Help with internet

[Hoby]

Alright, haveing issues here for the last couple days.  All of a sudden had no internect connection.  Got the icon in the tool bar that its connected, when I go into networks theres a x from the router to the internet.  I tried ipconfig/release ipconfig/renew but it comes back with media state disconnected.  I've searched the net and most the stuff im finding has to do with driver updates.  I did get the cable company to come out but that guy didn't know *bleep*.  Its windows vista by the way.  Anyone have any other ideas?  All the cables are plugged in, unplugged everything for a couple minutes.  How do I update the drivers if theres no internet conn?  Why would it just start now? 

[Masscre]

Vista Sux gator guts.  I have had the same problem before it lasted through 8 reboots of the computer and me going  into the connection repair suite. After messing with allowing the wizard to try and fix itself and reboot over 8 times it fixed itself.  Vista has hiccups like this and it at times happens several days in a row but it is deffinately vista.  My 6 other computers on the same network running xp and 2000 have no issues.

[Masscre]

Also on other tidbit this at times has happened when vista does an auto update for windows.  Has your computer taken a update before this started happening?

[Hoby]

I saw in another post about the problem being sp3, the person said they uninstalled it and it worked.  I looked and didnt see it ever being dl'd.  The only other dl's I saw were about a week prior to this problem.
What did you do to solve your problem, let the connection wizard try to connect? 

[Masscre]

Yes  there is a selection in the wizard to allow it to repair the connection. By right clicking on the connection icon.  It gives you a selection to repair the problem. This was what i did. But it took several times and several reboots before it took.

[xenoglyph]

what does your physical setup look like? is it modem -> router -> pc ? or just modem -> pc?  did you already try turning off the router/modem for a few minutes and turning them back on? do it twice just to be sure.
after that open a command prompt and try to ping the LAN ip of your router, i.e. ping 192.168.1.1 or whatever you've set.
to confirm it's a software issue you could boot a live linux cd and see if you get net access.

i've personally found that sometimes windows update will install a driver it thinks is compatible, and device manager will show the device as functioning, even when it will not fully support the device.  i've experienced this with a few different kinds of hardware actually.  so if you confirm it's a software issue i'd look at your network card driver and try the one off your original CD.  only go to the manufacturer's website if you have to.  also note that sometimes windows will be very persistent in wanting to use a certain driver and you may have to delete the old one manually.

[Hoby]

Its a desktop to modem directly.  Ive sent a ping to the router and it comes back ok.  I've disconnected the modem several times.  I don't have the windows cd anymore.  Think im gonna take it in to best buy, geek squad, today. 

[xenoglyph]

by original CD i meant the original driver CD, but if it can send/recv pings okay then both pieces of hardware are functioning correctly.

when you connect to your modem with a web browser does it say the connection is up? status lights are normal on the modem?

[Masscre]

Yes if you are getting a ping to the modem.  More than likely Vista does not have the proper permissions to connect or it is waiting for you to autorize the permissions that it needs.  Vista is over protective about that kind of stuff and very BUGGY !?  Vista for me is windows ME with a face lift and a bigger price tag.

[Hoby]

took comp in to geek squad.  they plugged it in and it connects to internet right away, no issues.  Replaced the ethernet cable, coaxial cable, and splitters so far.  Still no internet.  The cable light on the modem blinks occassionaly but does not stay solid green.  Gonna call cable and get them out again.  When i do ipconfig/release ipconfig/renew still get the media state disconnected message.  Thats where im at now with the issue.

[Masscre]

Have you did a hard reset on the modem?  what brand is it and who is your provider?  Also what model of modem is it?

[Hoby]

Yea, did a hard reset on the modem.  Its a scientific atlanta modem, charter dsl.  I can ping the modem from the cmd promp and it comes back with o zero packet loss. 

[xenoglyph]

did you ever connect to the modem with a web browser? it should have a web config that can display diagnostic info

[Hoby]

Yea, I can go into the modem by typing the address in the web browser.  Its alot different than the linksys Im used to having.  Doesnt really tell me much.  Gives me two or three different screens, no config screen that i could find.

[Masscre]

Inside the web address screen there you should find some very good info telling you your status to the computers your are using and the modems connection to your ISP.  If my thinking is correct it should tell you if your modem is connected to your ISP.  My thought on this is negative and it is also prolly gonna tell you that you need to reenter your username and password.  this being the reason you can not log in for fault of login to ISP info.