"Connected," but No IP address, no matter what.

[Bumjelly]

Hey y'all, got a problem and I'm looking for some help to get things going with 2 older Dell desktop PC's. I'm 63 and not as geeky as I used to be, but I can use command line, am capable in regedit and most other things PC related. I can follow simple step by step instructions, so any help with this situation would be much appreciated.

Here is my setup and situation.
I have a Charter Internet cable connection feeding an Arris cable modem, model TM822A/CH.
The modem feeds an older, but working Linksys WRT54G wireless router.

For PC 1:
In house, near modem and router. Using ethernet cable from wireless router. The ethernet cable, from port 1 on the Linksys wireless router, feeds PC 1's onboard ethernet adapter, Broadcom NetXtreme57xxGigabit controller.
Works fine, no problems. ( If I just go from the modum to the PC, eliminating the wireless router, I get also get online just fine.)

For PC 2:
Out in my backyard workshop.
The Linksys wireless router feeds PC 2's wireless adapter, on pci slot 3, a Netgear RangeMax NEXT WN311B w/ external, wired antenna.
The wireless connection works fine for basic stuff, but it's marginal at the best of times for anything regarding video or streaming due to distance of around 100', physical obstructions, using an older technology wireless router, no direct line of sight possible, etc.
I have run a new, outdoor / direct burial type, know to be good by testing on PC 1, CAT5e ethernet cable to the workshop.

I have tried connecting to any open port on the wireless router or connecting directly from the cable modem (bypassing all wireless connections) to PC 2's onboard ethernet adapter and I can't get issued an IP address so that PC 2 can get online.
I have unplugged and reset modem and router a gazillion times and done everything one can do with "ipconfig": releasing, renewing, flushing, etc., STILL no IP address for PC 2.

DHCP is all set to Auto and I've even tried using all the tcp/ip manual setting from the working, but disconnected PC 1, and still no IP address.
Changing maximum number of DCHP users does not change anything when cabled to wireless router.

The Network Connections page shows I have an Internet connection for my wireless adapter when enabled. Works fine.
With the wireless connection Disabled and the local connection Enabled, I cannot get online no matter what. Can't get an IP address.

I think this because I don't see "Aquiring Network Address," at the icon, as I do when the wireless connection is being made.
I disable the wireless, enable the local connection and it shows as "Connected" but at the icon it never "shows" going through the process of "aquiring network address."

One time only, I got a pop up saying:
" Windows System Error." There is an IP address conflict with another system on the network."
I do not remember if the wireless connection was enabled or not.

In Device Mgr., both adapters, individually, are shown as working properly with no conflicts.
However, when the wireless connection AND the local connection are both enabled, the wireless connection doesn't work.

So....In PC 2, does my wireless adapter card, on PCI slot 3, bus 4, device2, function 0, have to actually removed from the motherboard in order for the onboard ethernet adapter to be able to get an IP address when directly connected to the cable modem?
I haven't done that yet, but it doesn't make sense to me if the wireless adapter is disabled in network connections.
I have an unused, 4 port Linksys wired router available: If I feed it from the cable modem should I try to just run both ethernet cables from it to the individual PC's?
Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Ralston18]

Disabling one adapter or the other should work versus physical removal.

Take a look at what your computers "know".

Run and compare "ipconfig /all" on PC1 and PC2.

Try forcing the network adapter settings on PC2 (versus auto, auto-negotiate) to match your WRT54G router.

Look in the router's logs and also in PC2's Event Viewer logs. You may note something there - especially with respect to PC2.

Also check the router to be sure that there are no "leftover" settings that could be causing the problem. Check everything.

You can also run the network troubleshooters on PC2. They can sometimes find and fix some obscure matter.... Perhaps some update has made changes. Windows 10 creeping in......

 

[Bumjelly]

Ralston18,
Thanks for the suggestions and I'll try them tomorrow when I have the time. I've spent some time searching the forums here and have found several different sets of instructions for some other solutions as well.
Stay tuned...

 

[gbb0330]

Ralston18,
Thanks for the suggestions and I'll try them tomorrow when I have the time. I've spent some time searching the forums here and have found several different sets of instructions for some other solutions as well.
Stay tuned...

run ipconfig /all on the problematic PC and post the results here

 

[Bumjelly]

OK, there is JOY in the Tarheel state!
I tried connecting the new ethernet cable going to PC 2 to my laptop and was able to get online! Proves that there was nothing wrong with the cable going to PC 2. That leaves the problem with PC 2's Broadcom nic.
THANKS to "wavy" over at Windows Secrets Lounge forum for the suggestion!

I switched out the wireless router for a wired router with PC 1 and PC 2 being fed by cable.
My cable modem is now feeding the wired router which feeds both PC1 and PC 2 by ethernet cable.

Then I checked the driver version of PC 1's Broadcom nic (v.10.100.4.0 )and compared with PC 2's Broadcom nic (v.9.52.0.0 )and saw that the working pc's driver was 3 years newer.
Downloaded the new driver to a thumb drive @ PC 1 and after uninstalling PC 2's Broadcom nic in Device Mgr. and reboot, installed new driver and another reboot.
I now have a working, cabled ethernet connection just like the one to PC 1 in the house.

The thing that bothers me is that nothing I did, before installing the updated driver for the onboard NIC, changed anything.
This was AFTER using the Driver Update feature for the NIC in Device Mgr., including an online search, it told me I had the latest driver for it, so I never went further in that direction.
Yet, when I compared the driver in PC 1 with PC 2 and then went online and searched for an updated driver, I found it, installed it and that allowed PC 2 to acquire an IP address and all was good.
I'm sure that if the Device Mgr. driver update process had worked when I started all this, it would have saved a lot of time and lessened the frustration regarding "What am I doing wrong?"

So for me, the lesson learned here is to NOT trust any driver update process on my PC. Always do an online search for a solution as part of the discovery process. Also, I was lucky in that I had 2 very similar PC's from the same manufacturer to work with and do comparisons.

Anyway, all is well, so thanks for the help everybody!

Thanks to all for the help and nudges in the right direction.