Network and Internet problems: fixing wired and wireless networking problems

Visit the Networking section of this site for information on wired and wireless networks.

Click the relevant link below to go to that Q&A article. Use your browser's Back button to backtrack.

Common networking How-to articles and problems covered in the Microsoft Knowledge Base

Problems with Windows Mail - I can't read or delete emails and get an error message

I have a Dell XPS laptop/notebook PC that has 2GB of RAM memory and runs Windows Vista Home Premium. I am having serious problems with Windows Mail, which is the replacement for Outlook Express. I can't read or delete some emails, and an error message that reads: "Message could not be displayed. Windows Mail encountered an unexpected problem displaying this message. Check your computer for low memory or low disk space and try again." There are a few hundred emails in the Deleted folder that I can't remove. Moreover, I can no longer send messages, because they just sit in the Outbox, and I can't use the Calendar function. Dell has provided a special XPS support line that I rang. The support person told me that it was a common problem that will be fixed by updates. Microsoft said that Dell has pre-loaded an OEM version of Vista that it provides the support for.

Microsoft only provides support for retail copies of Windows Vista. Dell should be providing the support you need, because it provides a special support service to CPS owners that has dedicated support staff.

Windows Mail is the new email program that comes as part of Windows Vista. It is buggy. Almost every user of the program experiences a major bug in it that corrupts its message database. When that happens and the program attempts to read messages, it deems them to be much larger than they are and it produces the "Check your computer for low memory or low disk space and try again" message. However, there is nothing wrong with the computer's memory (the XPS has 2GB of RAM), or the amount of hard-disk-drive space.

The fixes for the various problems are somewhat involved, so you could just try using another email program, such as Mozilla Thunderbird, which is a free download from http://www.mozilla.com/. It corrupts its database far less frequently than Windows Mail.

The problem usually involves a group of files in one folder. Users can discover that deleted messages can't be removed, or the problem involves the Inbox so that the user can't read some or all new messages. If the Outbox is affected, email can't be sent.

First, make a backup of the Windows Mail directory, which is usually located at C:\Users\yourname\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Mail. If not, the easiest way to locate it is to click on Tools => Options => Advanced => Maintenance. When you can see the path, click Change. Doing that allows you to highlight the whole path. Pressing the Ctrl-C keys copies it.

Now close Windows Mail and use Windows Explorer (right-click Start => Explore) to copy the Windows Mail folder and all of its subfolders to a new location of your choice. Now you can try using a special utility that is run from the Command Prompt called essentutl created by Microsoft to repair damage to the Windows Mail database. Using it involves entering a long command at the Command Prompt that is brought up by entering cmd in Vista's Start => Start Search box. But it is easier to use a free utility called WMUtil to do it.

WMUtil - "WMUtil is a small utility to allow users to compact and repair the Windows Mail database in Windows Vista...The Windows Mail database periodically needs compacting and defragmenting to function with maximal performance. Currently there is no manual method to compact the database in Windows Mail, unless one tinkers with the values set at Tools | Options | Advanced | Maintenance. WMUtil allows the user to manually compact the database to remove any wasted space from it..." - http://www.oehelp.com/WMUtil/

Windows Mail has to be shut down completely to run the utility. The program often continues to run in the background even when all of its windows are closed, so press the Ctrl-Alt-Del key combination to bring up the Windows Task Manager. If WinMail is shown under the Processes tab, highlight it and click End Task. Now run WMUtil. Click the Remove Blank Files button, followed by Repair.

Doing that might not fix the problem if it involves the Deleted folder or the Outbox. If so, you can try deleting all of the .eml files from the affected folder under Windows Mail. Then run WMUtil again. If the problem involves a folder that you have created yourself, it can usually be fixed by moving all of the good messages to a new folder and then deleting the affected folder. However doing that does not work for the special folders. Namely, the Inbox, Outbox, and Deleted folders.

To deal with those special folders, navigate to the Windows Mail folder. Locate a large file in it called WindowsMail.MSMessageStore. Make sure that Windows Mail is closed and then delete that file. Deleting it does not delete the messages because they are stored in folders under the Windows Mail folder.

Next, go to Windows Mail's Backup\New folder and delete the copy of WindowsMail.MSMessageStore that is in it. When Windows Mail is restarted, it will take up to an hour to rebuild the database. With a bit of luck, it will do so without errors. Your mail will be in the Recovered Folders folder, from which it can be moved to the correct folder.

If the problems still exist, try exiting Windows Mail and rename the Windows Mail folder, giving it an apt name, such as Corrupt Mail. Restarting Windows Mail makes it create a new Windows Mail folder. Now you can use the import feature to import the messages from all of the unaffected folders in the Corrupt Mail folder. The imported messages will be in the Imported Folder, from where they will have to be removed to the correct folders.

How can I network a Windows XP and a Windows Vista computer? Both PCs can access the Internet but they can't see each other

I have a Windows networking problem. My two desktop PCs - one running Windows XP Professional Edition and the other Windows Vista Business Edition - are connected to an ADSL router. Both PCs are connected to the web. However, for some reason, they can't see each other. The workgroup, default gateway, and subnet mask are the same for both PCs - as they should be - and each PC has a unique computer name. The network used to work when both PCs were using Windows XP Pro.

The network setup in Windows Vista has been improved to make it easier to use with Vista machines. However, these improvements can be the cause of problems when connecting to previous versions of Windows (Windows 98/Me/XP).

For each IP-address range that Vista discovers, a location type has to be chosen - Home, Work, or Public. You are advised by Windows to choose Public if you are not sure of which option to choose. However, you are not given any warning that choosing Public disables network file sharing over that network. Only Home and Work are regarded as private networks over which files can be shared.

Moreover, file sharing is disabled by default. To enable file and printer sharing in Vista, open the Start => Control Panel => Network and Internet => Network and Sharing Center.

On the Network and Sharing Center there is an option called Password Protected Sharing, which is enabled by default. Only users with a user account and password on that computer can access shared files, printers connected to the computer, or the Public folder. It's best to turn this off and turn it back on after you have file sharing working. You can then set up any user accounts.

Windows Vista has a new graphic feature called Network Map, which shows only your computer, the gateway device, and the Internet by default, but if you open View Full Map, it shows other devices, including other Vista computers. However, the map cannot include computers that run older versions of Windows and other operating systems, such as Linux. To be recognised, a computer has to have a new Microsoft protocol called Link Layer Topology Detection (LLTD) installed and enabled.

Microsoft has released an LLTD responder for Windows XP PCs that can be downloaded from this MS Knowledge Base article:

It is required to show the pictures in Network Map, but does not enable file sharing.

File sharing must be enabled on the Windows XP PC. To do that, open the Start => Control Panel and run the Network Setup Wizard. When asked for a workgroup name, choose WORKGROUP, or the workgroup name used by the Vista PC. Don't use the default suggestion of MSHOME.

You can find out what the workgroup name is on the Vista PC by clicking Start, right-clicking Computer with the mouse, and then clicking Properties. The name appears beside the Workgroup heading. Use the Change Settings option to make changes to the computer and workgroup names. Each computer on a network must have the same workgroup name and a different computer name.

If you are using the Windows Firewall (accessed from the Control Panel), the networking wizard will have set it to allow file sharing. However, if you are using a third-party firewall, consult its Help files to find out how to enable file sharing. If file sharing is still not working, the problem probably has to do with a third-party firewall. The Network Diagnostics provided by Windows Vista doesn't provide much help to fix the problem.

The firewalls in versions of McAfee and Norton Internet security software that are pre-installed in many Vista computers, are well-known for preventing file sharing when the user has not set the network type correctly. You usually have to open the firewall's setup screen to make sure that the local network's IP range is set as a trusted network (or similar terminology), which is equivalent to the Windows Firewall's Private network.

If you are still experiencing the problem, try uninstalling the third-party firewall and use the Windows Firewall instead.

Internet sharing problem: I use a router to connect a desktop and a laptop PC to the Internet, but I can't get online from the laptop

I use a D-Link DSL-2640B ADSL2/2+ modem with wireless router to connect a desktop PC and a laptop PC to the Internet. Both PCs run Windows XP Home Edition. The desktop PC is wired to the router, and the laptop is connected to it wirelessly. The first time I started the laptop, it almost set the connection up itself and was working. Now, although the wireless connection shows in the Notification Area of the Windows Desktop, and I can access the administration screen on the router from it and change the router's settings, the laptop won't connect to the Internet. Moreover, I can see the Internet connection from the laptop and see when the desktop PC is transferring data, but the laptop can't monitor any data being sent to the Internet. It only shows data being sent and received by the router.

This is how D-Link describes your router on its website: "3-IN-1 DEVICE The D-Link ADSL2/2+ Modem with Wireless Router (DSL-2640B) is a 3-in-1 device that combines the function of a high-speed DSL modem, wireless G access point, and 4-port Ethernet router. The DSL-2640B supports the latest ADSL2/2+ standards to provide higher performance (up to 24Mbps* downstream and 3.5Mbps* upstream) and longer reach from your Internet Service Provider’s (ISP) Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM)."

I take it that you have set the router up with your broadband provider's PPPoA login information and that the desktop PC is set to use dynamic IP settings, which the router provides. Don't use any kind of PPPoE/PPPoA login application or connection icon because that function is handled by the router. A broadband provider can sometimes provide a CD that installs this software, which you should not use with a router.

Computers on a network (the Internet is just a huge network), need a unique Internet Protocol (IP) address, which is equivalent to its phone number. Computers on a network have to know each other's IP addresses in order to be able to communicate with each other. You have to know what you are doing to configure IP addresses manually. Fortunately, a broadband can make the configuration automatic by providing a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server, which provides the IP addresses to the network's computers automatically.

To find out what a computer's IP address is, connect a PC to the router that is set up to use dynamic IP settings, click Start => and enter cmd in the Run box. When the Command Prompt's window appears, enter ipconfig. You should see a screen that shows the computer’s unique IP address. An IP address consists of four numbers separated by a full stop, such as 192.168.1.100. If you move to another computer on the network and do the same, you’ll notice that the first three numbers of its IP address that are separated by a full stop stay the same, but the last number changes to something like 192.168.1.101. The DHCP server keeps the first three numbers the same and increases the last number sequentially (192.168.1.101, 192.168.1.102, etc.). The maximum is 254 and the minimum is 1, but the actual range assigned depends on settings on the router’s control panel, which can can be found in the router’s manual. For example, if there is a limit of thirty IP addresses and a starting address of 192.168.1.100, the router will provide every address in the range 192.168.1.100 to 192.168.1.129.

If the desktop PC is using a dynamic IP address provided by the router, you can have a look at its IP settings by entering cmd in the Start => Run box. In the command-prompt window that opens enter the command: ipconfig /all and make a note of the IP address, Default Gateway, and DNS servers. Now try entering the command: ping www.pcbuyerbeware.co.uk. The IP address that is returned should be 209.68.14.54.

Now use the laptop computer. Open a Command Prompt window (as you did on the desktop PC), and enter the ipconfig /all command. The rests should be the same except for the IP address, which should be unique, but in the same range. If both computers are set to obtain them automatically, the DNS servers should be the same as the desktop PC's. It is sometimes possible that getting the DNS servers automatically malfunctions and you have to set the DNS servers yourself. Note that setting the DNS server to the router's gateway address is usually a safe option as long as the router knows the correct DNS servers on the Internet, because it will be able to find out that information.

The laptop computer can connect to the router and display a webpage - the router's configuration settings - so, either the DNS is not functioning (is not converting site addresses (http://www.pcbuyerbeware.co.uk) to their IP addresses (209.68.14.54), or a software firewall is blocking access to IP addresses outside the network.

Now try opening a Command Prompt window and enter the ping www.pcbuyerbeware.co.uk command. If a message comes up saying "Host not found", you have either not entered the command properly or the DNS service is not working. If it gave the same IP address - 209.68.14.54 - as the desktop PC, but produces a message that says "Request timed out", a firewall is blocking access to the web.

If the laptop PC is using the same DNS servers as the desktop PC, but isn't finding websites, the installation of Windows XP could be corrupt. The best way to repair it would be to reinstall Windows XP over itself. If you don't know how to do that, read Reinstalling Windows XP over itself on this site.

If the problem is caused by a damaged firewall installation, you can try changing the settings, but you might have to uninstall and reinstall it. Note that just disabling the firewall via its Control Panel in a security package - such as the Norton and McAfee security suites - might not work if if the installation is damaged. Note that it is also possible that a damaged installation won't be removed completely enough by its own installation option to remove the problem after the software is reinstalled. Fortunately, the major providers of security software provide special removal tools from their websites. Visit http://www.symantec.com/ for Norton software and http://www.mcafee.com/ for McAfee software.

How can I reset the network settings on my laptop/notebook computer?

Whenever I go to work in my company's US office, the network technician there reconfigures my laptop PC's network settings so that I can access the Internet by using its network. However, when I get home to the UK, I can't connect to my home network. Is there a way to save my home settings so that I can restore them whenever I get home?

In Windows Vista enter the command in the Start => Start search box.

Doing that saves the network configuration to a text file called tcpip.txt. You can use it to restore the settings by entering this command:

You can create a shortcut on your desktop that runs the restoration command when it is clicked. To do that copy netsh -f c:\tcpip.txt, then right-click an empty space on your Windows desktop and click New => Shortcut. Paste the command into the relevant box and click Next. Enter a name for the shortcut, such as: Restore Network Settings, then click Finish. If you want to change the icon for the shortcut, you can right-click with the mouse on it on your desktop, click Properties, and then click on the Change Icon button.

Where is the best place to put my modem/router in a house with very thick walls and how do I connect it if the only telephone socket is in the hall?

I need advice with regard to the best place to place an ADSL modem/router for the wireless network that I am setting up. I live in an old Victorian house. The BT telephone line has its connection box/socket in the hallway, which has no electrical sockets, probably because the thickness of the walls and the distance from the nearest mains socket makes installing one a difficult and therefore costly operation. I have extended the telephone line upstairs by making use of a splitter into a bedroom, which does have electrical sockets. Is possible to connect the modem/router to the telephone line extension, and, if so, is any other equipment required?

You won't need in additional equipment unless you still have a poor signal to the computers in your wireless network. In which case, you will have to buy a router that allows you to relace the antenna with a high gain antenna or make use of a repeater. There is no need to place an ADSL modem or modem/router near your main telephone socket. The best place for it would be near your main computer. You can use an telephone extension cable to do that.

If the BT socket has an ADSL faceplate, which gas two sockets on the front, then the hardwired connections are filtered. However, if the master socket does not have an ADSL faceplate, a filter must be connected between the telephone line and all the telephone equipment, except the ADSL modem/router. Two filter units are usually provided with a modem/router that allow you to connect the modem/router and a telephone to the same connection. Voice calls and ADSL broadband use different frequencies and can herefore be separated by a filter. An ADSL faceplate has built-in filters with separate sockets for voice and ADSL signals, so there is no need to use the plug-in filters. Using an ADSL faceplate is the superior option because the connection of plug-in adapters can worsen with time, and poor contacts reduce the signal quality severely.

Thick brick walls reduce a wireless signal severely, therefore place the wireless modem/router in a central location with regard to all of the wireless equipment. If, say, you want to use a laptop computer with a wireless connection in the back garden, a back-facing bedroom would be the best place. If it turns out that the best place for the router provides a poor or non-existent connection to some of your computers, buy a router that allows the built-in antenna to be replaced with a more powerful model, such as a high gain (hi-gain) antenna.

One of the major problems with many wireless networks is the poor range of standard access points and routers. The problems can be solved by using a single-direction or omni-direction high gain antenna that attaches to the connector of a wireless access point or network adapter. By increasing the strength of the signal, the wireless-network range, signal strength and performance are improved significantly.

You can buy a high gain antenna that extends the range of a wireless network or router in one direction or an omni-directional high gain antenna that extends the range in all directions. The Hawking [HAI6SDP] Indoor Hi-Gain 6dBi Directional Antenna is designed to extend the range of a wireless network in one direction. "Installation is simple. Hawking Hi-Gain Wireless antennas are designed to work with most Wireless Access Points, Wireless Routers and Wireless Network Adapters. By using the popular Reverse-SMA connector, the Hawking Hi-Gain Antennas can be used on most Wireless Devices." The Hawking [HAI6SIP] Hi-Gain 6dBi Omni-Directional Wireless Antenna also has the requirement of a "Wireless Device with Reverse-SMA Connector (Access Point/Wireless Router/Wireless Network Adapter/Wireless Bridge)."

Here is a review of a more powerful Hawking Technologies high gain single-direction antenna that is not yet listed on the manufacturer's site (April 2008).

Entering a search term such as wireless network antennas in the Google search box at the top of this page (with its Web radio button enabled) should provide you with links to other examples. You can also use it to locate information and vendors for the two products listed above or for wireless repeaters.

A wireless repeater is used to boost a wireless signal if it is too weak to reach where you want it to reach.

When a wireless signal is first broadcast it is very strong. As it continues to travel away from its source, the signal strength weakens. The further from the source it travels, the weaker it becomes, until it loses its integrity entirely. This condition is called attenuation. A wireless repeater picks up the weakened signal, regenerates and rebroadcasts it, thus extending the range of the wireless network. Only fairly recently have affordable wireless repeaters became available. For example, the D-Link AirPlus 900AP+ is a Wireless Access Point (WAP) that can also be used as a wireless bridge between networks. A recent firmware update has added repeater functionality to it as well.

You should be able to find information about other makes/models of repeater by making use of the Google search box at the top of this page (with its Web radio button enabled).

There are some other considerations, such as using different channels to the ones being used in your areas, updating the router's firmware, or your network adapters' drivers, upgrading 802.11b devices to 802.11g (or 802.11n, the next standard which still has to be ratified), replacing card-based wireless network adapters with USB network adapters that use external antenna, all of which are dealt with in the following article:

10 tips for improving your wireless network - Extend the range and the strength of your wireless network -

Click here! to go to the information on the wireless 802.11n standard on this site. It is in the process of being ratified (April 2008), but pre-n equipment is available that is superior in its range and data-transfer speeds to the current 802.11g equipment.

Problem connecting to websites: major sites are not available, but later the same day or after a router reboot they can be accessed

I am having an intermittent problem when visiting websites. Major sites, such as Google, are not available all of a sudden, but later the same day or after a router reboot they are accessible. I use Windows Vista with both Internet Explorer 7.0 and Firefox 2.0. However, I find that I can access the sites when using IP addresses (e.g., 66.249.91.147) when the website address (e.g., www.google. com) is not working. Any idea what is happening here and if the problem can be fixed?

Domain Name Server (DNS) problems are the cause of many Internet connection issues. I suggest using the OpenDNS service from http://www.opendns.com/.

"OpenDNS protects millions of people a day across hundreds of thousands of schools, businesses and homes. We block phishing sites, give you the power to filter out adult sites and proxies among more than 50 categories, and provide the precision to block individual domains."

Anyone can use it free of charge. You just have to set the DNS server addresses in the Windows Network Connection Properties, or in your router's configuration settings page, instead of checking the box that enables the DNS server information to be collected automatically from your Internet Service Provider (ISP) - AOL, BT, Tiscali, etc. Read your router's user manual if you need to know how to access its configuration webpage. If you don't have one, it should be available for that make/model from its manufacturer's website.

The OpenDNS service is superior in many ways to the standard DNS system. For example, because it can filter out websites that should be avoided. Note well that you should use a DNS server that is as close to you as possible as measured by a low ping response time, because your computer, when online, will be making many DNS access requests to convert website addresses (www.google.com) into their IP addresses (66.249.91.147). If a website address is entered into a browser (e.g., Internet Explorer, Firefox) it has to be translated into its IP Address by a DNS server or by a service, such as OpenDNS, and then be sent back to the browser. (If you know what a website's IP address is, you can enter it directly into a browser to access it.)

To find out its ping response time, measured in milliseconds (thousandths of a second), you ping the site by opening a Command Prompt. In Windows XP, open the Start => Run box and enter cmd in it. In Windows Vista, enter cmd in the Start => Start Search box. Doing that brings up the Command Prompt. If your ISP's DNS server is overloaded or is experiencing other problems, using OpenDNS might be a better option. You can use the command ipconfig /all at the Command Prompt to see your current DNS server settings for its IP addresses. You can then try pinging them. Depending on the speed of your broadband connection, a respectable ping response time should be under 20ms. (You obviously won't get such a response time with a dial-up narrowband connection.) Then try to ping the OpenDNS servers at 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220 (enter the comand ping 208.67.222.222, etc.), which are the IP addresses of its servers provided on the site's home page. If the OpenDNS servers are faster to access than your current servers, then try using its service. You may prefer using it in any case, because it fixes your problem and because of the extra protection it offers.

I can't access the web from the Internet Explorer address bar and I can't add a Favorite to Favorites

I can access my home page as usual, but, all of a sudden, nothing happens when I enter a web address into the Internet Explorer 7 address bar, on the same tab as the home page or on a new tab. Also, I can't save sites in Favorites. When I click Favorites => Add to Favorites the box appears, but the saved address never gets into the Favorites folder, which is empty. I am using Windows XP Professional and Norton Internet Security.

It's possible that something in the system has become corrupt due to an attempt by spyware to attach itself to Internet Explorer 7 (IE7). The address bar problem could be caused by a conflict between the Phishing Filter in IE7 and other software. Users that have experienced the same problems report on the web that removing and reinstalling IE7 doesn't fix them, it' unlikely that IE's files have been corrupted.

If the problem is fairly recent, you could try using System Restore to restore a restore point that predates the problem. The problem has to be recent, because System Restore only stores five day's worth of restore points.

The problems could be caused by an IE7 add-on module. You can start IE7 without add-ons to test this.

To do this, click on Start => All Programs => Accessories => System Tools => Internet Explorer (no add-ons). Alternatively, click Start => Run and enter "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe" -exoff (as is). An IE screen should appear saying that add-ons have been disabled.

If the address bar works correctly now, the problem was caused by one of IE's add-ons. To find out which one is responsible, close IE and restart it. Click Tools => Manage Add-Ons and select the Enable or Disable Add-ons option. Under Show, choose the Add-ons that have been used by Internet Explorer. You can now try disabling different sets of those add-ons to see if doing so fixes the problem. In that way, you should be able to isolate the add-on that is responsible.

There are reports of the address bar problem occurring when a set of motherboard utilities from nVidia have been installed, including the Network Access Manager firewall. The problem occurs even if the nVidia firewall is disabled, so, you'll have to uninstall it and then check nVidia's site for an update that addresses the issue.

This issue has also been caused by an interaction between Verclsid.exe, which is a security feature that Microsoft introduced in April 2006, and certain third-party software. A new unproblematic version of the file was released on 25 April 2006. However, it could be that a new conflict is the cause of the problem. For more information read this MS Knowledge Base article: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918165.

If you are unable to fix the problem, a good way out would be to use the Mozilla Firefox browser from http://www.mozilla.com/.

Connection problem: I can't connect to the Internet with a Belkin F5D7630-4A router

I had no problems with my Belkin F5D7630-4A router since I got it six months ago, but all of a sudden I can't get an Internet connection. The settings have been checked, but I reloaded them, reset the router, updated the router's firmware from the manufacturer's site, and changed all the leads and cables. Belkin's support say that it's a line problem, but the line works fine with a dial-up modem. My Internet service provider (ISP) told me that the router had tried to connect twenty times over a ten-minute period. I searched the web for problems with this router. The problem has been reported. One person opened its case and added a fan, which solved the problem, so it could be a heating problem. The router does get very hot. However, if I leave it switched off for a long period, I can get a connection for a few minutes. The ADSL light should have been on all the time, but it flickered on and off during the connection.

Because you can connect briefly while the router is cool, the problem is likely to be caused by overheating. If the router is still under warranty, you should be able to get a replacement. Under the Sale of Goods Act in the UK, you should be able to get a replacement or a refund out of the warranty period if the machine is not fit for the purpose for which it was purchased when it should have had an expected useful life of say four years. A router would be expected to last at least four years, so, if it fails before that period is up, you would be entitled to a replacement or a refund under the Sale of Goods Act. Alternatively, if you have electrical knowledge, you could also try improving the router's cooling.

However, there are still some other considerations that should be taken into account. Many ISP's are making changes to the equipment installed in telephone exchanges, and these changes could affect a router but not a dial-up modem. You should ask your ISP if there have been any changes to its equipment. If there have been changes, find out the make of the DSLAM equipment on your line and then check with Belkin's technical support if there are any compatibility issues with the router and the new equipment. You have already updated the router's firmware, so there is no need to do so again.

3Com and SMC have marked the same router with cosmetic and firmware differences. All of the versions get very hot, but there are definitely some issues that are firmware-related, such as some Belkin users having complained that the router crashes when running peer-to-peer applications with many connections.

There could still be a problem with your line, because a dial-up modem could be more tolerant of poor line conditions than the router. You can use the modem to provide you with a report of the line conditions. Click here! to go to information on dial-up modems on this site if you need to know how to use a modem to provide such a report.

The Internet Options General tab in Internet Explorer won't allow me to change my home page

My brand new PC runs Windows XP Home Edition SP2 and the version of Internet Explorer that it installed (version 6.0.2900.2180). I have recently changed my Internet Service Provider (ISP), but when I tried to change my home page under Internet Explorer's Tools => Internet Options => General tab => Home page, a message is produced that says: "The operation has been cancelled due to restrictions in effect on this computer. Please contact your system administrator." Unfortunately, I am the system administrator and I haven't got a clue what to do to remove the restriction.

The message is meant for the administrator of the systems in a company that has used a utility called the IE Administrator's Kit (IEAK) that the administrator can use to control Internet Explorer's settings. Some ISPs use it to create a customised version of Internet Explorer. However there are now some other ways in which such a restriction being imposed that have nothing do do with a system administrator.

You use Windows XP Home Edition, but, for the benefit of the users of Windows XP Professional Edition, it's possible to use the Group Policy editor to impose similar restrictions as the IEAK and restrict the kind of software that can be run. Someone may have used it to restricted your computer as a prank or maliciously. Look up Group Policy under Help and Support to find out how to use it to find out if that is the case.

The spyware removal utility, Spybot Search & Destroy, has an Immunize option that can restrict access to Internet Explorer's options that can prevent its user from making changes such as changing the home page. If you're using Spybot S&D, it's default settings do not impose such restrictions on Internet Explorer, but you may have enabled and the forgotten about them. To check (if you're running the latest version of Spybot S&D), open the program, click its Mode menu and select Advanced mode. If Default mode is select the additional items called Settings and Tools are not shown in the bottom left-hand corner of the program's window. Click Tools and then click IE tweaks. If the setting called Lock IE control panel against opening from IE is enabled it will cause the problem you are experiencing. If it's enabled, disable it, change your home page, and then re-enable it so that spyware can't make changes to that option. If it gets into your system, some spyware is capable of altering Internet Explorer's settings, so it's a good idea to enable all of the three settings under IE tweaks. Just don't forget about what you've done, because they block your own access to them.

You can also explore certain settings in the Windows Registry that impose restrictions on Internet Explorer. It's advisable to create a restorable restore point in System Restore before you try editing the Registry in case you make a mess of it and Windows doesn't work properly. To do that follow this path: Start => All Programs => Accessories => System Tools => System Restore. Run the wizard started by choosing the option called Create a restore point.

To open the Registry, enter regedit in the Start => Run box. The Registry keys have + signs beside them that you click on to open them.

HKey_Current_User and Hkey_Local_Machine => Software => Policies => Microsoft => Internet Explorer => Restrictions. If you see a key in either of those two locations called NoBrowserOptions, delete it or change its value from 1 to 0 to disable it. The figure 1 enables a value and 0 disables it. To delete or modify a value, right-click on it with the mouse and the options come up.

HKey_Current_User and Hkey_Local_Machine => Software => Policies => Microsoft => Internet Explorer => Control Panel. If you see a key in either of those two locations called Homepage, don't delete it, just change its value from 1 to 0 to disable it. The figure 1 enables a value and 0 disables it. To delete or modify a value, right-click on it with the mouse and the options come up.

If the restrictions return after you've removed them in the Registry, there is probably spyware at work in the system, and you should try running spyware removal tools to get rid of it. See the Security page on this site for information on the most popular free utilities.

Alternatively, one or both of the following files might not be in the C:\WINDOWS\system32 folder might be missing: inetcpl.cpl (350KB) and inetcplc.dll (108KB). The files should be in the C:\WINDOWS\System folder in Windows 95, 98, and Me.

If they are missing and you have installed an update for Internet Explorer, you'll find Internet Explorer under Add\Remove Programs in the Start => Control Panel. Right-clicking on it provides access to a Repair option that you should run in order for the files to be replaced. If the original version of Internet Explorer that Windows installed is the only version you have, the Repair option won't be there, because it is only added when you update IE.

If either or both of those files are missing and you can't use the Repair option, try registering with a computer forum such as the one at http://www.sysopt.com/ and post a request for the files for your version of Internet Explorer, which is version 6.0.2900.2180. You find out the version by opening Internet Explorer and clicking Help => About Internet Explorer. When you use the mouse to right-click on those two files the version listed under the Version tab should match your version of Internet Explorer. If you can only obtain a version with a lower or higher version number than yours, try using it, but it must have at least the 6.0.x part in the version number.

Spyware infection: A website or spyware has hijacked Internet Explorer's Home page

No matter what I set as the Home page in Internet Explorer, it is only kept as the Home page for that session. Another page automatically becomes the Home page the next time the system is booted. Even changing it via the Windows Registry by using the Windows Registry Editor doesn't stop it from being reset. The offending page is located at http://www.global-finder.com. How can I get my Home page back?

Plenty of websites are able to hijack your browser (in this case Internet Explorer), and point it to their home pages. No computer that is connected to the Internet is likely to be free of spyware that has been covertly installed by offending websites. To remove the spyware use these excellent free programs Microsoft's Windows Defender - Spybot S&D - Ad-Aware - AVG AntiSpyware. What one of them misses the other may detect. Make sure that the latest updates have been installed for both programs before you run either or both of them.

Note well that you may have to run the above-mentioned spyware removal tools in Safe Mode in order to remove some spyware and adware, so you might as well start these programs in Safe Mode. You can do that by pressing the F8 key just before Windows 98 or Windows XP starts to load at start-up. A boot menu presents itself with several boot options, including Safe Mode.

Some spyware includes a rootkit component that hides itself from Windows and removal tools in normal mode, but the removal tools can detect it in Safe Mode.

CoolWebSearch (CWS) spyware comes in several varieties, all of which are difficult to remove. Some variants use two components that can run even when the computer starts in Safe Mode. Each component reconstitutes the other component if a spyware removal tool removes one of them. And, recently, a variant that has three components. Together they use stealth techniques that hide them from the system and from spyware removal tools.

Global-Finder is a variant of CWS, which is a particularly tenacious hijacker of browsers. The creators of this spyware keep changing its code in order to bypass spyware-removal software. That is why you should always update any such software before you use it.

If none of the above programs get rid of it, visit http://cwshredder.net/ for the latest version of CWShredder. See the urgent news update below.

At the time of writing (July 3, 2005), CWShredder had not been updated to remove a variant of CWS that has three components which use stealth techniques. However, there are downloads available that can track down and remove the stealth component:

Your browser (Internet Explorer, Mozilla, etc.) should only be using the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) made by Sun, obtained from http://wwwjava.com, because Microsoft no longer supplies or supports its version. Software of this kind most commonly finds its way into a system by exploiting a particular security bug in Microsoft's version of the Java Virtual Machine (JVM).

If you are using Microsoft's JVM, there is a security patch available to defeat this bug. Look under the Tools menu item in Internet Explorer to find out which version your browser is using.

Read the relevant Knowledge Base article 816093 by clicking this link: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=816093.

To make sure that you don't get reinfected, downloading and installing the latest security updates from Microsoft Update would be the quickest way to remove the security flaws in the JVM or in Internet Explorer's JavaScript.

An urgent news update from Spywareinfo.com

Note that I haven't added the date to the following information, because, just in case of developments of this sort, you should always obtain the latest updates for any kind of malware tool before you use it.

Update Your Copies of HijackThis and CWShredder

"If you have ever downloaded HijackThis or CWShredder, it is urgent that you upgrade to the latest versions before using them again. If you mirror these programs on your own site, it is extremely urgent that you update the files.

"Due to a new variant of the CWS Trojan, using either HijackThis or CWShredder on an infected Win98 or WinME computer may lead to severe damage to that computer. You must update to the very newest versions of these programs before using either of them again.

"I don't know what the details of the problem are. I haven't been following the latest postings at the message board. The problem is serious enough that people have had to reinstall Windows on their computers.

"To upgrade these programs, you merely delete the old files and replace them with the new."

There have been distributed denial of service (DDOS) attacks on the Spywareinfo.com site, and it therefore tends to be in an unsettled state, so try visiting the site and then use its search box to look for HijackThis and CWShredder. - http://www.spywareinfo.com/.

HijackThis

If neither Microsoft's Windows Defender nor Spybot S&D nor Ad-Aware nor AVG AntiSpyware remove a malware problem - in an extreme case only - you should download and run HijackThis by using the link above. This program lists all of the changes that have been made to the standard configuration of Internet Explorer, and it allows you to restore them to the default configurations. The program needs to be used with care, because it can easily remove settings that you want or need to keep.

Here is the best way to use the program. Download HijackThis! Unzip the downloaded file into a new folder that you should create before you start the download. Don't install it on your Desktop. Don't use any of the Temp folders that are presently in your computer. Double-click the HijackThis.exe file and click on Scan. When the scan is finished, the Scan button will change into a Save Log button. Click Save Log (doing this generates a hijackthis.log file) Next, click => Config [button] => Misc Tools [button]. Click Generate StartupList log [button], which generates a startuplist.txt file.

If you are a relatively experienced computer user, first try copying and pasting your HijackThis log file to this web-based HijackThis log-file analyzer - http://www.hijackthis.de/.

You shouldn't rely exclusively on the log-file analyser (US: analyzer), but if you have a reasonable level of technical knowledge, it should help determine which items should be removed.

If the log-file analyser isn't helpful go to http://forums.spywareinfo.com/. Sign in, create a new topic asking for the boffins to interpret the logs (they do it for free), and then copy and paste both of them into your post. You should search that forum and the ones provided below to find out if the experts have already answered a similar problem posed by other users.

Other sites that have expert volunteers that interpret HijackThis log files are:

SmitFraud Remover and Winsock XP Fix

SmitFraud Remover - http://www.anti-spyware-101.com/remove-smitfraud/ - can remove many types of spyware that promote phoney virus and spyware scanners. If that link doesn't work, to find others, enter SmitFraud Remover in the Google search box at the top of this page (with its Web radio button enabled).

Winsock XP Fix - http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4372.html or http://www.snapfiles.com/get/winsockxpfix.html - can fix the Windows Winsock if spyware corrupts it. It is necessary to go online, so if spyware makes it impossible to go online, running this program could put you back in business. If those links don't work, to find others, enter winsock xp fix in the Google search box at the top of this page (with its Web radio button enabled).

Locking Internet Explorer's start page setting against user changes

There is an easy way to use Spybot S&D to protect your Home page and other settings in Internet Explorer.

The Spybot Search and Destroy utility can disable several changes being made to the settings under Internet Options, such as changing the Home page, which is shown under the General tab (shown in the image below). This is useful because some spyware can make undesirable changes to Internet Explorer that can be difficult to remove once they are in place.

There are three settings available in the latest version of the free spyware removal tool, Spybot S&D. It's advisable to enable them all, but just remember that if you want to make changes yourself and can't, it's because you have to disable one or more of these settings first. To find the settings, run Spybot and go Mode => Advanced mode. Options appear in the bottom left corner of the window that don't appear if Default mode is enabled. Click on Tools followed by the IE tweaks icon. The following three settings have check boxes beside them that you have to place a check mark in with the mouse to enable:

It is possible that changes to your operating system's Hosts files are redirecting traffic to websites commonly used as home pages to malicious ones. You will need to rule out this possibility as well. Visit http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm for more information.

3. - Lock IE control panel [Internet Options] from opening within IE [current user] - [You can only access Internet Options from the Control Panel.]

Alternatively, you computer's antivirus or security software might have options that lock Internet Explorer in the same ways. Remember that you will have to unlock the settings if you want to make use of these features yourself.

Windows Vista Trojan virus problem: A pop-up comes up every minute warning me that my computer is making unauthorised files and that I must scan for viruses

My desktop PC runs Windows Vista Home Premium Edition. Unfortunately I have visited a suspect site via a search engine and now my computer produces a Windows pop-up every minute warning me that my computer is making unauthorised files and that I should scan to detect and remove viruses. The pop-up itself doesn't look legitimate. I have run my AVG Anti-Virus scanner, which discovered a Trojan. I used the scanner to quarantine it, but the pop-up is still coming up.

It appears as if your computer has been infected with one of the numerous variants of SmitFraud. The Trojan backdoor program that it delivers is probably called Zlob. Other hidden code will keep reinstalling the Trojan when one of its parts is removed.

Many Windows Vista systems have been infected with SmitFraud in spite of the much-improved security improvements over Windows XP, which were designed to prevent spyware and viruses from installing themselves without permission. It is not yet apparent if this is because SmitFraud's programmers have found ways around Vista's security measures, or whether users have become so accustomed to having to click OK on the security warnings that present themselves whenever third-party software tries to make changes to the system that they do so automatically no matter what the message is, or find out how to turn the warnings off.

The SmitFraud software, which is spyware, keeps changing in order to avoid being detected by scanners, so you should use several anti-spyware scanners that have been fully updated online by running their update features. If you don't have any spyware scanners, you can find links to the best free ones in the Security section of this site. Also get Siri's SmitFraud Fix tool from http://siri.urz.free.fr/Fix/SmitfraudFix.exe.

Install and update the anti-spyware scanners, but don't scan the system in Windows normal mode. Restart the computer in Safe Mode. To do that, press the F8 key repeatedly as the computer starts up, but before the first Windows splash screen appears. The Windows boot manager comes up. It has a list of boot options, one of which is Safe Mode. When Safe Mode has booted, run SmitFraud Fix, followed by the spyware scanners, one at a time. You must scan the system in Safe Mode to avoid reinfection, because the spyware will not have installed itself in that mode. SmitFraud consists of several parts that can rebuild any of the parts that are removed in normal Windows mode.

To avoid this happening again, it is advisable to download the free version of McAfee SiteAdvisor from http://www.siteadvisor.com/. It marks search results with symbols that warn you of sites that should be avoided.

How can I add extra wired (Ethernet) ports to my wireless router?

I need some extra wired Ethernet ports on my wireless router. Is there any way that I can add extra ports to it?

You just have to add a a network switch. Five-port and eight-port Gigabit Ethernet switches can be purchased inexpensively. You need a crossover Ethernet cable to connect it to your wireless router. Unplug one of the computers or devices that is connected to an Ethernet port on the router and then use the cable to connect the router to the switch. Now you have the extra ports that any devices you want to connect to the network can be plugged into.

You must have a Gigabit Ethernet router if you want gigabit connection speeds of 1000Mbit/s, otherwise the switch will connect to the router at the slower 100Mbit/s.

You should plug all of your Gigabit devices into the new switch in order to make use of the fastest data transfer rates.

How can I add an external hard disk drive or network storage device to my wireless network in order to record television programmes to it from my laptop?

I access a broadband connection wirelessly using a Dell Inspiron 6400 laptop PC and a Netgear DG834PN wireless ADSL modem router. I want to add a large external hard disk drive or network storage device in order to be able to record television programmes using a USB TV tuner from the laptop. I would prefer the whole system to be wireless, but I wouldn't mind too much having a cable connection between the laptop and the television. The Western Digital 500GB My Book looks good, but it isn't wireless, so would it be possible to attach a network adapter to it or connect it directly to the Netgear router? I know that I could also use a network storage device, but I don't really need all of the features that they provide. I also need a USB TV tuner for the laptop. Can a TV tuner be configured to make the computer wake up from hibernation to record a TV programme and then go back into hibernation after the recording?

Some routers can be connected directly to an external hard disk drive via a USB cable, but this is not the case with the Netgear DG834PN. Therefore, you have two choices to add storage to your network - use a network storage device, or use a standard external hard disk drive with a network storage adapter.

The Western Digital My Book external hard drive can be connected to your network using a network storage adapter, which connects to the drive via a USB cable and to the network either wirelessly or by using a standard Ethernet connection. There are suitable network storage adapters made by both D-Link and SMC, but not currently for sale in the UK for a reasonable price. If you can find a suitably-priced network storage adapter, buy one, otherwise use a network storage device, which is primarily designed for sharing files on a network.

The Maxtor Shared Storage II 1TB provides a terabyte (1000GB) of storage, it works with any computer running Windows XP/Vista without special drivers, and it has a UPnP media server, which would allow you to have a network video player under your television, which would allow you to play back programmes without the laptop being involved.

The most popular version of Vista, Windows Vista Premium comes with the Media Center, and it and Windows XP Media Center Edition can wake a PC from hibernation, record a programme, and then go back into hibernation, but both Windows XP Home or Professional Editions, require the use of TV tuner that has a scheduler application that supports that feature. There are TV tuners that claim to be able to do that, but none of them are unproblematic in implementing their solutions, so the best option, if you haven't taken it already, is to upgrade to Windows Vista Premium or Ultimate Editions, which both have the Media Center built into them.

When I add extra laptop and desktop computers wirelessly to a mixed wired Ethernet and wireless network, all of the computers lose their Internet connections

I use a Netgear wireless G router to share an ADSL broadband Internet connection between five desktop computers. Four of the computers are wired to the router's Ethernet ports, and one is connected to the network wirelessly. However, whenever I try to add additional computers to the network wirelessly, some of which are desktop machines and some of which are laptops, all of the Internet connections are lost and I have to reboot the router and use fewer computers. Do I need to get a better router, or could the one I have somehow be made to connect all of my computers? Or would it be a good idea to buy another switch and then wire the other desktop computers to it?

You could have a faulty wireless router, because it should be able to connect far more computers than you have tried to connect to it.

Your router has a built-in Ethernet switch that connects the desktop PCs together. The problem is unlikely to be caused by the switch. It is more likely to be caused by the router's DHCP server that allocates IP addresses to the networked computers automatically, or by the SPI (Stateful Packet Inspection) firewall.

If the router itself isn't faulty, the problem could be caused from your ISP's end by an overall problematically large amount of traffic that it is experiencing, but the router is more likely to have a bug in its firmware.

Firmware is embedded software that is permanently installed in flash memory inside the router in much the same way as the BIOS file is embedded in a motherboard's BIOS CMOS chip. It handles some of the network protocols that the router uses, and some of its security features and administrative functions. The router's firmware can be updated if an upgrade has been made available from its manufacturer's site. Such a firmware upgrade updates both the router itself and its ADSL modem.

The version of the model of the Netgear model you have should be provided on a label on the underside of the router.

The Netgear site is at http://www.netgear.com/. To find the page for your router enter its model number in the Search box at the top of the page.

Here is the Support page for the Netgear DG834GT router - http://kbserver.netgear.com/products/DG834GT.asp. At the time of writing this, it provided firmware upgrades for three versions of the router, a Recovery Utility should the firmware upgrade abort, and an installation guide.

If installing a firmware upgrade doesn't work, here are some other remedies you can try:

Using mixed wireless protocols may be the cause of the problem, so disable support for every other wireless protocol except 802.11g.

You could also open the router's configuration web-based page (the user manual tells you how to bring it up), and reduce the DCHP lease time to an hour if it is set higher than that.

Enable the router's WPA encryption security feature, which prevents outsiders from using the connection to run peer-to-peer file sharing services, which could be overloading it. WEP encryption shouldn't be used because it has a flaw that makes it easy to crack. In any case, to use it involves entering a long hex key made up of many letters and numbers. WPA encryption just allows you use a simple password. Note that Windows XP, Windows Vista, and recent network cards support WPA, but older versions of Windows may not be able to use it.

You can also find out which channels other wireless equipment in the vicinity is using. If the channel you are using is being heavily used, you can change to a different channel. Your router's user manual will tell you how to change channels. NetStumbler can be used to tell you which channels in your vicinity are being used.

The router's firewall could be responsible, so try disabling its SPI (Stateful Packet Inspection) firewall.

Also try disabling the router's event-logging feature, because the extra work that logging requires might be causing it to crash when you add more client PCs.

Overheating can also cause a router to crash, so make sure that none of its ventilation slots is blocked. You could also try mounting it in different positions. It doesn't matter if the router is lying horizontally or is standing vertically.

Why does only one of my two laptops connecting to the web via a wireless G+ router have a very weak signal strength?

I have two laptops running Windows XP Home Edition that I connect to the web via a wireless G+ router. Each laptop has an internal mini-PCI wireless network card installed. The signal strength for Laptop 1 is very weak. It will only connect properly when about 10 or fewer feet from the router. If it is only 15 feet away from the router the signal strength is very poor. However, the signal strength of Laptop 2 is very strong, even when it is positioned more than 50 feet away on the other side of the house with several walls between it and the router. For some reason, Laptop 1 also disrupts with MW radio broadcasts, but Laptop 2 doesn't.

The quality of different brands of mini-PCI wireless network cards can vary significantly. If you have a card of poor quality installed in Laptop 1, then that could be the cause of the problem. For example, cards made by Broadcom tend to be of poorer quailty than the cards used in laptops that carry Intel's Centrino brand name. Moreover, Intel's wireless mini-PCI cards are very good at locking on to weak signals compared to brands, such as Broadcom. You should also make sure that the latest drivers are installed for the card being used by Laptop 1. You can obtain them from its manufacturer's site.

Of course, it is also possible that the card in Laptop 1 is faulty, in which case replacing it with a good card would fix the problem. You should also download and install the latest drivers for any new card you install, because the drivers that come with adapter cards are usually out of date, and, as such, won't implement the latest bug fixes and improvements, etc.

Intel 2200BG mini-PCI network cards are currently going for around £20 on ebay.co.uk. You could identify the network card installed in Laptop 2 and buy one for Laptop 1. To remove the old card, you usually have to open a panel on the computer's bottom side that is held in place by a single screw. The card is installed in a mini-PCI slot in much the same way as a SODIMM RAM memory module is installed in a memory slot.

The antenna might not have been connected properly. In most laptops, the antenna goes round the edges of an internal space around the screen. If you can't do so yourself, you could get a technician that specialises in laptop repair to check to make sure that both of the antenna wires (one is usually black and the other white) are connected. If only one wire is connected the signal strength will be reduced, but if both wires are not connected it can still be possible to connect to an access point or router if the laptop is a few feet away from it. In either case, you could find that turning the laptop through 90° should weaken the signal strength dramatically. Moreover, note that the antenna might be of poor quality or poorly designed, in which case, you could try using an external network card that fits into PC Card slot. Just make sure that Laptop 1 has a slot that supports the card you buy. Most current laptops have a slot that supports CardBus or ExpressCard cards.

Medium-wave radio stations broadcast on the AM radio frequencies. A laptop with a wireless network card is more likely to disrupt them than FM broadcasts, because Wireless G itself uses the FM frequencies.

In order to reduce radio interference, the relevant components in a laptop are covered with sheets of aluminium. If they weren't installed properly, or a grounding wire wasn't connected, the effectiveness of the shielding would be reduced significantly. However, note that computer's power supply unit is more likely to be the cause of radio interference. You could find out if that is the case by running the computer on battery power.

Both of my networked PCs can connect to the web, but one PC can't access the other's hard disk drive

My two networked PCs have Window XP Professional Edition running on them. I used to be able to access each PC's hard drive from the other PC and copy files between them. Unfortunately, for some unknown reason, computer A can't access the files on computer B, but computer B can access the files on computer A. I know that the network is working because both PCs can access the web via my Linksys ADSL router.

I discovered that computer B's hard drive is no longer shared. When I tried to set sharing, the following error message appeared:

When I tried to open Computer Management (Start => All Programs => Administrative Tools) to have a look at the Server Service under Services, I right-clicked on it with the mouse, selected Properties and found that it was set to Automatic but was stopped. Clicking Start brought up this message:

Could not start the server service on local computer. Error 2: the system cannot find the file specified.

The Properties window for the Server Service has C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe -k netsvcs as the Path to the executable, which all of the other services I looked at also have, and the svchost.exe file is present in the Windows\System32 folder.

Scanning the system with fully updated Spybot S&D, Ad-Aware, Windows Defender, and Norton AntiVirus found nothing.

Svchost runs a service or group of services that are specified in a .DLL file. Opening the Task Manager with the Ctrl+Alt+Del key combination should show several instances of svchost running under the Processes tab. Therefore, if svchost was corrupt or missing many other services would also not be running, so some other file is missing or a path to a file is set incorrectly in the Registry.

Try entering services.msc in the Start => Run box to bring up the Services window and then try starting the Server Service again.

Next, enter eventvwr.msc in the same way to bring up the Event Viewer, and have a look in the System log for error messages that might shed some light on the problem.

You might obtain a clearer message by opening a command prompt (enter cmd in the Start => Run box) and then entering this command:

There could be some other corrupt settings or files missing. The Services panel says incorrectly that the Server Service has no dependencies, because it relies on several other files and settings.

Enter regedit in the Start => Run box to open the Registry Editor and navigate to the svchost key.

In the right-hand window click on the value called netsvcs to see a list of the services that it loads.

Find lanmanserver => parameters. There should be an entry called ServiceDll in the right-hand window. Click on it to reveal its value, which should be %SystemRoot%\System32\srvsvc.dll. Correct the value if it is incorrect.

There are CurrentControlSet001 and CurrentControlSet002 in my Registry. If that is the case, check both of them.

If you have access to another computer running Windows XP that is working properly on a network, you can try using the File => Export option in the Registry to export lanmanserver settings from it to the faulty computer. Exporting Registry settings creates a .reg file that you copy and save to the computer that you want the settings installed in. You just have to click on the file to have the keys entered into that computer's Registry.

Remember that it is always advisable to create a restore point in System Restore before you make changes to a computer's Registry.

If the problem still exists, the cause could be almost anything in Windows networking.

Next, you can try using System Restore to restore a restore point that predates the problem. If doing that doesn't work, you can try performing a repair installation of Windows XP. How to perform a repair installation/install of Windows XP on this site provides information on how to do that. It won't affect the programs or data, but it is always worth making restorable backups in case anything goes wrong. For example, there may be a power cut while you are in the act.

How to remove and rebuild the networking components in Windows XP

If, for some reason, a repair installation doesn't work, or you can't do it, you'll have to try removing all of the network components so that Windows XP can rebuilt all of them.

Fortunately, although there are no networking components show under Add or Remove Programs (because Microsoft doesn't want users to remove them), by editing a file called sysoc.inf it is possible to force Add or Remove Programs (in the Control Panel) to display certain networking components, which can then be removed.

Right-click Start => Explore to run Windows Explorer and find the C:\Windows\Inf folder. It is normally a hidden folder. To unhide it, open Tools => Folder Options... in Windows Explorer. Click on the View tab and enable the setting called Show hidden files and folders.

Find the sysoc.inf file and save a copy of it to another folder just in case you screw things up. Double-clicking on the file in the C:\Windows\Inf folder opens it in Notepad. You should see many lines that contain the parameter hide or HIDE. Use Notepad's Edit => Replace feature to replace each instance of hide with just a comma. Take care not to delete the comma before or after it. Save the file and exit Notepad.

Now open Add or Remove Programs and select Windows Components. Make sure that Internet Information Services, Networking Services, Other Network File and Print Services, and Terminal Server are unticked. Next, enter cmd in the Start => Run box to open a command prompt and enter the command: netsh int ip reset resetlog.txt.

That command should reset the TCP/IP protocol, which can't be removed. Now go back to the Control Panel and open Network Connections and remove all of the connections that appear there by right-clicking on each of them and then clicking Delete.

Now enter devmgmt.msc in the Start => Run box to open the Device Manager. Click View => Show hidden devices and then open Network adapters. Remove any Ethernet network cards or other physical network devices (not the virtual networking devices, or an ADSL modem). Doing that will force Windows XP to locate new hardware and reinstall all of the required components.

Now open Network Connections in the Control Panel. Click on each connection, and click on the

For access to an article click on the Ref. Number or copy it into the search box at the destination pages of either of the two links placed in the top two rows of this table.
813936	How to set up a small network with Windows XP Home Edition (PART 1 of 8)
308007	Troubleshooting Home Networking in Windows XP
838207	List of networking fixes in Windows XP Service Pack 2
870702	How to troubleshoot wireless network connections in Windows XP Service Pack 2
871122	Error message when you try to run the Wireless Network Setup Wizard after you update to Windows XP Service Pack 2 or Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 - The Wireless Network Setup Wizard and the View Available Wireless Networks feature both rely on the Wireless Zero Configuration service to provide their functionality to Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) and Microsoft Windows XP Table PC Edition 2005. If the Wireless Zero Configuration service is not available, you receive an error message that directs you to this article.
922120	Network Map in Windows Vista does not display computers that are running Windows XP - When you run Network Map on a Windows Vista-based computer, computers that are running Microsoft Windows XP do not appear on the network diagram. This problem occurs if the Link-Layer Topology Discovery (LLTD) Responder component is not installed on the Windows XP-based computer.
937097	Problems with the network, hard disk drive, or storage drivers cause a program to stop unexpectedly in Windows Vista - You start or run a network-capable program in Windows Vista. Then, the program stops unexpectedly (crashes) in either of the following cases: • When the program tries to read valid data from a remote storage medium. • When the program tries to write valid data to a remote storage medium.
329441	What to do when you cannot create a network connection after you restore Windows XP
811259	How to determine and recover from Winsock2 corruption - Windows XP Home and Windows XP Professional
871122	Error message when you try to run the Wireless Network Setup Wizard after you update to Windows XP Service Pack 2
883259	How to install and configure Bluetooth devices in Windows XP Service Pack 2. - To install a Bluetooth device, you only have to connect it. Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) includes drivers for many Bluetooth devices. If Windows does not recognize a Bluetooth device, you can still use it by using the generic software support that Windows includes, or you can use the driver that the device manufacturer provides. To add a Bluetooth device to your computer, you can use the Add Bluetooth Device Wizard. To configure a Bluetooth connection, you use the Bluetooth Devices item in Control Panel.
883258	How to troubleshoot Bluetooth detection and connectivity problems in Windows XP Service Pack 2. - After you install Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), a Bluetooth device that previously functioned correctly in Windows XP SP1 and that supported Bluetooth wireless devices may not function correctly. This article discusses how to troubleshoot:• Bluetooth device detection issues. • Service detection issues. • Device detection and connectivity issues.
875362	The Computer Browser service does not start and event ID 7024 is logged when you restart your Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer
314850	Windows XP IPConfig Syntax
117662	IPCONFIG Diagnostic Utility: Parameters and Usage - Windows NT/2000
922713	Error message when you run the ipconfig /renew command on a Windows XP-based computer or on a Windows Server 2003-based computer: "The current directory is invalid"
299357	How to Reset Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) in Windows XP
314067	How to Troubleshoot TCP/IP Connectivity with Windows XP
283673	HOW TO: Enable or Disable Internet Connection Firewall in Windows XP
301041	HOW TO: Install NetBEUI on Windows XP
815485	Overview of the WPA Wireless Security Update in Windows XP - This article discusses the Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) update in Windows XP - Home and Professional
893357	The Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2)/Wireless Provisioning Services Information Element (WPS IE) update for Windows XP with Service Pack 2 [SP2] is available. [This update allows Windows XP SP2's wireless networking software to use WPA2 data encryption provided by a Wireless Access Point (WAP) or router]
306126	HOW TO: Configure Internet Connection Sharing in Windows XP
309642	How to Configure a Static Client for Windows XP Internet Connection Sharing [How to configure a host, such as a server, with a static IP address rather than allowing the host to be configured with a dynamic IP Address, which is different every time.]
309524	How to Configure Windows XP ICS for an Internal PPTP Server
318030	You Cannot Access Shared Files and Folders or Browse Computers in the Workgroup - Windows XP Home Edition and Windows XP Professional
289022	HOW TO: Edit the Boot.ini File in Windows XP
239780	Safe Mode Boot Switches For The Windows XP Boot.ini File
282866	How To Configure Windows XP to Automatically Log On a User Account
306496	HOW TO: Configure or Disable Solicited Remote Assistance in Windows XP - also see "306586" - "306757" - "306971" - "306800" for Remote Assistance information.
922376	Error message when you use a Windows XP-based computer to share files over a network: "Error: Server service not started" - When you use a Microsoft Windows XP-based computer to share files with another user over a network, you receive the following error message: Error: Server service not started Additionally, when you try to start the Server service, the service does not start. Instead, you receive the following error message: Error 126: The specified module cannot be found. - This problem occurs if the Srvsvc.dll file is missing or corrupted.
921982	You receive an error message the first time that you try to use the Remote Assistance feature to offer assistance to a user whose computer is running Windows XP - This problem occurs if the following conditions are true: • The Remote Desktop feature is not enabled on the user's computer. • The connection attempt times out before the Remote Desktop Help Session Manager service on the user's computer starts.
267643	NetBEUI Is Unable to Restore Network Connections When Returning From Hibernation or Standby Mode - Windows Me
266081	Network Browsing May Not Work Properly Over 1394 [FireWire] NDIS Network - Windows Me
220874	Automatic Windows 98/Windows Me TCP/IP Addressing Without a DHCP Server - How to Use Automatic TCP/IP Addressing Without a DHCP Server
325032	Using the Microsoft L2TP/IPSec VPN [Virtual Private Networking] Client with Windows 98, Windows Me, and Windows NT 4.0
245800	Shows how to speed up a network connection: Delay Viewing Shares on an Windows 98 Based Computer from a Windows 2000 Based Computer
285189	Dial-Up Networking 1.4 Upgrade Is Available - Windows 95/98
169790	How to Troubleshoot Basic TCP/IP Problems - Windows 95/98/Me
181599	How to Remove and Reinstall Dial-Up Networking and TCP/IP Files - Windows 95/98
141698	How to Use Winipcfg to View TCP/IP Settings - Windows 95/98

Network and Internet Problems: Fixing Wired and Wireless Networking Problems – Page 1

USEFUL WIRELESS NETWORKING WEBPAGES

Excellent, network tweaking tools

NETWORK AND INTERNET PROBLEMS - Page 1

OTHER PAGES ON THIS SITE THAT DEAL WITH COMPUTER PROBLEMS