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Cures for Common Networking Headaches

A home network that won't work can be very frustrating, but don't give up. Here, courtesy of HomeNetHelp.com's Chris Kaminski and Linksys product support manager Shannon Lehmann, are some basic troubleshooting steps to try when you're faced with three common problems.

I can't see other PCs on the network. Make sure the workgroup name is the same for all networked PCs. For Windows 98, right-click Network Neighborhood (My Network Places in Windows Me), click the Identification tab, and enter the workgroup name. In Windows 2000, right-click My Computer and select Properties, Network, Identification, Properties. Click the Workgroup radio button, and then enter the name. In Windows XP, right-click My Computer, select Properties, Computer Name, and--if the workgroup name needs to be changed--click Change and then select the Workgroup radio button.

My network adapter doesn't work. Make sure you've properly installed the driver. Windows 98 and Me users must have their Windows installation CD-ROMs handy, or know where the installation files (.cab files) reside on the hard drive (Win XP and 2000 users, don't worry about this). All users must know where the driver files are located on the hardware's installation CD-ROM.

I can't get online. This may be a problem with a gateway/router setting. If so, you should be able to fix it via the device's Web-based firmware. Check your manual for the device's default IP address (it will be in the format 192.168.x.x). Launch a browser and then point it to that address.

Setup routines vary from vendor to vendor, but at some point you should be asked whether you have a dynamic IP address (as most residential users do) or a static IP address. If your broadband ISP uses PPPOE software to log you in automatically via a user ID and password, you should be asked to enter those as well.

Some ISPs check to see whether a connection is coming from the device you first used for access; they do this by checking its MAC identifier (a string of numbers and letters unique to a device). If you buy a router after getting broadband, the router will have a different MAC identifier than the ethernet card you probably used to connect from one PC. To bypass this problem, newer routers include a MAC cloning feature that copies the MAC address from the adapter to the router; otherwise, you may have to call your ISP and inform it of your router's MAC identifier (check with the vendor to determine what it is).

You can also try releasing and renewing your PC's IP address. In Windows 98 and Me, click Start, Run, type winipcfg, and click OK. You'll see a window with IP addressing information and a drop-down list of available adapters. Select your adapter, click Release, and then click Renew. At this point, your PC will seek a new IP number from your ISP. In Windows XP, open Network Connections, right-click the adapter that you're using, and then select Status, Support, Repair. In Windows 2000, select Start, Run, type cmd, select OK, type ipconfig /release_all, press Enter, type ipconfig /renew_all, and press Enter.

For more network troubleshooting, see "Upgrades: Right on the Money."

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