Broadband just stopped working

We have NTL broadband from a Windows XP computer, usually connected
through a router & wireless connection. It has just stopped working,
for no obvious reason. We have done the following experiments:

1. It still works fine connecting a different computer to the router.
So it's hard to blame NTL for not providing the service.


2. It doesn't work using a cable instead of the wireless connection,
or connecting directly to the set-top box with an ethernet cable
rather than through the router. That's the same ethernet cable that
works fine with the other computer.
3. Also, the computer can talk to the router OK, so it definitely
isn't a cable/connection problem.

4. Our old dial-up connection still works fine.

5. The computer has a valid tcp/ip address received from NTL. When we
disable the firewall, the NTL helpdesk can successfully ping the
computer.

6. We cannot ping anything, or connect via email or the internet.
Apart from the existence of a tcp/ip address, it's as though there is
no connection.

7. We haven't knowingly installed any software recently other than a
windows security update. We tried system restore back to a date when
it worked, with no effect.

NTL's only suggestion is to re-install everything on the computer,
which we aren't wildly keen on.

Any ideas?

On 16 Feb 2004 03:53:18 -0800, (E-Mail Removed) (Frances Hinden)
wrote:

>We have NTL broadband from a Windows XP computer, usually connected
>through a router & wireless connection. It has just stopped working,
>for no obvious reason. We have done the following experiments:
>
>1. It still works fine connecting a different computer to the router.
>So it's hard to blame NTL for not providing the service.
>
>
>2. It doesn't work using a cable instead of the wireless connection,
>or connecting directly to the set-top box with an ethernet cable
>rather than through the router. That's the same ethernet cable that
>works fine with the other computer.
>3. Also, the computer can talk to the router OK, so it definitely
>isn't a cable/connection problem.
>
>4. Our old dial-up connection still works fine.
>
>5. The computer has a valid tcp/ip address received from NTL. When we
>disable the firewall, the NTL helpdesk can successfully ping the
>computer.
>
>6. We cannot ping anything, or connect via email or the internet.
>Apart from the existence of a tcp/ip address, it's as though there is
>no connection.
>
>7. We haven't knowingly installed any software recently other than a
>windows security update. We tried system restore back to a date when
>it worked, with no effect.
>
>NTL's only suggestion is to re-install everything on the computer,
>which we aren't wildly keen on.
>
>Any ideas?

OK - so you can't ping an outside address? What does a Traceroute to
an external address reveal?

--
Hiram Hackenbacker

(E-Mail Removed) (Hiram Hackenbacker) wrote in message news:<(E-Mail Removed)>...
> On 16 Feb 2004 03:53:18 -0800, (E-Mail Removed) (Frances Hinden)
> wrote:
>
> >We have NTL broadband from a Windows XP computer, usually connected
> >through a router & wireless connection. It has just stopped working,
> >for no obvious reason. We have done the following experiments:
> >
> >1. It still works fine connecting a different computer to the router.
> >So it's hard to blame NTL for not providing the service.
> >
> >
> >2. It doesn't work using a cable instead of the wireless connection,
> >or connecting directly to the set-top box with an ethernet cable
> >rather than through the router. That's the same ethernet cable that
> >works fine with the other computer.
> >3. Also, the computer can talk to the router OK, so it definitely
> >isn't a cable/connection problem.
> >
> >4. Our old dial-up connection still works fine.
> >
> >5. The computer has a valid tcp/ip address received from NTL. When we
> >disable the firewall, the NTL helpdesk can successfully ping the
> >computer.
> >
> >6. We cannot ping anything, or connect via email or the internet.
> >Apart from the existence of a tcp/ip address, it's as though there is
> >no connection.
> >
> >7. We haven't knowingly installed any software recently other than a
> >windows security update. We tried system restore back to a date when
> >it worked, with no effect.
> >
> >NTL's only suggestion is to re-install everything on the computer,
> >which we aren't wildly keen on.
> >
> >Any ideas?
>
> OK - so you can't ping an outside address? What does a Traceroute to
> an external address reveal?

1 * * * request timed out
2 * * * request timed out
....
30 * * * request timed out

On 16 Feb 2004 09:00:49 -0800, (E-Mail Removed) (Frances Hinden)
wrote:

>(E-Mail Removed) (Hiram Hackenbacker) wrote in message news:<(E-Mail Removed)>...
>> On 16 Feb 2004 03:53:18 -0800, (E-Mail Removed) (Frances Hinden)
>> wrote:
>>
>> >We have NTL broadband from a Windows XP computer, usually connected
>> >through a router & wireless connection. It has just stopped working,
>> >for no obvious reason. We have done the following experiments:
>> >
>> >1. It still works fine connecting a different computer to the router.
>> >So it's hard to blame NTL for not providing the service.
>> >
>> >
>> >2. It doesn't work using a cable instead of the wireless connection,
>> >or connecting directly to the set-top box with an ethernet cable
>> >rather than through the router. That's the same ethernet cable that
>> >works fine with the other computer.
>> >3. Also, the computer can talk to the router OK, so it definitely
>> >isn't a cable/connection problem.
>> >
>> >4. Our old dial-up connection still works fine.
>> >
>> >5. The computer has a valid tcp/ip address received from NTL. When we
>> >disable the firewall, the NTL helpdesk can successfully ping the
>> >computer.
>> >
>> >6. We cannot ping anything, or connect via email or the internet.
>> >Apart from the existence of a tcp/ip address, it's as though there is
>> >no connection.
>> >
>> >7. We haven't knowingly installed any software recently other than a
>> >windows security update. We tried system restore back to a date when
>> >it worked, with no effect.
>> >
>> >NTL's only suggestion is to re-install everything on the computer,
>> >which we aren't wildly keen on.
>> >
>> >Any ideas?
>>
>> OK - so you can't ping an outside address? What does a Traceroute to
>> an external address reveal?
>
>1 * * * request timed out
>2 * * * request timed out
>...
>30 * * * request timed out

Try pinging a numeric IP address. If that works you have a problem
with your DNS setup. Make sure also that your subnet mask is
255.255.255.0

Make sure your internal network is using 192.168.x.y and not
necessarily 192.168.1.10

David Bradley

(E-Mail Removed) (Frances Hinden) wrote in message news:<(E-Mail Removed). com>...
> We have NTL broadband from a Windows XP computer, usually connected
> through a router & wireless connection. It has just stopped working,
> for no obvious reason. We have done the following experiments:
>
> 1. It still works fine connecting a different computer to the router.
> So it's hard to blame NTL for not providing the service.
>
>
> 2. It doesn't work using a cable instead of the wireless connection,
> or connecting directly to the set-top box with an ethernet cable
> rather than through the router. That's the same ethernet cable that
> works fine with the other computer.
> 3. Also, the computer can talk to the router OK, so it definitely
> isn't a cable/connection problem.
>
> 4. Our old dial-up connection still works fine.
>
> 5. The computer has a valid tcp/ip address received from NTL. When we
> disable the firewall, the NTL helpdesk can successfully ping the
> computer.
>
> 6. We cannot ping anything, or connect via email or the internet.
> Apart from the existence of a tcp/ip address, it's as though there is
> no connection.
>
> 7. We haven't knowingly installed any software recently other than a
> windows security update. We tried system restore back to a date when
> it worked, with no effect.
>
> NTL's only suggestion is to re-install everything on the computer,
> which we aren't wildly keen on.
>
> Any ideas?

It's beyond me, but it's now started working again, one week to the
day after it stopped. Yesterday evening it wasn't working. This
evening it is. Nothing has happened that I'm aware of in the
meantime. It must be magic!