Vista - local access only

[Dutch Squirrel]

Hey folks, I have a Dell Vostro 1000 here running Vista Home Basic.

In short, it doesn't want to connect to the net through my, or the owner's router.

All drivers are up to date, ethernet card has been enabled/disabled, installed/uninstalled.... in short I'm 99% sure it's not hardware related as the same issue occurs when using the wireless card.

I've disabled IP V6 also.

Now, what SEEMS to work is crazy - if the ethernet cable is plugged in BEFORE the system is started, it connects to the net no problem. If the ethernet is plugged in AFTER starting, it will not connect (usually :rolleyes:)

So it seems to be DHCP/router related. An IPconfig/all shows that my router is set as the Connection Specific DNS Suffix when working, and when it's not that space is blank and the crappy windows IP of 169.254.xx.xx is listed.

So, apart from keeping the ethernet plugged before booting up as a fix, does anyone know why this is the case and if there is a more satisfactory fix, short of installing XP?!

Ben

Edit - I am considering this: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928233/en-us

[Snurfen]

Hi eekhoorn, thats usually a pretty good fix, but before you get into hacking the registry, have you checked the ethernet port isn't powering off after startup? Dafter things have been known.

I'm pretty sure the box "allow copmputer to power off port to save power" is checked by default (well, it is on this box running vista ultimate, and I certainly wouldn't switch that facility ON). Very green, that'll save the planet.

Take the check out of the box and give it a bash, if it doesn't work, you'l be up to your elbows in registry hives before you know it.

*EDIT* - the DHCP/DNS issue is a red herring, because your not connecting properly to the router, you get the default "I'm not working" IP address coming up in ipconfig.

[shortguy014]

By the way, I'm having the same problem and I'm wondering where the option to 'Allow computer to power off port to save power" is?

Twood be great help.

[Dutch Squirrel]

Go into device manager and into your network adapter properties to turn off power saving.

Unfortunately it hasn't worked for me.

Neither have a stack of other fixes unfortunately, even the registry hack.

As I said above, what has worked is to make sure the ethernet cable is plugged in before the machine starts up. It's not ideal but until microsoft sort it out I have no more answers.

Vista is absolute garbage. They've messed about with the TCP/IP settings so vista won't work properly with slightly older technology.