Criminy, my PC is broken AGAIN

IronYuppy · 08-01-08, 09:13 PM

Okay, I installed Wireshark and ran it. I don't know if it just runs continuously, or what. I closed it after a couple of minutes. Here are some "events"it isolated...

And this one shows what happens when I try to open a browser window...

NaterGator · 08-01-08, 09:30 PM

Ok, interesting. First off, holy hell you are broadcasting alot of ARP requests. Not sure what's up with that yet.

Second, you got a DHCP ACK. Those are what I'm looking for more of (stuff with DHCP on it)
Third, get back to this screen and make it look like this (undo the changes I had you enter):

Once you reset those settings, open wireshark up and start it logging. Plug the cable into your desktop, log for 30 seconds or so, and stop wireshark logging. Look for DHCP stuff, click it and take a screenshot.

IronYuppy · 08-01-08, 09:43 PM

NaterGator · 08-01-08, 09:54 PM

If you've still got that wireshark window open, go back to this selected packet:

Drop down where it says "Bootstrap Protocol" and scroll to where the "Options" are listed (there should be quite a few, like maybe 10)

You're definitely getting DHCP offers, and you're clearly just ignoring them...

IronYuppy · 08-01-08, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaterGator

...
You're definitely getting DHCP offers, and you're clearly just ignoring them...

It could be my PC thinks they're coming from Ed McMahon. Nobody ever wins that stuff.

NaterGator · 08-01-08, 10:21 PM

Hmm, your cable modem is trying to broadcast DHCP packets for your ASUS laptop. And the packets seem kinda malformed, but I guess acceptable.

Unplug your ethernet cable, unplug your cable modem. Plug in your cable modem, plug in the ethernet jack.

How long did you have this combo working before it took a dump on you? And can you access http://192.168.100.1/ from your laptop when it is on the internet?

NaterGator · 08-01-08, 10:26 PM

Forgot to mention... if the unplug routine doesn't work, it may be worth trying the following:
Windows Vista cannot obtain an IP address from certain routers or from certain non-Microsoft DHCP servers

DSRTRDR · 08-01-08, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by re_guderian

You are prime for a Mac. Do you already own a Volkswagon and Birkenstocks?

I had expected "get a Mac" much earlier

IronYuppy · 08-01-08, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaterGator

Hmm, your cable modem is trying to broadcast DHCP packets for your ASUS laptop. And the packets seem kinda malformed, but I guess acceptable.

Unplug your ethernet cable, unplug your cable modem. Plug in your cable modem, plug in the ethernet jack.

How long did you have this combo working before it took a dump on you? And can you access http://192.168.100.1/ from your laptop when it is on the internet?

The "Asus" is the motherboard for the desktop - that is where I'm running Wireshark. The MB is an Asus PL5D2-VM motherboard.

The desktop has been running fine for about a month (clean install of OS). Reinstall included updated Norton AntiVirus and all MS/WinXP updates. It's actually running very lean - all I have is MSOffice ('97

), Photoshop 6, Cyberlink PowerCinema (TV tuner) and DVD Solution, Norton A/V, ACDSee (photo viewer/editor), and the driver for my printer. I haven't gotten around to installing much else since the re/re.

Like I said, it was running hassle-free and right in the middle of a 'Mud session it went south for no apparent reason. No porn, gaming, or P2P software on this PC, either, so I'm not sure where any malware (if that's the problem) might have come from. I've been on the road for work for the past couple of weeks, so all I've used the desktop for, literally, has been 'Mud, checking my email (webmail server), and.... well, I guess that's it. I hadn't made any changes, or installed/uninstalled anything at all.

I did do the unplugging thing before, but I'll give it another shot....

edit to your edit: I'm running XP Media Edition, not Vista.

IronYuppy · 08-01-08, 10:44 PM

Hmmm.... it's working again. I'm back on the desktop.

Freakin' bizarre.

Thank you thank you thank you for all the help... I don't know what fixed it, but it works.

NaterGator · 08-01-08, 10:47 PM

It seems like the cable modem was sending DHCP offers with the wrong MAC address. It probably needed to be unplugged long enough to lose that info. The reason it died during mud may have been that your DHCP lease expired and your machine tried to renew it but couldn't.

Glad it's working

swank60 · 08-02-08, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DSRTRDR

I had expected "get a Mac" much earlier

More often than not, before anyone makes the "get a Mac" comment you'll see ru_gurgglin's "go buy a Mac and a VW" comment.

Ironic.

LoveTractor · 08-02-08, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaterGator

...Unplug your ethernet cable, unplug your cable modem. Plug in your cable modem, plug in the ethernet jack.
...

Quote:

Originally Posted by IronYuppy

Hmmm.... it's working again....

Like I said...

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoveTractor

...
Have you tried resetting your cable modem and router?

You said you had. Apparently you hadn't. Gah.

To "hard reset" a cable modem and router to regain a new IP and reset the DHCP server:
1)Unplug both the modem and the router for 30 seconds.
2)Plug in the modem first and let it establish a connection with the ISP(lights go through a sequence.)
3)Then plug in the router and you should be back up and running.

I guess I should've explained it better. Glad you're back up.

I actually have to "hard reset" my network quite often 'cause it loses DSL connection whenever it rains. I have a feeling it has to with the drop at the street that sits under a foot of soil that turns into a puddle whenever it rains. The putz that came out to repair it last was a putz. Need to get it fixed again.

IronYuppy · 08-02-08, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoveTractor

Like I said...

You said you had. Apparently you hadn't. Gah.

...

I had, but I guess I didn't let it sit long enough for the internal battery (?) to reset. The second (final) time I did it I let it sit, unplugged from the a/c, for a couple of minutes.