D600 - Broadcom - all NICS get disabled on reboot

Question

Hi,   7 out of 10 times I reboot my D600 the wireless NIC and the Broadcom completely lose their IP Stack.  I have to reset them using 'Netsh int ip reset' command and then reboot to get them back.  I have three other D600's that are doing the same thing.  When this occurs if you run ipconfig /all the only line you get back is 'Windows IP Configuration' , no stack information at all.  The NICS appear fine in the Device Manager - all working properly, but there is nada in the stack.  Please help - this is getting really annoying.   THanks in advance.   Joe

jmwills · Answer

Were these imaged from one source?

jmwills · Answer

I'm sure you have checked for an updated driver???

joe187 · Answer

No,  Installed OS by Dell.

ChuckTinME · Answer

I have the same problem with my D610 - it's happened twice; both times I'd switched from AC to battery, and had been running wireless for maybe 15-20 min (testing wireless signal strength). Last time (last night) system went in to sleep or hibernate; when I powered back on, I just got garbage on my screen. Hard-powered down, then re-started. Had no network config at all - ipconfig just shows 'Windows IP Config'. can do nothing w/ the network cards via network connections (e.g., repair, etc. locks up). MY remedy was to do a system restore - worked both times, but last night I had to go back 2 restore points.

What could cause Windows to lose NIC and/or TCP/IP like this? Never seen this before.

joe187 · Answer

Hey Chuck,

You can recover from this without a system restore. Go to a command prompt, get back to the root (type CD\ ) and then type the following:

netsh int ip reset logfile.txt

Hit enter. It will take a couple of seconds and then return to the C Prompt. Then reboot.

You must be an admin to do this.

This will restore your TCP stack, but will put everything back to default - i.e. DHCP. If you had a static IP you will need to reset that.

I may have fixed the whle problem by upgrading the chipset. Make sure you have the latest bios, chipset, and NIC card drivers. I did that and this hasn't recurred, but it was somewhat intermittent before. Time will tell.

Joe

joe187 · Answer

Chuck,

Download the Intel Mobile Chipset from Dell's Latitude D610 support page. They are a different animal entirely than the bios update.

http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&cs=555&l=en&s=biz&releaseid=R86238&SystemID=LAT_PNT_PM_D610&os=WW1&osl=en&deviceid=1134&devlib=0&typecnt=1&vercnt=1&formatcnt=1&fileid=112921

I am not sure if that url will translate becuase of word wrapping, but that is a link to the page. I assumed you are running XP. If you can't get there, go to Dell, Support, Downloads, choose either your Service Tag or the model (Latitude D610) and then the OS. It will bring you to a wonderous page with everything you need for the machine. I support about 400 of these things and spend my life in that section of the Dell site. It is actually a great resource.

That downlaod drivers page has the bios update, the NIC drivers for both the wireless and wired NICS, and the chipset. Get them all and apply them. It never hurts.

ChuckTinME · Answer

Joe,

Thanks - I actually caught that (netsh) from your first post. I've never used that before - quite a powerful utility (I googled it to see what all it did).

When you say you upgraded the chipset, what exactly do you mean? I'm currently upgrading the BIOS (to A06), and the NIC drivers (as you indicated below). Is upgrading the chipset drivers accomplished by the BIOS update, or do I need to go to the Intel site?

Many thanks for both your initial post and your response - I really thought I had a unique problem.

Chuck

ChuckTinME · Answer

Joe,

One last thing - installed all the drivers, lastly the Dell WLAN 1350 for the internal wireless. After the reboot of this
last driver, 2 things happened:
1) all the NICS got disabled (ironically!) - I used the netsh command and thus I am able to send this to you now
2) the "WiFi" indicator on my laptop (a green light near the alpha and numlock keys) is no longer active. The wireless itself
IS active, but toggling it (via Fn/F2) has no effect on the light itself. Any ideas?

Thanks again!

joe187 · Answer

Chuck,

I have no idea on the light. I don't have any 610's. I have a couple on order. We use primarily 410's for our field users, which likely have the same light, but I don't have any here right now to play with, sorry. Is there a switch in the control panel somewhere? Sounds unlikely.

Do you have any VPN software installed on your machine, particularly the Cisco VPN client 4.x? I suspect this software may have a role in this. Its just a hunch, but if you have it installed it would give my theory a little more creedence.

Joe

ChuckTinME · Answer

Indeed I do have Ciso VPN s/w 4.0.1.  I've had it since the beginning, but it's only since the WLAN driver update that I've had the issue. It's more of a nuisance than anything, since the wireless works.  I rely on the light to know that I'm connected to a WAP before I log in so all my login scripts, network resources, etc. are there.  I'll keep checking back in this forum (you are correct - the site is very good) in search of an answer, but in the meantime I'll just get a cup of coffee while waiting to ensure that I'm connected before I log in.   Thanks for your help.

joe187 · Answer

Hey,   Sorry - I wasn't referring to the light issue regarding the Cisco install, but the overall TCP issue.  The VPN install is a common theme on the 4 D400/600's that have exhibited that problem.  I uninstalled the Cisco client, patched the chipset and NICS, and then reinstalled Cisco.  It seems so far to have helped.  If you have continued issues give it a try.    The light sounds like a BIOS issue.  Maybe there is a conflict.  Call Dell and pitch a Bitc&   (The forum wouldn't let me type bitc&.  I was really amused by that.  What if I had an issue with a computer and a female dog?  Discriminatory...)  Must be something to do with Texas.

lodoss900 · Answer

just a thought,   When the D610 is on battery, it usually disables the NIC to save on power... guess it helps pad those batter life stats..

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D600 - Broadcom - all NICS get disabled on reboot

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