Hi spd conn. lost, but LAN still OK ?

[DRIFT-O-MATIC]

I have my home computers on a Netgear network and connected to the Internet via high speed cable. My stepson (without my permission) opened one of my computers running W98, to scavange an unused phone modem. He mistakenly removed my NIC card, then replaced it and removed the modem. Now, this computer cannot connect to the Internet, but can still communicate with the other computers on the Home network. Could the network card be damaged, so that it lost Internet connection, but still can connect to the other network computers?

[jtdoom]

Hi

I think the NIC just ended up in another slot, and got another name in "networking"

this most likely changed its IP adress
cable connection could be set to work with adaptor 1, and now it's called adaptor 2 (with another IP adress)

if a router is set to allow passage to WAN for this NIC (IP) and it blocks all other IP outgoing to WAN, then you know what went wrong.

(the setup you describe makes me think you are on a router)

I suggest you put the NIC back to the other slot,
then when you power up, boot to Dosprompt,
and then run this

scanreg /restore

you see four dates in the files it offers to restore
choose date from before the move/removal using the arrow keys
even if you have more than five, DO NOT USE LOWEST (that is normally the fifth, what you normally dont see but it pops up when you get that deep)

hit enter, and then it will ask you reboot
it will start, then see the modem is gone, but with a little luck, the NIC will be its old self

[jtdoom]

of course... when the cable modem is tied to a MAC adress, and a router is used, the router did not change its adress (unless it is set to clone the MAC)

see, it could be you only have to hit the reset button on your cable modem!

Cable connection has MAC tied to modem, and gives it an IP

when I choose to not use my router, and switch between computers, the cable sees another MAC, and it is not tied to the modem yet.
so I have to power off the cable modem, or hit its reset button so the cable Co releases IP and reties modem to this MAC, giving it a new IP.

erm, something like that... :)

[DRIFT-O-MATIC]

Jaak, thank you so much for your help. The scanreg/restore worked! Much appreciated. You d'man!