can't get network adapter to work
 

Just built a PC for my friend. He has a Biostar P4M890-M7 TE with an on board network adapter, but it doesn't seem to want to connect. I already tried all the basic solutions, such as using the "repair" function, I tried swapping out different ethernet cables between the router and his PC, and I also tried going directly from the modem to the PC. The internet works just fine on another PC here, but it just won't work on his PC. I have already installed and even re-installed the drivers for the network adapter. When I do the "repair" function, it will attempt to renew the IP but it will get stuck, and it will tell me that there is limited or no connectivity. Also, after "repairing", under status, it will have "default gateway", "DNS server" and "WINS sever" blank. I'm not sure about WINS server, but I'm pretty sure that "default gateway" and "DNS server" should not be blank. Also, under the device manager, there does not appear to be any problems with the network adapter. I honestly don't know what to do; this is probably the strangest network adapter problem I've encountered. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks.

get the IP information from another PC for the DNS Gateway etc. Pick a static IP address.

If it doesn't connect via static IP there may be something wrong with the NIC.

Okay. Trying that now...

EDIT: I tried this, but it still does not work. At least now it will actually attempt to open websites, but it will take a long time and the browser (IE) will simply give up (it "times out").

So you think it might be the on board NIC?

EDIT: Just finished installing a separate NIC he had lying around. We have no idea where the CD with the drivers is, but it is old... so Windows might have them, I hope. Will report back.

EDIT: Nope, didn't work. Apparently this NIC is plug-n-play, but it still does not work. Either the NIC he has lying around is also messed up, or something deeper must be wrong (software or hardware related... maybe something is wrong with the mobo itself?)

First up - you need to decide whether you are going to get the address data automatically (this is called DHCP), or set it up manually.

I'd personally try the automatic option first. It might solve your problems and it usually won't do any harm.

However, if you find that automatic/DHCP doesn't work or if you want to set up manually - you need

1) an IP address for your PC
2) a subnet mask (normally it is 255.255.255.0 on home systems)
3) the IP address of the modem (I'm assuming you connect to it via network cable)
4) now set the modems IP address as your DNS and as your gateway

You won't need WINS.

Also... forgive me if you already know all this or have tried it.

Windows right?

Mostly ignorant with computers when it comes to this, however I have experienced this on laptops provided by my university. Each time all internet functionality ceases, they just reinstall the WinSock crap. Good luck.

Nimetic: yup, tried that already, but thanks for the advice anyway.

Augi: I will probably try this if all else fails.

I got some suggestions from other places, which I will also be trying out. Will report back as soon as I go to his house again today.

curious what version of windows? XP pro? XP home?

Ok. Have you turned off all personal firewalls? You probably have, I'll ask anyways.

Sometimes I forget (or am not told) that this stuff is installed. It can really confuse me if I'm working through my standard troubleshooting procedure and forget to check.

Other than that.. It sounds like you are using DHCP. I take it that you are unable to (and have tried) as static IP address? If not, hows about you try that and see if you can connect to the modem. I'm assuming that your modem is controlled via a web page?

Usually it'll be something like 192.168.1.1

Bloody desktop support. They always do that - and they learn absolutely nothing from it.

Figured I'd post in here just for closure (although I am nearly three weeks late). I tried most of the suggestions listed above, to no avail. We ended up getting him a wireless router and wireless NIC (this was the ultimate goal anyway) and it works just fine. I'll just chalk this one up to being a faulty on board NIC. Thanks to everyone that replied.

This is going out on a limb, but: is the NIC turned on in BIOS? Are any weird options regarding the NIC set in the BIOS?

I'm thinking the same thing...

I know you've got around this, but I thought I'd add my 2 cents worth for someone elses future reference.

In this kind of situation i always find it useful to jump into the command prompt and use ping and tracert. They usually give pretty good errors (assuming that the hardware is present and working).

If you try and ping a domain name that you know exists (for example 'ping www.tfproject.org'), you'll quickly see if you have DNS working correctly. If this fails, you can find the IP address of the same 'known' server from another machine that works and ping that (e.g. 'ping 209.50.251.11' - this is the IP address of www.tfproject.org atm). If this also fails, then you may have an issue with your connection to the gateway. This is where tracert comes in handy - doing a 'tracert 209.50.251.11' will conclusively prove whether you have a working gateway...

This at least gives you the basic answers about your connectivity.