Weird connection problem, part 2

[griffinspc]

Ok, second time around. Some of you saw this before and I'ts still a stumper. I recently built a new machine. It's up and running just fine. I have it networked with one other machine, no hub or router, NIC to NIC. The network works perfectly.

I don't know if this question really belongs here so if not and a mod wants to move it please feel free.

I have a HSP Micro Modem installed (It came out of another machine and it's been a good little modem for over a year. My ISP is fine. My dial up is at 49,333 consistant, connects first time every time.

Zone Alarm blocks incoming pings so I know I have a connection but here's the problem, not one of my programs can get out. Not IE 5.1, not WS_FTP, not Norton AV. Nothing. They do not see the connection.

I've reset the network card twice and the modem twice (different slots). I have no "apparent" IRQ conflicts, no system conflicts.

I've used every network config known to man, I re-installed AT&T, I've run scanreg /fix, I've pinged until my fingers pinged out and I've cursed so much my wife shut my door. HELP !!

I have the BIOS setting the slot addresses and my thought is to try letting 98SE do it but I don't want to screw something else up. What do you think?

ASUS A7V-E MB, 1 gig Thunderbird, 256 mem, Maxtor HD, 98se with all patches and packs, 3DFX Voodoo, CD, CD-RW, and the usual other stuff.

Sorry this is long but I think you need the info and I'll gladly supply any more you all need.

A disgruntled PC'er at the moment.

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"Finest KInd"

[BigBlue66]

Hey,

Just a thought here, but do you have ZA configured to let those programs access the net? If not, enable them. Can't remember exactly where in ZA you set these preferences, but rat around a little and maybe you will find them. Otherwise, hang tight for someone more experienced with ZA to respond.

Big Blue 66


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Life = Karma, or is it, Karma = Life?

[griffinspc]

Thanks for the reply blue. I not only checked them but completely stopped Zone Alarm from running. No luck.

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"Finest KInd"

[ErnieK]

Try going to MS KBase and typing - cannot access the internet - here you will get a series of links that might give answer

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Ernie

[YODA74]

http://www.internetshare.com/ts_CantConnect.htm

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[Whyzman]

Just a thought...the cable you're using to network NIC to NIC is it the proper type of cable? If I remember right, you need a specialized cable for this setup.

On my A7V133 there is an issue regarding PCI slot sharing. Not familiar with your MB, but there might be a similar situation. I had considerable problems with my NIC and HS56Micro and card placement. If you look in your manual you ought to be able to find an Interrupt Request Table. There it should show you which slot hardware share...different beast than IRQ sharing. Sometimes doesn't show up except in performance. For example, my slot 2 shares with the Promise IDE Controller...since I am using the ATA a device in slot 2 would certainly slow things down.

There could be a possible conflict with the NIC and another device slot sharing.

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May all your dealings in life be win/win!

Whyzman

[This message has been edited by Whyzman (edited 10-24-2001).]

[mjc]

Go to the Internat Options under Tools in IE, then Connections -> Settings -> Properties -> Server Types -> TCP/IP and see if the Use default gateway is checked...if not try checking it.

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mjc
Links list:Computer Links (http://www.dreamwater.org/tech/mjc/index.htm)

Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.

[Whyzman]

If MJC's suggestion does not work...

Reread your post...So you're not having problems sharing except when on line? Could be that with the Modem when in use conflicts with the NIC...I defer to the hardware slot sharing...

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May all your dealings in life be win/win!

Whyzman

[This message has been edited by Whyzman (edited 10-24-2001).]

[griffinspc]

Whyzman, thanks and thanks to all. I've done everything listed above so far, twice at least I kid you not. The one thing I remembered which relates to your theory Whyzman is the MB defaults to BIOS address settings not OS PnP. I think I'll disable it and let 98 address everything.

It can't really hurt since I can always enable it again but who knows. Maybe I mistated, I'm not having any sharing problems at all. I can't get on line at all. Well that's not entirely true, I do connect just fine and I get pinged from afar which Zone Alarm tells me, it's just none of my apps can see the connection and go outbound.

Weird !!

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"Finest KInd"

[Whyzman]

What I am concerned about for you is not the IRQ situation. If you are hardware slot sharing you don't necessarily encounter any IRQ problems. Whether the BIOS sets IRQs or Windows would not have any effect. It's more of a resource kinda situation.

As I mentioned earlier, it gets even better, http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/rolleyes.gif On the A7V133 slots 4,5, and the USB controller hardware share. Also, slots 2, AGP Pro, and the Promise IDE hardware share. On mine it looks like slot 3 which shares with the AMR (not using) would be the best place for the NIC.

I also know from my personal experience, that the NICs and Modems seem to have their own version of Robowars on the ASUS boards! http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/eek.gif

Oops, also what NIC cards are you using...there's a possibility that the software components of the NIC and Modem are butting heads?

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May all your dealings in life be win/win!

Whyzman

[This message has been edited by Whyzman (edited 10-24-2001).]

[griffinspc]

Ok, originally I place the Nic lower in the pecking order but it wasn't recognized so it's now in slot 3 as is yours. The NIC is an Asound. I'd never used an Asound (Realtek actually) so I'll investigate the driver situation. The board is brand new so the drivers should be fairly up to date but I'll check.

On the A7V-E there is a page with sharing outlines that are to say the least confusing.
1 int-a shared with agp
2 int-b used
3 int-c shared with on board audio (I don't have by choice, I have Voodoo card)
4 int-d shared with int-5 & int-6 & on board USB

No explanations forthcoming from ASUS book other than a blaket statement on shared IRQ's.

I will have to check with Asound on sharing, Voodoo on sharing and HSP on sharing.

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"Finest KInd"

[scroatbagg]

Just a shot.. In Zone Alarm have you got you card on your second machine configured?? Security>Advanced?? Subnets and Other computers?? You may have already tried this but who knows.

[scroatbagg]

Just a shot.. In Zone Alarm have you got you card on your second machine configured?? Security>Advanced?? Subnets and Other computers?? You may have already tried this but who knows.

[griffinspc]

Thanks but with ZA completely stopped from loading I still can't get out.

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"Finest KInd"

[Whyzman]

Yep,

It appears that the hardware shares are the same as my A7V133. And, as you pointed out, it is confusing. I pulled my NIC as we're not using the other computer extensively and saved myself some headaches.

I would strongly suggest a phone call to ASUS Tech-support (510)739-3777 and have them tell you which slots to plug your devices into. The ASUS FORUM is heavy laden with problems related to card placement. The intensive resource nature of the newer peripheral devices is really taxing the MB. Although the ASUS board's benchmarks are usually outstanding...the boards are not "user friendly"...this is a quote from an ASUS Tech!

It would be best if coming out of the gate you know for certain that the foundation is solid! http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

I'll do a little checking on your NIC and see if I come up with any known conflicts.

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May all your dealings in life be win/win!

Whyzman

[Whyzman]

Also,

Although the board is new...undoubtedly the drivers are outdated. The 4in1 drivers are up to v.435 VIA (http://http:www.via.com.tw//) I'm not sure what the BIOS is for the A7V you have but I suspect that it has been updated several times...If you call ASUS Tech-support regarding slot placement I would ask them for the current BIOS update version for your board. The flash utility they now have allows upgrading through Windows and is pretty painless! http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/eek.gif It is amazing reading through the ASUS Tech-Support Q&A how many seemingly unrelated issues are addressed through the BIOS updates.

Other than this, GhostHacker appears to be back from vacation! IC is one of his many fortes...

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May all your dealings in life be win/win!

Whyzman



[This message has been edited by Whyzman (edited 10-25-2001).]

[griffinspc]

Ok folks. It's fixed. It took forever and I really wish I could give all of you who offered help a definitive answer but here's the best I can do. At the suggestion of Ottomatic I downloaded and ran UOTrace http://www.blackcastlesoft.com/uotrace/download.asp (Neat little freeware). This allowed me to see that although connected and getting a normal speed and length report from Dial up Adapter I was not getting a real connection to my ISP, Worldnet or even internally.

I couldn't see anything but the host, not my other machine, even though I could share files, weird. Checking further I found I was receiving but not sending to the outside world. This I confirmed by tracking incoming Zone Alarm messages and the initial bytes sent/received.

I began by moving the NIC and modem and Video cards (again)(re-installing) with no effect. I then removed them completely, uninstalled all network references and booted clean a couple of times and then replaced and added all the latest drivers for all cards from MS and the manufacturers with no luck. I then replaced the modem with an external Zoom, no luck, then the NIC (a brand new Asound) with an older Intel 10/100 and reset all network references and re-installed all AT&T settings from AT&T using On-line FixIT which downloads and installs all stored settings from AT&T.

That did it. (I should say I completely removed Norton Anti-Virus and Zone Alarm and as yet they are still out. I'll re-install tonight but I don't think it was them. If anything goes haywire I'll post back.)

I'm using the same settings throughout, TCP/IP. etc.

I think it's 95% probable that it was the Asound NIC drivers more than anything else though the possibility that 2 problems actually contributed can't be ruled out.

Thanks again to all who answered and offered moral support. It's really frustrating to have something that should be so simple keeping you from using your machine for so long. Thankfully I had another machine to keep on the message boards during the struggle. Last as with anything like this I learned a lot more about my machine and therefore others. I could install a simple network now with my eyes closed and low on caffeine.

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"Finest KInd"