I lose my network connection for a few seconds every 2 hrs. and then get it back

[RJL1265]

I keep losing my network connection every 2 hrs. like clock work.

It begins from the moment I first log on. I start with it connected for a few seconds then I lose it from anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute and repeats every 2 hrs. all day long.

When the lost connection happens I get a message that says: local area network connection lost network cable is unplugged.

I have already installed another NIC both internal and USB, nothing works I still get the same message.

Can anyone help...please

[hollystyles]

I keep losing my network connection every 2 hrs. like clock work.

It begins from the moment I first log on. I start with it connected for a few seconds then I lose it from anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute and repeats every 2 hrs. all day long.

When the lost connection happens I get a message that says: local area network connection lost network cable is unplugged.

I have already installed another NIC both internal and USB, nothing works I still get the same message.

Can anyone help...please

Whats your OS and setup, DSL or ADSL. If you're using windows what flavour ? if Xp I would check your event viewer for information first.

You say you have tried different NIC's, perhaps your router/modem is the problem. have you tried changing the cat5 cable ?

We can't help with this sort of thing with vague information. Do you have a firewall ? running on the PC or built into the router ?

[RJL1265]

Sorry I was so vague. This my work computer and the OS is XP Pro as for the cable, I've tried several from some of our computers here at work.

To be honest, besides your standard (office programs) usage, I am fairly new to the technical side of computers. How can I tell if I am using a cat5 cable.

Our set-up is DSL which goes through a Linksis Firewall Router, I also have windows firewall on.

The problem is that it's only my computer that is doing this.

Let me back track for you. About 6 months back my computer lost cababilty to go online and network connection...so I posted that problem on Daniweb and got a response stating that my winsock & winsock 2 were either lost or corrupt.

In that same response I was instructed to export winsock & winsock 2 from another computer with the same OS, and import them to mine, which I did.

After doing so, I was able go back online and onto our local network and that's when the problem which I stated began.

I went into my event viewer and clicked on most recent error icon under System, that happens to be my log in time and this is the message taht came up - The IP address lease 192.168.1.100 for the Network Card with network address 0008027DDC84 has been denied by the DHCP server 192.168.1.1 (The DHCP Server sent a DHCPNACK message).

My IP address before impoting the Winsocks was 192.168.1.104, I don't know if that makes any difference

Hope this helps.

[hollystyles]

I saw this DHCP error recently on a customers PC, I tried updating the driver for the network card but that didn't cure it. In the end I had to replace the network card, and that fixed it.

Although I wouldn't be surprised if your winsock is still corrupted perhaps. Here's a useful link to get you started:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/winsock.htm

The above link mentions LSP's I had not heard of this term before, but it seems to relate to additions to winsock made by third party software and drivers you might have installed, that were not installed on the machine you exported winsock from. You said you were instructed to import winsock from another computer, that's fine but means you may need to re-install some things like the driver for your network card.

DHCP is Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, it is the protocol used for a network card to lease an IP address from a DHCP server, most DSL/ADSL routers have a DHCP server running on them. The lease is typically 24 hours but varies across devices. When the lease is half up your network card will ask The DHCP server to continue the lease, it appears from your event veiwer message that this is where things are falling over, and explains why your problem is periodic, I wouldn't be surprised if your router is configured for a 4 hour lease.

The standard ethernet network cable is Cat5 UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair) This is usually printed olong the cable. it has four pairs of twisted wires. The jack on the end is an RJ45 connector.

If you can't repair winsock, you could try either re-installing your OS or purchasing a new Network card.

[RJL1265]

Well like I stated before I have already install another NIC, internal and external (USB), but I haven't replaced the NIC that came with my Compaq Presario because that one is built-in.

The fact that it's my work computer and I can't see my company paying for the re-installment of my OS or the built-in NIC unless my computer completely goes down. That would have to be a last resort type of thing.

I have re-installed the driver for card. Same thing.

I also ran the Winsock Fix for XP, that didn't work either.

I checked the router setting and the lease is set to 0 which is suppose to be equal to all day, at least that's what a dialog box next to the 0 states, or do we need to replace #0 with #24.

I've been dealing with this for over 6 months and it is has become a nuisance.

Can you think of any other solution for fixing winsock? Is there a website I can go to download winsock and winsock2 for (Compaq Presario 6027US) with Windows XP PRO.

I'm open to any suggestions you might have.

[DMR]

Why not just disable DHCP and manually assign the machine a static IP?

In terms of resetting/repairing your Winsock stack, there is a utility called WinsockXP fix which can restore your Windows winsock defaults.

An alternate manual method is described toward the end of this article:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/811259

And another possible method is here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/299357

[RJL1265]

In resonse to DMR I"ve ran the fix, didn't work. I also folllowed the posted link and went through the recover from Winsock2 corruption, still have the same problem.

I guess my next step assign the machine a static IP and see if that works.

If you get any more ideas please post them. Like I said I'm open to all suggstions and all suggetions are appreciated.

[DMR]

Quite honestly, it looks to me as though you aren't dealing with a winsock issue at all this time around, but more of a DHCP-related problem instead.I only gave the winsock repair instructions to be on the safe side.

If you've only got one or a few computers connected to the router, it's usually more reliable overall to turn off the router's DHCP server feature and just assign all of the computers a static address. That will eliminate DHCP-related problems such as lease renewal times, the inability of the computers to obtain correct IP info from the DHCP server, etc.

[DMR]

The above link mentions LSP's I had not heard of this term before, but it seems to relate to additions to winsock made by third party software and drivers you might have installed, that were not installed on the machine you exported winsock from.

Yes hollystiles- you've exactly and correctly grokked the concept of Microsoft's LSP (Layered Service Provider) extensions. :)

Additionally, what you stated is essentially true:You said you were instructed to import winsock from another computer, that's fine but means you may need to re-install some things like the driver for your network card.
Importing the winsock entries from someone else's registry is not a recommendation I've ever seen suggested nor one that I would suggest, as the contents of those registry keys can definitely vary between different computers.

[RJL1265]

We have too many computers to disable DHCP server feature.

Would it be possible to assign a static address just to mine without disabling DCHP server feature and would that possibly work?

I'm pretty close to just giving up.

[hollystyles]

We have too many computers to disable DHCP server feature.

Would it be possible to assign a static address just to mine without disabling DCHP server feature and would that possibly work?

I'm pretty close to just giving up.

This is possible, on my lynksys the DHCP range of addresses starts at 192.168.1.100, the lynksys has IP 192.168.1.1, so 192.168.1.2 - 192.168.1.99 are available for static devices, choose any of these and that should be fine.

[DMR]

This is possible, on my lynksys the DHCP range of addresses starts at 192.168.1.100, the lynksys has IP 192.168.1.1, so 192.168.1.2 - 192.168.1.99 are available for static devices, choose any of these and that should be fine.

Right.
As long as you choose an IP address that is out of the DHCP scope of the router (but still within the same subnet, obviously), you shouldn't have an address conflict.

[RJL1265]

Excellent. If I remember correctly we have 3 free static IP addresses. I'll try one of those first chance I get.

I'll do that just as soon as I can, maybe tomorrow or day after, but soon.

I'll post my results just as soon as I get that done.

Thanks for your help...hope it works.

[DMR]

Give it a shot and keep us posted. :)

[RJL1265]

Well guys, we tried assigning a static IP, no luck, or we did it wrong.

So it looks like my company is going to spring for a tech guy to address other company needs as well as my computer.

All your help was appreciated.

I'll leave this thread open, just incase one of you gets a fresh idea, because there is no telling how long before we get someone in here.

[MartyMcFly]

You sure you haven't got a two hour lease on your DHCP settings. If the renewal is syncronised the server may time out on an increase of traffic at that time. Check it out and increase it as required.

Could it be a power problem on the router, although I'm clutching at straws there.

Let us know the problem if the tech guy fixes it, it sounds interesting.

[RJL1265]

Our DHCP settings are set to zero which is to be equal to all day/24hrs., never the less we went ahead and assigned to 1,440 min./24hrs. to see if that would make a difference...nope.

Nothing seems to make a difference.

Looks like I have no choice but to wait for my company to bring outside help...wonder when that will be.

I'm still hoping someone out there might have a solution, so feel free to keep them coming.

[DMR]

You might want to have a look in your application and system logs to see if whatever is causing this is also logging some indication of its activity there.

Use the Event Viewer utility in your Administrative Tools folder to display the logs and let us know if you find any possibly relevant messages in them.

[RJL1265]

Here is what I found in the event viewer under system right after losing and regaining connection that seem to relate to each other

1st: Source MRxSmb
(The redirector failed to determine the connection type)This message appears 11 times in the hr. prior up to ten minutes before loss of network connection.

Then at the point I lose my network connection, these are the messages I get.
2nd Source: E100B
Adapter Intel(R) PRO/100 VM Network Connection #2: Adapter Link Down

3rd Source TCIP
The system detected that network adapter \DEVICE\TCPIP_{EB2F07B5-DCF3-4ADD-98B0-F247FE64F82A} was disconnected from the network, and the adapter's network configuration has been released. If the network adapter was not disconnected, this may indicate that it has malfunctioned. Please contact your vendor for updated drivers.

4rth Source Dnsapi With a Waring Icon
The system failed to update and remove host (A) resource records (RRs) for network adapter
with settings:

Adapter Name : {EB2F07B5-DCF3-4ADD-98B0-F247FE64F82A}
Host Name : robert
Primary Domain Suffix : crcbakcorp.com
DNS server list :
192.168.1.10, 206.13.29.12, 206.13.30.12
Sent update to server : 192.1.1.1
IP Address(es) :
192.168.1.100

The reason the update request failed was because of a system problem. For specific error code, see the record data displayed below.

0000: 51 27 00 00 Q'..

5th Source E100B
Adapter Intel(R) PRO/100 VM Network Connection #2: Adapter Link Up

6th Source TCIP
The system detected that network adapter \DEVICE\TCPIP_{EB2F07B5-DCF3-4ADD-98B0-F247FE64F82A} was connected to the network, and has initiated normal operation over the network adapter.

7th and final one - Source DCHP With Error Icon
The IP address lease 192.168.1.100 for the Network Card with network address 0008027DDC84 has been denied by the DHCP server 192.168.1.1 (The DHCP Server sent a DHCPNACK message).

All this happened inside of 1 second.

[DMR]

Thanks for the details. Information on the "MRxSmb" log entry and possible fixes for the problem can be found in some of the following links:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=MRxSmb+%22The+redirector+failed+to+determine+the+connection+type%22&btnG=Search

Messages #2 - #4 are cascading results of the error indicated in the initial MRxSmb message, messages 5 & 6 are the result of your system trying to recover fron the initial error and reconnect to the DHCP server (the router in this case), and message 7 indicates that the router is rejecting that request.

Earlier, you posted:
we tried assigning a static IP, no luck, or we did it wrong.
You should try that again, and this time also disable the DHCP client service on the machine in question when you do. I can post details on that later (I don't have time right now), but unless your network card or perhaps the router have gotten confuzzled (yes, "confuzzled"is a valid technical term), this really sounds like a DHCP issue.