network configuration

My '98 machine's wireless adaptor seems to be working - three different
networks it connects to (ones I legitimately have access to): its
connected lights come on at good signal strength (in two of the cases
the router is only yards away), and its utility on screen says it is
connected. But I can't connect to websites or ping.

I thought, Oh well, the wireless adapter has died in some way. But this
morning I dug out an old ethernet card (the machine is a laptop) and
made a wired connection to a router; the little lights on the card blink
away when the cable is plugged in, but still no joy.

I'm wondering if I - somehow, I can't think how - have scrambled some
setting in networking: I remember there are settings to do with TCP/IP,
bindings, and so on, that were a pain to set up in the first place.

What should they be set to - or a website with these answers? (I'm on my
XP machine so can look.) The websites I found were all for specific
providers, such as university/college networks, which involved putting
specific names into parts of the TCP setup.

I suspect the problem is something trivial.

It'd be nice to keep the old machine going! I only use it for a bit of
occasional web access.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Never try to teach a pig how to sing. It is a waste of time and it annoys the
pig.

On 09/02/2012 04:48 AM, J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
My '98 machine's wireless adaptor seems to be working - three different
networks it connects to (ones I legitimately have access to): its
connected lights come on at good signal strength (in two of the cases
the router is only yards away), and its utility on screen says it is
connected. But I can't connect to websites or ping.

I thought, Oh well, the wireless adapter has died in some way. But this
morning I dug out an old ethernet card (the machine is a laptop) and
made a wired connection to a router; the little lights on the card blink
away when the cable is plugged in, but still no joy.

I'm wondering if I - somehow, I can't think how - have scrambled some
setting in networking: I remember there are settings to do with TCP/IP,
bindings, and so on, that were a pain to set up in the first place.


Back when I used win98, to network the machine I simply left it with all
default settings.

I'd put my system back to it's original defaults

What should they be set to - or a website with these answers? (I'm on my
XP machine so can look.) The websites I found were all for specific
providers, such as university/college networks, which involved putting
specific names into parts of the TCP setup.

I suspect the problem is something trivial.

It'd be nice to keep the old machine going! I only use it for a bit of
occasional web access.


--
https://www.createspace.com/3707686

"J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote:

I'm wondering if I - somehow, I can't think how - have scrambled
some setting in networking:

Networking settings are dead simple to setup.

I would guess that your gateway setting is the problem.

- Right-click on network neighborhood desktop icon
- you should see "client for microsoft networks" in configuration
tab. If you don't see that, click "add" and add it.
- Primary Network Logon should be set to "Windows Logon".
- you should also see TCP/IP. If you don't see it, add it.
- Click the Identification tab. You *might* have to enter some
info here for your networking connections operate better.
Enter any junk you want for "computer name, description".

You should see one (or more) network-connection interfaces show up in
this list. If your computer has both a wired ethernet port and wifi
radio, they will show up on their own line. Look at the properties for
each one and make sure that under the Bindings tab, that the "TCP/IP"
box is checked. There is a Driver Type tab, and hopefully the "Enhanced
mode" option is already selected.

Under properties for TCP/IP:

Bindings tab:
- Client for Microsoft Networks gets a check.

DNS Configuration tab:
- Enable DNS (yes)
- Host (put what-ever you want)
- Domain (leave blank)
- DNS Server search order:
if you have an IP addresses listed here, write them down for
possible future use and then remove all of them.
Enter 4.2.2.2 as the only listed DNS server.
- Domain Suffix search order (leave blank)

IP Address tab:

Now this is where you have a choice. If your network wifi or hard-wired
router has it's DHCP server turned on, then you can select "Obtain an IP
address automatically".

Most people will have a modem (either cable or DSL) and the modem will
either have a few ports on it (maybe 4) and the modem might also have
integrated wifi. Or the modem will be hard-connected (wired) to an
external router, and the router will also have integrated wifi. In any
of those cases, the "Obtain an IP address automatically" should be fine.

But if you have a wifi access point (a small router with wifi) connected
to your modem or hard-wired primary router, things can get tricky as
you've essentially got a network sub-netted off your primary network.
Just be aware of that.

If, for what-ever reason, you choose to NOT use the "obtain an IP
address automatically" option (ie - for port-forwarding reasons, bit
torrent, etc) then

- IP address must match (ie - be part of) the subnet being used by
your router. Your gateway will tell you what that is.

- Subnet mask: Usually universally set to 255.255.255.0, but I
use 255.255.0.0.

Gateway:

This is the setting responsible for most connectivity problems.

Most home/soho routers are set to operate on these default subnets:

192.168.0.0
192.168.1.0
192.168.2.0

And the routers themselves will have these corresponding default IP
addresses:

192.168.0.1
192.168.1.1
192.168.2.1

Set the Gateway IP to match what you know to be the default IP address
for the router that you know your machine is connecting to.

If I've not mentioned any other tabs or settings under TCP/IP, you can
ignore them (default values are fine).

Reboot the computer after making any changes.

You will know that you have a working internet connection if you can
ping the IP address that you entered for your Gateway setting. In
otherwords, you should be able to ping the gateway IP address (unless
for some reason your router is not pingable from the lan side -
something I've never seen before).

The final connectivity test is if you can ping 4.2.2.2 (which, for all
intents and purposes, can be considered a public DNS server).

If you can't ping 4.2.2.2, then you don't have a functioning internet
connection.

In message , 98 Guy writes:
"J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote:

I'm wondering if I - somehow, I can't think how - have scrambled
some setting in networking:

Networking settings are dead simple to setup.

Thanks for coming back. I thought they should be!

I would guess that your gateway setting is the problem.

- Right-click on network neighborhood desktop icon

Well, I get there from Control Panel | Network, but it's the same list.

- you should see "client for microsoft networks" in configuration
tab. If you don't see that, click "add" and add it.

I do. Under its Properties is only one tab General, which has Log on to
NT not checked.

- Primary Network Logon should be set to "Windows Logon".

Hmm. It was set to Client for Microsoft Networks, but just changing that
(and doing the restart that was then demanded) didn't clear the problem.

- you should also see TCP/IP. If you don't see it, add it.

I take it you mean in the list that has Client for Microsoft Networks at
its top. I do have TCP/IP there several times - one for each device
(such as the wifi and the ethernet card).

- Click the Identification tab. You *might* have to enter some
info here for your networking connections operate better.

I do have something in each field there.

Enter any junk you want for "computer name, description".

You should see one (or more) network-connection interfaces show up in
this list. If your computer has both a wired ethernet port and wifi

Same list again, I resume; yes, both appear there, with the "Adapter"
icon by them.

radio, they will show up on their own line. Look at the properties for
each one and make sure that under the Bindings tab, that the "TCP/IP"
box is checked. There is a Driver Type tab, and hopefully the "Enhanced

It is ...

mode" option is already selected.

.... and it is.

Under properties for TCP/IP:

Bindings tab:
- Client for Microsoft Networks gets a check.

DNS Configuration tab:
- Enable DNS (yes)

That wasn't checked so I checked it.

- Host (put what-ever you want)

I just put
X
in that box.

- Domain (leave blank)
- DNS Server search order:
if you have an IP addresses listed here, write them down for
possible future use and then remove all of them.
(I didn't.)
Enter 4.2.2.2 as the only listed DNS server.
- Domain Suffix search order (leave blank)
Done.

The above changes, when made for one of the TCP/IP entries in the list,
appeared for the other one.

IP Address tab:

Now this is where you have a choice. If your network wifi or hard-wired
router has it's DHCP server turned on, then you can select "Obtain an IP
address automatically".

That's what I have selected.

Most people will have a modem (either cable or DSL) and the modem will
either have a few ports on it (maybe 4) and the modem might also have
integrated wifi. Or the modem will be hard-connected (wired) to an

The ones I've tried so far (and the one where I am at the moment) is of
that type: box connected to the telephone line that has four ethernet
ports and also provides wifi.

external router, and the router will also have integrated wifi. In any
of those cases, the "Obtain an IP address automatically" should be fine.
[]
Gateway:

This is the setting responsible for most connectivity problems.

Most home/soho routers are set to operate on these default subnets:

192.168.0.0
192.168.1.0
192.168.2.0

And the routers themselves will have these corresponding default IP
addresses:

192.168.0.1
192.168.1.1
192.168.2.1

Set the Gateway IP to match what you know to be the default IP address
for the router that you know your machine is connecting to.

A sticker on the back of the router says 192.168.1.1, so I've added that
and it has appeared under Installed gateways.

If I've not mentioned any other tabs or settings under TCP/IP, you can
ignore them (default values are fine).

Reboot the computer after making any changes.

Done.

You will know that you have a working internet connection if you can
ping the IP address that you entered for your Gateway setting. In
otherwords, you should be able to ping the gateway IP address (unless
for some reason your router is not pingable from the lan side -
something I've never seen before).

Pinging 192.168.1.1 says it is unreachable.

The final connectivity test is if you can ping 4.2.2.2 (which, for all
intents and purposes, can be considered a public DNS server).
(Who provides it?)

If you can't ping 4.2.2.2, then you don't have a functioning internet
connection.

I can't.

Thanks for your time; I'm just puzzled how I could have changed what was
working! (And I don't _remember_ having to set up that Gateway tab, or
the DNS configuration one, last time I got it working.)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

782.55 - The Number of The Beast (including VAT)

"J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote:

You will know that you have a working internet connection if you
can ping the IP address that you entered for your Gateway setting.
In otherwords, you should be able to ping the gateway IP address

Pinging 192.168.1.1 says it is unreachable.

Open a DOS window and enter the command "ipconfig".

See what IP address has been assigned to your computer's network
interface.

If your router is operating on the 192.168.1.0 subnet, then your
computer should have been assigned the ip address of 192.168.1.x, where
X can be any number from 2 to 254 (but most likely X will be 100 to
254).

If your IP address appears to be "0.0.0.0" then your computer has not
negotiated a proper DHCP session and it did not obtain an IP address.

So for you, plan B would be to remove the check-box for "Obtain an IP
address automatically" and instead enter a hard-coded IP address. Which
in your case would be:

192.168.1.N, where N is a number of your choice - but should NOT be a
number in current use on your network. So pick a random number between
200 and 250 for N. And don't forget to set your gateway to 192.168.1.1.

The final connectivity test is if you can ping 4.2.2.2 (which,
for all intents and purposes, can be considered a public DNS
server).

(Who provides it?)

GTE at one time.

I've been using 4.2.2.2 for many years. A good explanation of the
history of that server can be found he

http://www.tummy.com/Community/Artic...us-dns-server/

I don't happen to be using 4.2.2.2 at the moment, because I've chosen to
use faster servers (based on the DNSBench.exe program written by Steve
Gibson - of Gibson Research fame.

In message , 98 Guy writes:
"J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote:

You will know that you have a working internet connection if you
can ping the IP address that you entered for your Gateway setting.
In otherwords, you should be able to ping the gateway IP address

Pinging 192.168.1.1 says it is unreachable.

Open a DOS window and enter the command "ipconfig".

See what IP address has been assigned to your computer's network
interface.

If your router is operating on the 192.168.1.0 subnet, then your
computer should have been assigned the ip address of 192.168.1.x, where
X can be any number from 2 to 254 (but most likely X will be 100 to
254).

If your IP address appears to be "0.0.0.0" then your computer has not
negotiated a proper DHCP session and it did not obtain an IP address.

It shows 3 ethernet adaptors - presumably wire, wireless, and dial-up
(or dialup, wifi, and wired). Adapter 0 shows IP address 0.0.0.0 (and
subnet mask ditto); 1 shows IP 169.254.218.111, and 2 shows
169.254.122.128, both with subnet mask 255.255.0.0, and all 3 with
default gateway of blank. Pinging 4.2.2.2 doesn't succeed.

So for you, plan B would be to remove the check-box for "Obtain an IP
address automatically" and instead enter a hard-coded IP address. Which
in your case would be:

192.168.1.N, where N is a number of your choice - but should NOT be a
number in current use on your network. So pick a random number between
200 and 250 for N. And don't forget to set your gateway to 192.168.1.1.

1. I'm sure I didn't have to do this when I first got it working!
2. Doesn't that tie me to the one router (or at least with routers with
that one setting)?

But done anyway ...

Now ipconfig shows adapters 0 and 2 as above, but adapter 1 as
192.168.1.200 (which is what I set), and subnet mask 255.255.255.0
(which is what has appeared in the relevant TCP/IP properties box,
though I didn't enter it).

The final connectivity test is if you can ping 4.2.2.2 (which,

Still no joy (nor pinging 192.168.1.1).

for all intents and purposes, can be considered a public DNS
server).

(Who provides it?)

GTE at one time.

I've been using 4.2.2.2 for many years. A good explanation of the
history of that server can be found he

http://www.tummy.com/Community/Artic...us-dns-server/

Thanks, interesting. [Though should I be using 8.8.8.8 (-:?]
[]
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

"To YOU I'm an atheist; to God, I'm the Loyal Opposition." - Woody Allen

"J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote:

Pinging 192.168.1.1 says it is unreachable.

Open a DOS window and enter the command "ipconfig".

See what IP address has been assigned to your computer's network
interface.

It shows 3 ethernet adaptors - presumably wire, wireless,
and dial-up (or dialup, wifi, and wired). Adapter 0 shows
IP address 0.0.0.0 (and subnet mask ditto);
1 shows IP 169.254.218.111, and 2 shows
169.254.122.128, both with subnet mask 255.255.0.0,
and all 3 with default gateway of blank.
Pinging 4.2.2.2 doesn't succeed.

Any adapter showing 169.254.x.x as it's IP address has been set to
"obtain an IP address automatically" - and that process has failed. So
those adapters will not be giving you any internet connectivity.

So for you, plan B would be to remove the check-box for
"Obtain an IP address automatically" and instead enter a
hard-coded IP address. Which in your case would be:

192.168.1.N, where N is a number of your choice - but should NOT
be a number in current use on your network. So pick a random
number between 200 and 250 for N. And don't forget to set your
gateway to 192.168.1.1.

1. I'm sure I didn't have to do this when I first got it working!

Well, something is wrong and none of the adapters is connecting to the
DHCP server on your network - OR the DHCP service on your network (most
likely inside your modem/router) is not enabled.

2. Doesn't that tie me to the one router (or at least with routers
with that one setting)?

If you hard-code your IP address and gateway like that, then yes it
usually means that connecting to other wifi networks will be
problematic.

But I question why you are using any "portable" computer running windows
98. It's been my experience that any portable computer that is running
windows 98 is a computer that I wouldn't want to lug around for any
mobile computing tasks.

Set the TCP/IP properties of ALL of your interfaces to fixed IP and
gateway addresses as described in Plan B above. Then run ipconfig and
post the results.

On your XP machine, run ipconfig and report it's results (at least we
know it is working and can connect to the internet). The information
you get will probably tell us something to solve this.

Still no joy (nor pinging 192.168.1.1).

Your router is probably not set to 192.168.1.0 subnet then. Running
ipconfig on your XP machine will tell us what subnet it's been set to.

I've been using 4.2.2.2 for many years.

Thanks, interesting. [Though should I be using 8.8.8.8 (-:?]

I wouldn't.

8.8.8.8 is operated by google.

Anyone using google's DNS server is telling google what web-sites they
browse to.

In message , 98 Guy writes:
[]
Well, something is wrong and none of the adapters is connecting to the
DHCP server on your network - OR the DHCP service on your network (most
likely inside your modem/router) is not enabled.

My XP machine, and the three computers (2 XP 1 7) owned by the people
whose home I'm staying in, all connect to the web no problem via it.
[]
But I question why you are using any "portable" computer running windows
98. It's been my experience that any portable computer that is running
windows 98 is a computer that I wouldn't want to lug around for any
mobile computing tasks.

Agreed, and I don't use the fact that it's portable much (though despite
its weight, it's still lighter and more portable than a
desktop-plus-monitor would be!).

Set the TCP/IP properties of ALL of your interfaces to fixed IP and
gateway addresses as described in Plan B above. Then run ipconfig and
post the results.

0 Ethernet adapter:
IP Address: 0.0.0.0
Subnet Mask: 0.0.0.0
Default gateway: (yes, blank)
1 Ethernet adapter:
IP Address: 192.168.1.200 (what I set it to)
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default gateway:192.168.1.1
2 Ethernet adapter?
IP Address: 192.168.1.202 (what I set it to)
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default gateway: (blank again)

On your XP machine, run ipconfig and report it's results (at least we
know it is working and can connect to the internet). The information
you get will probably tell us something to solve this.

LAN: Media disconnected (which is correct)

Wireless: IP address 192.168.1.8; subnet 255.255.255.0; IP address
lots of hex numbers; default gateway 192.168.1.1

Still no joy (nor pinging 192.168.1.1).

Your router is probably not set to 192.168.1.0 subnet then. Running
ipconfig on your XP machine will tell us what subnet it's been set to.

I've been using 4.2.2.2 for many years.

Thanks, interesting. [Though should I be using 8.8.8.8 (-:?]

I wouldn't.

8.8.8.8 is operated by google.

Anyone using google's DNS server is telling google what web-sites they
browse to.

Sounds sound.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Dailysex, or is it spelled dyslexia, rules KO! (Dr[.] J.[ ]B.[ ]Davis)

"J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote:

Set the TCP/IP properties of ALL of your interfaces to fixed IP
and gateway addresses as described in Plan B above. Then run
ipconfig and post the results.

0 Ethernet adapter:
IP Address: 0.0.0.0
Subnet Mask: 0.0.0.0
Default gateway: (yes, blank)
1 Ethernet adapter:
IP Address: 192.168.1.200 (what I set it to)
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default gateway:192.168.1.1
2 Ethernet adapter?
IP Address: 192.168.1.202 (what I set it to)
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default gateway: (blank again)

Ethernet adapter 0 is set to 0.0.0.0, with no gateway set. If this is
the dial-up modem adapter, then you can ignore it.

Adapter 2 has nothing for the gateway.

Neither of those adapters will give you connectivity with those
settings. Why aren't you adjusting the TCP/IP settings for those
adapters as described previously?

What adapter (0,1 and 2) is associated with what interface (dial-up,
ethernet, wifi) ?

Does your win-98 laptop have a wired ethernet port? Is that the port
you're using? If not - I suggest you try it.

If you're trying to use some sort of wifi interface on your win-98
laptop, I can't help you because I have zero experience with using a
wifi interface on win-98. I would think that just like XP, you have to
enter some extra passwords somewhere in order to connect to your wifi
router.

In message , 98 Guy writes:
"J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote:

Set the TCP/IP properties of ALL of your interfaces to fixed IP
and gateway addresses as described in Plan B above. Then run
ipconfig and post the results.

0 Ethernet adapter:
IP Address: 0.0.0.0
Subnet Mask: 0.0.0.0
Default gateway: (yes, blank)
1 Ethernet adapter:
IP Address: 192.168.1.200 (what I set it to)
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default gateway:192.168.1.1
2 Ethernet adapter?
IP Address: 192.168.1.202 (what I set it to)
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default gateway: (blank again)

Ethernet adapter 0 is set to 0.0.0.0, with no gateway set. If this is
the dial-up modem adapter, then you can ignore it.

I think it is.

Adapter 2 has nothing for the gateway.

Neither of those adapters will give you connectivity with those
settings. Why aren't you adjusting the TCP/IP settings for those
adapters as described previously?

I have now (a) set the gateway for adapter 2 to the same as for 1 (and
it's showing as such in ipconfig), and ...

What adapter (0,1 and 2) is associated with what interface (dial-up,
ethernet, wifi) ?

I _think_ dialup, wifi, and wired.

Does your win-98 laptop have a wired ethernet port? Is that the port
you're using? If not - I suggest you try it.

.... (b) wired it. (I hadn't been because the only long enough cable was
in use, but I've now "borrowed" it anyway.)

If you're trying to use some sort of wifi interface on your win-98
laptop, I can't help you because I have zero experience with using a
wifi interface on win-98. I would think that just like XP, you have to
enter some extra passwords somewhere in order to connect to your wifi
router.
I did, and (i) the wifi adapter now shows connected lights, (ii) its
driver software shows it's connected.

I. e. "adapters" 1 and 2 both show IP address of 192.168.1.20x (x=0 and
2), subnet of 255.255.255.0, and gateway of 192.168.1.1 .

Still no success (timed out") pinging 4.2.2.2 or 192.168.1.1.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

"... four Oscars, and two further nominations ... On these criteria, he's
Britain's most successful film director." Powell or Pressburger? no; Richard
Attenborough? no; Nick Park!