getting my laptop operational?

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Hi,
just tried a straight CAT5 RJ45 connection,

the laptop to school desktop recognises a link.
reports
yes
yes
169.254.41.175
255.255.0.0

but in networks properties it says

limited or no connectivity - Firewalled.

Tried the crossover RJ45
reports
media disconnected

Hi Rfbrw,
yes, mine came with a 2pin cable that connected the 6position plugs (RJ11) into the 8position ports (RJ45) and it worked until the storm took out the link.
BT talked me through an alternative USB link to get the broadband link working again.

Now I want to get BOTH computers to link into broadband. BT's literature says twin operation is possible, but so far unsuccessful.
It does not even have to be simultaneous, either/or will do.
 
Hello Andrew,

I know a couple of us converged on you at the same time, pulling you in different directions with different tasks all leading to the same place.

I am using a logic ladder approach. Start with the computers and make sure everything is working on them FIRST. Then we can focus on and prove something is wrong with the Modem. Maybe it will be something we can correct or it will need to be replaced, but the steps will be completed and BT won't be able to ignore the fact that it is THEIR Modem and it doesn't work properly. The reason this is difficult is because there is more than one problem in different devices, so let's fix what we have control of first.

I just went through this with a friend's Dell. Everything you described has happened the same way with the Dell that has happened with your Toshiba. Same messages about the LAN port, everything looked as if it were fine but no connectivity. Lights, everything in windows said it was operational. Driver was there but in Network Properties, guess what it said... you guessed it, limited or no connectivity.

What fixed this was Uninstalling the LAN port drivers and reinstalling them from your driver disk or maybe while at school you can use someone's computer to download the latest driver to a media that your laptop can use (CD). Next thing after a restart, the gate was wide open and off to the outside world. Then I went to Dell and updated all the rest of the drivers.

I don't care what anyone else asks you to do, please do this first and then if it doesn't work, move on to the next suggestion. But at least rule the "NOT so obvious" fundamental stuff.

Good Luck and come back with a good report!

Regards//Keith
 
Hi,
I might be able to download the driver at school, their banned extensions list is extensive and may prevent this.
If I get it, then the memory stick will transfer it.

Maybe I can download it at home and Email it to my school account. That might bypass the filter.

I wonder if the file is on the emergency disc?
Is there a way to refresh a driver?
 
AndrewT said:
Hi,
just tried a straight CAT5 RJ45 connection,

the laptop to school desktop recognises a link.
reports
yes
yes
169.254.41.175
255.255.0.0

but in networks properties it says

limited or no connectivity - Firewalled.

Tried the crossover RJ45
reports
media disconnected

Hi Rfbrw,
yes, mine came with a 2pin cable that connected the 6position plugs (RJ11) into the 8position ports (RJ45) and it worked until the storm took out the link.
BT talked me through an alternative USB link to get the broadband link working again.

Now I want to get BOTH computers to link into broadband. BT's literature says twin operation is possible, but so far unsuccessful.
It does not even have to be simultaneous, either/or will do.


Looking at the rear of the '205, leftmost is the DSL connection, a 4 point socket where the line from the microfilter plugs in. To the right is the USB port and to the right of that is the 8 point ethernet LAN port. Does any of this tally with what you see ?

The address shown is the automatically assigned IP address provided by XP in the absence of a DHCP server. You could try to link the laptop to the desktop using the crossover cable and assigning both computers static IP addresses using the window shown in post#9.
 
Toshiba should have supplied a driver disk (CD) even though everything is already loaded on the laptop. You can use the driver from there too (it might still be the same one that you can download).
Go to:
Control Panel >
System >
Hardware >
Device Manager >
Click on Network Adapters >
Click on the integrated Network Adapter >
Click on Drivers >
Click the Uninstall Driver button.
Reboot Computer

It may say upon rebooting New Hardware found and ask for you to install drivers, If not:

Repeat the above procedure (It will have the Network adapter with a yellow Exclamation point meaning the drivers aren't installed) but instead of Uninstall Driver>
Click Install / Update Driver >

It will ask you where do you want the Laptop to look for the drivers. Make sure the Drivers CD is in the CD/DVD Drive and send it looking there or any memory storage stick.

Let me know how you do!

Regards//Keith
 
Ya, I don't even want to get involved with that part of things... usualy leads to too high coffee intake... and alot of curses...

PA... just browsed your site (still prefer the old one, as most parts work) hell those regs look nice... but I would have to sell a kidney...

Still nice to have something to strive towards, both in terms of understanding, and quality of construction...
 
KP11520 said:
How did you make out? Did you get a chance to reinstall the drivers?
Hi,
I emailed the drivers to my school account.
They all arrived safety, but the filters would not let me save them to the hard disc.
No luck yet.
However one of our 11year olds got the laptop to recognise a working port. But I think the server was stopping the link.
I am going to try that again tomorrow into my desktop. I wonder if the XP machine won't recognise the Win98 machine?
 
Yes it will plugged directly into eachother (assuming both Network Ports are working properly and the drivers are completely operational and you use a crossover cable).

I did that years ago to get files from my old PC to the new one (using a switch). The old one only had a cd drive and a floppy No CD burner so it was easier to go across my own network. Although, you have to configure the PCs to allow access to the files.

Do you have the Drivers CD from Toshiba at home? It should have arrived with the laptop.
 
Dope, you didn't say it was xp and 98...

Hell it can be done but its pretty hard... was some software available at one point that could set it up quite painlessly....

Do so some googleing on connecting windows 98 and xp... cause that is the crux of your problem.... even with all gateways set up properly etc... it will probably still fail... without the rest of the settings... damn.. i'm trying to remember what the thing was called... I know the company doesn't exist anymore.... but maybe there would still be a copy out there on the web...

edit: some links

http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/wxpwin9x.html

http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article04-108

http://www.easydesksoftware.com/news/news24.htm

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/troubleshoot/
 
Hi Nordic,

It isn't THAT bad! "Home Network Setup Wizard" in XP can make it easy enough. In Control Panel click on Network Connections, In a box on the left hand side, Click on "Set up a home or small office network" It will get you most of the way there. The easiest way is to make a setup disk on one and put it in the other PC and it does the work for you. I don't think Andrew has any way to share media between the two computers.

Andrew's biggest problem is his driver for his LAN port on his Toshiba. Next may be the LAN port on his modem may also be bad after his lightning strike!

Now, when are you going to cut holes in that shaved tennis ball helmet so that poor cat can hear the mice (and the rats too), and get some fresh dinner?

Regards//Keith
 
Hey you didn't cut holes in his helmet! That's a whole new CAT!

It has been a while but I remember that it gives you the option to configure a floppy disk to bring to the other PCs you want to connect to and this is the least problematic way to do it. It makes the connection automatically this way. I DON"T want to add any more problems to this mix! I'll get him there after we get some sort of connectivity!
 
Hi,
the only disc that came with the Tosh Laptop is the "product recovery" which I called emergency disc in a previous post.

Can I access my old win98 hard disc (and all it's data) AFTER I install XP sp1 onto the desktop using the second hard disc in the desktop?
It seems that if I get both machines onto XP, talking to each other becomes simpler.
Alternatively, could the xp sp2 product recovery disc be used to install sp2 on the desktop? does the difference between sp1 & sp2 change compatibility?

Another alternatively,
disconnect the desktop from the usb link to the net. Then work "blind" and connect the laptop via the usb modem port, which we all know is working. If need be I can use the BT helpdesk to talk me through getting the laptop onto the web.

I'm away to use the good weather to batch & pour some concrete. Back later today.
 
The product recovery discs will likely point to hidden partitions on the Tosh's hard drive, and won't be any use in upgrading your desktop. Sorry.

As for the modem, when I'm at my mum's on Friday, I'll see if she has my dad's old ADSL one lying around. If she hasn't given it away, I'll stick it in the post to you. I know it works on the LAN port as that's how I configured his system.
 
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