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Technical Help & Discussion => Broadband, Networking, PC Security, Internet & ISPs => Topic started by: Rodders on December 28, 2003, 12:21

Title: ADSL Hell
Post by: Rodders on December 28, 2003, 12:21
Well, I bit the bullet and bought a whole year's worth of Home500 ADSL from NDO for 282 quid.  I figured that I wouldn't have that kind of money again for a while, it also worked out at £23.50 per month doing it that way.  Activation day was the 23rd of December.

Just one tiny snag - it doesn't work.  I thought it might be my 2nd-hand Zoom X3 ethernet modem to blame, so I went out and spent another £39 on a PCI one.  Same story.

How hard can it be to get ADSL working?  I removed my 10/100 card and V90 modem to prevent any conflicts.  This was followed by umpteen rounds of uninstalling / installing the modem software.  Still no dice.

On Sandra's recommendation, I swapped my optical Intellimouse onto the PS2 bus and disabled USB in the bios to see whether there was a conflict between the Via chipset in my board and the USB bus.  Nope.  I've also downloaded and installed the latest Via drivers.  Still nothing.

I've very occasionally had brief glimpses of a connection, but it won't resolve the URL of sites when in this state (although an IP address will work) and pretty soon dies.  99 times out of 100, whenever I try to connect, I get Error 651 - Modem error.  Also note that ZoneAlarm has been uninstalled.

Another interesting feature, is that a 1394 adapter keeps appearing in my network connections.  It is not physically present in the box and there isn't one on the MoBo.  I've removed it from Hardware Devices several times, but XP Home insists on reinstalling it during boot up.  I've now set it to disabled.

I suspect that a dependancy by some item of software could be to blame, although I've taken just about everything out of the equation at some stage or other -- even to the point of deleting stuff out of the Pre-fetch cache.  I used to have cable broadband from NTL until I moved and have a sneaking feeling that XP thinks it's still there.

Because I didn't buy the hardware from NDO, they will only offer support on a 'best efforts' basis - which evidently doesn't extend to keeping their promises in regard to phoning me back.  I've now spent quite a few pounds on calls to them, but always get stuck in the loop with some 1st liner who wants to go through the story from scratch again.

Does anyone have any ideas on what I can do next?  From where I'm sat, Prozac seems worth a try.
Title: Re:ADSL Hell
Post by: Sandra on December 28, 2003, 12:37
Does it still show the NTL connection anywhere, network connections for example ?
Can you try someones laptop or another pc on it to confirm that the ADSL line is functioning correctly ?
Title: Re:ADSL Hell
Post by: Rodders on December 28, 2003, 12:43
I believe I've uninstalled all(?) the NTL stuff now, Sandra.  As for trying the line with another PC, my options are sadly a little bit limited there.   :(
Title: Re:ADSL Hell
Post by: Adept on December 28, 2003, 16:14
Presumably the NTL cable modem was linked via a network card Rod?

This probably means that it resolved an IP address via DHCP on the cable modem. This IP address is probably still active in your network card's profile. It is probably also supplying the IP address of the cable modem as a gateway address.

Start a command prompt and type

ipconfig /release  [ENTER]
ipconfig /renew    [ENTER]

see if that makes a difference.
Title: Re:ADSL Hell
Post by: Tony on December 28, 2003, 16:14
Jeez Rodders, you are having problems, Pity you cannot "borrow" somebodies "tower" pop you ADSL modem in it, and see if you can get on line ?

I'm just using a bog standard Sparkcom ADSL PCI Modem

http://www.cclcomputers.biz/acatalog/ (http://www.cclcomputers.biz/acatalog/) and it worked fine from the off.

Just a thought, have you tried another ADSL filter, if you have not got another, try your filter on another ADSL users line.  

Hey Adept you nipped in there sharpish, or is it just me slowing up  :(  ;)
Title: Re:ADSL Hell
Post by: Sandra on December 28, 2003, 17:03
I just rang Rod and told him what you suggested Adept and it looks like its sorted  :)
No doubt he will be on after hes stuffed his face and had sufficient time to ensure that all is working correctly.
I think that you may be getting another halo from him soon, your saintliness  ;)
Title: Re:ADSL Hell
Post by: Adept on December 28, 2003, 17:09

I just rang Rod and told him what you suggested Adept and it looks like its sorted  :)


:goodnews: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:
Title: Re:ADSL Hell
Post by: Rodders on December 28, 2003, 18:21
Erm...  that is it worked until I rebooted.   :(

Ipconfig just seems to hang now.  I think it's because God hates me.
Title: Re:ADSL Hell
Post by: Rodders on December 28, 2003, 18:37
Bizarrely, I've now got a connection again, although it won't resolve URLs.  I'm still fiddling...


Microsoft(R) Windows DOS
(C)Copyright Microsoft Corp 1990-2001.

C:\DOCUME~1\xxxxxx>ipconfig /release

Windows IP Configuration

The operation failed as no adapter is in the state permissible for
this operation.

C:\DOCUME~1\xxxxxx>


Title: Re:ADSL Hell
Post by: Adept on December 28, 2003, 18:54
What happens if you do a ipconfig /renew Rod?
Title: Re:ADSL Hell
Post by: Rodders on December 28, 2003, 18:58
I get another one of these, Sean:


Microsoft(R) Windows DOS
(C)Copyright Microsoft Corp 1990-2001.

C:\DOCUME~1\xxxxxx>ipconfig /renew

Windows IP Configuration

The operation failed as no adapter is in the state permissible for
this operation.

C:\DOCUME~1\xxxxxx>
Title: Re:ADSL Hell
Post by: Adept on December 28, 2003, 19:06
Click the Network Connections icon in Control Panel. This will bring up all the network connections your PC has.

Your PCI ADSL card will either have a LAN connection or a dial-up connection. A LAN type connection will have a repair option if you right click it. It may help.

Otherwise, all I can think of is to remove the drivers for the PCI card, swap the card to another PCI slot and let Windows re-install the drivers ???
Title: Re:ADSL Hell
Post by: Rodders on December 28, 2003, 19:13
Sadly, the 'Repair' option is ghosted, Sean.  I'll try zapping the NIC driver and shuffling cards now, so don't hold your breath -- it may be some time before I'm back.   :horror:
Title: Re:ADSL Hell
Post by: Adept on December 28, 2003, 19:17
I'm available for phone support, remote desktop connections, barmitvahs, birthday parties etc. and my rates are very low ;)

Title: Re:ADSL Hell
Post by: Rodders on December 29, 2003, 00:03
I've done the card shuffling bit but was unable to uninstall the NIC driver, since windows kept putting it back faster than I could zap the bloody thing.

On the plus side, the stunningly attractive raven-haired beauty I was chatting-up in the club across the road earlier, has just texted me to ask whether I'll join her on New Year's Eve.

Life is good.   :tongue:
Title: Re:ADSL Hell
Post by: Sandra on December 29, 2003, 00:11
Apart from attractive brunettes,( are there any unattractive ones ? ), are you on ADSL now or not Rodders  ???
Title: Re:ADSL Hell
Post by: Tony on December 29, 2003, 10:25

 are you on ADSL now or not Rodders  ???


I fink ADSL has dropped in priority for BBB, I suspect he'll be busy flossing right now ::) ;D
Title: Re:ADSL Hell
Post by: Dack on December 29, 2003, 11:11

Apart from attractive brunettes,( are there any unattractive ones ? )


I thought the reason there were no dumb/unattractive brunettes was due to peroxide :)
Title: Re:ADSL Hell
Post by: Simon on December 29, 2003, 12:22
:pmsl:
Title: Re:ADSL Hell
Post by: Rodders on December 30, 2003, 13:30
Still stuck in ADSL hell.  Have tried just about everything now.  I've managed to hi-jack a PC at work this lunchtime, so's I can catch up on my reading.

I'm going to give it my best shot after New Year and then backup & reinstall the whole pigging thing.  That ought to sort it.  Won't it?

Wendy's hair is black by the way.   ::)
Title: Re:ADSL Hell
Post by: Tony on December 30, 2003, 20:07



Wendy's hair is black by the way.   ::)


black as in tush tash...your tash that is  ::)
Title: Re:ADSL Hell
Post by: Michelle on December 31, 2003, 17:49
Well I wondered where rodders had gone too, and now I see he's busy with an intelligent black beauty, hmmm wasn't that a horse?  ;)  :o

Glad life is good Rodders  :P
Title: Re:ADSL Hell
Post by: Serenity on December 31, 2003, 23:13
Gawd I turn my back for 2 minutes and there he is off smootching some raven haired beauty  ::)

Life is hard  :-\  ;D  ;D