# Is it My Verizon DSL Service, Westell Modem, or Computer



## frank1492 (Nov 4, 2006)

I have a Westell 6100 modem with a direct Ethernet connection to my laptop, and Verizon DSL service. Everything was working perfectly until the other day when, during a thunderstorm, the modem started losing sync. (I really don't think the storm had anything to do with it, but thought I should mention it anyway.) After awhile, the sync was restored. All four LED's on the modem are now solid red indicating that I have power, DSL, and both an Internet and Ethernet connection. Only problem: Nothing works!
When I bring up the Verizon control pad, it tells me I'm offline. It doesn't even appear to be checking because when I close and reopen, it immediately restates that I'm offline. (No "checking connection" message.) What is also strange is that when I type the modem's IP address into the browser (192.168.2.1) it doesn't bring up the control page. It's really as if I don't have any connection at all.
Is it likely that I have a malfunctioning modem even thought the LED's indicate that it's fine? Or is the problem in the computer settings that have somehow gotten changed. I did have a malicious script that was misdirecting the links in Google, but that was fixed by SpySweeper. I just did complete Norton and SpySweeper scans BUT I have SpySweeper turned off completely and Norton auto-protect is disabled. 
BTW my dialup service (also have Worldnet) works just fine. Could some kind soul please advise as to what might be the problem? Obviously I'm trying to avoid a call to Verizon because I have a heart condition!
Thanks very much.
Frank


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

I'd think the modem is the top suspect, but let's see this:

Start, Run, CMD to open a command prompt:

Type the following command:

*IPCONFIG /ALL*

Right click in the command window and choose *Select All*, then hit *Enter*.
Paste the results in a message here.


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## frank1492 (Nov 4, 2006)

Hello John!
(Love your cat!)
Here is the ipconfig you asked for. Anything strange? I did try 192.168.1.1 and that didn't work either, BTW.
Thanks for your quick reply. This is a wonderful forum and I have made monetary contributions in the past!
Frank

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Frank>ipconfig/all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : D947Z321
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : myhome.westell.com
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : 3Com 3C920 Integrated Fast Ethernet
Controller (3C905C-TX Compatible)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0B-DB-14-BD-C8
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
192.168.1.1

PPP adapter AT&T Connection Service:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : WAN (PPP/SLIP) Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-53-45-00-00-00
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 12.76.176.60
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 12.76.176.60
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 204.127.129.4
12.102.244.4

C:\Documents and Settings\Frank>


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## frank1492 (Nov 4, 2006)

Whoops, where is the IP address?


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Let's try a fix on your network, just to make sure.

*TCP/IP stack repair options for use with Windows XP with SP2.*

For these commands, *Start, Run, CMD* to open a command prompt.

Reset WINSOCK entries to installation defaults: *netsh winsock reset catalog*

Reset TCP/IP stack to installation defaults. *netsh int ip reset reset.log*

Reboot the machine.


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## frank1492 (Nov 4, 2006)

Will do but before I do, was there anything that appeared out of order in the ipconfig?


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

The IP address of 0.0.0.0 is what triggers me to think the stack may be corrupt. The repair won't hurt anything anyway.


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## frank1492 (Nov 4, 2006)

Here are the results before I reboot:Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Frank>netsh winsock reset catalog
The following command was not found: winsock reset catalog.

C:\Documents and Settings\Frank>netsh int ip reset reset.log

C:\Documents and Settings\Frank>


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## frank1492 (Nov 4, 2006)

Never mind the Microsoft stuff- my mistake


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## frank1492 (Nov 4, 2006)

Here are the results after reboot. I noticed the IP is still all zeros? Is that because the first command I typed was "not found?"

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Frank>ipconfig/all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : D947Z321
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : myhome.westell.com
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : 3Com 3C920 Integrated Fast Ethernet
Controller (3C905C-TX Compatible)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0B-DB-14-BD-C8
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
192.168.1.1

C:\Documents and Settings\Frank>


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## frank1492 (Nov 4, 2006)

I have learned that I apparently need SP2 to use the "netsh winsock reset catalog" command that wasn't found.
When I type "winver" at the cmd prompt, I'm told I have SP1, but when I go to the Microsoft site, there is a message that I already have SP2 installed! So which is correct?
I guess we can't go farther unless this question is answered. I don't look forward to having to download SP2 using dialup!


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Well, the WINSOCK entries are different for SP2 over previous versions of XP, so we would like to know which one we're fixing.  You can install SP2 over itself.

I suspect that some repair has removed SP2, that's the only thing I can imagine.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

For a third opinion on service pack you can right click on My Computer - Properties - General tab - the 4th line under "System:" shows service pack.

Doubt it will help, but since it's easy try going into Device Manager and uninstall your ethernet adapter. Restart and Windows will find the adapter and reinstall it.

If you have another computer, or a friend who owes you a favor, you can download SP2 and get it to the crippled PC via CD or flash drive.

(If I'm allowed to make a guess--that lightning zapped your NIC.  )


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

I'm with you Terry, that can't be a coincidence.


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## frank1492 (Nov 4, 2006)

I was told by the boys at Verizon to reinstall my Ethernet card which was supposedly "working properly" at the time. When I went to reinstall, it couldn't find
el90xc5.sys, but that has been fixed and it is supposedly working properly again. This
was not a severe electrical storm and there were no close hits and no loss of power. I realize it probably wouldn't take much but I'm cautiously optimistic.
Around about that time I got into a malicious script but that just seemed to affect Google's ability to llink to the proper sites and that has been corrected.
Verizon put me through every hoop possible short of testing the modem from their end and I may want to have them do that.
Insofar as the SP version, I have tried both going into "system" and typing "winver" at the command prompt. All tell me I have SP1 whereas the MS site says SP2.
Any other ideas?
Frank


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## frank1492 (Nov 4, 2006)

(Somebody please come back....)
OK, I have uninstalled and reinstalled the EA *again* and this time everything went well. I have also searched for the driver, found 3 identical files, tried at least 2, did a rollback and still nothing, although I still am told the "device is working properly."
Is the stack repair that has been suggested the same as doing this? If not I still need to get to SP2 via dialup I think (see below). Where can I find it easily to download? The MS site which tells me I have SP2 doesn't seem to want me to do a download. 
I don't think anybody really indicated that the problem not being able to do the "netsh winsock reset catalog" is because I may not have SP2. If I *don't* have SP2 is that the reason for sure that it won't work. Or conversely if (and when) I do have it, will that 
surely allow the command?
Sorry to waste so much time on this point but downloading SP2 with dialup is a bit of a pain.
I'll wait for a reply but am ready to spring for a PCMCIA card fairly soon!
Thanks.
Frank


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## frank1492 (Nov 4, 2006)

One final question: If the EA has indeed failed due to lightning or something else, why am I consistently being told that the device is working properly?


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

A lightning strike could easily damage the NIC in a way that the drivers don't know that it's dead.

Just on a lark, did you try changing the socket on the router that you're plugged into?


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

John knows 1,000 times more about this than I do, but I think that your ability to access the internet via dial-up means your stack/WINSOCK is basically OK. Now that you have reinstalled the NIC are you still getting IP 0.0.0.0? Was the reinstall just the driver reinstall that I talked about or do you have a PCI NIC that you physically removed and then reseated?

As an aside (but related), electronics are fragile. About 15 years ago manufacturers learned that they were losing millions of dollars to damage done by static electricity from devices being mishandled. Static electricity is nothing compared to the electrical surges that can result from lightning. Many dial-up modems have been fried by small surges on the phone line.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Have you called Verizon yet? I'm not sure why you're trying to avoid it, because the modem is the thing that's in the direct path of lightning.


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## frank1492 (Nov 4, 2006)

The modem tested out just fine by Verizon. I plugged in another computer and the IP came up just fine, so it's not the modem.
I have a laptop and no router.
I tried a new PCMCIA Ethernet card and everything is still zeros, so the internal card is not the culprit.
So where do we go from here??????


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Well, the 0.0.0.0 IP address is telling us you either have a driver issue, bad NIC, or a duplicate IP address on the network. If you can't access the Internet when connected directly to the cable modem, that eliminates the duplicate IP address. 

I'd be looking around for my XP install CD about now.


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## frank1492 (Nov 4, 2006)

Before I reinstall Win, forgive my lack of knowledge, but what is a corrupt stack and isn't it different from the three possible causes that you mentioned in your last post? Please remember that I have not done the stack fix you suggested because I couldn't (supposedly because I didn't have SP2.) So:
(1) What is a corrupt stack and should I continue to try the fix?
(2) How do I download SP2 if the MS site already thinks I downloaded it, even though my computer thinks I have SP1?
I know you have many other questions to address, but I don't seem to be getting all the details I need here. And I really don't want to do a reinstall quite so quickly.
Thanks again.
Frank


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

For (2) see http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,126019/article.html


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## BadGoomba (Jun 27, 2008)

Can you use USB as an alternative with this modem?
Usually if I can't get a good connection with the NIC I setup the modem using USB instead, most modems have a USB slot for an alternative means of connecting, sometimes you have to install drivers for it to work though which should be on your modem cd/disk the company gave you. 
You can also reset the catalog using: Netsh w r
I'm not sure what the difference is between netsh w r, and resetting with netsh reset winsock catalog, but they both tell you the samething, so I assume they both do the samething, but someone recently told me otherwise.


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## JesterNH (Jul 2, 2008)

Hi,
A friend had this very same issue yesterday. 
I rebooted the modem a few times, same for the PC, reset the stacks (both IP and Winsock), updated the ethernet driver, checked the service pack revision and continued to not get a DHCP address. 

My Laptop was able to get an address, but was pointed to their website to sign up as a new user.

I brought the "bad" laptop to my place and it worked perfectly using the same cable and ethernet card. This would to me seem to eliminate the stack, cable, card, et al.

I'm unfamiliar with DSL modems boot operation, but a cable modem boots up, POSTS, looks for the downstream, registers on the upstream, grabs the config file via TFTP, loads the config file then allows the CPE to "register"

Verizon is sending a new modem to try, but color me skeptical.
Does the DSL modem have a config file? Does it store registration info?

My next thought would be to put a different card in his laptop (pcmcia) and attempt to circumvent the issue. but that doesn't explain where the hang up is in him getting an IP address.

I may place a hub on the modem and capture the transaction with wireshark. 

Best guess? I think the MAC address of his ethernet card is still "registered" with either the modem, or their head end and has gotten into a bad state. He took a power hit at the house that lasted a whole 3 seconds. Sounds like it's not as unique an issue as it appears.


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## beldavid (Jul 8, 2008)

If all the lights on your modem are red then definitely the modem is defective.Power, dsl, ethernet and internet should always remain green. Sometimes if the internet light becomes red that would only means that it is requiring you to authenticate if you are using PPPoe type of connection. However if it is DHCP your modem needs to be reset and reconfigured.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Guys, this is a year old thread, I hope this was solved by now.


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