# Please help me connect (98se) to the internet



## john1 (Nov 25, 2000)

Hi,

I'm having trouble connecting a 98se to the internet.
Its an old machine, a 'Dell Xps' It has connected before without problems.

I changed to the BT isp about a year ago, over the last few weeks ive been
trying to get this Dell machine to connect to the internet, with no success.

My other machine (Acer) connects alright, i am using the Acer now.

BT isp provides a 'modem - router' with four ethernet outlets,
the Acer is in one of them, the Dell is in another.

The Acer can see the network of two machines, itself and the Dell.
The Dell can see the network of two machines, itself and the Acer.

The Acer can connect to the internet, the Dell has not done so yet.

Any help or advice would be welcome,

John


----------



## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

> The Dell can see the network of two machines, itself and the Acer.


 well its connected to the router and can see the other machines 
so it must be something blocking your access

i cant remember all the 98 commands

but try
Winipcfg 
and PING

so you need to get to a command prompt - which I think is under start>accessories>command prompt
then type
Winipcfg

and then try the ping commands

*------------------------------------------------------------------------*
* Ping Tests *
If you cannot access the internet with this PC, then you will need to paste the results into something like notepad and then copy onto a machine that can access the internet and post results here
Save the file to a USB flash drive or other removable media. Plug it into the working computer with internet access and copy the file and paste here.

Type the following command 
*Ping* {plus the number thats shown against the default gateway}
Post back the results
rightclick in the box
select all
enter
control key + C key - to copy
then reply here and 
control key + V to paste

Type the following command
*Ping google.com*
Post back the results
rightclick in the box
select all
enter
control key + C key - to copy
then reply here and 
control key + V to paste

Type the following command
*Ping 209.183.226.152*
post back results
rightclick in the box
select all
enter
control key + C key - to copy
then reply here and 
control key + V to paste


> _*For your information only*
> these tests will check various stages of the connection, the first ping test, *ping default gateway* checks to see if you still have a connection to the router the next two
> *Ping google.com & Ping 209.183.226.152* tests the connection to internet , one by name and one by number which checks that the dns is working_


 
*------------------------------------------------------------------------*


----------



## john1 (Nov 25, 2000)

Hi etaf,

Thank you for your reply.
I am very stuck with this problem.
And very annoyed and upset because this machine has connected Ok for years.
I have read stuff on the net about how to connect until it comes out my ears.

The Dell has 'Zone Alarm' on board, which is now disabled.

I will do as you request, and post the results.

Cheers, John


----------



## john1 (Nov 25, 2000)

some more to come,
takes me a little while, messing about on two machines ...


----------



## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

so that looks OK

and the PING tests

Zone Alarm has been known to cause this type of issue

you could remove
*--------------------------------------------------------------*

* Zonealarm Removal Tool *
The latest versions have the uninstalled included in the installation
run the ZA uninstaller from Start > Programs > ZoneAlarm

If possible, first try to run the universal uninstaller found at the link below. This tool will remove all ZoneAlarm data from your computer: When the download box pops up, choose Save, in the next box choose Save to Desktop. Restart the computer before running the tool.
http://download.zonealarm.com/bin/free/support/Dominica/CLEAN.exe

how to uninstall zonealarm
https://support.zonealarm.com/index...lete-full-uninstall-of-zonealarm-9x-and-below
https://support.zonealarm.com/index...emove-zonealarm-9x-and-below-from-my-computer

*--------------------------------------------------------------*


----------



## john1 (Nov 25, 2000)

another soon ...

*

just seen your last post,
ZA has been disabled.
In previous use on this m/c it has been no problem.

I think my current problem is with the settings on the Dell.

John


----------



## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

so thats connected to the router - now the other two pings


----------



## john1 (Nov 25, 2000)

Second ping from Dell


----------



## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

so it can access the internet using an ip address - just see if google ping works


----------



## john1 (Nov 25, 2000)

google ping


----------



## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

looks like a dns issue as you can ping ip address but not names

try putting 209.183.226.152 into a web browser - wont work exactly - but should open this site

now we need to add google open dns to the adapter

On my Windows 98 SE machine, Control Panel / Network / Configuration 
Select the appropriate network 
"DNS Connections" tab, 
default is "Disable DNS"
it disables manually specifying DNS servers (getting them instead via DHCP). click "Enable DNS" then enter and add

8.8.8.8
8.8.4.4

*------------------------------------------------------------------------*

* Google public DNS *

Google public DNS
http://code.google.com/speed/public-dns/

Theres also a link on how to setup those DNS IP address
http://code.google.com/speed/public-dns/docs/using.html

Then once you have set up those DNS entries

*------------------------------------------------------------------------*


----------



## john1 (Nov 25, 2000)

Hi,
tried it with the number ...


----------



## john1 (Nov 25, 2000)

to use DNS i must specify a host name for my computer


----------



## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

do the pings again


----------



## john1 (Nov 25, 2000)

before or after i specify a host name for my computer?
And what is its host name anyway?

Any ping in particular?

Do i just make up a name?
can i look in it somewhere to see what its host name is?
Will the name of the computer do?


----------



## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

before
all three pings


----------



## john1 (Nov 25, 2000)

Im at my wits end with this carry on.
Im going to make up a name and see what happens.
I dont know if it already has one,
or if me putting another one will be alright or not.

I am going to specify that its host name is DELL
cos its easy to spell.

Then i will put in the google DNS numbers.
Im sure other people dont have to do stuff like this to go on line.

I just hope that doing this wont do more damage.

I will come back soon,
hopefully to say the machine is on-line now.
Well ... i can hope.

RESET-----------

just seen your last post,
so i wont do anything yet.

Except to re-do those pings ... Ok ?

back soon,
John 
John


----------



## john1 (Nov 25, 2000)

Hi etaf,
please excuse the delay.

Gateway: Ping 192.168.1.254 ... same as before. all Ok, no losses.
T.S.G. Ping 209.183.226.152 .... same as before, all Ok, no losses.
Google.... Ping google.com ....... same as before, "Unknown host google.com."

John


----------



## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

still seems like a DNS issue - in the host name put your PC computer name



> > Control Panel
> > Network Icon.
> >double-click on the Identification tab.
> >Computer Name field.
> This is the name of your computer.


----------



## john1 (Nov 25, 2000)

Okay, will do.
I see you are in Surrey,
i'm in Watford, if you have to go thats Ok,
i will be back tomorrow.

Its very helpful to have another viewpoint on this problem,
its been troubling me for weeks now.

I will put the computer name as the host name,
and put in google's DNS numbers.
And try it again, Ok ?

John


----------



## john1 (Nov 25, 2000)

still no success from the browsers address line, numbers or words.


----------



## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

> still no success from the browsers address line, numbers or words.


 did the host name make a difference to pinging the number?

try removing zone alarm


----------



## john1 (Nov 25, 2000)

The OS would not accept the DNS changes unless the PC was given a host name.
The computer name was used as the Host name.
These changes did not appear to make any difference to anything.

I will try removing 'Zone Alarm'

John


----------



## john1 (Nov 25, 2000)

I have removed 'ZA' using the AddRemove from control panel.
Manually removed shortcut from 'Start-up'

Going to try again now,

John


----------



## john1 (Nov 25, 2000)

Still no luck.


----------



## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

i'm running out of ideas really as it works with an IP but not a name sounds like a dns or blocking issue

check no proxy set
*------------------------------------------------------------------------*

* Remove any proxy settings *
Check your browser's settings, remove or uncheck any proxy settings if found
http://www.library.kent.edu/page/14299
http://www.ehow.com/how_5512742_remove-proxy-server.html

*------------------------------------------------------------------------*

This re-registers the dlls 
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/IEFIX.htm

Repairs Winsock 2 settings
http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm


----------



## john1 (Nov 25, 2000)

No proxy set.


----------



## john1 (Nov 25, 2000)

Renamed the Hosts file to Hosts.old


----------



## john1 (Nov 25, 2000)

Still no luck.

Renamed Hosts.old to Hosts.

John


----------



## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

sorry out of ideas now


----------



## john1 (Nov 25, 2000)

I still feel its something in the settings on this machine


----------



## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

> I still feel its something in the settings on this machine


 i agree - but with all the things we have done lpsfix, re-register dlls, proxy, set open dns - i just dont know what else to suggest


----------



## john1 (Nov 25, 2000)

Hi,

I downloaded and ran 'Winsock Fix' bingo, all working now.
Only one thing that is worth mentioning,
this re-set my hosts back to default.

There was quite a collection in there, im a bit miffed about that.
Still, i do have the entries as a txt file, so i could restore it i suppose,
with a bit of effort.

Winsock did not need to do that, as i had already tried disabling them,
and it did not tell me it was going to do that, else i would have copied it.
Just a heads up to anyone who may want to try 'Winsock Fix'

Quite pleased that its back up and running.

Regards, John


----------



## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

:up: thanks for letting us know 
*You can mark your own threads solved using the







button at the top of the page of the thread in the upper left corner.*


----------

