Date: 09/16/06 (Computer Help)    Keywords: web, google

I can't connect to any websites on my backup desktop anymore. It seems to have suddenly stopped, and I'm not sure why. It worked a few hours ago.. and now, nothing.

I think it has to do with some windows updates that I ran on it, because after they installed is when I had the problem. Afterwards, I can no longer connect to anything. I tried firefox and IE, and I tried to ping google.com but got nothing.

There are no device conflicts with the netcard.

I tried to uninstall the windows updates and my desktop started to look a bit funky.. I may have uninstalled the wrong ones. :) The desktop icons were all pink and weird looking.. I tried to backup to yesterday's system restore, but that didn't get me back on the net.

After an hour or so of messing with system restore and testing the LAN cable on my laptop (it connected fine).. I figured.. what the hell, I don't have anything on this computer anyways.. and reinstalled windows and downloaded the latest drivers for the net card (which I had to do from my laptop and transfer them via flash drive).

That didn't work either.

I've tried running the LAN cable straight from the modem to the computer rather than through the router, and that didn't work.

I shut off the computer / router / cable modem, and turned them back on in reverse order.. nothing.

I don't understand why reinstalling windows didn't work if it truely was the windows update that did it. But if it wasn't the update, what was it? I've tried three different known working LAN cables, so it's not the cable.. and I bypassed the router, so I don't see how it could be the router. And I'm sending this message via my laptop on the same network, so it shouldn't be the cable modem's fault. If it's the NIC, then the updated drivers should have done something.. or it should be giving me some sort of conflict.

Under the network connections/local area connection status it says connected. When I click repair it says: "The following steps of the repair operation failed: renewing the IP address."

So.. any ideas? :)

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/computer_help/685832.html