# "Cannot Communicate with Primary DNS server"



## Dhaaran (Jun 13, 2008)

Once again my laptop (and my BT homehub) has found a new way to bug me. Out of the blue one morning it came up with the error of
_*cannot communicate with primary dns server (192.168.1.254)*

_When trying to browse a site. As usual, windows can't help repair the issue (tried resetting the connection). I've tried both url and the ip address as advised by some websites, which suggest it might be more than the DNS? as neither works.
The PC I am currently using is working fine (obviously) - Using a USB cable.
My girlfriends Laptop and my Xbox360 are working fine (Both using wireless) and the telephone on the Hub is fine aswell. So for once i'm guessing its not the hubs fault...

I read through some forums with the same problems, non of the suggestions worked so to save the hassle. I simply decided to do a *full destructive system restore* on my laptop (as it was getting messy anyways) - But I still have the same error as posted above when I started up again today...

According to my laptop it is connecting with the HUB (through wireless), just not the Inet.

I will throw as much information as I can at you to begin with to try speed up the process.

I am using an Advent 8115 laptop (Vista OS) - connecting to a BT Home Hub 15 with software release 6.2.6E. I am using a 802.11g Mini Card Wireless Adapter to connect to hub. I have had Inet set up in the past perfectly fine for long periods of time. I've even had to have my laptop sent back to factory (3 times due to a boot Manager issue) and have managed to get inet setup fine after that. I haven't installed any new software in the past week at least or changed any settings.

Edit:// I am using Inet Explorer (7 i think...) - I usually use Firefox, but without access to inet. Im stuck with the crappy stuff 

I have tried most of the following before I did a restore, and again after the restore.

My laptop is set to auto IP and DNS on both IPv4 and IPv6. The DHCP is enabled on both hub and laptop. I tried manually setting the DNS to that of OpenDNS and what is listed in my BT Home Hub info;

Primary DNS:_ *62.6.40.162
*_Secondary DNS: _*194.75.65.69

*_I however noticed that my IPv6 connectivity is 'Local' - Previous topics i've looked at have had this as Limited, I don't know if this is significant?

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I've reset tcp/ip and Winsock (Even though this was advised for XP (sp2)) -No effect.

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I've done the obvious turn things off for the night and pray. I've also regularly turned off (at mains) the hub and re-started. It just won't happen.

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Edit:// I've tried pinging through command prompt, results are all packets lost. I've also deactivated firewalls.

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I am completly at a loss here, especially considering that a complete restore did not even solve the issue?

heres my "ipconfig /all"

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6000]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Nicky-PC
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : home

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : home
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : 802.11g Mini Card Wireless Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-19-DB-99-D9-03
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::3d87:de9f:59a0:ed30%9(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.74(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 13 June 2008 17:04:31
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 14 June 2008 17:04:32
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 151001563
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet
NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-03-0D-6C-56-68
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 6:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : isatap.{8D74051F-ABD5-4F0A-B5B8-2AB6E498F
1AA}
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 7:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : home
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : isatap.home
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::5efe:192.168.1.74%11(Preferred)
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

C:\Windows\system32>

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Please guys and gals. I'm begging you to help me.

I used to know a bit about pc's (was a little pc geek) - But i'd appreciate being pretty detailed in instructions, just to save time incase I don't understand.

Thankyou in advance.


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## valis (Sep 24, 2004)

have you tried ipconfig /renew?

what happens when you try to ping the dns server? Also, did they give you a second dns IP address?


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## valis (Sep 24, 2004)

btw, I'd recommend your post be sticked somewhere under 'how to pose a question'; very nicely done indeed. :up:


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## Dhaaran (Jun 13, 2008)

/ipconfig renew comes up with; (I typed the below)

Windows IP Configuration

No operation can be performed on local area connection while it has its media disconnected.

Wireless LAN adapter wireless network connection:

connection-specific DNS suffix : home
link-local ipv6 address : fe08::3d87:de9f:59a0:ed30%9
ipv4 address : 192.168.1.74
subnet mask : 255.255.255.0
default gateway : 192.168.1.254

Ethernet adapter local area connection:

media state : media disconnected
connection-specific DNS suffix

Tunnel adapter Local area connection* 6:

Media state : Media disconnected
connection-specific DNS suffix :

Tunnel adapter local area connection* 7:

connection-specific DNS suffix : home
link-local ipv6 address : fe08::5efe:192.168.1.74%11
default gateway :

---
Just tried pinging;

Primary DNS:_ *62.6.40.162
*_Secondary DNS: _*194.75.65.69
*_ DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254 
(never realised they had same address)

I also tried pinging my pc, however i'm not sure if they are networked. (Everything is connected to the HUD, not each other as far as I know.)

I even pinged the hub at; 86.148.52.200 -

All of these lost all 4 packets after request timed out. The only thing I could successfully ping was myself 

I am so confused, I tried connecting to Hub with usb, but don't have drivers on my laptop (and no Inet to get them easily ) Would it be handy to see if i can get on inet if i'm wired to HUB, although of course i'd still want to get the connection wireless still (as that is the main point of a laptop...)

Cheers in advance valis :up: (and anyone else who contributes)


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

You can ping 192.168.1.74 (your address) but not 192.168.1.254 (the router), right?

One good possibility is a 3rd party firewall (security suite). Often these need to be completely and cleanly uninstalled or properly configured for the desired access. Sometimes 'disable' or 'turn off' will work.

Also, here is the Vista version of the repair ...

(From a JohnWill post)

*TCP/IP stack repair options for use with Vista. *

Start, Programs\Accessories and right click on Command Prompt, select "Run as Administrator" to open a command prompt.

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

Reset IPv4 TCP/IP stack to installation defaults. *netsh int ipv4 reset reset.log*

Reset IPv6 TCP/IP stack to installation defaults. *netsh int ipv6 reset reset.log*

Reboot the machine.


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## valis (Sep 24, 2004)

if you can't ping the default gateway, something's screwed up. That's the door, and you can't even see it right now. You can ping 127.0.0.1, so that's good.

try ipconfig /release then ipconfig /renew, see if that fixes it. If that doesn't, hook it up to the wired and check it out.

looks like you are using the built-in wireless as opposed to some thing else, like a wireless usb card, correct?


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## Wanderer2 (Jan 29, 2008)

How about something simple? Go into tcp/ip properties and uncheck ip6. Presently you only need ipv4.

Since this all started with the error concerning dns @ 192.168.1.254, which is your hub, it could very well be all this is due to a failing hub.

You say you set dns to 62.6.40.162 and 194.75.65.69 but you couldn't have done this in the hub which is also your dhcp since you post this:
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254

So where did you set the dns at? If the hub then it didn't take which can either be because you are hurrying, didn't save the config or we are back to hardware failure.

Suggestions are as follows:

ensure no software firewall is running on your laptop
go into the hub and configure dns to be a correct address 
When you do a ipconfig /all it should show the correctly dhcp supplied dns ip

Note: [62.6.40.162 /194.75.65.69 I pinged both those ips and they appear not to be valid with no reply. I can ping my own isp's dns servers]

After a reboot ping the gateway. Ping the wan ip. Ping dns. See where it fails and post it here.


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## Dhaaran (Jun 13, 2008)

*@TerryNet*
I tried the tcp/ip repair.

However ipv4 said access denied. (*Not* needs elevated permission...)

"You can ping 192.168.1.74 (your address) but not 192.168.1.254 (the router), right?" - That is Correct.

*@wanderer2*
I set DNS on my laptop not the hub (changed it back after it didn't work). I cannot do it on the hub, I can setup a Dynamic DNS for the hub i think, but not an actual DNS, (But if other computers are connecting to INET fine, it can't be the hub can it?)

I got no firewall turned on, (the only one i have is the one with vista) - I also set inet security to mininmum. And the BT home hub firewall is disabled

As for ips not valid, Connection Information

C&P'd from BT Home Hub Manager.

Connection Information

Uptime: 0 days, 19:16:21 
Data Transferred (Sent/Received) [MB/MB]: 44.47 / 385.53







 
Username: [email protected]
Password: Not Configured
Remember Password: Yes
IP Address: 86.148.52.200
Primary DNS: 62.6.40.162
Secondary DNS: 194.74.65.69
*
@Valis*
ipconfig/renew

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

connection-specific DNS suffix : Home
link-local IPv6 address : fe80::3d87:de9f:59a0:ed30%9
ipv4 address : 192.168.1.74
subnet mask : 255.255.255.0
default gateway : 192.168.1.254

<Media disconnected for the rest>

ipconfig/release

Wireless...

connection-specific DNS suffix : 
link-local ipv6 address : fe80::3d87:de9f:59a0:ed30%9
default gateway :

<media disconnected for the rest>

Can't wire it up, got no ethernet cables atm. and the only usb cable i got i've tried but needs a driver for the laptop to do.

Cheers for the persistence guys.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

> However ipv4 said access denied. (Not needs elevated permission...)


That's definitely a problem, and may be a great clue, but I don't know what it indicates.


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## Dhaaran (Jun 13, 2008)

I ran it through again, to see exactly what is said and i'm a bit confused. The whole of the text for netsh int ipv4;

_*Reseting Echo Request, failed.
Access is denied.

Reseting Interface, OK!
A reboot is required to complete this action*
_
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So it's partially reset or? I'm starting to miss the days of dialup. So much simpler, the only annoying thing was listening to the connection tone. 

edit:// If i start giving slow responses, its not that im contemplating suicide over the matter, just that i've started to get pretty ill - Wonder if you can get INET withdrawl symptoms :S


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## Dhaaran (Jun 13, 2008)

Bump

- Have people given up on me then?
May be very slow replies now as my PC got blue screen of death. (Unmountable boot...) yay- the luck.

I'm on gf's laptop (last working machine in the house )

In regards to the laptop thats broken - I'm on the hunt for my reciept atm, it was bought in september so still within the year, and figured ill get a replacement/refund incase it is a Hardware issue.


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## valis (Sep 24, 2004)

Yeah, if you're getting blue screens on top of dns errors, I'd begin to start looking at the hardware as well. Unmountable boot volumes are generally easy enough to solve, but if you still have the receipt, take it back and get a new one.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Could be hardware problem, but also may just be Windows really corrupted. See if you can save any of your data, if any, that is not yet backed up and see if you can reinstall Windows before going to the trouble of a return/replacement.


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## Dhaaran (Jun 13, 2008)

Sorry I shoulda put it better, by PC I meant my Desktop (Which I was using to checkup on this post)

My laptop (with DNS issues) is still not working, and my Desktop is having blue screen. I'm looking for restore disk for desktop, that should be a simple reload. 

Think i'm gonna take my laptop back in tommorow. I can't find the receipt, but have repair notes from the past. Hopefully that will be enough. 

Cheers for your help though.


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