elkavayo
asked on
Clients can no longer control "Internet gateway" on XP (ICS, XP)
Hello,
I have a 3 computer-network at home, in workgroup mode, all running windows XP professional (Actually 2 XP pro + 1 XP Media center edition). One of the computers (XP pro) acts as a server an internet gateway using ICS, and connects to my ISP using a modem. The server connects thru a 100 Mbps adapter to a 100 Mbps switch, and also connected to the switch is a 54 MBPS wireless access point. The other 2 computers (XP pro and XPMCE) have 54 mbps wireless adapters to connect to the network. The Modem connection on the server, have ICS and firewall enabled, available for all users. All computers have the same usersname/password combinations. the server has permission based shared, the 2 clients have "Simple file sharing"
For Months I've been using this setup smoothly. I could control Connect/Disconnect actions from the "Internet Gateway" Icon that appears on each client (Under Network Connections) That allowed me to free the phone line and connect on demand. When I clicked "Connect", i could see the description of the "Internet gateway" icon changing from "Disconnected" to "Connecting" to "Connected". I even had enabled to display I icon in the tray area whenever the gateway was connected, so i could use the context menu to "disconnect" whenever I was done with the internet connection, as we have only one phone line that we share for internet and voice.
All of a sudden (I can't seem to find out what I could have done) the Internet gateway icon on the clients, always says "Disconnected". If I click "Connect" (using the context menu) then I see a window that pops up (as usual) and says "Connecting", but the icon still says 'Disconnected". Most of the time, the status window that pops up ends up with "Connection failed" when in fact, it suddeeded. At other times, it ends with "Connected" but the Internet gateway icon, still says "Disconnected"
Because the "Internet Gateway" icon description always says "Disconnected", (even though the server may be actually connected) I cannot disconnect!, and the phone line remains connected all the time, the only way to disconnect is to open a remote desktop session to the server and disconnect there.
As an interesting note, the "Internet Gateway" icon used to say "Bellsouth on SERVER", where bellsouth was the name of the connection on the server, and SERVER is the netbios server name. Now it says "Internet Connection". I have even changed the name of the server, to see if it clears up, but nothing.
Functionality wise, all works perfectly, except that I can't disconnect from the clients, and this is pretty annoying, mostly for my wife and daughters, which don't know what to do to make a phone call when I'm not at home.
I have tried re-installing Service Pack 1, doing a Windows Update, Remove Upnp and re-installing it again, I have turned all related services on the server, I have enabled "Simple file sharing" (even though it shouldn't have anything to do, but this is one of the few changes I made on the server) I have re-run the "network wizard" several times on the server and the clients. i have changed the IPs (to fix IPs 10.0.0.5) and rebotted, to see if the change clears something out, then I have re-run the wizards, but nothing seems to help. I still cannot disconnect.
Could you please point me in the right direction?
I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks,
Luis
I have a 3 computer-network at home, in workgroup mode, all running windows XP professional (Actually 2 XP pro + 1 XP Media center edition). One of the computers (XP pro) acts as a server an internet gateway using ICS, and connects to my ISP using a modem. The server connects thru a 100 Mbps adapter to a 100 Mbps switch, and also connected to the switch is a 54 MBPS wireless access point. The other 2 computers (XP pro and XPMCE) have 54 mbps wireless adapters to connect to the network. The Modem connection on the server, have ICS and firewall enabled, available for all users. All computers have the same usersname/password combinations. the server has permission based shared, the 2 clients have "Simple file sharing"
For Months I've been using this setup smoothly. I could control Connect/Disconnect actions from the "Internet Gateway" Icon that appears on each client (Under Network Connections) That allowed me to free the phone line and connect on demand. When I clicked "Connect", i could see the description of the "Internet gateway" icon changing from "Disconnected" to "Connecting" to "Connected". I even had enabled to display I icon in the tray area whenever the gateway was connected, so i could use the context menu to "disconnect" whenever I was done with the internet connection, as we have only one phone line that we share for internet and voice.
All of a sudden (I can't seem to find out what I could have done) the Internet gateway icon on the clients, always says "Disconnected". If I click "Connect" (using the context menu) then I see a window that pops up (as usual) and says "Connecting", but the icon still says 'Disconnected". Most of the time, the status window that pops up ends up with "Connection failed" when in fact, it suddeeded. At other times, it ends with "Connected" but the Internet gateway icon, still says "Disconnected"
Because the "Internet Gateway" icon description always says "Disconnected", (even though the server may be actually connected) I cannot disconnect!, and the phone line remains connected all the time, the only way to disconnect is to open a remote desktop session to the server and disconnect there.
As an interesting note, the "Internet Gateway" icon used to say "Bellsouth on SERVER", where bellsouth was the name of the connection on the server, and SERVER is the netbios server name. Now it says "Internet Connection". I have even changed the name of the server, to see if it clears up, but nothing.
Functionality wise, all works perfectly, except that I can't disconnect from the clients, and this is pretty annoying, mostly for my wife and daughters, which don't know what to do to make a phone call when I'm not at home.
I have tried re-installing Service Pack 1, doing a Windows Update, Remove Upnp and re-installing it again, I have turned all related services on the server, I have enabled "Simple file sharing" (even though it shouldn't have anything to do, but this is one of the few changes I made on the server) I have re-run the "network wizard" several times on the server and the clients. i have changed the IPs (to fix IPs 10.0.0.5) and rebotted, to see if the change clears something out, then I have re-run the wizards, but nothing seems to help. I still cannot disconnect.
Could you please point me in the right direction?
I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks,
Luis
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You don't have Constant Connection DSL or Cable? You use dial up?
ASKER
Hi stevenlewis,
This may eventually work, but has a big drawback for me. It requieres a user to be loggued at the server for it to work. The server is in a closet, with no keyboard or mouse. If power fails, it will turn on, but any loggued on user will be disconnected, rendering this application useless.
Anyway, I want to thank you for the tip, is a good work-around in fact, I may use it as a last resort.
This may eventually work, but has a big drawback for me. It requieres a user to be loggued at the server for it to work. The server is in a closet, with no keyboard or mouse. If power fails, it will turn on, but any loggued on user will be disconnected, rendering this application useless.
Anyway, I want to thank you for the tip, is a good work-around in fact, I may use it as a last resort.
ASKER
Hi groundwar,
No, no broadband at all. Plain 56K dialup modem.
The ability to connect or disconnect at will was working until a couple of days ago. I have no idea what may have happened, and I have not found anything related to it on the 'net.
Thanks,
Luis
No, no broadband at all. Plain 56K dialup modem.
The ability to connect or disconnect at will was working until a couple of days ago. I have no idea what may have happened, and I have not found anything related to it on the 'net.
Thanks,
Luis
Sorry, cannot help you. I haven't used Dial Up in like 4 or 5 years. Sorry.