Dear PC Gods, Please help!!

[darkandthewild]

Hello to everyone!
I hope this post doesn't turn out to be too long-winded, so I'll try and make this odd problem as short as I can!
I have two computers in my room, a desktop and a laptop.
I just subscribed to high-speed internet, and everything works fine on the laptop. However, the desktop is having problems in accessing the web and any other internet-related things.
The computer recognizes the ethernet (pop-ups in XP occur when plugging/unplugging cable), and my connection window says it's connected, and also gives a valid Comcast IP address and otherwise looks fine.
Firewall is disabled, but even software like AOL won't recognize the connection.
I looked at the hardware profile for my NIC and everything's fine- even took it out and installed a spare from another computer- same problem.
All settings and configurations are set to automatically retrieve IP address, TCP/IP is correct, etc.
It's not the cable itself, either- it works when plugged into my laptop, just not the desktop. And yes, I unplugged the modem and tinkered with it that way. Still no avail!
The desktop is a AMD computer, which was originally used at my friend's dormitory on ethernet, so I know it's capable of running from it. After aquiring it, I put on XP and had previously connected via dialup.
I'm pulling my hair out trying to figure this thing out- something's just not right somewhere. Thanks in advance for any help you can advise!!!!!
Regards,
Kat

[amphi66]

I am assuming you are only plugging in one computer at a time to the modem.

When unplugging the laptop and reconecting to the desktop, turn off the modem for 1 minute and allow it to reset.

If you have two NIC cards in one of the computers, XP has a very nice Network Bridging setup.

Goodluck, --LarryS

[darkandthewild]

Originally Posted by amphi66

I am assuming you are only plugging in one computer at a time to the modem.

When unplugging the laptop and reconecting to the desktop, turn off the modem for 1 minute and allow it to reset.

If you have two NIC cards in one of the computers, XP has a very nice Network Bridging setup.

Goodluck, --LarryS

Hi Larry- Yes, only one computer is plugged into the modem at a time.
Already allowed it too reset- still doesn't work
I swapped the NIC cards, thinking there was a problem with one. I don't have two installed at once- but neither of them helped solve the internet connectivity issue.
Thanks,
Kat

[z1p]

You say it gets a good IP. Does it get a good DNS server IP? can you ping the dns server? can you ping someplace like www.google.com? When you try to open a web page what error do you get?