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5 Posts
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11084
March 30th, 2004 20:00
Dimension 2400 DHCP problem
Hi,
I have a Dell Dimension 2400 with a Broadcom 440x onboard NIC, running on Windows 2000 Pro.
The onboard NIC will NOT find the DHCP server I'm trying to use (Linksys Cable/DSL Router).
All the other PCs on the Network work with no problem.
I've ensured the cabling is not the problem.
Every time I try to release and renew the IP the system sits and waits while it retries, and eventually responds that the DHCP server is unavailable.
I've got the latest and greatest drivers. About the only thing I haven't tried yet is flashing the BIOS.
Oh, and I've also tried a 3rd party NIC in one of the PCI slots after disabling the onboard NIC, but I get the EXACT SAME BEHAVIOUR.
I've tried reinstalling the TCP/IP stack too, but with no luck.
The activity lights on the NIC just burn steady. There appears to be no packet traffic.
Any help here would be absolutely fantastic, as I've about reached the end of my rope.
Thanks in advance,
Dan
Ziwpiz
432 Posts
0
March 30th, 2004 20:00
Are all computers plugged into the Linksys router? Did you configure the router? How many pc's are on the network? Just trying to get a clear picture!
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Tempest8008
5 Posts
0
March 30th, 2004 20:00
I configured the router.
It's setup as a DHCP server with a max of 50 clients.
There are five computers on this network, six if you include the new Dell.
The router has five ports. One is 'uplinking' to a 2nd 8-port switch.
Any of the available ports on the Router work fine with any of the other PCs on the Network.
Same with any of the available ports on the switch.
Right now I've got ALL of the PCs on the 8-port switch.
They are all working fine, except for the Dell.
It is ONLY the Dell that is experiencing any sort of problem being served an IP address.
volcano11
2 Intern
•
28K Posts
0
March 30th, 2004 22:00
Here's a longshot, but worth a try. Go to the following site and download and run lspfix:
http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm
Since you have eliminated the cables, the router, the switch, and the network card as the problem, it sound like it has to be a problem with Windows XP If that lspfix doesn't fix the problem, you might consider doing a repair installation of XP. If you do this, be aware that you will have to reinstall all Windows critical updates, inculding SP1.
Steve
Tempest8008
5 Posts
0
March 31st, 2004 14:00
I've solved this problem.
For some reason the auto-negotiation of line speed was causing the problem.
I put a 3Com 3C905-TX PCI NIC in the machine, a card I'm very familiar with. By chance the firmware on the card was set, not to auto-negotiate, but to 10Mbs.
I immediately was able to get an IP and communicate to the Network.
When I reset the firmware to auto-negotiate the problem came back straight away. I was able to set it at 100Mbs or 10Mbs and get an IP and work normally.
All other NICs on this network are set to auto-negotiate, and work fine. The problem is restricted to the Dell.
I'm going to hunt around for the software that will allow me to change the settings on the onboard Broadcom 440x so I can get my 3Com back.
I know other people have had similar problems in the past with this problem. This might be a valid workaround for some of them.