Need Computer/Network Expert

Hank_Scorpio

I am not new to computers. I consider myself fairly proficient. But I have a problem regarding a network.

There are 2 computers on the network.The first computer has Windows 2000 on it and runs the broadband modem via usb from there. The second computer has a ethernet cable attached to the 1st computer to use the internet. The internet works ok on both computers. Except on computer 2 I cannot access sites such as www.aib.ie, www.msn.com, www.windows.com, www.hotmail.com and various others. I know computer 2 can access these sites when connected to a different network. So I am thinking that computer 1 is the problem. Also when I look at the page info and the security cert says that it is SSL and that the information could not of been read over the network ***or something like that*** (anyone who knows computers will know what i'm talking about... hopefully). SSL 2 SSL3 and TLS 1 are switched on both computers. Enable Java and Enable Javascript are both enabled.

Both computers are running Norton Systemworks, firewall and anti-virus.

Well computer 1 can see these sites, computer 2 can't.

Any questions or suggestions are welcome. I am at a loss

Thanking people in advance.

MrPinK

Could be a MTU problem. Try setting the MTU on PC#2 to 1492, as described here

garred

I'd say its the firewall. Temporary disable it on both stations and try those pages.

Hank_Scorpio

No joy there lads. Thanks though guys.

Anyone else got any ideas?

Baz_

If you can get the broadband to work through a router, you might have to buy one first of course, I would say all your troubles would go away.

Obviously not an immediate solution, but more than likely a complete one.

Hank_Scorpio

Broadband is on a router.

Baz_

Hank_Scorpio wrote:

The first computer has Windows 2000 on it and runs the broadband modem via usb from there. The second computer has a ethernet cable attached to the 1st computer to use the internet.

Got confused by this.

I mean broadband comes into home -> into router -> router has two ethernet cables, one for each computer.

I would be willing to bet that the daisychaining setup is what is causing the problems. Not saying that they can't be overcome in the daisychaining setup, just seems like more trouble than its worth tbh.

Hank_Scorpio

Problem was there before router. Router set up the way the manual says and doesn't work with other combinations. Basically one day it was working fine and the next day nothing.

Baz_

Are you daisychained or not?

paddy

Who is your broadband with and what make modem+/router are you using.

Laguna

Have the protocols on the 2nd dodgy PC become phukked?. Uninstall and reinstall all TCP-IP protocols for the network card on the second PC, maybe IP Version 6 is installed on the 2nd PC, which would quite understandably confuse the network issue.

jim_bob

check computer 2 for a virus also check the hosts file
had a problem like this before and norton didn't pick up certain virus's but stinger pick it up get stinger and run it

http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/

garred

Hank, connect the two directly into the router to avoid the daisy-chain(persume this is givin DHCP settings) using the 2 rj45 ports. If you don't have two drop leads let me know and I post you out 2.
On that note what way is the IP configured.

Hank_Scorpio

Ok guys, a lot of suggestions none which of have worked.

The problem is definitely on the 1st pc. I know this because today I hooked up a laptop to the broadband router. Got full internet access to each computer on the network. Even my PSP was able to access the sites and wasn't able to before.

Problem lies in the 1st pc!

So what can I do to rectify this, or is it simply that Windows 2000 hasn't been kept up to date with new network protocols? Say for example that 2nd Pc (Windows XP) updates Network Protocols. 1st PC (Windows 2000) has no new network protocols (maybe they discontinued the updates for that system I don't know).

Anyone got suggestions for 1st PC please?

Laguna

For the risk of sounding a smart arse, why don't you just put XP on the 1st machine, that way if there's still trouble, it's been narrowed down to a hardware issue. When setting up PC 1's net connection, did you tell the wizard to let computers on the network access the net through this pc?, if you did, that's messy, just use the router as the internet gateway, I hate daisy-chaining networks!

Baz_

Laguna wrote:

For the risk of sounding a smart arse, why don't you just put XP on the 1st machine, that way if there's still trouble, it's been narrowed down to a hardware issue.

1. I don't think you are correct there. Necessarily.
2. Its way overkill.

There are a lot of alternatives to be tried before even considering that path...

Oh and Hank, it's been said a number of times now, and you still don't seem to have taken it on board.

Stop Daisychaining!

Jaeger

Is he even daisychaining? He would need to have 2 network cards on PC1, and he hasn't even mentioned having two.

If you're daisychaining then why? Forget it, swap your crossover cable for a straight ethernet and connect PC2 directly to the router.

And that really does sound like a secure site/MTU issue. That's all those sites have in common.

Baz_

Hank_Scorpio wrote:

The first computer has Windows 2000 on it and runs the broadband modem via usb from there. The second computer has a ethernet cable attached to the 1st computer to use the internet.

I don't think I'm going out on a limb here to assume he does, but you're right, he makes no mention of having two network cards (in the same pc anyway).

Jaeger

Oops :}

daisychaining is still a silly idea </broken record>

Sparky

youd be better off using the rj45 ports on your router, i heard 2 ports mentioned on the router but if theres only one, you can buy a small 10/100 network switch and 3 ethernet patch leads.(or 2 long ethernet cables if you want some slack)
It will also save on having pc1 on for pc2's net connection to work.

if your on DSL id recommend to get a linksys wag54g, as this contains a dsl modem, router, wireless router and 4 port switch all in one box, and linksys routers age quick at managing computer connection, mines the center of 5 networked computers 3 wired 2 wireless, and not one slowness.

Sysiphus

Hank,

two things, buy a mini switch, connect it to your router, connect your two pc's to the swich, allow the router to provide dhcp and dns for both.

But, before you do that, try pinging the ip (not the qualified name) of the site you can't connect to from both pc's, if you get a reply from pc 1 & 2, then stick a host entry in (if you don't want to buy the swich) as it's a simple dns issue. If, however you get a reply from pc 1 but not pc 2 (the xp machine), hmm, check the xp firewallm, the 2000 modem sharing (if this is what your using), try a cheap and nasty free proxy server (if you don;'t want to buy a switch!!!! €40!!!)

Hank_Scorpio

Ok guys a lot of ideas, a lot tried and tested no success.

It's a toughie to think about if you're sitting in front of it I understand that.

But I'll explain it best I can.

PC1 has broadband modem conected to Windows 2000 via USB. Every SITE ACCESIBLE. PC2 has ethernet patch cabel attached to PC1 (Realtek if anyone needs to know 100mbps) Only sites such as photos.com aib.ie hotmail.com etc. not accessible from PC2.

Sites were accessible for a while then they stopped working. LORD KNOWS WHY???

Broadband router (linksys) bought. It works fine except Wireless computers (laptops and psp) cannot access above mentioned sites (same result as on ethernet patch), althought they can on other networks etc.

So what happened was I originally thought it was the firewall settings of norton on PC1. So i disabled the firewall and other norton stuff through SERVICES.MSC on all network computers and still could not get the sites mentioned through the network (works fine on PC1).

Re-installed the broadband modem and network card. Still no access to certain sites.

Today hooked up laptop to broadband modem and all networks could see and access above mentioned sites.

So my thinkning is basically Computer 1 has a setting wrong somewhere or else it's fubarred.

P.s. I also tried all the guys ideas and no joy. Thanks for your input and time and it is appreciated.

Anyone else got ideas?

Sparky

just a few questions i have

what model number is your linksys router?

How many RJ45 ports are on your router?

Is your router wireless, or are you going wireless through PC1?

What service are you using? (ie, wireless, DSL, Cable)

Im only asking because, i built a new pc and for some reason it would not work with the linksys router, but it did work grand with the zyxel router bt supplied me, but in saying that it wouldnt connect to the internet, but would connect to the other computers on the network??
Where as yours only faults a certain pages, so it could be something to do with the router imo.

Hank_Scorpio

Thanks for the suggestion but it's not the problem.

The router went in after the problem And the probem persists after the router is installed.

As I said earlier, I hooked a different computer into where PC 1 is and all sites are accessible on all computers on the network.

So to recap, it's not the router, pc 2 or any other computer on the network. It's not the firewall on PC 1 cos that was switched off through SERVICES.MSC and still didn't work. I don't know if there is anything i have to swtich on the advanced settings on the LAN connection for the ICS?

The problem definitely lies in PC 1 as another computer temporaily replaced it and everything worked fine.

Sparky

yeah there could be many issues to check in PC1, did the replacment pc have win 2000 on it aswell?

garred

If not firewall I'd say its a setting in the "enable internet sharing" in the lan properties. Did you enable all settings here?

Jaeger

Hank_Scorpio wrote:

Broadband router (linksys) bought. It works fine except Wireless computers (laptops and psp) cannot access above mentioned sites (same result as on ethernet patch), althought they can on other networks etc.

So you removed PC1 from the equation, and still had a problem. Therefore PC1 is not the problem.

With the router connected, was PC1 able to access the sites? If none of them can access the sites through the router, then it's the MTU setting still. Should be an option somewhere in the router config

rogue-entity

I have two suggestions, they have been mentioned before but they should work.
First, Windows 2000 does not support Internet Connection Sharing so installing XP on PC1 (or just swapping PC1 for PC2) may sort the problem for you, but windows XP is not a server platform and as such was not ment for people to use to share internet connections like that, windows 2000 may not be forwarding SSL connections correctly. The second option is a better one, unless you want to use a local proxy server to speed up connections.

Second, you could connect the ethernet port on your modem to a switch and have your two PC's connect to the switch with ethernet cables. Then on PC 1 and two, you set them to obtain there IP and DNS addesses automaticaly. They should then use the router as the default gateway which will allow both of them to see the whole of the internet including port 443 (SSL).

Third, setup another PC between your broadband connection, and a network switch, install linux, squid and optionaly dansguardian on it. This will work as a better firewall for your network as the linux box is the only PC connected to the outside, so your internal PC's are shielded. Also, squid is a proxy that will cache recently viewed pages speeding up access to the same pages again. And DansGuardian is a content filter ususaly used to block sites that are not suitable, but it can also be used as an excellent ad-blocker.

Hank_Scorpio

Problem solved.

I fecked out PC1 and bought a new one. Everything is A ok

Thanks guys.

I just think pc1 was knackered.

Sparky

Hank_Scorpio wrote:

Problem solved.

I fecked out PC1 and bought a new one. Everything is A ok

Thanks guys.

I just think pc1 was knackered.

nice what new pc did ya get?

Hank_Scorpio

I got a compaq presario. Not the best computer, but a reliable make of computer. It has 512 mb ram, 128mb graphics card, came with 17" flat panel monitor. 3.2ghz processor. Bought an external usb tv tuner too. The computer only really sits there as a server so thought i'd put some use to the 17" and have the telly on it. It's pretty nifty and everything works now.

Kali

PC1 has broadband modem conected to Windows 2000 via USB. Every SITE ACCESIBLE. PC2 has ethernet patch cabel attached to PC1 (Realtek if anyone needs to know 100mbps) Only sites such as photos.com aib.ie hotmail.com etc. not accessible from PC2.

BTW this had nothing whatsover to do with network connectivity.

It is simply a DNS issue and is caused by the way that windows 2000 on PC1 cached the above DNS entries... the solution is to manually specify the DNS servers on PC2.