importing/pillaging his old XP install to get his PC to look/feel the way he had it, but with some serious security differences and additions.

My daughter is going nuts hitting all her fave sites on it, which is making me add all the additional plug-ins and such; and later I plan on doing some severely stupid style porn browsing going nuts with adblocker to see if that won't help prevent future mishaps.

Oh, and I changed the target of his IE shortcut to FireFox so even if he falls to temptation it won't work.

Gads I hate IE!