Multitude of windows 8 issues.

[oneano]

My current windows 8 install is like my arch enemy. It hates me...

Here is a bit of back story for you before I address the issues.

I had an older PC from 2007 that got a dozen upgrades and last year, I put windows 8 on it. It was great, really smooth, and except for a few things I was very satisfied with 8.


A few months ago, I got a brand new tower, put an SSD into it and installed windows 8 that is where it all started.


Firstly, my new tower has wifi built in. Windows 8 uses this by default and I have never been able to force an ethernet connection.

Second, after wakeup I have terribly network connectivity, I have not figured out how to turn off "disable network on sleep" and I will have to wait 5 minutes before I can use the internet on wake up

Third, I have the terrible disk usage 100% curse. Just try a google search and you will see hundreds of forum posts about this with no actual answer.

Now, I know that most people say to reinstall the os, but I hate that answer it doesnt teach me anything. So where do I start to fix these problems?

 

[Darkbreeze]

You are probably being throttled by your cable or dsl provider due to the VPN. Often this is used for torrenting and they know it and so they sometimes clamp down on people using VPN regardless of the validity of what you're using it for. I'd contact both the provider of your VPN service and your broadband provider and make sure neither of them has been or is doing anything, intentionally or not, that is affecting the connection. After that, I'd look at compatibility of the cable modem with the services you're running, the version and age of the cable modem and the possibility that it either needs to be upgraded or replaced.

 

[oneano]

I have no connection problems. My problems are all with windows 8. This wifi issue still still a major concern for me.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Ok. So I thought you said you couldn't connect via Ethernet. I'd call that a connection problem and it may be related to something that's installed for your VPN unless you had the issue prior to installing anything related to your VPN.

 

[oneano]

Correct, I cannot connect via ethernet. This system has always been like this, even before the VPNs. My system behaves as if there is no ethernet connection.

This is an image of IP config on my system. I fudged out the IPv6 numbers.

http://i.imgur.com/ZCojj1Z.png

 

[oneano]

After changing the connection from direct to the modem to the router. Then disabling the wifi, I still have no ethernet connection.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Try this, turn off your computer, unplug all Ethernet cables from the cable modem. Unplug the power cable from the cable modem. If there is a reset button on the cable modem, and it may be very tiny, requiring a paper clip or other small item to reset, push it and hold it for 30 seconds. Plug the Ethernet cable from your computer in to the cable modem and plug the cable modem back in to power. Do NOT plug the router in to the cable modem. Restart your computer and check the connection. It would also help if I knew the model number of your cable modem so I can investigate the recommended procedure for a hard reset on that model.

 

[oneano]

netgear cg3000dcr

 

[Darkbreeze]

Back when you had the windows 7 installation and upgraded to windows 8, before you got the SSD and did a new installation of windows 8, did you originally have a Comcast or other technician configure that router for your internet connection? Just wondering. That is obviously a business class router and has some peculiarities regarding the configuration. Since installing the the new operating system you have never had the Ethernet functional, even though the network adapter shows as installed and working with no problems. It's just accessing the internet via Ethernet. I think it's very possible that you need to contact Comcast and have them send a new firmware boot file to your docsis 3.0 modem/router. After much research on that router, with it being a docsis 3.0 compliant device, Comcast IS able to enforce the free Wi-Fi. What is the name of the wireless network you are currently able to connect with using your wireless adapter? Is it named Xfinity Wi-Fi or something similar? Check and see what the name is you're connecting through.

 

[oneano]

Back when you had the windows 7 installation and upgraded to windows 8, before you got the SSD and did a new installation of windows 8, did you originally have a Comcast or other technician configure that router for your internet connection? Just wondering. That is obviously a business class router and has some peculiarities regarding the configuration. Since installing the the new operating system you have never had the Ethernet functional, even though the network adapter shows as installed and working with no problems. It's just accessing the internet via Ethernet. I think it's very possible that you need to contact Comcast and have them send a new firmware boot file to your docsis 3.0 modem/router. After much research on that router, with it being a docsis 3.0 compliant device, Comcast IS able to enforce the free Wi-Fi. What is the name of the wireless network you are currently able to connect with using your wireless adapter? Is it named Xfinity Wi-Fi or something similar? Check and see what the name is you're connecting through.

 

[oneano]

I appreciate all of the help. But I do not understand why you think the modem has anything to do with this? I have several computers, several devices, and a router that operate with no issues.

This is an issue with my windows 8 system. Comcast have done nothing to moden once it was initially set up 4 months ago. My previous state with multiple VPN services operated very well with the same modem.

 

[oneano]

I followed all of your suggestions to restart the modem with only a Ethernet connection and I had no responce.

 

[Darkbreeze]

You have other computers that are connected through this modem via Ethernet with no issues? It might have been helpful to know that from the beginning.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Since we've applied just about everything else, have you run the network troubleshooter in Windows?

 

[oneano]

What is a network trouble shooter?

 

[Darkbreeze]

What is a network trouble shooter?

I guess that means no.

 

[Darkbreeze]

So try this. Go to control panel and open Network and sharing center. In the middle of the window, or slightly lower, there is a line that says Troubleshoot problems. Click that. In the next window is several options. Try running the Network troubleshooter for internet connections and if that doesn't work go through and try it again but select Network adapter instead of Internet connections this time. You probably need to disable your wireless adapter before running the troubleshooter or it will probably tell you nothing is wrong with your internet connection.

If you are asked by the troubleshooter make sure to indicate the Ethernet connection is what you are trying to troubleshoot and skip or ignore any steps that deal with the wireless connection.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Any luck?

 

[oneano]

"Plug a cable inter the network adapter." Is the message I got.

So I disabled my wifi and tried again, now the message is "Ethernet doesn't have a valid IP configuration."

 

[Darkbreeze]

Try a different Ethernet cable. Maybe that cable is bad.

 

[oneano]

"Try a different Ethernet cable. Maybe that cable is bad."

That would be unfortunate laughter.

I need some time to test this.

 

[oneano]

I get exactly the same results with a different cable.

 

[Darkbreeze]

I think I would, at this point, ask a moderator to move this thread to networking, and see if somebody with a fresh pair of eyes can possibly help.

 

[oneano]

Thanks for all of your efforts.. . How do I contact a mod? Just cuss a lot or something?

 

[Darkbreeze]

Naw, I'll contact one for you. Good luck with a solution.

 

[Someone Somewhere]

As this thread doesn't seem to be solved, I've pulled the solution.

Moved to networking.

FYI: The easiest way to contact a mod is to use the 'Report Abuse' button in the bottom right of each post - any mod can answer it, whereas PMs rely on me waking up on time and not having a minor crisis.