We have a 3-computer office LAN with all Windows XP computers. Internet connected through Earthlink DSL modem and Linksys wireless router. Until 5 days ago, things worked great. Then I accidentally touched an electrical extension plug-in-strip who's off/on switch had a hair trigger. As a result, one computer was turned off. After that there were some network, internet, and local speed problems.
Everything is fixed now except that the computer in question cannot access the internet via the LAN. We have instead to use the backup dial-up connection. The other computers can access the Internet just fine via the network, and the LAN works fine between all three computers, including the one with the problem. I've power-cycled and replugged everything. I've rebooted. I've reused the network wizard to set up the LAN, telling it that the Internet is via a gateway.
But nothing will cause the Internet to be seen from this computer. I dread the idea of having to do an OS repair from the CD, although I've done several of those. What worries me is finding out how to install all the stuff that no one kept a record of (when I wasn't around). I'm a bit leary of using System Restore, because the last time I used it, the OS got trashed and I had to do an OS repair from the CD-ROM. Same thing happened to me at home. So I don't trust it.
I'm hoping that there is something that I've just overlooked. The setup is: DSL modem connects to Linksys WRT54G wireless router, which connects to network node. The other computers and one network copier/printer all connect to the node. That's about it.
Any suggestions on what I can try? The office boss is quite frazzled.
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