Loss of internet connection on WinXP

[kmz]

We just installed WinXP + SP1 and latest Microsoft critical updates. It worked fine for one day, and accessing the internet via our Linksys DSL 4-port home router via DHCP.

After a break for dinner, the internet connection died for this computer. However, two other PC's connected to the router were still OK. We also tried bypassing the Linksys LAN card, by using a Linksys USB LAN connection, to same effect.

I cannot even ping the router at 192.168.1.1, and a netview replies with only the computer's hostname, e.g. \\MYPCNAME. If I ping MYPCNAME, it responds with 169.254.6.138 in a few msec's.

When working normally, ping MYPCNAME responds with 192.168.1.2 (or *.3 or *.4). Why does PCNAME thinks its loopback address is 169.254.6.138? If a good PC is disconnected from the router, it responds with the normal loopback address of 127.0.0.1.

We also tried setting the IP address to 192.168.1.4, subnet mask 255.255.255.0, and gateway 192.168.1.1, and set SBC PacBell's DNS servers per the Linksys router status. Then, I can ping the router, PacBell DNS addresses, and even the IP address for ad.doubleclick.net! It also pings other PC's on the home network by hostname. But http does not work for browsing the internet. All the network, DNS, and DHCP services are started, and have been restarted. So ping can access an IP address on the internet, but IE or Mozilla browsing does not work.

Can someone provide a clue how to repair, short of re-installing WinXP.

I should add that we had seen the IDENTICAL error condition when running on Win2000 -- after 3 years of running OK. We tried the same diagnostics as for WinXP, even with that odd 169.254.6.138 loopback address. So we decided to reformat and install WinXP from scratch. Time to upgrade anyway. My perception is that DHCP is not working correctly, and failing to assign loopback address to 127.0.0.1 when not connected, and to one of the router's addresses when connected. And DNS does not seem to work either, when I set the TCPIP properties to fixed addresses. It seems like there is something blocking internet accress, yet we don't have any ZoneLab software firewalls that might have gotten mistakenly set.

Darryl

[LooseChippings]

First thing is to check for Viruses and Scumware.

[milomorai]

first try repairing the tcp/ip stack: at the c:\ prompt, type in this "netsh int ip reset reset.txt". if that doesn't work try rebuilding the ip stack: go to the command prompt, get to the root (c:\), type in 'netsh'>enter. at the netsh prompt type in 'dump'. when the netsh prompt re-appears, type in exit. that will rip/reinstall the tcp/ip for winXP

[kmz]

i did do many virus scans before

thx for ur 2 recommendations of what i should do, i just did both and the internet still doesn't work
thx anyway

help plz :[

[milomorai]

i don't remember it's name but there was a virus/trojan out about a month ago that did what you are experiencing. you say that you can connect to your local network? get the latest updates to the av software on one of your other pc's and scan the xp box from that pc.

[kmz]

nm guys
i got it to work now
i had to get a winsockfix.exe program